Patent · US Expired

Optical fiber tap capable of random placement along an optical fiber

US6754417B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
7References
25Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 24, 2002
Grant dateJun 22, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 18, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B6/3636
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The optical fiber tap establishes optical communication between a branch optical fiber and a main optical fiber and includes a housing, a serpentine main channel and a branch channel. The main channel is defined in the housing and is shaped to accommodate part of the main optical fiber. The main channel includes a coupling curve portion shaped to define a main coupling curve in the main optical fiber. The branch channel is also defined in the housing and is shaped to accommodate part of the branch optical fiber. The branch channel communicates with the main channel at the coupling curve portion of the main channel. Optical signals couple laterally between the main optical fiber located in the main channel and the branch optical fiber located in the branch channel. Optical communication between the optical fibers is therefore established.

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