Fabrication of fibre optic components
US5011252A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 12, 1988 |
| Grant date | Apr 30, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 12, 2008 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/2856
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus for fabricating a fused biconical taper fibre optic coupler includes a hollow furnace (12) having a longitudinal slot (50). Clamp units (14, 16) are provided to hold at least two suitably prepared optical fibres (8, 9) in intimate side-by-side contact. The clamp units are moveable by motors (18, 20) to relatively laterally move the fibres into and out of the furnace (12) through the slot (50). A power supply (60) heats the furnace (12) to in turn heat segments of the fibres therein while these segments are in intimate side-by-side contact to a temperature sufficient to cause the fibre segments to fuse together. Drawings devices (22, 24) associated with the clamp units (14, 16) longitudinally draw the heated fibres while in the hot furnace to cause each fused fibre to develop a biconical taper and so form a coupler.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.