Directional optical fiber signal tapping assembly

• US 4,270,839 A
• Filed: 01/29/1979
• Issued: 06/02/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC (Brookfield Asset Management Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cross, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US06/007,460
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 350/96.15, 350/96.16, 350/96.29, 350/96.30, 350/96.33, 250/227
• US Class Current: 385/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2852 using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures)

Abstract

A directional optical fiber signal tapping assembly. A light pipe rod encircles and accepts stray light rays leaving the otherwise bare outer surface of a length of optical fiber in a region following a location having a bend that induces a selected degree of outward leakage of optical signal rays in the bend following longitudinal light pipe region. Curvature of one end of the light pipe rod conducts the extracted optical signal sample to an optical detector device.

Claims

1. A directional optical fiber signal tapping assembly comprising:

(a) first and second light pipes each including a groove;

(b) an optical fiber positioned in the grooves in said light pipes;

(c) a support member having a first opening therein with said first light pipe being fixed rigidly in said opening, said support member also having a second opening therein with positioning means supporting said second light pipe in said second opening such that said light pipes can be selectively displaced from each other in a longitudinal direction thereby selectively bending said optical fiber thereby changing the amount of light which is coupled into said light pipes due to leakage from said optical fiber.

2. A directional optical fiber signal tapping assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein said positioning means includes:

(a) a resilient member positioned between the edge of said second light pipe and the inner edge of said second opening;

(b) saddle means positioned to contact said second light pipe along an edge of said second light pipe; and

(c) screw means for applying pressure to said saddle means thereby causing said resilient means to deform to displace said first and second light pipes with respect to each other thereby causing said optical fiber to bend.