Connector for splicing optical fibers
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorHoward Wichansky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A connector splicing optical fibers wherein a glass sleeve, having a precision cut bore formed therein, is provided with funnel-shaped access openings at each end thereof for receiving the ends of the glass fibers to be spliced. In one embodiment, a permanent splice is made by applying a bonding agent and sealant to the funnel-shaped openings, and in another embodiment, a retainer ring is employed to thereby provide a disconnectable splice.
Claims5
A connector for splicing optical fibers comprising a sleeve, at least one precision cut axial bore provided in said sleeve, funnel-shaped openings provided at each end of said sleeve communicating with said bore, said openings facilitating the insertion of the ends of the optical fibers to be spliced into said sleeve, the diameter of said bore providing a close fit for said fibers and having a minimum value within fabrication tolerance equivalent to the diametrical upper tolerance of the fibers to be spliced, a pair of optical fibers positioned within respective sleeve ends so that said fiber ends abut, means at the ends of said sleeve for securing said fibers therein, said means including means positioned around the fiber within at least one of said funnel-shaped openings and spaced from the abutting ends for holding a respective fiber in said sleeve, a bonding agent applied to the throat of at least one of the funnel-shaped openings for securing the respective fiber to said sleeve, wherein one of said fibers is secured to said sleeve, and a shell secured to the other of said fibers, one end of said sleeve abutting an end of said shell in face-to-face relationship, and having a retaining clip secured to said sleeve and said shell for holding the sleeve and shell in said face-to-face relationship.
A connector for splicing optical fibers comprising a sleeve, at least one precision cut axial bore provided in said sleeve, funnel-shaped openings provided at each end of said sleeve communicating with said bore, said openings facilitating the insertion of the ends of the optical fibers to be spliced into said sleeve, the diameter of said bore having a minimum value within fabrication tolerance equivalent to the diametrical upper tolerance of the fibers to be spliced, a pair of optical fibers positioned within respective sleeve ends so that said fiber ends abut, and means at the ends of said sleeve for securing said fibers therein, said means including means positioned around the fiber within at least one of said funnel-shaped openings and spaced from the abutting ends for holding a respective fiber in sad sleeve, wherein said means within said funnel-shaped openings includes a spherical member mounted on each said fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.