# US 5,708,499 A · Optical components for live-fiber identifier and coupler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,708,499 A - Document ID: US5708499A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/686,075 - Filed: 1996-07-24 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1996-07-24 - Assignees: Lucent Technologies Inc. - Inventors: John L. Baden; Charles H. DuVall; Dean R. Frey; Stephen C. Mettler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5708499A ## CPC - G01M 11/35: {in which light is transversely coupled into or out of the fibre or waveguide, e.g. using integrating spheres (G01M11/31 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/14: Mode converters - G02B 6/2852: {using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures)} - G02B 6/4259: {of the transparent type} - G02B 6/4289: {by inducing bending, microbending or macrobending, to the light guide} - G02B 6/4286: {Optical modules with optical power monitoring} - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The present invention is a device which may be used to detect the presence of light in a single mode optical fiber while the optical fiber is in use, or to introduce light into an optical fiber. The device includes an identifier chip, and an associated, complementary shaped plate, each of which employ both microbending and macrobending portions. The chip and the plate are each formed of a single piece of material, although only the chip must be formed of an optically transmissive material. In use the chip is urged toward the plate with an optical fiber therebetween. Deformation of the fiber caused by the stress exerted by the chip and the plate will cause detectable light to be emitted through the chip if the fiber is live. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for use in testing single mode optical fiber comprising: (a) a chip portion being formed of a single piece of material which will pass light of the wavelength carried by the fiber, said chip portion having a fiber receiving surface which is formed to receive an optical fiber, said fiber receiving surface having both a macrobend portion and a microbend portion formed thereon; and (b) a plate portion having a surface which is formed of a single piece of material, said plate portion having a shape which is complementary to said fiber receiving surface of said chip portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1 in which said fiber receiving surface is formed to have a plurality of macrobend portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2 in which said fiber receiving surface is formed to have two macrobend portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3 in which said microbend portion of said fiber receiving surface is formed between said two macrobend portions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4 in which said microbend portion of said fiber receiving surface is formed to have a periodically repeating shape, when viewed from a position orthogonal to said surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5 in which said periodically repeating shape is a sine wave. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device of claim 6 in which the chip and the plate are formed of a polycarbonate material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7 in which the wavelength of said sine wave is in the range of from approximately 15 mils to approximately 25 mils. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8 in which the wavelength of said sine wave is approximately 18 mils. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7 in which said macrobend portion of said chip portion is formed as an arc having a radius in the range of about 3 mm to about 6 mm and the complementary macrobend portion of the plate is formed as an arc having a radius which is somewhat less than the radius of the chip portion in order to allow the fiber to be conformably bent therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7 in which said macrobend portion of said chip portion is formed as an arc having a radius of about 4.25 mm and the complementary macrobend portion of the plate is formed as an arc having a radius of about 4 mm. ### Claim 12 A live fiber identifier for use in testing single mode optical fiber comprising: (a) a chip portion being formed of a single piece of material which will pass light of the wavelength carried by the fiber, said chip portion having a fiber receiving surface which is formed to receive an optical fiber, said fiber receiving surface having both a macrobend portion and a microbend portion formed thereon; and (b) a plate portion formed of a single piece of material which has a surface which is formed to be complementary to said fiber receiving surface of said chip portion; and (c) movement means for mechanically urging said chip portion and said plate portion together, whereby said plate portion and said chip portion will simultaneously impose both macrobending and microbending forces upon any optical fiber which has been placed therebetween. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The live fiber identifier of claim 12 in which said fiber receiving surface is formed to have a plurality of macrobend portions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The live fiber identifier of claim 13 in which said fiber receiving surface is formed to have two macrobend portions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The live fiber identifier of claim 14 in which said microbend portion of said fiber receiving surface is formed between said two macrobend portions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The live fiber identifier of claim 15 in which said microbend portion of said fiber receiving surface is formed to have a periodically repeating shape, when viewed from a position orthogonal to said surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The live fiber identifier of claim 16 in which said periodically repeating shape is a sine wave. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The live fiber identifier of claim 17 in which the chip and the plate are formed of a polycarbonate material. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The live fiber identifier of claim 17 further comprising at least one light detector, said at least one light detector being aligned with the path of light which will be emitted through said chip from a live fiber. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The live fiber identifier of claim 16 in which the wavelength of said sine wave is in the range of from approximately 15 mils to approximately 25 mils. ### Claim 21 (depends on 16) The live fiber identifier of claim 16 in which said macrobend portion of said chip portion is formed as an arc having a radius in the range of from about 3 mm to about 6 mm. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The live fiber identifier of claim 21 further comprising at least one light detector which is placed in the path which light would take if it was emitted by a piece of optical fiber being tested. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The live fiber identifier of claim 22 further comprising urging means for receiving a piece of fiber and for urging it into the appropriate test position as said movement means brings said chip and said plate together. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The live fiber identifier of claim 23 wherein said urging means include guides formed on said chip, said guides comprising a pair of spaced members, each of said pair being remote from the central portion of said chip, each of said pair of guides having an opening formed therebetween for receiving a piece of fiber. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The live fiber identifier of claim 24 wherein said urging means further comprises a sloped portion on the portion of said mechanical means which retains said chip, whereby when said fiber is received by said sloped portion and said mechanical means are brought together, said fiber will be directed into said opening formed in said guides. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The live fiber identifier of claim 25 further comprising electronics which react to light received by light detectors in the light path by indicating the presence of traffic on said fiber. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The live fiber identifier of claim 26 containing a light detector on either side of said chip. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The live fiber identifier of claim 27, wherein said electronics indicate the direction of said traffic based upon which of said light detectors actually detects light emissions from said fiber.