Optical fiber connector structure
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for tapping an optical fiber, comprising:
- an elongated first optical fiber having a noncircular end which has an end cross-section taken along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fiber which includes a throughput area and a light-add/light-drop area, a core of the throughput area being integral with a core of the light-add/light-drop area, the light-add/light-drop area and throughput area being enveloped by a common cladding;
an elongated second optical fiber having an end which has an end cross-section optically coupled to the first optical fiber end throughput area;
optical path means optically interconnecting the light-add/light-drop area and at least one of an electro-optic transducer and a sensor.
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Abstract
An optical fiber tap for connecting polymer optical fibers is achieved by heating an end section of the fibers to be connected and deforming the end sections into a non-circular cross-sectional shape so as to form a throughput cross-sectional area and a add/drop throughput area, the optical fiber ends being thereafter aligned so as to allow for efficient signal extraction and injection.
16 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for tapping an optical fiber, comprising:
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an elongated first optical fiber having a noncircular end which has an end cross-section taken along a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fiber which includes a throughput area and a light-add/light-drop area, a core of the throughput area being integral with a core of the light-add/light-drop area, the light-add/light-drop area and throughput area being enveloped by a common cladding; an elongated second optical fiber having an end which has an end cross-section optically coupled to the first optical fiber end throughput area; optical path means optically interconnecting the light-add/light-drop area and at least one of an electro-optic transducer and a sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of tapping an optical fiber comprising the steps of:
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deforming an end section of a first preformed optical fiber from a first cross-sectional profile to a connectable second cross-sectional profile, the second profile being non-circular and including a throughput area and an light-add/light/drop area; optically connecting the throughput area to a second optical fiber end; optically connecting at least one of an electro-optic transducer and a sensor to the light-add/light-drop area. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of deforming an end section of a first preferred optical fiber from a first cross-sectional profile to a connectable second cross-sectional profile, comprising the steps of:
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disposing the end section within a cavity having a cross-sectional profile similar to the first cross-sectional profile, the cavity being surrounded by an unstable memory material and being formed thereby; heating the memory material to a temperature sufficient to cause it to dimensionally deform to a cross-sectional profile similar to the second profile. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification