Optical-signal coupler and related method
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsVanWinkle T. Townsend, Robert J. Varley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical coupler includes a housing, and includes first and second optical terminals and a prism disposed in the housing. One terminal is moveable with respect to the other, and the prism maintains an optical alignment between the terminals. Because it includes a prism instead of a more complex and delicate optical assembly, such an optical coupler can often be less expensive and more rugged, and can often have a higher connection density, than prior optical couplers.
Claims37
An optical coupler, comprising:
- a housing;
- a first optical terminal disposed in the housing;
- a second optical terminal disposed in the housing, the second terminal moveable with respect to the first terminal;
- and
- a prism disposed in the housing and operable to maintain an optical alignment between the first and second terminals.
An optical coupler, comprising:
- a cylindrical housing having an interior and first and second ends;
- a first connector disposed at the first end of the housing;
- a first optical terminal mounted to the first connector;
- a second rotatable connector disposed at the second end of the housing;
- a second optical terminal mounted to the second connector;
- and
- a rotatable dove prism disposed in the interior of the housing and operable to maintain an optical alignment between the first and second optical terminals.
An optical coupler, comprising:
- a cylindrical housing having an interior and first and second ends;
- a first connector disposed at the first end of the housing;
- a first plurality of optical terminals mounted to the first connector;
- a second rotatable connector disposed at the second end of the housing;
- a second plurality of optical terminals mounted to the second connector;
- and
- a rotatable dove prism disposed in the interior of the housing and operable to maintain optical alignment between each of the first plurality of optical terminals and respective ones of the second plurality of optical terminals.
A cable, comprising:
- first and second cable segments that each include a respective optical fiber;
- and
- rotary-coupler means that includes a prism for optically aligning the optical fibers.
A method, comprising:
- refracting an incoming optical signal that moves about an axis;
- generating an outgoing optical signal by reflecting the refracted optical signal with a reflector surface that is parallel to the incoming optical signal;
- and
- moving the reflector surface about the axis to maintain an alignment between the outgoing optical signal and a predetermined location.
A method, comprising:
- refracting an incoming optical signal with a first face of a prism having a center axis that intersects the first face, the incoming signal rotating about the axis;
- generating an outgoing optical signal by reflecting the refracted optical signal with a reflective base of the prism and refracting the reflected optical signal with a second face of the prism;
- and
- maintaining alignment between the outgoing optical signal and a first optical fiber by rotating the prism about the axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.