Patent
1983-12-29
1987-10-06
Sikes, William L.
350 9620, G02B 638
Patent
active
046978720
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for mutually aligning the ends of two optical fibers which are to be connected, and includes at least three parallel rods adapted to mutually form a channel for accommodating the ends of the two fibers as well as means for keeping the rods together and clamping the fiber ends in the channel between the rods.
BACKGROUND ART
It is known to align two optical fibers with the aid of three cylindrical rods, for example, which between themselves form a channel, from either end of which the respective fibre end is inserted. Accurate alignment is obtained only when the rods bear against each other to form the channel. This means that rods of different diameters are required for different fiber diameters.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,366 corresponding to DE-OS No. 2917679 there is known an aligning apparatus with three rods, with which fibers of different diameters can be aligned by having the rods provided with a plane surface and made rotatable to form a channel with variable opening area between the plane surfaces of the rods. The design of this aligning apparatus is complicated, however, therefore making it expensive and difficult to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an aligning apparatus for aligning optical fibres of different diameters, which apparatus is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
This object is achieved by the aligning apparatus in accordance with the invention which comprises at least three parallel rods forming between themselves a channel for accommodating the ends of the two fibers which are to be aligned. The rods are maintained together and clamp the fiber ends in the channel. Each rod has a polygonal section with at least two plane surfaces intersecting along a longitudinal sharp edge. The rods are assembled such that opposing pairs of the plane surface bear flat against one another and are mutually displaced so that a portion of the flat plane surfaces which bear against one another form bounding plane sides of the channel and said longitudinal edges extend parallel to and are distributed around a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the channel. The rods are slidably adjustable along the plane surfaces to vary the magnitude of the mutual displacement and thereby vary the size of the channel whereby fibers of different diameter can be accommodated. The plane sides of the channel formed by the plane surfaces of the rods which bear against one another define a polygonal section for said channel which remains geometrically similar for different size channels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which
FIG. 1 is an end view of a first embodiment of the aligning apparatus in accordance with the invention, and
FIG. 2 is an end view of a second embodiment of said apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an end view of a first embodiment of the aligning apparatus in accordance with the invention. This embodiment includes three hexagonal rods 1, 2 and 3 of metal, glass, plastics or the like. The rods extend mutually parallel and are placed upon each other such that they form a channel 4 for accommodating the ends of two fibers which are to be connected, one of such fibers being shown in section and denoted by the numeral 5. For bringing the rods in the right position relative to each other and to facilitate the insertion of the fibers between the rods, a rod-like member with circular section can be inserted beforehand between the rods, this member being removed in conjunction with the insertion of one of the fibers between the rods. The rods 1, 2 and 3 are kept together by an elastic means, e.g., a number of rubber O-rings 17.
In accordances with the invention, each rod has two plane surfaces intersecting along a longitudinal edge, and the rods are supported on one another such that one of the plane surfaces o
REFERENCES:
patent: 4181401 (1980-01-01), Jensen
patent: 4339172 (1982-07-01), Leather
patent: 4380366 (1983-04-01), Franken et al.
patent: 4391487 (1983-07-01), Melman et al.
patent: 4486072 (1984-12-01), Roberts
Satake et al., "Molded Multifibre . . . Arrangement", Elect. Lett., vol. 16, No. 8, pp. 281-282, 4/80.
Healy Brian M.
Sikes William L.
Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson
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