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US 5,682,451 AGranted
Device with internal features for rotational alignment of non-cylindrically symmetrical optical elements
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsNicholas A. Lee, Daniel V. Attanasio, Gordon D. Henson, Grieg A. Olson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an optical fiber connector with an internal structure which allows the polarization axis of an optical element to be freely rotated and fixed with respect to an rotational orientation-indicating reference on an external surface of the connector. The reference then provides an external physical indication of the spatial direction of the birefringence axes of the optical element.
Claims50
A connector subassembly for non-cylindrically symmetrical optical elements, comprising:
- a holding member for an optical element, wherein said holding member comprises at least one alignment feature;
- an inner sleeve member comprising at least one cooperative alignment feature adapted to engage the alignment feature on the holding member;
- and
- a housing with a longitudinal bore adapted to receive said holding member and said inner sleeve member, and an external surface comprising a rotational alignment reference;
- wherein said inner sleeve member, when engaged with the holding member and inserted into the bore in the housing, is freely rotatable with respect to said housing to rotationally align said optical element at a predetermined angle with respect to said reference on the housing.
2 more elements
A connector subassembly for non-cylindrically symmetrical optical fibers, comprising:
- a ferrule comprising a longitudinal passageway for a terminal end of a non-cylindrically symmetrical optical fiber with a polarization axis;
- a collar member adapted to rotationally retain said ferrule, wherein said collar member has at least one alignment feature;
- an inner sleeve member comprising at least one cooperative alignment feature adapted to engage an alignment feature on said collar member;
- and
- a housing comprising an internal surface with a longitudinal bore adapted to receive said inner sleeve member and an external surface comprising a rotational alignment reference;
- wherein said inner sleeve member, when engaged with the collar member and inserted into the bore in the housing, is freely rotatable in said bore to rotationally align the polarization axis of the fiber at a predetermined angle with respect to the reference on the housing.
3 more elements
A connector subassembly for polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, comprising:
- a ferrule comprising a longitudinal passageway for a terminal end of a PM optical fiber with a polarization axis;
- a collar member adapted to rotationally retain said ferrule, wherein said collar member comprises at least one longitudinal key;
- an inner sleeve member comprising at least one longitudinal keyway adapted to engage the key of said collar member;
- a hollow housing comprising an internal surface with a stepped longitudinal bore, wherein the bore has a large diameter region adjacent a proximate end of the housing adapted to receive said inner sleeve member, said housing further comprising an external surface with a rotational alignment reference;
- means for biasing said collar member toward the proximate end of the housing;
- and
- means for locking the inner sleeve member into rotational alignment with the housing;
- wherein said inner sleeve member, when engaged with the collar member and inserted into the bore of the housing, is freely rotatable in said bore to align the polarization axis of the fiber at a predetermined angle with respect to the rotational alignment reference, and is subsequently locked into rotational alignment with said locking means.
5 more elements
A connector for polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, comprising:
- a ferrule comprising a longitudinal passageway for a PM optical fiber having a polarization axis, wherein said device is rotationally fixed within said passageway;
- a collar member adapted to rotationally retain said ferrule, wherein said collar member comprises at least one longitudinal key;
- an inner sleeve member comprising at least one longitudinal keyway adapted to engage the key of said collar member;
- a hollow housing comprising an internal surface with a stepped longitudinal bore, wherein the bore has a large diameter region adjacent a proximate end of the housing adapted to receive said inner sleeve member, said housing further comprising an external surface with a rotational alignment reference;
- means for biasing said collar member toward the proximate end of the housing;
- means for locking the inner sleeve member into rotational alignment with the housing;
- and
- a crimp member for securing strengthening members of an optical fiber cable to a distal end of the housing;
- wherein said inner sleeve member, when engaged with the collar member and inserted in the bore in the housing, is freely rotatable in said bore to rotationally align the polarization axis of the optical device at a predetermined angle with respect to the alignment reference on the housing, and said inner sleeve member is subsequently rotationally fixed with respect to the housing by said locking means.
