Patent · US Expired

Fiber optics access coupler

US4054366A · kind A · utility

67Cited by
4References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 12, 1976
Grant dateOct 18, 1977
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 12, 1996

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/2835
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

There is disclosed a fiber optic coupler for use in single strand fiber systems comprising a device to allow optical access to a single fiber by means of a second fiber which has been attached to it by fusing the glass cladding of the two fibers as by application of heat by a laser. The resulting access coupler provides for coupling both into and out of a single strand of fiber optic waveguide. That is to say, an input optical signal to one single fiber strand can be read out at more than one point on the single fiber or more than one input can be read out at a single point. The coupler is sufficiently low loss to make control systems utilizing single fiber lines rather than bundles a realistic possibility.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.