Optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device

A 1.times.4 optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device for coupling input light impinging on a feedthrough optical fiber member to first and second multiplexing optical fiber output members, said feedthrough optical fiber member having an optical fiber element with a given cross-sectional area, the first multiplexing optical fiber output member having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a first output coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, and the second multiplexing optical fiber output member having third and fourth optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of said third and fourth optical fiber elements being joined to provide a second output coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, said demultiplexing/multiplexing device comprising

• first and second connector plugs each of said connector plugs having at least first, second and third alignment holes therein;
• connecting means attached to said first and second connector plugs, said connecting means positioning said first and second connector plugs so that the first, second and third alignment holes of said first connector plug are in alignment with the first, second and third alignment holes respectively of said second connector plug;
• and
• a multiplexing optical fiber transition member having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a transition coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, wherein
• said feedthrough optical fiber is placed in the first alignment hole of said first connector plug, the transition coupling end portion of said multiplexing optical fiber transition member is placed in the first alignment hole of said second connector plug, the second ends of the first and second optical fiber elements of said multiplexing optical fiber transition member are placed in the second and third alignment holes respectively of said second connector plug, and the first and second output coupling end portions of said first and second multiplexing optical fiber members are placed in the second and third alignment holes respectively of said first connector plug, light input to said feedthrough optical fiber member being output at the second ends of the optical fiber elements of said first and second multiplexing optical fiber members.

A 1.times.4 optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device for coupling input light impinging on a feedthrough optical fiber member to first and second multiplexing optical fiber output members, said feedthrough optical fiber member having an optical fiber element with a given cross-sectional area, the first multiplexing optical fiber output member having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a first output coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, and the second multiplexing optical fiber output member having third and fourth optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of said third and fourth optical fiber elements being joined to provide a second output coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, said demultiplexing/multiplexing device comprising

• first and second connector plugs each of said connector plugs having at least first, second and third alignment holes therein;
• connecting means attached to said first and second connector plugs, said connecting means positioning said first and second connector plugs so that the first, second and third alignment holes of said first connector plug are in alignment with the first, second and third alignment holes respectively of said second connector plug;
• and
• a multiplexing optical fiber transition member having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a transition coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, wherein
• said feedthrough optical fiber is placed in the first alignment hole of said first connector plug, the transition coupling end portion of said multiplexing optical fiber transition member is placed in the first alignment hole of said second connector plug, the second ends of the first and second optical fiber elements of said multiplexing optical fiber transition member are placed in the third alignment hole of said first connector plug and the second alignment hole of said second connector plug respectively, the first output coupling end portion of said first multiplexing optical fiber member is placed in the second alignment hole of said first connector plug and the second output coupling end portion of said second multiplexing optical fiber member is placed in the third alignment hole of said second connector plug, light input to said feedthrough optical fiber member being output at the second ends of the optical fiber elements of said first and second multiplexing optical fiber members.

A 1.times.2.sup.n optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device for coupling input light impinging on a feedthrough optical fiber member to 2.sup.n /2 multiplexing optical fiber output members, where n is an integer equal to 2 or greater, said feedthrough optical fiber member having an optical fiber element with a given cross-sectional area, and each of the multiplexing optical fiber output members having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of the optical fiber elements of each of said plurality of multiplexing optical fiber members being joined to provide an output coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, said demultiplexing/multiplexing device comprising

• first and second connector plugs, each of said connector plugs having 2.sup.n -1 alignment holes therein;
• connecting means attached to said first and second connector plugs, said connecting means positioning said first and second connector plugs so that each of the alignment holes of said first connector plug is in alignment with a corresponding alignment hole of said second connector plug;
• and
• 2.sup.n /2-1 multiplexing optical fiber transition members each having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a transition coupling end portion having substantially said given cross-sectional area, wherein
• said feedthrough optical fiber is placed in the first alignment hole of said first connector plug, the transition coupling end portions of said multiplexing optical fiber transition members are placed in 2.sup.n /2-1 alignment holes of said second connector plug, the second ends of the optical fiber elements of said multiplexing optical fiber transition members are placed in 2.sup.n -2 alignment holes of said first connector plug, and the output coupling end portions of said multiplexing optical fiber output members are placed in the remaining 2.sup.n /2 alignment holes of said second connector plug, light input to said feedthrough optical fiber member being output at the second ends of the 2.sup.n optical fiber elements of said 2.sup.n /2 multiplexing optical fiber output members.

A multiple 1.times.2 optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device for coupling input light impinging on a ribbon type feedthrough optical fiber member to first and second ribbon type multiplexing optical fiber members, said feedthrough optical fiber member and each of said multiplexing optical fiber members having m optical fiber elements each with a given cross-sectional area and first and second opposite ends, the first ends of corresponding optical fiber elements of the fiber optical elements in said first and second ribbon type multiplexing optical fiber members being joined to provide a plurality of coupling end portions each having substantially said given cross-sectional area, said demultiplexing/multiplexing device comprising

• first and second connector plugs, each of said connector plugs having m alignment holes therein;
• and
• connecting means attached to said first and second connector plugs, said connecting means positioning said first and second connector plugs so that the alignment holes of said first connector plug are in alignment with corresponding alignment holes of said second connector plug;
• wherein
• the m optical fiber elements of said ribbon type feedthrough optical fiber member are placed in the alignment holes of said first connector plug and the plurality of coupling end portions of the optical fiber elements of said first and second multiplexing optical fiber members are placed in the alignment holes of said second connector plug, light input to said plurality of fiber optical elements of said ribbon type feedthrough optical fiber member being output at the second ends of said plurality of optical fiber elements of said ribbon type multiplexing optical fiber members.

A 4.times.4 optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device for coupling four input light signals impinging on first and second input optical fiber members to four output light signals at first and second output optical fiber members, each of said input and output optical fiber members comprising first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second opposite ends, the first ends of the optical fiber elements being joined to provide a coupling end portion having a cross-sectional area which is substantially the same as the cross-sectional area of each of the second ends of each of said optical fiber elements, said optical demultiplexing/multiplexing device comprising

• first and second multiplexing optical fiber transition members each having first and second optical fiber elements each having first and second ends, the first ends of said first and second optical fiber elements being joined to provide a transition coupling end portion having a cross-sectional area which is substantially the same as the cross-sectional areas of the optical fiber elements of said input and output optical fiber members;
• a feedthrough optical fiber element having first and second ends;
• first and second connector plugs, each of said connector plugs having at least first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth alignment holes therein;
• and connecting means attached to said first and second connector plugs, said connecting means positioning said first and second connector plugs so that the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth alignment holes of said first connector plug are in alignment with the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth alignment holes of said second connector plug, wherein
• the first and second ends of said feedthrough optical fiber element are placed in the first and second alignment holes of said first connector plug, the transition coupling end portion of said-first multiplexing optical fiber transition member is placed in the first alignment hole of said second connector plug, the second ends of the first and second optical fiber elements of said first multiplexing optical fiber transition member are placed in the third and fourth holes of said first connector plug, the coupling end portions of said first and second input optical fiber members are placed in the third and fourth alignment holes of said second connector plug, the transition coupling end portion of said second multiplexing optical fiber transition member is placed in the second alignment hole of said second connector plug, the second ends of the first and second optical fiber elements of said second multiplexing optical fiber transition member are placed in the fifth and sixth holes of said first connector plug, and the coupling end portions of said first and second output optical fiber members are placed in the fifth and sixth alignment holes of said second connector plug.