Optical fiber mating apparatus and method

A method for longitudinally aligning optical fiber junctions comprising:

• providing two optical fibers with relatively flat mating faces thereon;
• mounting a first optical fiber on a universal joint having pivot axes in two orthogonal directions;
• mounting the universal joint on a first stand which is adjustable in three orthogonal linear directions;
• mounting a second optical fiber on a second stand which is adjustable about at least one axis of rotation orthogonal to the two pivot axes;
• adjusting at least one of the stands to bring the faces of the fibers into contact while allowing the universal joint to adjust the orientation of the first fiber;
• adjusting the stands to rotate the fibers to align the faces thereof in a plane;
• and
• adjusting at least one of the stands to develop relative movement of the fibers in the plane to align the faces in a mating relationship.

An aligning apparatus for plural elongate structures comprising:

• a first base;
• means for positioning a first elongate structure on the base;
• adjusting means interconnecting the base and the positioning means capable of rotating said elongate structure about a first axis;
• a second base;
• means for adjustably interconnecting a second elongate structure with the second base including means for moving the second structure into contact with the first structure;
• and
• means for moving the elongate structures in relation to each other in a junction plane defined by the structures;
• the adjustable interconnecting means further including a universal joint fixture allowing rotation of the second structure about second and third axes, whereby when said elongate structures are brought into lateral contact with each other the fixture adjusts to produce planar contact between the structures.

An aligning apparatus for optical fiber junctions comprising:

• a first base;
• means for adjustably positioning a first fiber on the base;
• first adjusting means interconnecting the first base and the positioning means capable of rotating the fiber about a first axis;
• second adjusting means interconnected to said second base;
• and
• a universal joint fixture having means for mounting a second fiber thereon and rotatable about second and third axes mutually orthogonal with said first axis, the fixture being attached to the second adjusting means;
• whereby when the second adjusting means are positioned to bring the fibers into contact with each other, the fixture permits aligned planar contact between the fibers, and the adjusting means are operable to maximize the planar contact.