Method and apparatus for measuring endface surface topography of multi-fiber fiberoptic connectors
First Claim
1. A method of evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin into the guide pin hole;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the reference surface to produce an interferogram of the reference surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer as necessary to produce a predetermined fringe density of the interferogram of the reference surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the connector end surface; and
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the connector end surface and operating the interferometer to compute from the data a profile of the connector end surface, wherein the profile is precisely calibrated with reference to the guide pin hole, whereby the profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber fiberoptic connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the connector with a like connector includes a reference guide pin having a polished flat reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin. The reference guide pin is inserted into the guide pin hole. In one embodiment, an interferometer is first focused onto the connector end surface. The connector end surface is tipped and tilted to minimize or establish a viable fringe density on the connector end surface. The interferometer then acquires the interferogram data and produces an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface. The interferometer then is focused on the reference surface and acquires its interferogram data, and then computes a profile of the reference surface. The profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface are combined to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface. In another embodiment, the interferometer is focused on the reference guide pin first. The connector end surface then is tipped and tilted to establish a predetermined number of fringes thereon. The interferometer then profiles the connector end surface, which, because of the tipping and tilting, is calibrated relative to the guide pin hole.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A method of evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin into the guide pin hole;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the reference surface to produce an interferogram of the reference surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer as necessary to produce a predetermined fringe density of the interferogram of the reference surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the connector end surface; and
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the connector end surface and operating the interferometer to compute from the data a profile of the connector end surface, wherein the profile is precisely calibrated with reference to the guide pin hole, whereby the profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin into the guide pin hole;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the connector end surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the connector end surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer as necessary to produce a predetermined fringe density of an interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to acquire data from the interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to produce from that data an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the reference surface;
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram on the reference surface, and operating the interferometer to compute from that data a profile of the reference surface; and
(g) operating the interferometer to utilize the profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface to precisely calibrate the connector end surface relative to the guide pin hole to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface, whereby the calibrated profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A system for evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, comprising:
-
(a) means for providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) means for inserting the reference guide pin a predetermined depth into the guide pin hole;
(c) means for focusing an interferometer on the reference surface to produce an interferogram of the reference surface;
(d) means for adjusting the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interfecrometer to produce a predetermined fringe density of the interferogram of the reference surface;
(e) means for focusing the interferometer on the connector end surface; and
(f) means for operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the connector end surface and operating the interferometer to compute from the data a profile of the connector end surface, wherein the profile is precisely calibrated with reference to the guide pin hole, whereby the profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector.
-
-
28. A system for evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, comprising:
-
(a) means for providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) means for inserting the reference guide pin into the guide pin hole;
(c) means for focusing an interferometer on the connector end surface;
(d) means for adjusting the relative orientation between the connector end surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer to produce a predetermined fringe density of an interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to acquire data from the interferogram on the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to produce from that data an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface;
(e) means for focusing the interferometer on the reference surface;
(f) means for operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the reference surface, and operating the interferometer to compute from that data a profile of the reference surface; and
(g) means for operating the interferometer to utilize the profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface to precisely calibrate the connector end surface relative to the guide pin hole to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface, whereby the calibrated profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector.
-
-
29. Apparatus for evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, comprising:
-
(a) a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) an insertion tool adapted to grip the reference guide pin and insert the reference guide pin a predetermined depth into the guide pin hole of the multi-fiber connector;
(c) an interferometer including an adjustment feature adapted to adjust the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer allow the interferometer to produce a predetermined fringe density of an interferogram of the reference surface, the interferometer also including a focusing feature adapted to focus the interferometer on the connector end surface to allow the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the connector end surface and operating the interferometer to compute from the data a profile of the connector end surface, wherein the profile is precisely calibrated with reference to the guide pin hole, whereby the profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector.
-
-
30. Apparatus for evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, comprising:
-
(a) a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) an insertion tool adapted to grip the reference guide pin and insert the reference guide pin a predetermined depth into the guide pin hole of the multi-fiber connector;
(c) an interferometer including an adjustment feature adapted to adjust the relative orientation between the connector end surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer to allow the interferometer to produce a predetermined fringe density of an interferogram of the connector end surface and then acquire data from the interferogram of the connector end surface and produce from that data an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface, the interferometer including a focusing feature adapted to focus the interferometer on the reference surface to allow the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the reference surface and compute from that data a profile of the reference surface, the interferometer including a computing feature adapted to utilize the profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface to precisely calibrate the connector end surface relative to the guide pin hole to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface, whereby the calibrated profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector.
-
-
31. A method of measuring a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin mating feature for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin a into the guide pin mating feature;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the reference surface to produce an interferogram of the reference surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer as necessary to produce a predetermined fringe density of the interferogram of the reference surface;
(e) focusing the interferometer on the connector end surface; and
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the connector end surface and operating the interferometer to compute from the data a profile of the connector end surface, wherein the profile is precisely calibrated with reference to the precision guide pin mating feature, whereby the profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector. - View Dependent Claims (32)
-
-
33. A method of measuring a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin mating feature for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin a into the guide pin mating feature;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the connector end surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the connector end surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer to produce a predetermined fringe density of an interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to acquire data from the interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to produce from that data an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the reference surface;
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the reference surface, and operating the interferometer to compute from that data a profile of the reference surface; and
(g) operating the interferometer to utilize the profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface to precisely calibrate the connector end surface relative to the guide pin mating feature to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface, whereby the calibrated profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector. - View Dependent Claims (34)
-
-
35. A method of evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin a into the guide pin hole;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the reference surface to produce an interferogram of the reference surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the reference surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer as necessary to produce a predetermined fringe density of the interferogram of the reference surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the connector end surface; and
(f) operating the interferometer to display an interferogram of the connector end surface, wherein the interferogram is precisely calibrated with reference to the guide pin hole.
-
-
36. A method of evaluating a connector end surface of a multi-fiber connector having a precision guide pin hole for receiving a guide pin to precisely mate the multi-fiber connector with a like multi-fiber connector, the method comprising:
-
(a) providing a reference guide pin having on one end thereof a polished reference surface oriented at a predetermined angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the reference guide pin;
(b) inserting the reference guide pin into the guide pin hole;
(c) focusing an interferometer on the connector end surface;
(d) adjusting the relative orientation between the connector end surface and a reference mirror of the interferometer if necessary to produce a viable fringe density of an interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to acquire data from the interferogram of the connector end surface, and then operating the interferometer to produce from that data an uncalibrated profile of the connector end surface;
(e) ensuring that the interferometer is focused on the reference surface;
(f) operating the interferometer to acquire data representative of an interferogram of the reference surface if necessary, and operating the interferometer to compute from that data a profile of the reference surface; and
(g) operating the interferometer to utilize the profiles of the connector end surface and the reference surface to precisely calibrate the connector end surface relative to the guide pin hole to provide a calibrated profile of the connector end surface, whereby the calibrated profile of the connector end surface is indicative of mateability of the multi-fiber connector with the like multi-fiber connector. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
-
Specification