6 more elements
A connector providing rotational alignment of a polarization axis of a polarization maintaining optical fiber with respect to a rigidly fixed external feature of said connector, the connector comprising:
- a tubular housing comprising inner and outer surfaces, a proximate end, and a distal end, said inner surface defining a stepped internal bore with a larger diameter region at the proximate end of the housing, a smaller diameter region at said distal end of the housing, and a shoulder between the larger and smaller diameter regions of the bore, said housing further comprising an access hole between the outer surface and the larger diameter of the bore, and wherein the outer surface of the housing comprises an external rotational orientation-indicating reference;
- a rotatable inner sleeve slideably disposed within said tubular housing and abutting the shoulder on the internal surface of the housing, said sleeve having a keyway extending longitudinally toward said distal end of said tubular housing;
- a ferrule collar comprising:
- a cup portion with a base and an open end, wherein said cup portion is sized to slideably engage the larger diameter region of said internal bore, said cup portion further comprising at least one recess for engaging a rotation tool;
- a barrel portion with a first end attached to the base of said cup portion, the barrel portion sized to slideably engage the inner sleeve;
- a generally cylindrical stem portion attached to a second end of the barrel portion, said stem portion sized to slideably engage the smaller diameter of said internal bore;
- a key adapted to slideably engage the keyway in the inner sleeve, wherein the key extends longitudinally along the barrel portion from the first end to the second end thereof, and
- an axial passageway for an optical fiber, said passageway extending from the base of the cup through the barrel and through the stem;
- a helical spring to bias the collar toward the proximate end of the housing, wherein said spring is positioned around said stem portion of the collar, and a first end thereof abuts the second end of the barrel portion and a second end of thereof abuts the shoulder in the housing;
- a ferrule with an axial passageway for adhesively securing said optical fiber, wherein said ferrule is rotationally fixed within the cup portion of the collar;
- and
- a polarization maintaining optical fiber with a polarization axis, wherein said fiber extends through the passageway in said collar and into the passageway of the ferrule, and is rotationally fixed within the passageway of the ferrule;
- wherein said inner sleeve is engaged with the collar member and inserted in the bore in the housing and rotated until the polarization axis has a predetermined rotational orientation with respect to the external reference on said housing and said sleeve is then adhesively fixed to the housing at the access hole.
10 more elements
A connector assembly for polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, comprising:
- a ferrule comprising a longitudinal passageway for a terminal end of a PM optical fiber with a polarization axis;
- a ferrule collar adapted to rotationally retain said ferrule, wherein said collar has a longitudinal axial bore contiguous with the passageway in the ferrule, said collar further comprising a longitudinal key;
- an inner sleeve member comprising a longitudinal keyway adapted to engage the key of said collar member;
- an FC-type or SC-type housing with a first end and a second end and comprising an internal surface with a longitudinal bore, wherein said bore has a large diameter region proximal the first end of the housing adapted to receive said inner sleeve member and said collar, a small diameter region proximal the second end of the housing, and an external surface with a rotational alignment reference;
- means for biasing said collar toward said first end of said housing;
- wherein said inner sleeve member is freely rotatable in the bore of the housing to rotationally align the polarization axis of the fiber at an predetermined angle with respect to the reference on the external surface of the housing;
- means for locking the inner sleeve member to the housing to preserve the optimal angle;
- a crimp member for securing strengthening members of an optical fiber cable to the second end of the housing;
- a boot attached to the second end of said housing for relieving strain applied to the optical fiber cable proximate said crimp member;
- and
- a latching member attached to and surrounding said housing, said latching member selected from the group consisting of an SC-type and an FC-type.
8 more elements
A method for connecting a non-symmetrical optical fiber having a polarization axis, comprising the steps of:
- (a) rotationally fixing a ferrule in a collar member, wherein said collar member has an alignment feature;
- (b) inserting the alignment feature on the collar member in a cooperative alignment feature in an inner sleeve member to provide an engaged collar and sleeve member;
- (c) inserting the engaged collar and sleeve member in a housing, the housing comprising an internal surface with a longitudinal bore adapted to receive said inner sleeve member, wherein the engaged collar and sleeve member is completely enclosed within the bore and freely rotatable therein, and wherein said housing further comprises an external rotational orientation reference;
- (e) rotating the engaged collar and sleeve member in said bore to rotationally align the polarization axis at a predetermined angle with respect to said external rotational reference on said housing;
- (f) rotationally locking said inner sleeve to said housing.
2 more elements
A connection system for polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers, comprising:
- (a) at least one connector subassembly, comprising:
- (i) a ferrule comprising a longitudinal passageway for a terminal end of a PM optical fiber with a polarization axis, wherein said fiber is rotationally fixed within said passageway;
- (ii) a collar member adapted to rotationally retain said ferrule, wherein said collar member comprises at least one longitudinal key;
- (iii) an inner sleeve member comprising a longitudinal keyway adapted to engage the key of said collar member;
- (iv) a hollow housing comprising an internal surface with a stepped longitudinal bore, wherein the bore has a large diameter region adjacent a proximate end of the housing adapted to receive said inner sleeve member;
- (v) means for biasing said collar member toward the proximate end of the housing;
- and
- (vi) means for locking the inner sleeve member into rotational alignment with the housing;
- wherein said inner sleeve member is freely rotatable in said bore to align the polarization axis at a predetermined angle with respect to a rotational alignment reference on an external surface of said housing, and said inner sleeve member is thereafter rotationally fixed with respect to the housing by said locking means;
- (b) a tool for rotating the collar member with respect to said housing;
- (c) crimp member for securing strengthening members of an optical fiber cable to a distal end of the housing;
- (d) at least one connector body for attachment to each subassembly, wherein said connector body is selected from the group consisting of an SC-type and an FC-type;
- and
- (e) a boot for relieving strain applied to the optical fiber cable proximate said crimp member.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.