Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-22
2001-07-03
Font, Frank G. (Department: 2877)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
C385S070000, C385S072000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254279
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to optical fiber connectors for bringing optofibers into contact with each other.
RELATED ART
Optical fiber connectors, for example, for optofiber cables, have hitherto been manufactured using a technology and materials which gave the finished product a size and weight which was disproportionately large when compared to the optofiber itself in the cable. Breakage of the optofiber can thus easily occur both during handling at the manufactrers of optocomponents and when installing optofiber cables. Furthermore, the optical fiber connectors on the market today are relatively expensive due to the fact that they are constructed of a large number of precision-made parts.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,904,269 and 4,880,291 describe previously known optofiber connectors where the optofiber cables joined by means of the connector, are brought in contact with each other at the connector's engagement in each other's opposing grooves or the like.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order to simplify manufacture and handling of optofiber connectors, e.g. for optofiber cables, an optoconnector comprising precision parts has been developed which car be manufactured in large volumes using inexpensive injection-moulded parts of plastic, for example, thus lowering the price per connector. The optical connector made in this way will have low weight, small physical size and, as mentioned above, also have a low price per connector. Cable running is also facilitated by virtue of the fact that the optical connector can be provided with a smooth spool-shaped surface without any projections which could hook into something surrounding the connector or optical cable. A particular feature of this optical connector is that the parts are identical on either side of the cut where the fiber ends meet so that the number of different parts can be minimized.
The invention will now be described in more detail with the aid of a preferred embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3904269 (1975-09-01), Lebudska et al.
patent: 4812009 (1989-03-01), Carlisle et al.
patent: 4880291 (1989-11-01), Aberson, Jr. et al.
patent: 5082345 (1992-01-01), Cammons et al.
patent: 5396572 (1995-03-01), Bradley et al.
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
Font Frank G.
Nguyen Sang H.
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ)
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