Fiber optic alignment devices; systems; and methods
AssigneeCommScope Technologies LLC
InventorsDanny Willy August VERHEYDEN, Jozef Christiaan Mathieu VERSLEEGERS, Michael MARIS, Alfons Rudi HERMANS, Walter MATTHEUS
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods, devices and systems for co-axially aligning first and second optical fibers to provide an optical coupling between the first and second optical fibers. A fiber engagement element is used to force the first and second optical fibers into an alignment groove.
Claims33
An apparatus for co-axially aligning groups of first and second optical fibers to provide an optical coupling between the groups of first and second optical fibers, the apparatus comprising:
- structure defining a plurality of parallel fiber alignment grooves each configured for receiving one pair of the first and second optical fibers, the fiber alignment grooves defining fiber insertion axes along which the first and second fibers are moved when inserted into the fiber alignment grooves, the apparatus being configured such that the end faces of a given one of the pairs of the first and second optical fibers will oppose one another when the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled together;
- and
- a plurality of independently moveable beams each having a fiber contact side that opposes an open side of no more than two of the fiber alignment grooves and that is adapted to engage both the first and second optical fibers of at least one of the pairs of first and second optical fibers when the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled together by the apparatus.
An apparatus for co-axially aligning sets of first and second optical fibers to provide an optical coupling between the sets of first and second optical fibers, the apparatus comprising:
- structure defining a plurality of parallel fiber alignment grooves each configured for receiving one of the sets of the first and second optical fibers, the fiber alignment grooves defining fiber insertion axes along which the first and second fibers are moved when inserted into the fiber alignment grooves, the apparatus including an optical coupling reference location at which end faces of the first and second optical fibers will oppose one another when the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled together;
- and
- a plurality of independently moveable beams each having a fiber contact side that opposes an open side of at least one of the fiber alignment grooves and that extends across the optical coupling reference location such that the fiber contact side is adapted to engage both the first and second optical fibers when the first and second optical fibers are optically coupled together in the fiber alignment groove, and where the beams independently flex when the first and second optical fibers are inserted into their respective fiber alignment grooves.
A multi-fiber alignment device for optically coupling first and second optical fibers, the fiber alignment device having a first end, an opposite second end, and an optical mating plane located between the first and second ends, the multi-fiber alignment device comprising:
- a first alignment piece defining a plurality of groove-type alignment structures that extend along a fiber insertion axis between the first and second ends, each one of the plurality of groove-type alignment structures being configured to receive a respective first optical fiber at the first end and a respective second optical fiber at the second end such that fiber tip ends of the respective first and second optical fibers meet at the optical mating plane;
- a second alignment piece including a plurality of fiber engagement members that extend above a respective one of the plurality of groove-type alignment structures, the plurality of fiber engagement members each being configured to extend along a first length of a respective one of the first optical fibers and along a second length of a respective one of the second optical fibers when the respective first and second optical fibers are inserted in a respective one of the plurality of groove-type alignment structures, the plurality of fiber engagement members further extending across the optical mating plane;
- and
- a third alignment piece including a plurality of deflection members adapted to spring bias a respective one of the plurality of fiber engagement members such that the respective one of the plurality of deflection members directly engage a respective one of the optical fiber ends of the first and second optical fibers to press the optical fiber ends within the respective one of the plurality of groove-type alignment structures to improve mating contact of the respective one of the optical fiber ends positioned at the optical mating plane of the multi-fiber alignment device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.