Optical fiber coupler
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An optical fiber coupler comprising:
- a length of a bus optical fiber having an unclad region exposing the fiber core in an intermediate portion thereof;
at least one tap optical fiber having a free end and a core-exposing face thereon, said free end of said tap optical fiber being spaced from but adjacent to said bus optical fiber with the face of said free end generally facing said bus optical fiber unclad region, the axes of said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber being positioned to permit lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber; and
a junction medium encapsulating said tap optical fiber free end face and said bus optical fiber unclad region, said junction medium filling the space between said tap optical fiber free end face and said bus optical fiber core as providing a path for lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber.
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Abstract
An optical fiber coupler and method of making same wherein a tap optical fiber free end is adjacent to and facing the unclad region in an intermediate portion of the length of a bus optical fiber at an angle permitting lightwave communication therebetween. A junction medium, preferably a cured resin, encapsulates the tap fiber free end and the bus fiber unclad region to provide a path for the lightwave communication.
55 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An optical fiber coupler comprising:
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a length of a bus optical fiber having an unclad region exposing the fiber core in an intermediate portion thereof; at least one tap optical fiber having a free end and a core-exposing face thereon, said free end of said tap optical fiber being spaced from but adjacent to said bus optical fiber with the face of said free end generally facing said bus optical fiber unclad region, the axes of said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber being positioned to permit lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber; and a junction medium encapsulating said tap optical fiber free end face and said bus optical fiber unclad region, said junction medium filling the space between said tap optical fiber free end face and said bus optical fiber core as providing a path for lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical fiber coupler comprising:
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a length of a bus optical fiber having an unclad region exposing the fiber core in an intermediate portion thereof at least one tap optical fiber having a free end and a core-exposing face thereon, said free end of said tap optical fiber being spaced from but adjacent to said bus optical fiber with the face of said free end generally facing said bus optical fiber unclad region, the axes of said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber being positioned such that the angle between the respective axes is no greater than the sum of the maximum bus optical fiber unclad region acceptance angle and the maximum tap fiber acceptance angle to permit lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber; and a rigid, cured resin encapsulating said tap optical fiber free end face and said bus optical fiber unclad region and fixing said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber at said angle, said cured resin filling the space between providing a path for lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of coupling optical fibers comprising:
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(a) providing a length of a bus optical fiber having an unclad region exposing the fiber core in an intermediate portion thereof; (b) providing at least one tap optical fiber having a free end and a core-exposing face thereon; (c) positioning said tap optical fiber free end adjacent to but spaced from said bus optical fiber with the face of said free end generally facing said bus optical fiber unclad region; and (d) encapsulating said tap fiber free end and said bus optical fiber unclad region with a junction medium and filling the space between said free end and said unclad region with a junction medium, thereby providing for lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of coupling optical fibers comprising:
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(a) providing a length of a bus optical fiber having a light guiding core and a surrounding layer of cladding; (b) removing a portion of the bus optical fiber cladding in an intermediate portion of said length to provide an unclad region on said bus optical fiber; (c) providing at least one tap optical fiber having a free end and a core-exposing face thereon; (d) positioning said tap optical fiber free end adjacent to but spaced from said bus optical fiber with the face of said free end facing said bus optical fiber unclad region such that the angle between the tap optical fiber axis and the bus optical fiber axis is no greater than the sum of the maximum bus fiber unclad region acceptance angle and the maximum tap fiber acceptance angle; (e) encapsulating said tap fiber and said bus optical fiber unclad region including the space therebetween with a resin; and (f) curing said resin, thereby providing for lightwave communication between said tap optical fiber and said bus optical fiber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification