Optical fiber connector apparatus and method of manufacture

Details Optical fiber connector apparatus and method of manufacture Optical fiber connector apparatus and method of manufacture

1984-12-20

1987-02-24

Sikes, William L.

G02B 638

Patent

active

046452966

ABSTRACT:
Apparatus for accurately and automatically aligning a pair of optical fibers in abutting end-to-end relationship. The apparatus includes an optical fiber holder having an opening in substantially the exact center of one end thereof for supporting the end of an optical fiber therein. The holder comprises a one-piece, cylindrical-shaped housing having integral centering elements around the periphery thereof. The centering elements cooperate with the wall of a bore in a connector member within which the holder is adapted to be inserted to automatically center the housing within the bore, and hence, to automatically align the end of the optical fiber with the bore axis.
When a second, similarly constructed holder supporting the end of a second optical fiber is also inserted into the bore of the connector member with their respective one ends in abutting end-to-end relationship, the ends of the two optical fibers will automatically be aligned with the bore axis and, hence, with each other. Preferably, the centering elements comprise a plurality of resilient housing segments positioned adjacent said one end of said housing and defined between the periphery of the housing and a plurality of non-diametrical slots extending across the end of the housing and axially into the housing. The invention further includes a method of manufacturing the housing to ensure that the opening in the end of the housing will be in substantially the exact center thereof.

REFERENCES:
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IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 26, No. 3B, Aug. 1983, "Fiber Optic Connector" E. C. Uberbacher, p. 1648.

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