Method of making fiber optic couplers
US4979972A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 17, 1989 |
| Grant date | Dec 25, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 17, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/2856
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A fiber optic coupler is formed by providing a glass tube having a longitudinal extending aperture. Protective coating is removed from a region of a first optical fiber intermediate the end. Protective coating is removed from an end region of at least one other optical fiber. The coated portion of the first fiber is threaded through the tube until the uncoated region is near the tube end. The uncoated region of the second fiber is placed adjacent that of the first fiber, and both uncoated regions are simultaneously fed into the tube aperture. The threading operation is continued until the uncoated regions extend through the midregion of the tube, the midregion is heated to collapse it about the fibers, and the central portion of the midregion is drawn to reduce the diameter along a predetermined length.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.