Method for connecting an optical waveguide, embedded in a fibre composite component, to an external optical waveguide

US9033594B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED · DE

Inventors

• Nicholas Brownjohn · Buxtehude, DE
• Stefan Osternack · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 9, 2011
• Grant date: May 19, 2015
• Expiry date: Sep 5, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B6/2551
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for connecting an optical waveguide embedded in a fiber composite component, in particular of an aircraft and spacecraft, to an external optical waveguide, comprising the following steps: ascertaining a path of the embedded optical waveguide in the fiber composite component; determining a nodal position at which the embedded optical waveguide is to be coupled with the external optical waveguide; exposing, at least in portions, the embedded optical waveguide at the nodal position by removing at least part of the fiber composite component around the embedded optical waveguide; severing the exposed embedded optical waveguide; aligning relative to each other an end portion of the severed, embedded optical waveguide and an end portion of the external optical waveguide; and splicing the mutually aligned end portions of the optical waveguides.