# US 9,039,294 B2 · Method to assemble and polish a connector with optical fiber that has air-gaps or “voids” in its cladding

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- Number: US 9,039,294 B2
- Document ID: US9039294B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/744,595
- Filed: 2009-12-11
- Published: 2011-04-07
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2008-12-11
- Assignees: AFL Telecommunications LLC
- Applicants: Kheng Hwa Seng
- Inventors: Kheng Hwa Seng
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039294B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/3863: {fabricated by using polishing techniques (grinding of the fibre ends B24B19/226)}
- G02B 6/25: Preparing the ends of light guides for coupling, e.g. cutting
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A method for assembling a fiber optic connector that includes heating an end of a cleaved fiber, inserting the end of the cleaved fiber into a ferrule until the end protrudes from the ferrule, wherein a first portion of the heated end protrudes from the ferrule and a second portion of the heated end remains in the ferrule, fixing the fiber in place in the ferrule, and polishing the end of the cleaved fiber.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for assembling a fiber optic connector comprising:
heating an end of a cleaved fiber;
inserting said end of said cleaved fiber into a ferrule until said end protrudes from said ferrule, wherein a first portion of said heated end protrudes from said ferrule and a second portion of said heated end remains in said ferrule;
fixing said fiber in place in said ferrule; and
polishing said end of said cleaved fiber.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said fiber is a bend-optimized fiber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said fiber has a cladding and said cladding has air pockets.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3)

The method of any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein said fiber is heated by an arc discharge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the arc discharge is a 20-bit arc.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein the arc discharge has a current between approximately 11 and 13 mamp.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the arc discharge is applied for approximately 0.5 seconds.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein the arc discharge is applied at least approximately 200 μm from the end of said fiber.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 3)

The method any one of claims 1, 2 and 3 wherein said heated end is approximately 2.5 mm.

### Claim 10

A method for assembling a fiber optic connector comprising:
heating a section of fiber;
inserting said fiber into a ferrule until said fiber protrudes from said ferrule, wherein a first portion of said heated section protrudes from said ferrule and a second portion of said heated section remains within said ferrule;
fixing said fiber in place in said ferrule;
cleaving said fiber fixed in said ferrule; and
polishing an end of said cleaved fiber fixed in said ferrule.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein said fiber is a bend-optimized fiber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein said fiber has a cladding and said cladding has air pockets.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10, 11, 12)

The method of any one of claims 10, 11 and 12 wherein said fiber is heated by an arc discharge.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the arc discharge is a 20-bit arc.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 wherein the arc discharge has a current between approximately 11 and 13 mamp.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the arc discharge is applied for approximately 0.5 seconds.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein the arc discharge is swept over said fiber at a speed of approximately 10 μm per second.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10, 11, 12)

The method any one of claims 10, 11 and 12 wherein said heated section is approximately 2.5 mm.

### Claim 19

A connector comprising:
a fiber with a cladding that has air pockets and
a ferrule which contains a portion of said fiber,
wherein
said air pockets at an end of said fiber in said ferrule are collapsed,
a portion of said end having collapsed air pockets that remains within said ferrule is at least 1.0 mm long, and
said end is polished.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
said heated end is at least 2.0 mm long; and
said second portion of said heated end that remains in said ferrule is at least 1.0 mm long.

### Claim 21 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein:
said heated portion is at least 2.0 mm long; and
said second portion of said heated section that remains in said ferrule is at least 1.0 mm long.