Method and apparatus of cross-connecting optical fibers
AssigneeMolex Incorporated
InventorsMaurice X. Sun, Sammy Ali, Thomas R. Marrapode, Igor Grois
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for cross-connecting the individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons. A plurality of individual optical fibers are routed onto a substrate to form at least one first optical ribbon. The individual fibers are reorganized on the substrate to form a plurality of second fiber optic ribbons. A plurality of individual dummy optical fibers are routed onto the substrate to increase the number of individual optical fibers of the second fiber optic ribbons without including the dummy optical fibers in the at least one first fiber optic ribbon.
Claims23
A method of cross-connecting individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate having an adhesive thereon;
- routing a plurality of individual optical fibers onto the substrate to form a plurality of fiber optic input ribbons, reorganizing the fibers on the substrate and forming a plurality of fiber optic output ribbons greater in number than the input ribbons but with lesser number of individual optical fibers than the input ribbons;
- and
- routing a plurality of individual dummy optical fibers onto the substrate to increase the number of individual optical fibers of the output ribbons without including the dummy optical fibers in the input ribbons.
A method of cross-connecting individual optical fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons, comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate;
- routing a plurality of individual optical fibers onto the substrate to form at least one first fiber optic ribbon, reorganizing the fibers on the substrate and forming a plurality of second fiber optic ribbons greater in number than the at least one first ribbons but with lesser number of individual optical fibers than the at least one first ribbon;
- and
- routing a plurality of individual dummy optical fibers onto the substrate to increase the number of individual optical fibers of the second fiber optic ribbons without including the dummy optical fibers in the at least one first fiber optic ribbon.
A fiber optic apparatus for cross-connecting individual fibers of a plurality of fiber optic ribbons, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a plurality of individual optical fibers on the substrate forming at least one first fiber optic ribbon, the fibers being reorganized on the substrate forming a plurality of second fiber optic ribbons;
- and
- a plurality of individual dummy optical fibers on the substrate to increase the number of individual optical fibers of the second fiber optic ribbons without including the dummy optical fibers in the at least one fiber optic ribbon.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.