Bending process for optical coupling of glass optical fibers
US5517590A · kind A · utility
16Cited by
6References
6Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 31, 1994 |
| Grant date | May 14, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 31, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/2852
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Signal energy in an installed optical fiber is extracted without using a physical connector, by an improved process in which the fiber is bent to within a prescribed range of angles, then controllably heated, and thereafter controllably cooled. The resulting structure exhibits relatively low permanent stress. A fiber end conventionally placed at the bend point receives unusually useful amounts of optical signal which can be routed to optical branch circuits in, for example, a building or a LAN.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.