Fiber optic cladding displacement connector

• US 6,246,819 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Winchester Interconnect Corporation (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: PRC, Inc. (Arthur D. Little, Inc.)
• Inventors: Windebank, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUCHMAN, LAYLA G
• Application Number:
  US09/209,774
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 385/48, 385/39
• US Class Current: 385/48
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/245 Removing protective coverings of light guides before coupling
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/2852 using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures)
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/428 containing printed circuit boards [PCB]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/429 by surface irregularities on the light guide, e.g. by mechanical modification of the surface of the light guide on its exterior

Abstract

Disclosed is an optical fiber displacement connector and method used with a fiber optic cable as an optical tap. The fiber optic cable includes a light carrying center, a cladding and a buffer. The cladding displacement connector has surfaces which can be used for displacing the buffer and cladding to expose the light carrying center. The cladding displacement connector at least partially surrounds the light carrying center of the fiber optic cable. The cladding displacement connectors are formed of an optically conductive material and is insertable into a printed circuit board or an integrated circuit chip. The connector can carry bi-directional and multi-wavelength light signals. The optical signal carried by the light carrying center of the fiber optic cable can be caused to exit the fiber optic cable by displacing the cladding, abrading the cladding, dissolving the cladding, and carving a groove into the light carrying center. The connector is then placed in optical contact with the light carrying center of the optical cable. The connector can also be used with an optical fiber.

Claims

1. An optical fiber tap for optically connecting to an optical cable, the optical cable having a light carrying center and an outer cover, said optical fiber tap comprising:

a body having a recess for receiving a portion of said light carrying center;

said body having a first displacement portion and a second displacement portion, each said first displacement portion and said second displacement portion having a displacement surface at an end thereof for displacing the outer cover of the optical cable;

said body having at least one surface for optical communication with said light carrying center.

2. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said body is made from one of plastic coated glass and plastic coated plastic.

3. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said recess has a U-shape.

4. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said first displacement portion and said second displacement each have angled surfaces which extend outwardly from said recess.

5. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein imaginary lines extending from said angled surfaces intersect and form an angle of less than 180°

.

6. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said displacement surfaces are angled surfaces.

7. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said displacement surfaces have a first angled surface and a second angled surface and said recess has a first inner surface and a second inner surface, said first angled surface and said first inner surface forming a first edge, and said second angled surface and said second inner surface forming a second edge, said first and second edges forming a cutting edge for displacing said outer cover.

8. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein each of said first displacement portion and said second displacement portion has an angled surface and wherein a portion of each of said angled surfaces closest to said recess initially contacts said outer cover of said optical fiber when said optical fiber tap is brought into contact with said optical fiber.

9. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the outer cover includes a buffer and a cladding concentrically surrounding the light carrying center.

10. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber tap is made from an optically conductive material.

11. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said first displacement portion has an inner surface and said second displacement portion has an inner surface, said inner surfaces are spaced apart approximately the same distance as a diameter of said light carrying center.

12. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein said recess is sized to receive the light carrying center, and at least one of said inner surfaces can be brought into optical contact with said light carrying center.

13. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber tap is one piece.

14. The optical fiber tap of claim 1, wherein the optical fiber tap can displace the outer cover without damaging the light carrying center.

15. An optical fiber tap for optically connecting to an optical cable, the optical cable having a light carrying center and an outer cover, said optical fiber tap comprising:

a body having a recess for receiving a portion of said light carrying center;

said body having a first displacement portion and a second displacement portion, each said first displacement portion and said second displacement portion having a displacement surface at an end thereof for displacing the outer cover of the optical cable;

said body having at least one surface for optical communication with said light carrying center;

said displacement surfaces have a first angled surface and a second angled surface and said recess has a first inner surface and a second inner surface, said first angled surface and said first inner surface forming a first edge, and said second angled surface and said second inner surface forming a second edge, said first and second edges forming cutting edges for displacing said outer cover.

16. The optical fiber tap of claim 15, wherein said body is made from one of plastic coated glass and plastic coated plastic.

17. The optical fiber tap of claim 15, wherein said displacement surfaces have a first angled surface and a second angled surface and said recess has a first inner surface and a second inner surface, said first angled surface and said first inner surface forming a first edge, and said second angled surface and said second inner surface forming a second edge, said first and second edges forming a cutting edge for displacing said outer cover.

18. The optical fiber of claim 15, wherein a portion of each of said angled surfaces closest to said recess initially contacts said outer cover of said optical fiber when said optical fiber tap is brought into contact with said optical fiber.

19. The optical fiber of claim 15, wherein the outer cover includes a buffer and a cladding concentrically surrounding the light carrying center.

20. The optical fiber of claim 15, wherein said optical fiber tap is made from an optically conductive material.

21. The optical fiber tap of claim 15, wherein said first displacement portion has an inner surface and said second displacement portion has an inner surface, said inner surfaces are spaced apart approximately the same distance as a diameter of said light carrying center.

22. An optical fiber tap for optically connecting to an optical fiber, said optical fiber tap comprising:

an integrally formed body having a recess for receiving a portion of the optical fiber;

said body having a first leg and a second leg, at least one of which is positionable against the optical fiber.

23. A method of tapping an optical signal from a fiber optic cable having a light carrying center surrounded by an outer cover, the method comprising:

exposing the light carrying center using a fiber optic connector having a first displacement portion and a second displacement portion, each of the first displacement portion and the second displacement portion having a displacement surface at an end thereof for displacing the outer cover of the fiber optic cable; and

abutting the fiber optic connector against the light carrying center.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising displacing the outer cover using angled surfaces of the fiber optic connector.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising cutting the outer cover.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the fiber optic connector has angled surfaces at a distal end of a recess and the angled surfaces of the fiber optic connector are pushed into the outer cover thereby displacing the outer cover and further positioning a recess of the fiber optic connector to partially surround the light carrying center.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said exposing step includes abrading the outer cover.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said exposing step includes dissolving the outer cover.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said exposing step includes carrying a groove into the light carrying center.