Interferometric system for the detection and location of reflecting faults of light-guiding structures
First Claim
1. Interferometric system for the detection and location of reflecting faults of a light guiding structure (2), said system comprising:
- an incoherent light source (4),a monomode laser source (6), whose wavelength is substantially equal to a central wavelength of the incoherent source,first (10) and second (20) optical couplers, each of said first and second couplers (10,
20) having first and second branches, said first branches (11,
21) being optically coupled to the incoherent light source and to the laser source,a first support (36) displaceable in translation in a given direction and to which are fixed ends of the second branches (12,
22) of the first and second couplers,a second support (38) adapted to oscillate in said given direction,first (42) and second (43) light reflectors fixed to the second support (38) and respectively placed facing the ends of the second branches (12,
22) of the first and second couplers in order to reflect the light passing out of the same,a third support (40) displaceable in translation in the given direction and to which is fixed an end of a third branch (23) of the second coupler (20),a third light reflector (48) fixed and positioned facing said end of the third branch (23) of the second coupler (20) in order to reflect the light passing out of the end of the third branch of the second coupler, a third branch (13) of the first coupler (10) being optically coupled to the guiding structure (2),first (52) and second (54) photodetectors respectively optically coupled to fourth branches (14,
24) of the first (10) and second (20) couplers,an interference fringe counter (56) having an input which receives signals from the second photodetector (54) andmeans (58) for analyzing signals supplied by the first and second photodetectors (52,
54), said analyzing means serving to locate reflecting faults of the guiding structure (2), with the aid of appropriate displacements of the first, second and third supports and the counter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An interferometric system for sensing and locating reflective defects in light-conducting structures comprises a mono-mode laser source (6), an incoherent source (4) with substantially the same central wavelength as the laser source, first and second couplers (10, 20) connected to the sources and to light sensors (52, 54), a first support (36) movable in one direction (D) and connected to the ends of the first and second couplers, a second support (38) oscillating in the same direction (D), reflectors (42, 43) attached to the second support opposite the ends of the first and second couplers. A third support support (40) is movable in the same direction (D) and connected to one end of the second coupler (20), a further stationary reflector (48) opposite said end, of the second coupler. The first coupler is connected to an optical waveguide (2), and devices (56, 58) for locating reflective defects in the waveguide.
45 Citations
6 Claims
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1. Interferometric system for the detection and location of reflecting faults of a light guiding structure (2), said system comprising:
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an incoherent light source (4), a monomode laser source (6), whose wavelength is substantially equal to a central wavelength of the incoherent source, first (10) and second (20) optical couplers, each of said first and second couplers (10,
20) having first and second branches, said first branches (11,
21) being optically coupled to the incoherent light source and to the laser source,a first support (36) displaceable in translation in a given direction and to which are fixed ends of the second branches (12,
22) of the first and second couplers,a second support (38) adapted to oscillate in said given direction, first (42) and second (43) light reflectors fixed to the second support (38) and respectively placed facing the ends of the second branches (12,
22) of the first and second couplers in order to reflect the light passing out of the same,a third support (40) displaceable in translation in the given direction and to which is fixed an end of a third branch (23) of the second coupler (20), a third light reflector (48) fixed and positioned facing said end of the third branch (23) of the second coupler (20) in order to reflect the light passing out of the end of the third branch of the second coupler, a third branch (13) of the first coupler (10) being optically coupled to the guiding structure (2), first (52) and second (54) photodetectors respectively optically coupled to fourth branches (14,
24) of the first (10) and second (20) couplers,an interference fringe counter (56) having an input which receives signals from the second photodetector (54) and means (58) for analyzing signals supplied by the first and second photodetectors (52,
54), said analyzing means serving to locate reflecting faults of the guiding structure (2), with the aid of appropriate displacements of the first, second and third supports and the counter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification