Patent · US Expired

Optical feedthrough for pressure vessels

US4360249A · kind A · utility

25Cited by
5References
1Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateOct 17, 1979
Grant dateNov 23, 1982
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/4428
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Each of two optical fibers to be mated is cemented to one end of a respective quarter-pitch segment of graded-index rod, at the axis of the rod. The opposite end of each of the two quarter-pitch segments is polished flat, perpendicular to the axis. The two polished ends are faced toward each other and held in precise parallelism, but not necessarily touching, by a suitable connector housing. An optical signal from one optical fiber is collimated by its attached graded-index rod segment for transmission across the gap to the other rod, which in turn focuses the parallel rays onto the receiving tip of its attached optical fiber. A planar window, such as a pressure window of a deep-underwater craft, may be interposed between the two sides of the connector without disturbing performance.

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