Optics: measuring and testing – By alignment in lateral direction – With registration indicia
Patent
1995-08-02
1997-08-12
Font, Frank G.
Optics: measuring and testing
By alignment in lateral direction
With registration indicia
356 731, 385 81, 385 84, G01B 1100, G01N 2100, G02B 636
Patent
active
056571313
ABSTRACT:
An alignment and lighting system aligns and lights an optical fiber termination so that an inspection system can measure the eccentricity of an optical fiber core relative to the termination. The inspection system has an imaging system comprising a feature imager and one or more boundary segment imagers but preferably four in number, a machine vision system connected to the imaging system, and an alignment and lighting system for aligning the termination with the imaging system and lighting the termination without having to launch light therethrough. The feature imager is positioned to capture an image of the fiber core endface, and the one or more boundary segment imagers are positioned to capture an image of a corresponding boundary segment of the termination endface. The machine vision system determines the offset, or eccentricity, based upon the feature image and the one or more boundary segment images. The alignment and lighting system includes an alignment apparatus and a unique lighting scheme. The alignment apparatus has a plurality of alignment arms that are spaced apart via spacings to form a cross-shaped aperture that is engaged with the termination endface. Light is projected toward the exposed regions at a light projection angle that is outside the light acceptance angle associated with the fiber core. As a result, light is not generally received by the core, and light is scattered within and reflects out from the fiber cladding and the termination support material surrounding the cladding.
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Norland, Eric A., "Defining and Measuring Physical Parameters of PC Polished Connectors," The 10th Annual National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference, San Diego, CA, Jun. 12-16, 1994, pp. 259-265.
Harding, Kevin et al., "Light Engineering for Machine Vision: Techniques and Applications," Part 1 and Part 2, Mar. 2-3, 1994, Ann Arbor, Michigan, Manufacturing Engineering Certification Institute sponsored by SME.
Csipkes Andrei
Palmquist John Mark
Font Frank G.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Stafira Michael P.
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