Hybrid fiber expanded beam connector and methods for using and making the hybrid fiber expanded beam connector
US6655850B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 16, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 2, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/32
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A hybrid fiber expanded beam connector and methods for making and using the hybrid fiber expanded beam connector are described herein. Basically, the hybrid fiber expanded beam connector can be used to connect dissimilar fibers such as single mode fibers that have different mode field diameters (MFDs) or different effective areas. In particular, the hybrid fiber expanded beam connector includes a first lensed optical fiber that is optically coupled to a second lensed optical fiber but physically separated from the second lensed optical fiber. The first lensed optical fiber including one type of fiber is capable of expanding a light beam traveling therein and outputting a collimated light beam. The second lensed optical fiber including another type of fiber is capable of receiving the collimated light beam and focusing the received light beam such that the light beam travels from the first lensed optical fiber to the second lensed optical fiber. In a similar manner, the hybrid fiber expanded beam connector can transmit a light beam from the second lensed optical fiber to the first lensed optical fiber.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.