Optical waveguides – Accessories – External retainer/clamp
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-27
2003-06-10
Feild, Lynn D. (Department: 2839)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
External retainer/clamp
C385S065000, C385S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06577803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber array for use in optical communications and particularly to an optical fiber array which has a fiber clamping member mounted to the distal end thereof for ease of connection with an optical element or the like and a method of fabricating the optical fiber array.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a fiber clamping member mounted to the distal end of optical fibers for connection with an optical element is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2,824,177. This comprises a base which has a plurality of parallel straight grooves provided therein for accommodating the stripped end portions of optical fibers and a sheathed portion holding plate which has a recess therein for holding the sheathed portions of the optical fibers and mounted next to the straight grooves on the base. The straight grooves extend at a right angle to the front end of the base which is joined to an optical element or the like.
As the optical fibers have been inserted into the recess of the sheathed portion holder from the rear side of the fiber clamping member and accommodated at their stripped end portions in the corresponding straight grooves, the straight grooves surface is enclosed with a clamping plate thus forming an optical fiber array. Problems that the Invention is to solve
However, in the conventional arrangement, the imaginary line extending along the insertion end of the straight grooves for the optical fibers is at a right angle to the straight grooves or namely the axes of the optical fibers. Accordingly, when any of the optical fibers receives a significant stress, it may be sheared down by the action of the stress. Also, as the front end of the base to be joined to the optical element extends at a right angle to the axes of the optical fibers, the reflection of an optical signal on the interface at the joint may generate an adverse artifact such as a noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is hence an object of the present invention, in view of the above problems, to provide an optical fiber array in which each optical fiber is protected from shearing stresses and inhibits the reflection of an optical signal on the interface at its joint and a method of fabricating the optical fiber array.
For solving the above drawbacks, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, an optical fiber array includes a fiber clamping member for clamping the stripped end portions of optical fibers in corresponding straight grooves and simultaneously holding the sheathed portion of the optical fibers close to the stripped end portions of the optical fibers to align the distal ends of the optical fibers. An angle between an imaginary line extending linearly along the insertion end of the straight grooves housing the stripped end portions of the optical fibers and the axes of the straight grooves ranges from 45 degrees to 85 degrees.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the angle between the front end of the optical fiber clamping member arranged flush with the distal ends of the optical fibers and the axes of the straight grooves ranges from 45 degrees to 85 degrees.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the straight grooves are uniform in the length.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the rear end of the optical fiber clamping member extends in parallel with the imaginary line along the insertion end of the straight grooves housing the stripped end portions of the optical fibers.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of fabricating an optical fiber array. The optical fiber array includes a fiber clamping member for clamping the stripped end portions of optical fibers in corresponding straight grooves and simultaneously holding the sheathed portion close to the stripped end portions of the optical fibers to align the distal ends of the optical fibers. The method includes the steps of: preparing a wafer in which groups of straight grooves extending in parallel with each other are provided and step surfaces extending in parallel with each other are provided at an angle of 45 to 85 degrees to the straight grooves; mounting on each of the step surfaces a continuous member of sheathed portion holders which has a corresponding number of recesses provided at locations thereof opposite to the straight grooves for accommodating the sheathed portions of the optical fibers of the groups; bonding each the continuous members of sheathed portion holders to the corresponding step surface at a given location and cutting the wafer together with the continuous members of sheathed portion holders in parallel with the step surfaces and the straight grooves to separate the fiber clamping member into a chip form; and mounting and clamping the optical fibers to the optical fiber clamping member so as to align the distal ends of the optical fibers.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5214730 (1993-05-01), Nagasawa et al.
patent: 6160947 (2000-12-01), Osugi et al.
Fukuyama Masashi
Matsumoto Akira
Burr & Brown
Feild Lynn D.
NGK Insulators Ltd.
Nguyen Son V.
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