Optical fiber launch coupler
First Claim
1. A fiber optic coupler comprising a curved throughput fiber having a longitudinal planar surface and a curved launch fiber having two longitudinal planar surfaces exposing the severed core of the launch fiber, the ratio of the diameter of the throughput fiber to the diameter of the launch fiber being from 3:
- 2 to 4;
1 and said throughput fiber being joined to only one of the launch fiber planar surfaces.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low-loss unidirectional optical coupler utilizing clad monofilament fibers of different diameters is provided by mounting each fiber on a curved surface, lapping the smaller (launch) fiber substantially tangentially to the curved surface until the core of the launch fiber has been lapped through to produce two elliptical flat surfaces, independently lapping the other (throughput) fiber tangentially to its surface to produce a fiber surface of substantially the same size as one of those produced on the launch fiber, aligning the throughput fiber surface with one of the launch fiber surfaces, and bonding them together.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A fiber optic coupler comprising a curved throughput fiber having a longitudinal planar surface and a curved launch fiber having two longitudinal planar surfaces exposing the severed core of the launch fiber, the ratio of the diameter of the throughput fiber to the diameter of the launch fiber being from 3:
- 2 to 4;
1 and said throughput fiber being joined to only one of the launch fiber planar surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- 2 to 4;
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11. The method of manufacturing fiber optic couplers comprising:
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bonding a first glass fiber to a first arcuate surface; bonding a second glass fiber to a second arcuate surface, the second fiber being substantially smaller in diameter than the first fiber; lapping each of said bonded fibers, individually, along said arcuate surfaces to expose a planar, substantially elliptical surface on said first fiber and a pair of planar, substantially elliptical surfaces on said second fiber, the lapping of the first fiber removing less than half the thickness of the fiber core; positioning one of said elliptical surfaces on said second fiber adjacent said elliptical surface on the first fiber, the surface areas of the adjacent elliptical surfaces being substantially equal; and coating the fibers with an adhesive to adhere and join the surfaces together. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of manufacturing a fiber optic launch coupler comprising:
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positioning and bonding a throughput monofilament clad glass fiber on a first arcuate surface; positioning and bonding a launch monofilament fiber optic clad glass fiber on a second arcuate surface, the launch fiber being substantially smaller in diameter than the throughput fiber; lapping the throughput fiber through said bonding material and the cladding of said fiber and exposing a portion of the core thereof with less than half the thickness of the fiber being removed; lapping the launch fiber through said bonding material, through the cladding thereof, and through the core thereof on said arcuate surface and producing a flat surface chordal to the arc of the fiber comprising two elliptical sections of the core of said launch fiber, the surface area of one of the elliptical sections of said launch fiber core being substantially equal to the surface area of the core exposed in the throughput fiber; positioning one of the launch surfaces and the throughput core surface in a mating relationship; and bonding said surfaces in said mating relationship. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A fiber optic coupler comprising:
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a throughput fiber having a lapped planar surface; and a launch fiber having a pair of planar surfaces formed by lapping entirely through the core of the launch fiber, the ratio of the diameter of the throughput fiber to the diameter of the launch fiber being from 3;
2 to 4;
1, said fibers being curved and in contact along the planar surface of the throughput fiber and only one of the planar surfaces of the launch fiber, said contacting surfaces being aligned along the curvature of the fibers, wherein the width of the planar surface on the throughput fiber is equal to the core diameter of the launch fiber.
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Specification