Optical waveguides – With disengagable mechanical connector – Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-25
2001-02-20
Ngo, Hung N. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
With disengagable mechanical connector
Optical fiber/optical fiber cable termination structure
C385S084000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06190055
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to optical fibers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Optical fibers are now used extensively in optical transmission systems. Such fibers usually include a core through which light is propagated surrounded by a cladding having a lower index of refraction than the core. The cladding, in turn, is usually surrounded by an acrylate coating for protection of the fiber. In many components, such as Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) filters, optical attenuators, and optical taps, the fibers are contained in terminations which may include 2 or more fibers inside a ferrule. The protective coating is typically stripped off the fibers at one end of the termination.
The positioning of the fibers in the ferrule can cause undue stress and result in breakage of one or more fibers. This is due at least in part to the fact that the stripped portions of the fibers are brought closer together than the coated portions resulting in an S-shaped bend where stress can be concentrated. For example, a typical core-to-core spacing for the coated portions is approximately 250 microns, while the spacing for the stripped portions is approximately 125 microns.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is an optical assembly including at least two optical fibers, each fiber including a coated portion and a bare portion at one end thereof. The fibers are positioned so that the bare portions and coated portions of each fiber are in contact with the corresponding portions of the adjacent fiber over at least a portion of their lengths. A spacer member is included between the coated portions of the fibers to provide a bending of a segment of the coated portions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4989946 (1991-02-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5293435 (1994-03-01), Takahashi
Birnbaum Lester H.
Lucent Technologies - Inc.
Ngo Hung N.
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