Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
Patent
1992-05-26
1993-10-26
Healy, Brian
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Structure surrounding optical fiber-to-fiber connection
385 55, 385 56, 385 66, 385 81, 385 82, 385 84, G02B 626, G02B 638
Patent
active
052573338
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention refers to a connection device for connecting the end portions of axially opposite to each other situated optical fibres and comprising insertion and receiving means designed for cooperation with at least a centering means for radial and axial centering of the end portions of the optical fibres relatively each other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the last few years connection devices have been developed to connect optical fibres with each other, so that the fiber ends are situated exactly axially opposite to each other. An example on such a connection device is shown in the swedish patent 426 882. A difficulty with connection of optical fibres at the ends to each other is their small diameter, which amounts to one or a few tenths of a millimeter, while the optical core thereof can have a diameter of 10-50 um. An eccentricity of the end portions of the fibre cables of one or a few thousand parts of a millimeter thus constitutes a rough deviation, whereby the losses increase drastically. Very high demands are thus put on the tolerances of the connection device, which leads to complicated constructions and high manufacturing costs.
Connection devices are previously known (IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, volume 21 on Oct. 5, 1978) for connection of optical fibres, where the fibre is guided and fixed by three axial rods arranged in a conical guiding body, which is radially slotted. The guiding body is insertable in a receiving means with corresponding conicity, whereby the guiding body by means of a cap nut can be pressed into the receiving means. Since the conical part of the guiding body in its rear part passes over into a solid annular shaped member, a bringing together of the guiding body in the receiving means only the front part of the conical part will be compressed, which means that the fibre only is guided and fixed in its front end. If the tightening pressure is increased to get a larger part of the fibre fixed inside the guiding body the pressure stress at the extreme ends of the guiding body will become so large that the fibre will be crushed.
Through DE-B2-27 57 215 is known a connection device where a number of rods are surrounded by a slotted circlip, the function of which is to keep the rods together and thereby form a receiving means, in which from both ends is insertable a connection pin. If the fibre diameter in one of the connection pins is larger or smaller than the fibre diameter in the other connection pin, only one of the connection pins will be fixed in the receiving means, while the other will take an eccentric position relatively the first connection pin.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND MOST ESSENTIAL FEATURES
The object of the present invention is to accomplish a connection device for optical fibres of the above mentioned type, with which is provided:
a) a reliable and very exact centering of the fibre end portions with very simple means;
b) a possibility to connect optical fibres of different thickness with the end portions situated opposite to each other in exact coaxial positions;
c) a security that the optical fibre will not be deformed at the connection with the connection device;
d) a connection of the optical fibre with the insertion means and this with the receiving means without using special tools and glued joints or casted joints.
This task has been solved by the centering means being constituted by a sleeve being closed in cross section provided with internal guiding elements in the form of centering shanks extending in the longitudinal direction and external guiding elements in the form of ridge formed portions likewise extending in the longitudinal direction of the sleeve connected to the centering shanks and designed to allow the centering shanks to radially resiliate in a direction towards and from the centre axis of the sleeve.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in greater detail in some embodiments with reference to accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a section through an insertion means contained in a connectio
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Harper et al., "Fiber-Optic Connector" I.B.M. tech. discl. bull. vol. 21, No. 5 Oct. 1978.
Healy Brian
Hochberg D. Peter
Jaffe Michael
Kusner Mark
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