Optical fiber connector using photocurable adhesive
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsWilliam V. Dower, Joel D. Oxman, Brian N. Holmes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber optic connector including a holder for one ore more optical cables, each optical cable having an optical fiber surrounded by strengthening fibers, both of which are surrounded by at least one polymeric coating layer. The cable is stripped in a layerwise manner such that an area of exposed fiber is succeeded by an area of exposed strengthening fibers, succeeded by an area of coated cable. A visible light curable adhesive is injected into the holder and cured by exposure to visible light for up to about 30 seconds, bonding the optical fiber layers and the holder into a unified structure.
Claims46
An optical fiber connector, comprising
- a) an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber, a plurality of strengthening fibers disposed about said optical fiber, and a polymeric coating layer disposed about said strengthening fibers;
- b) a holder adapted to receive said cable;
- and
- c) an adhesive disposed within said holder, said adhesive being adapted to bond said optical fiber, said strengthening fibers and said holder into a unified structure through exposure to visible light.
An optical fiber connector, comprising
- a) an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber, a plurality of strengthening fibers disposed about said optical fiber, and a polymeric coating layer disposed about said strengthening fibers;
- b) a holder adapted to receive said cable;
- and
- c) an adhesive composition disposed within said holder, said adhesive being adapted to bond said optical fiber, said strengthening fibers and said holder into a unified structure through exposure to visible light;
- wherein said adhesive comprises at least one acrylate monomer.
An optical fiber connector, comprising
- a) an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber, a plurality of strengthening fibers disposed about said optical fiber, and a polymeric coating layer disposed about said strengthening fibers;
- b) a holder adapted to receive said cable;
- and
- c) an adhesive disposed within said holder, said adhesive being adapted to bond said optical fiber, said strengthening fibers and said holder into a unified structure through exposure to visible light;
- wherein said adhesive comprises a photoinitiator system comprising an electron donor and a sensitizer.
An optical fiber connector, comprising
- a) an optical fiber cable comprising an optical fiber, a plurality of strengthening fibers disposed about said optical fiber, and a polymeric coating layer disposed about said strengthening fibers;
- b) a holder adapted to receive said cable;
- and
- c) an adhesive disposed within said holder, said adhesive being adapted to bond said optical fiber, said strengthening fibers and said holder into a unified structure through exposure to near-infrared light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.