Method of making a three dimensional optical circuit

• US 6,549,710 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Corning Research & Development Corporation (Corning Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Simmons, Richard L., Lurie, Edward B., Shoemaker, Curtis L., Loder, Harry A., Kornele, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Healy, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wood, Kevin S
• Application Number:
  US10/123,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20030031452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 385/114-116, 385/120, 385/121, 385/134, 385/135, 385/137, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/121
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/04 formed by bundles of fibres G02B6/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3608 Fibre wiring boards, i.e. where fibres are embedded or attached in a pattern on or to a substrate, e.g. flexible sheets optical ribbon cables in support members G02B6/4401
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3636 the mechanical coupling means being grooves G02B6/3652 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3644 the coupling means being through-holes or wall apertures
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3668 with conversion in geometry of the cross section
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3672 with fibres arranged in a regular matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3676 Stacked arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/368 with pitch conversion between input and output plane, e.g. for increasing packing density
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3684 characterised by the manufacturing process of surface profiling of the supporting carrier manufacturing microsystems per se B81C1/00015
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3878 comprising a plurality of ferrules, branching and break-out means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3879 Linking of individual connector plugs to an overconnector, e.g. using clamps, clips, common housings comprising several individual connector plugs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3885 Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3897 Connectors fixed to housings, casing, frames or circuit boards G02B6/44528 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/43 Arrangements comprising a plurality of opto-electronic elements and associated optical interconnections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/44528 Patch-cords; Connector arrangements in the system or in the box routing arrangements H04Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4453 Cassettes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4472 Manifolds

Abstract

A method of making a three dimensional optical circuit featuring an optical manifold for organizing, guiding and protecting individual optical fibers is provided. One aspect of the present invention is a three dimensional manifold which may be constructed using a rapid prototyping process such as, but not limited to, stereolithography (“SLA”), fused deposition modeling (“FDM”), selective laser sintering (“SLS”), and the like. The manifold has a number of input openings in a first ordered arrangement at one end connected by passageways to a number of output openings in a second ordered arrangement at the opposite end. A plurality of optical fibers may be directed through the passageways of the manifold to produce a three dimensional optical circuit such as a shuffle.

Claims

1. A method of making a three dimensional optical circuit comprising the steps of:

forming an optical manifold comprising;

a body having an input end and an output end;

said input end having a plurality of input openings in a first ordered arrangement;

said output end having a plurality of output openings in a second ordered arrangement which differs from that of said first ordered arrangement;

said body comprising a plurality of integrally formed passageways, each of said passageways connecting a single input opening with a single output opening;

providing a plurality of optical fibers; and

inserting each of said plurality of optical fibers into the input openings of the optical manifold such that each is disposed within the optical manifold on a one-fiber-per-passageway basis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an optical manifold further comprises using a rapid prototyping technique.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the rapid prototyping technique is stereolithography (SLA).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming an optical manifold further comprises stacking a plurality of grooved plates.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of grooved plates are formed by milling a plurality of solid plates.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of grooved plates are formed using a rapid prototyping technique.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of disposing the optical manifold within a protective housing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the protective housing is suitable for rack mounting within an electronic enclosure.

9. A method of making a three dimensional optical circuit comprising the steps of:

forming an optical manifold comprising;

a body having an input end and an output end;

said input end having a plurality of input openings in a first ordered arrangement;

said output end having a plurality of output openings in a second ordered arrangement which differs from that of said first ordered arrangement;

said body comprising a plurality of integrally formed passageways, each of said passageways connecting a single input opening with a single output opening;

said body further comprising at least one ruggedized cable attachment;

providing at least one ruggedized optical cable having a plurality of optical fibers enclosed within a protective exterior jacket;

cutting back a portion of the protective exterior jacket of the at least one ruggedized optical cable;

passing the exposed plurality of optical fibers through a strain relief boot, a crimp ring and a crimp barb;

crimping the crimp ring to the remaining exterior jacket of the at least one ruggedized optical cable;

fitting the crimp ring within the crimp barb;

connecting the crimp barb to the at least one ruggedized cable attachment of the optical manifold; and

inserting each of said plurality of optical fibers into the input openings of the optical manifold such that each is disposed within the optical manifold on a one-fiber-per-passageway basis.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of spreading the plurality optical fibers apart with a pitch tool prior to the step of inserting the plurality of optical fibers into the input openings.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of collecting the plurality of optical fibers at the output openings of the manifold and ribbonizing them.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of enclosing the ribbonized optical fibers within a protective exterior jacket.