Optical fibre terminations and methods of and apparatus for making optical fibre terminations
AssigneeBritish Telecommunications public limited company
InventorStephen R. Mallinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical fibre termination is machined to provide a locating surface having improved concentricity with a therein-mounted optical fibre by more accurately locating the optical fibre at the rotational center of a machining tool. Light transmitted through the optical fibre is monitored while the termination is adjusted, in response to such monitoring, to accurately coincide with the rotational machining axis.
Claims13
A method of making an optical fibre termination having a locating surface which is concentric with an optical fibre mounted therein, said method comprising the steps of:
- inserting an end of said optical fibre into a sleeve member having an axial through bore,
- securing the optical fibre end within the bore of the sleeve member, thereby to provide a fibre termination,
- mounting the fibre termination in a rotatable clamping device of a machining tool,
- transmitting light through the fibre so as to produce a light beam emerging from said fibre end,
- adjusting the rotatable clamping member until rotation thereof produces a stationary light beam defining an axis, and
- machining the locating surface about the axis defined by the stationary light beam.
A method for accurately machining a cylindrical locating surface on an optical fibre termination which is concentric with an optical fibre having one end mounted therewithin, said method comprising the steps of:
- mounting said optical fibre termination within a lathe having a rotational center;
- passing light through said optical fibre and out the end thereof which is mounted within said termination;
- adjusting the relative location of said termination within said lathe until the light exiting from said optical fibre is coincident with said rotational center of the lathe;
- and
- machining, with said lathe, said cylindrical locating surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.