Optical circuit having legs in a stacked configuration and an associated fabrication method
First Claim
1. An optical circuit comprising:
- a main body comprising;
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of optical fibers mounted so as to lie in a common plane upon said substrate, said optical fibers arranged in a plurality of groups proximate an edge of said substrate with each group including at least one optical fiber, said optical fibers of a first group extending toward said optical fibers of a second group; and
a plurality of legs extending outwardly from the edge of said main body, each leg comprising said optical fibers of a respective group and a matrix material for binding said optical fibers of the respective group together, said legs disposed in a stacked configuration in which at least one leg overlies another leg such that at least one leg lies at least partially outside of the common plane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical circuit is provided having a plurality of legs, each of which may have one or more optical fibers bound together by a matrix material, arranged in a stacked configuration in such a manner as to reduce, if not eliminate, the stress to which the optical fibers are subjected. The optical circuit includes a main body having a flexible substrate and a plurality of optical fibers mounted upon the substrate and lying in a common plane. The plurality of legs extend outwardly from an edge of the main body. The legs are disposed in a stacked configuration in which at least one leg overlies another leg. As such, at least one leg lies at least partially outside of the common plane defined by the substrate. A method for fabricating the optical circuit is also provided.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An optical circuit comprising:
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a main body comprising;
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of optical fibers mounted so as to lie in a common plane upon said substrate, said optical fibers arranged in a plurality of groups proximate an edge of said substrate with each group including at least one optical fiber, said optical fibers of a first group extending toward said optical fibers of a second group; and
a plurality of legs extending outwardly from the edge of said main body, each leg comprising said optical fibers of a respective group and a matrix material for binding said optical fibers of the respective group together, said legs disposed in a stacked configuration in which at least one leg overlies another leg such that at least one leg lies at least partially outside of the common plane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An optical circuit comprising:
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a main body comprising;
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of optical fibers mounted upon said substrate, said optical fibers arranged in a plurality of groups proximate an edge of said substrate with each group including at least one optical fiber; and
a plurality of legs extending outwardly from said main body in a stacked configuration in which at least one leg overlies another leg, each leg comprising said optical fibers of a respective group and a matrix material for binding said optical fibers of the respective group together, said matrix material of at least one leg comprising a coating such that the respective leg is independent of the flexible substrate. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An optical circuit comprising:
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a main body comprising;
a flexible substrate; and
a plurality of optical fibers mounted upon said substrate and arranged in a plurality of groups proximate an edge of said substrate with each group including at least one optical fiber; and
a plurality of legs including first, second and third legs extending outwardly from said main body, each leg comprising said optical fibers of a respective group and a matrix material for binding said optical fibers of the respective group together, said legs disposed in a stacked configuration with said first and second legs transitioning so as to overlie said third leg at different locations along a length of said third leg. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of fabricating an optical circuit comprising:
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providing a main body comprising a flexible substrate and a plurality of groups of optical fibers proximate an edge of and adhered to the flexible substrate, each group including at least one optical fiber;
positioning a first group of optical fibers so as to overlie a second group of optical fibers; and
coating the first group of optical fibers with a matrix material once the first group of optical fibers is positioned to overlie the second group of optical fibers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification