Optical connector adapter for interfacing a beam splitter/combiner to optical waveguides and method of forming the same
First Claim
1. An optical connector adapter comprising:
- a single substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a substantially planar top reference surface formed as an optically flat surface supporting the at least one optical waveguide and a substantially planar, optically flat side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide and formed substantially orthogonal to the top reference surface;
a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate;
respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate;
a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets;
respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; and
a beam splitter/combiner positioned at an end of the substrate for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical connector adapter includes a substrate having at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals. The substrate includes opposing ends, a top reference surface and side reference surface aligned relative to the at least one optical waveguide. A respective carrier bracket is received over each end of the substrate. Substrate alignment fiducials align the carrier brackets relative to the substrate. The substrate carrier receives the substrate and carrier brackets. Respective carrier alignment fiducials align the substrate carrier and the carrier brackets. A beam splitter/combiner is positioned at each end of the substrate and receives and couples an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide.
88 Citations
43 Claims
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1. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a single substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a substantially planar top reference surface formed as an optically flat surface supporting the at least one optical waveguide and a substantially planar, optically flat side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide and formed substantially orthogonal to the top reference surface; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; and a beam splitter/combiner positioned at an end of the substrate for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface and a side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; a beam splitter/combiner positioned at each end of the substrate and aligned therewith for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide; and an optical coupler received on the top reference surface of the substrate carrier at each end for coupling with said at least one optical waveguide and interfacing a respective beam splitter/combiner with a waveguide device and allowing add/drop multiplexing and splitting/combining of optical signals through the beam splitter/combiner and at least one optical waveguide. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method of forming an optical connector adapter, which comprises:
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forming a single substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, the substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface formed as an optically flat surface and supporting the at least one optical waveguide and an optically flat side reference surface aligned relative to the at least one optical waveguide and formed substantially orthogonal to the top reference surface; positioning a respective carrier bracket and a beam splitter/combiner at an end of the substrate and aligning the carrier bracket and beam splitter/combiner relative to the substrate using respective alignment fiducials such that the beam splitter/combiner is positioned at an end of the substrate; and inserting the substrate having the carrier brackets thereon into a substrate carrier, and aligning the substrate carrier and the carrier brackets using respective carrier alignment fiducials wherein optical signals can be received and coupled into and out of the at least one optical waveguide and the beam splitter/combiner for add/drop and splitting and combining optical signal applications. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface and a side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; and a beam splitter/combiner positioned at an end of the substrate for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide, wherein said carrier bracket is substantially U-shaped and includes support legs extending outward from the end of the substrate between which the beam splitter/combiner is supported.
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41. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface and a side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; a beam splitter/combiner positioned at an end of the substrate for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide; and alignment pins that engage the carrier bracket and beam splitter/combiner to aid in aligning and supporting the beam splitter/combiner relative to the carrier bracket.
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42. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface and a side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; a beam splitter/combiner positioned at each end of the substrate and aligned therewith for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide; and an optical coupler received on the substrate carrier at each end and interfacing a respective beam splitter/combiner with a waveguide device and allowing add/drop multiplexing and splitting/combining of optical signals through the beam splitter/combiner and at least one optical waveguide, wherein said carrier bracket is substantially U-shaped and includes support legs extending outward from the end of the substrate between which the beam splitter/combiner is supported.
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43. An optical connector adapter comprising:
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a substrate comprising at least one optical waveguide for transporting optical signals, said substrate having opposing ends, and a top reference surface and a side reference surface aligned relative to said at least one optical waveguide; a respective carrier bracket received over each end of said substrate; respective substrate alignment fiducials for aligning said carrier brackets relative to said substrate; a substrate carrier that receives said substrate and carrier brackets; respective carrier alignment fiducials for aligning said substrate carrier and said carrier brackets; a beam splitter/combiner positioned at each end of the substrate and aligned therewith for receiving and coupling an optical signal into the at least one optical waveguide; an optical coupler received on the substrate carrier at each end and interfacing a respective beam splitter/combiner with a waveguide device and allowing add/drop multiplexing and splitting/combining of optical signals through the beam splitter/combiner and at least one optical waveguide; and alignment pins that engage the carrier bracket and beam splitter/combiner to aid in aligning and supporting the beam splitter/combiner relative to the carrier bracket.
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Specification