# US 2014/0191427 A1 · Selective uv curing of epoxy adjacent to optical fibers by transmitting uv energy through the fiber cladding > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191427 A1 - Document ID: US20140191427A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/149,949 - Filed: 2014-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina - Applicants: CommScope, Inc. of North Carolina - Inventors: Timothy W. ANDERSON; Jeffrey D. NIELSON - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191427A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/3696: {by moulding, e.g. injection moulding, casting, embossing, stamping, stenciling, printing, or with metallic mould insert manufacturing using LIGA or MIGA techniques (shaping the mould surface by machining B29C33/38; moulding techniques B29C39/00, B29C43/00, B29C45/00, B29C48/00, B29C59/00; stamping, printing or embossing techniques B81C1/00444; surface micromachining using LIGA B81C2201/032)} - B29D 11/0074: {Production of other optical elements not provided for in B29D11/00009- B29D11/0073} - G02B 6/02042: {Multicore optical fibres} - G02B 6/3843: {with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, e.g. measuring position or eccentricity (testing the alignment of axes, including eccentricity, G01B11/27)} - G02B 6/3861: {Adhesive bonding (adhesives in general C09J)} - G02B 6/3882: {using rods, pins or balls to align a pair of ferrule ends} - G02B 6/3885: {Multicore or multichannel optical connectors, i.e. one single ferrule containing more than one fibre, e.g. ribbon type (optical ribbon cable G02B6/4403, G02B6/448)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) ## Abstract A method and system for affixing multi-core fiber (MCF) within a ferrule includes a UV light source and a light guide. MCFs are placed into epoxy filled holders, e.g., channels or v-grooves, of a ferrule. A first MCF in a first holder is clocked to orient its cores to a desired position. The light source is activated, and the light from the light guide is launched into a cladding layer of the first MCF. The light in the cladding layer will stay in the cladding layer until it reaches the portion of the first MCF in contact with the epoxy, where the light will leak out due to the similarity in the index of refraction. The leaking light will at least partially cure the epoxy to affix the first MCF within the first holder. The process may then be repeated for the remaining MCFs, so that each MCF may be clocked and affixed selectively rather than collectively. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing an optical fiber including a cladding and at least one core in the cladding; placing the optical fiber in a holder; providing a body of light curable epoxy in the holder around at least a portion of the optical fiber; and transmitting light through the cladding so that light leaking from the cladding into the light curable epoxy at least partially cures the light curable epoxy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the light curable epoxy is cured by ultraviolet (UV) light, and wherein transmitting light includes transmitting UV light through the cladding. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber has a first end at the holder and a second end, and wherein transmitting UV light includes transmitting UV light into the first end of the optical fiber. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the optical fiber has a first end at the holder and a second end, and wherein transmitting UV light includes transmitting UV light into the second end of the optical fiber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the holder is formed within a connector ferrule. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting light includes controlling either the intensity of the light or the duration of transmitting light, or both, in order to selectively cure the body of light curable epoxy in the holder around the portion of the optical fiber. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: providing a first optical fiber including at least one light carrying core for transmitting a communication signal and an outer layer surrounding the at least one light carrying core; placing the first optical fiber in a first holder; providing a body of light curable epoxy in the first holder around at least a portion of the first optical fiber; and transmitting light through the outer layer of the first optical fiber so that light leaking from the outer layer of the first optical fiber into the light curable epoxy at least partially cures the light curable epoxy in the first holder. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one light carrying core includes a central core and plural satellite cores spaced from the central core. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: rotating the first optical fiber within the first holder to place the satellite cores into a desired position prior to transmitting light through the outer layer of the first optical fiber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first holder is located in a ferrule, the method further comprising: providing a second optical fiber including a central core and plural satellite cores spaced from the central core and an outer layer surrounding the central core and plural satellite cores; placing the second optical fiber in a second holder located in the ferrule; providing a body of light curable epoxy in the second holder around at least a portion of the second optical fiber; and transmitting light through the outer layer of the second optical fiber so that light leaking from the outer layer of the second optical fiber into the light curable epoxy at least partially cures the light curable epoxy in the second holder. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of: rotating the second optical fiber within the second holder to place the satellite cores of the second optical fiber into a desired position prior to transmitting light through the outer layer of the second optical fiber, and wherein the process of transmitting light through the outer layer of the first optical fiber occurs prior to rotating the second optical fiber within the second holder. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein all areas of the outer layer of the first optical fiber, except those areas in contact with the light curable epoxy, are surrounded by a element having a lower index of refraction than the outer layer of the first optical fiber, and wherein the light curable epoxy has an index of refraction closer to the outer layer of the first optical fiber than the element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the element is air. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the element is a coating applied over the outer layer of the first optical fiber. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the index of refraction of the light curable epoxy is greater than the index of refraction of the outer layer of the first optical fiber, and wherein the light curable epoxy is curable by light in the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting light includes controlling either the intensity of the light or the duration of transmitting light, or both, in order to selectively cure the body of light curable epoxy in the first holder around the portion of the first optical fiber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the outer layer surrounding the central core and plural satellite cores is a cladding layer in direct contact with the central core and plural satellite cores. ### Claim 18 A machine for affixing multi-core fiber (MCF) within a ferrule with a desired angular alignment relative to the ferrule, said machine comprising: a light source for generating a light wavelength usable to cure light sensitive epoxy; a light guide having a first end attached to said light source and a second end remote from said first end, said second end of said light guide supplying light to illuminate an outer layer of a target MCF so that light leaks from the outer layer of the target MCF into a light sensitive epoxy in contact with the outer layer of the target MCF. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The machine of claim 18, wherein said light guide is a fiber optic cable including plural source fibers for transmitting light, and further comprising a source ferrule attached to said second end of said fiber optic cable, said source ferrule presenting ends of said plural source fibers to target MCFs held in a target ferrule, and further comprising: a fiber optic switch disposed between said light source and said source ferrule, said fiber optic switch selectively connecting said light source to a selected source fiber of said plural source fibers so that the respective end of the selected source fiber, as presented by the source ferrule, is illuminated to pass light into a single MCF of the target ferrule. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The machine of claim 18, wherein said light source generates ultraviolet light and said second end of said light guide supplies light to illuminate a cladding layer of the target MCF.