Patent · US Expired

Light attenuating element and method of producing the same

US5267342A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
3References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 5, 1992
Grant dateNov 30, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 5, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3894
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A light attenuating element comprising a ferrule and two optical fibers inserted through the ferrule along an optical axis thereof is disclosed. The inner ends of both the optical fibers are cut with a predetermined inclination angle and spaced from each other with a predetermined distance therebetween to obtain a required light attenuation value. A light attenuating element including an alignment sleeve into which two ferrules each having an optical fiber inserted therethrough are fitted with a predetermined distance being maintained between the foremost ends thereof is also disclosed. A method of producing a light attenuating element is practiced by way of the steps of inserting through one ferrule one optical fiber of which one end is optically connected to a light source, inserting through another ferrule another optical fiber of which one end is optically connected to a power meter, measuring a light attenuation value of the light attenuating element by the power meter, stopping the inserting operation when a required light attenuation value is obtained, cutting the optical fibers and then grinding and polishing the outer ends of the optical fibers together with the ferrules. …

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