Optical star coupler assembly

A one-piece, moulded plastics housing for an optical star coupler comprising an optical mixing rod having a bundle of optical cables optically and mechanically connected to each end thereof and extending from said bundles;

• the housing being characterized in that it comprises a flat base, having longitudinal side walls connected by end walls, said walls upstanding from said base, the housing having a central plane bisecting said end walls and a transverse plane bisecting said side walls, an upwardly open elongate central groove in said base, for receiving said mixing rod and said bundles being bisected longitudinally thereof by said central plane, said base being formed with a first pair of upwardly open arcuate grooves and a second pair of upwardly open arcuate grooves, the grooves of each pair of arcuate grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said central plane and the pairs of arcuate grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said transverse plane and being bowed away therefrom, one end of each arcuate groove of the first pair being connected to one end of a respective arcuate groove of the second pair by way of a respective longitudinal groove extending parallel to, and proximate to a respective side wall of the housing, the other end of each arcuate groove of the first pair communicating with an upwardly open recess in the base, said recess also communicating with the central groove at one end thereof, the other end of each arcuate groove of the second pair communicating with a further upwardly open recess in the base, said further recess also communicating with the other end of said central groove, each recess being connected to a respective one of said longitudinal grooves by way of an upwardly open transverse groove and each said recess further communicating with a respective upwardly exposed floor in said base, said floors being located on opposite sides of said central plane, an array of cable guiding posts projecting from each floor, each side wall being formed with a row of through bores, the row extending parallel to the central plane and the bores extending parallel to said transverse plane.

An assembly housing an optical star coupler comprising an optical mixing rod having a bundle of optical cables optically and mechanically connected to each end thereof, lengths of said cables extending from said bundles;

• characterized by a housing having a base and external walls upstanding from the base and being formed with through bores, the mixing rod being secured to the base and the cable lengths extending from said bundles also being secured to the base with end portions of said lengths projecting through respective ones of said bores and outwardly of said walls for connection to respective optical devices;
• the mixing rod is received in a central groove in the base and is held down in the groove by means securing the portions of said cable lengths proximate to said bundles;
• wherein said cable lengths extend through further grooves in the base, communicating with the central groove at each end thereof, said lengths extending from said further grooves between cable guiding posts to said bores said posts being disposed laterally of said central groove, said external walls upstanding on opposite sides of said central groove;
• and
• wherein said external walls are longitudinal side walls of the housing connected by end walls thereof, the housing having a central longitudinal plane bisecting said end walls and a transverse central plane bisecting the side walls, said further grooves comprising a first pair of arcuate grooves and a second pair or arcuate grooves, the grooves of each paid of arcuate grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said central plane and the pairs of arcuate grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said transverse plane and being bowed away therefrom, one end of each arcuate groove of the first pair being connected to one end of a respective arcuate groove of the second pair, by way of a respective longitudinal groove, the other end of each arcuate groove of the first pair communicating with a recess in the base, said recess also communicating with said central groove at one end thereof, the other end of each arcuate groove of the second pair communicating with a further recess in the base said further recess also communicating with the other end of said central groove, each of said recesses being connected to a respective one of said longitudinal grooves, by way of a transverse groove and each said recess further communicating with a respective floor in said base, by way of a respective oblique groove, said floors being arranged upon opposite sides of said central plane, an array of said cable guiding posts projecting from each floor, a portion of each external wall in which portion the bores of that wall are formed, being aligned with, and bounding, a respective one of said floors.

An assembly housing an optical star coupler comprising an optical mixing rod having a bundle of optical cables optically and mechanically connected to each end thereof, lengths of said cables extending from said bundles;

• characterized by a housing having a base and external walls upstanding from the base and being formed with through bores,
• the mixing rod being secured to the base in a central groove of the base with holding means, and the cable lengths extending from said bundles, with end portions of said lengths projecting through respective ones of said bores for connection to respective optical devices;
• wherein said cable lengths communicate with the central groove at at least one end thereof, said lengths extending between cable guiding posts to said bores;
• the housing having a central longitudinal plane and a transverse central plane, the base including pairs of arcuate grooves, the grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said central plane, and the pairs of arcuate grooves being disposed on opposite sides of said transverse plane and being bowed away from the transverse plane, at least one end of each arcuate groove of said pairs being connected to one end of a respective arcuate groove of the other pair, by way of a respective longitudinal groove, the other end of each arcuate groove of the at least one pair communicating with a recess in the base, said recess also communicating with said central groove at one end thereof, the other end of each arcuate groove of the other pair communicating with a further recess in the base, said further recess also communicating with the other end of said central groove;
• whereby the radius of curvature of the arcuate bends is at a minimum so that the optical fibers can be set in the grooves and around the posts for an orderly, compact array of fibers ready for connection to optical devices.