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US 5,312,468 AGranted
Optical fiber cleavage method
AssigneeRadiall
InventorsHuan B. Yin, Robert J. Ferina, Jr.
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AssigneeRadiall
InventorsHuan B. Yin, Robert J. Ferina, Jr.
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to optical fiber cleavage method making it possible to obtain an oblique optical fiber end face, consisting in holding a segment of optical fiber between two separated supports, in displacing one of said supports with respect to the other, and in causing the cleavage of the fibre in a break zone dictated by an onset of breakage made by means of a tool, such as a blade. The fiber (4) is held embedded in said supports (1, 2) without exerting any stress on it, in particular any traction or torsion, one of the supports (1) is displaced solely in translation along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the fiber (4) whilst holding the other support (2) fixed, and the onset of breakage is made either before, during, or after said displacement of the movable support.
A method for cleaving an optical fiber having a substantially round cross section and a longitudinal axis, the cleaving being carried out along a plane that is at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, comprising
A method for simultaneously cleaving a plurality of optical fibers each having a substantially round cross section and a longitudinal axis, the cleaving being carried out along a plane that is at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber, comprising
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Coupling light guides: preparing the ends of light guides for coupling, e.g. cutting
Methods: with preliminary weakening
Preliminary weakener: with means to apply moment of force to weakened work
Optical elements, systems or apparatus
Term ended 3 Sep 2012 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The present invention relates to an optical fiber cleavage method and in particular a method making it possible to obtain by cleavage an oblique optical fiber end face.
In order to reduce reflection in the vicinity of an optical fiber connection, use is made of optical fibers of the type in which the end face of the fiber is oblique, that is to say not perpendicular to the axis of the fiber.
It is important in practice to minimize reflection of the signal transmitted over the end face of an optical fibre especially when using high-output DFB lasers.
FIGS. 1a to 1c represent diagrammatically in section the steps of a first mode of implementation of a method according to the invention,
FIGS. 2a to 2c represent diagrammatically in section the steps of a second mode of implementation of the method according to the invention,
FIGS. 3a and 3b represent diagrammatically in section the steps of a third mode of implementation of the method according to the invention,
FIGS 1a, 2a and 3a illustrate the fiber 4 embedded in the two supports 1 and 2, the blade 3 being arranged above the fiber 4. The supports 1 and 2 in this assembly are a length L apart which is equal to 1.43 mm and the blade 3 is a distance 1 which is equal to 0.64 mm from the support 1.
In FIG. 1b, the blade 3 has been brought into contact with the fiber 4 through a downward displacement manifested by the arrow F1, in order to produce the onset of breakage in the fiber 4 at a precise distance 1 from the fixed support 1.
In FIG. 1c, the movable support 2 has been translated by a length .DELTA.y downwards as indicated by the arrow F2. The support 1 has remained stationary and the distance L separating the two fixing supports has remained constant. FIG. 1c shows the fiber 4 just before breakage.