Fiber alignment process using cornercube offset tool

A vision system for use with an optical detector for aligning a pair of optical fibers, the system comprising:

• a cornercube offset tool located below a vision plane of a first one of the pair of optical fibers;
• and
• a lens positioned in both i) a first optical axis between the vision plane and the cornercube offset tool and ii) a second optical axis between the optical detector and cornercube offset tool,
• wherein the optical detector receives at least an indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers through the cornercube offset tool.

A vision system for aligning optical fibers, the system comprising:

• a cornercube offset tool located below a vision plane of the system;
• and
• an optical detector to receive an indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers through the cornercube offset tool,
• wherein the optical fibers are aligned with one another based on i) the indirect image of a first one of the optical fibers and ii) a direct image of a second one of the optical fibers received by the optical detector.

A system for aligning optical fibers, the system comprising:

• image redirecting means disposed below a vision plane of a first one of the optical fibers;
• and
• detecting means to receive an indirect image of a bottom surface of the first one of the optical fibers through the image redirecting means,
• wherein the first optical fiber is aligned with a second optical fiber based on the indirect image received by the detecting means.

A method for aligning a pair of optical fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cornercube offset tool below a vision plane of a first one of the pair of optical fibers;
• viewing an indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers with an optical detector through the cornercube offset tool;
• determining an offset between the first one of the pair of optical fibers and the optical detector based on the indirect image;
• and
• aligning the first one of the pair of optical fibers with a second one of the pair of optical fibers based on the offset.

A system for aligning a pair of optical fibers, the system comprising:

• a cornercube offset tool having a plurality of internal reflection surfaces, the cornercube offset tool located below a vision plane of a first one of the pair of optical fibers;
• and
• an optical detector to receive an indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers through the cornercube offset tool,
• wherein an offset between the first one of the pair of optical fibers and the optical detector is determined based on the indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers.

A system for aligning a pair of optical fibers, the system comprising:

• image redirecting means disposed below a vision plane a first one of the pair of optical fibers, the image redirecting means having a plurality of internal reflection surfaces;
• and
• detecting means to receive an indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers through the image redirecting means,
• wherein an offset between the first one of the pair of optical fibers and the detecting means is determined based on the indirect image of the first one of the pair of optical fibers.

A method for use with an optical imager to align a pair of optical fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cornercube offset tool below an end of a first one of the pair of optical fibers, the cornercube offset tool having three internal reflection surfaces;
• viewing an indirect image of the end of a first one of the pair of optical fibers with the optical imager through the cornercube offset tool;
• determining an offset distance of the first one of the pair of optical fibers;
• viewing a direct image of an end of a second one of the pair of optical fibers with the optical imager;
• and
• aligning the first one of the pair of optical fibers with the second one of the pair of optical fibers.

A method for use with an optical imager to align optical fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting a first optical fiber from among a plurality of optical fibers from a fiber optic splitter bundle;
• b) providing a cornercube offset tool below an end of the first optical fiber;
• c) viewing an indirect image of the end of the first optical fiber with the optical imager through the cornercube offset tool;
• d) determining an offset distance of the first optical fiber;
• e) viewing a direct image of an end of a second optical fiber with the optical imager;
• and
• f) aligning the first optical fiber with the second optical fiber.

A method for use with an optical imager to align optical fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a cornercube offset tool below an end of a first optical fiber;
• b) viewing an indirect image of the end of the first optical fiber with an optical imager through the cornercube offset tool;
• c) determining an offset distance of the first optical fiber;
• d) selecting a second optical fiber from among a plurality of optical fibers from a fiber optic splitter bundle;
• e) viewing a direct image of an end of a second optical fiber with the optical imager;
• and
• f) aligning the first optical fiber with the second optical fiber.

A method for aligning an optical fiber and a circuit element, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cornercube offset tool below a vision plane of the pair of optical fiber;
• viewing an indirect image of the optical fiber with an optical detector through the cornercube offset tool;
• determining an offset between the of optical fiber and the optical detector based on the indirect image;
• and
• aligning the optical fibers with the circuit element based on the offset.

A method for use with an optical imager to align an optical fiber and a circuit element, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a cornercube offset tool below an end of the optical fiber;
• viewing an indirect image of the end of the optical fiber with the optical imager through the cornercube offset tool;
• determining an offset distance of the optical fiber;
• viewing a direct image of a surface of the circuit element with the optical imager;
• and
• aligning the optical fiber with the circuit element.