Fiberoptic support clip

A fiberoptic end support comprising:

• an optical fiber having an end;
• a tubular sleeve disposed over the optical fiber adjacent the end;
• a clip having a clip body with a lower surface, an upper surface, and walls extending upward from the upper surface of the body so as to define a channel which fittingly receives the sleeve when the sleeve is within at least a predetermined separation range from the lower surface to facilitate vertical alignment of the end of the optical fiber relative to the lower surface, wherein the sleeve is affixed within the channel;
• and
• a mount surface affixed to the lower surface of the clip body.

A method for supporting an end of an optical fiber, the method comprising;

• securing the optical fiber within a sleeve;
• positioning the sleeve in a receptacle of a clip within a predetermined height range from a lower surface of a body of the clip, the receptacle fittingly receiving the sleeve throughout the height range;
• restraining the positioned sleeve within the receptacle of the clip, the receptacle defined by walls which extend from the body of the clip;
• and
• affixing the lower surface of the clip to a planar mount surface so that the body of the clip rigidly couples the sleeve to the mount surface.

A fiberoptic end support system comprising:

• an optical fiber having an end;
• a tubular sleeve disposed over the optical fiber adjacent the end, the sleeve having a sleeve diameter;
• a clip having a clip body with a lower surface which defines a plane, a plurality of flanges which extend horizontally along the lower surface, an upper surface, and walls extending upward from the upper surface of the body so as to define a channel which has a width corresponding to the sleeve diameter so that the channel fittingly receives the sleeve when the sleeve is within at least a predetermined separation range from the lower surface to facilitate vertical alignment of the end of the optical fiber relative to the lower surface, the walls locally reduced in thickness adjacent a plurality of contact points between the sleeve and the channel, wherein the sleeve is affixed within the channel by a plurality of laser welds at the contact points;
• and
• a planar mount surface affixed against the plane of the lower surface of the clip body by a plurality of laser welds at the flanges.

A method for supporting an end of an optical fiber, the method comprising;

• securing the optical fiber within a sleeve;
• vertically positioning the sleeve in a receptacle of a clip anywhere within a predetermined height range from a lower surface of a body of the clip, the receptacle defined by walls which extend from the body of the clip away from the lower surface so as to fittingly receive the sleeve throughout the height range;
• verifying vertical alignment of the vertically positioned sleeve by transmitting a light signal through the end of the optical fiber;
• laser welding the vertically positioned sleeve within the receptacle of the clip;
• horizontally positioning the sleeve by locating a plane of the lower surface of the clip against a planar mount surface while the sleeve is within the channel;
• verify horizontal alignment of the sleeve by transmitting a light signal through the end of the optical fiber;
• and
• laser welding flanges of the clip to the mount surface.