Method of making fiber optic coupler with longitudinal protrusions
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsDaniel E. Nolan, Gregory E. Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An overclad fiber optic coupler is formed from a coupler preform including a glass tube having a longitudinal aperture. The aperture is formed of a plurality of similarly shaped side walls, each of which includes a longitudinally extending, inwardly projecting protrusions. The region between each two adjacent protrusions constitutes a corner region. Disposed within the aperture are at least a portion of each of a plurality of glass optical fibers, one fiber being situated in each corner region. The midregion of the tube is collapsed onto the fibers, the protrusions maintaining the fibers in their relative positions. At least a portion of the midregion is stretched to reduce the tube midregion diameter.
Claims19
A method of making a fiber optic coupler comprising the steps of
- providing a glass tube having first and second opposite end portions and a midregion, a longitudinal aperture extending from a first end of said tube to a second end thereof,
- disposing within the midregion of said longitudinal aperture at least a portion of each of a plurality of glass optical fibers, at least that part of each fiber that is located in the tube midregion having no coating thereon,
- collapsing the midregion of said tube onto said fibers, and
- stretching at least a portion of said midregion,
- said tube aperture having M equally spaced, longitudinally extending, nonplanar inwardly projecting protrusion means, wherein M is at least 3, the region between each two adjacent protrustion means constituting a corner region along which one of said fibers extends, said protrusion means retaining said fibers in their relative positions during said step of collapsing.
A method of making a fiber optic coupler comprising the steps of
- providing a glass tube having first and second opposite end portions and a midregion, a longitudinal aperture extending from a first end of said tube to a second end thereof, said aperture having M equally spaced, longitudinally extending, nonplanar inwardly projecting protrusion means, wherein M is at least 3,
- disposing within the midregion of said longitudinal aperture a plurality of glass optical fibers, each of said fibers extending through said tube midregion, one of said fibers being located between each adjacent pair of protrustion means,
- collapsing the midregion of said tube onto said fibers, said protrusion means maintaining said fibers in their relative positions, and
- drawing at least a portion of said midregion.
A method of making a fiber optic coupler comprising the steps of
- disposing a plurality of optical fibers such that at least a part of each fiber extends into the bore midregion of a glass tube, at least that part of each fiber that is located in the tube midregion having no coating thereon,
- collapsing said tube midregion onto said fibers, and
- stretching the central portion of said midregion,
- the step of disposing comprising providing a tube, the bore aperture of which is formed of M similarly shaped side walls, wherein M is at least 3, adjacent side walls intersecting at an apex, thereby forming a corner region along which one fiber extends in substantial contact with the adjacent walls, each of said walls including longitudinally extending, nonplanar inwardly projecting protrusion means for maintaining said fibers in their relative positions during said step of collapsing.
A method of making a fiber optic coupler comprising the steps of
- providing a glass tube having first and second opposite end portions and a midregion extending between said end portions, a longitudinal aperture extending from a first end of said tube to a second end thereof,
- disposing within the midregion of said longitudinal aperture a portion of each of a plurality of glass optical fibers,
- collapsing the midregion of said tube onto said fibers, and
- stretching at least a portion of said midregion,
- said tube aperture being formed of M similarly shaped side walls, wherein M is at least 3, each of said walls having a longitudinally extending, nonplanar inwardly projecting protrusion means, the region between each two adjacent protrustion means constituting a corner region through which one of said fibers extends, said protrusion means maintaining said fibers in their relative positions during said step of collapsing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.