Patent · US Expired

Optical coupler method

US5199966A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
18References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 12, 1991
Grant dateApr 6, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 12, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3839
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Substrates for supporting optical fibers in an optical coupler are made by, first, making grooves in a glass preform which are about ten times the desired size, and then using glass drawing techniques to draw from the preform a substrate of the proper size. Optical fibers are arranged in ribbon form and placed in a fixture which allows the ends to be cut and polished at the angle required for proper coupler operation. Fibers are stripped from the end of the ribbon that has been cut and polished and placed in the grooves for proper alignment with abutting fibers. The ends of the fibers that remain fixed to the ribbon prevent unwanted rotation of the fibers.

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