Corning Optical Communications LLC

Corning Cable Systems

Other

Corning Research & Development Corporation

Darrin Max Miller

Jeffrey Dean Danley

Dennis Craig Morrison

Robert Bruce Elkins, Ii

Kipp David Yeakel

Adra Smith Baca

Zhaoxu Tian

Stephan T Toepper

Rebecca Lynn Burt

Joel Christopher Rosson

Xin Liu

James Phillip Luther

Robert Michael Morena

Thomas Dale Ketcham

Terry Lee Cooke

David Lee Dean, Jr

Xiaole Cheng

Kevin Eugene Elliott

Clyde Benton Mabry, Iii

John Patrick Lammers

Andrew Stephen Cale

James Daniel Blackburn

Stephan Toepper

Robert Bruce Elkins Ii

Robert Bruce Ii Elkins

Methods of forming an optical fiber assembly involve placing an adhesive in a ferrule assembly, heating the ferrule assembly through thermal induction, inserting an optical fiber into the ferrule bore during or after the heating step, and securing the optical fiber to the ferrule assembly using the adhesive. The thermal induction causes the adhesive to efficiently take or maintain a melted form to allow the optical fiber insertion.

Optical fiber assemblies and methods of forming the same

A fiber optic connector sub-assembly includes a ferrule having a front end, a rear end, and a ferrule bore extending between the front and rear ends along a longitudinal axis. The fiber optic connector sub-assembly also includes a bonding agent disposed in the ferrule bore and having first and second ends along the longitudinal axis. The bonding agent has been melted and solidified at the first and second ends without there being an optical fiber present in the ferrule bore.

Fiber optic connector sub-assemblies and fiber optic connectors including the same

A fiber optic connector sub-assembly includes a ferrule having a front end, a rear end, and a ferrule bore extending between the front and rear ends along a longitudinal axis. The fiber optic connector sub-assembly also includes a bonding agent disposed in the ferrule bore and having first and second ends along the longitudinal axis. The bonding agent has been melted and solidified at the first and second ends.

Fiber optic connector sub-assemblies including a bonding agent, along with related methods

A fiber optic connector sub-assembly includes a ferrule having a front end, a rear end, and a ferrule bore extending between the front and rear ends along a longitudinal axis. The ferrule bore has a first section extending inwardly from the rear end of the ferrule, a second section extending inwardly from the front end of the ferrule and having a width that is less than the first section, and a transition section located between the first and second sections. The fiber optic connector sub-assembly also includes a bonding agent disposed in at least a portion of both the transition section and the second section of the ferrule bore. At least some of the bonding agent in the second section of the ferrule bore has been melted and solidified.

Fiber optic connector sub-assemblies and related methods

A method of making a fiber optic connector sub-assembly involves: initially disposing a bonding agent in a ferrule bore of a ferrule; heating at least a portion of the ferrule above a melting temperature of the bonding agent so that some of the bonding agent melts; and solidifying the bonding agent that has melted to form the fiber optic connector sub-assembly, all without an optical fiber being disposed within the ferrule bore.

Methods of making fiber optic connector sub-assemblies

A method of forming an optical fiber connector comprises preloading an adhesive plug into a ferrule bore of a ferrule. The ferrule bore extends between a first face and a second face of the ferrule and includes a large diameter bore section extending inwardly from the first face, a micro-hole section extending inwardly from the second face, and a transition section located between the large diameter bore section and the micro-hole section. The adhesive plug: a) is coupled to at least the transition section during the preloading, b) comprises an adhesive composition in a stable form, and c) blocks an entrance into the micro-hole section from the transition section. The method also comprises storing the adhesive plug in the ferrule bore for at least one day without coupling the optical connector to an optical fiber.

Method of forming an optical connector

A method of securing an optical fiber to a ferrule involves heating the ferrule to cause thermal expansion. A ferrule bore of the ferrule increases in diameter as a result of the thermal expansion, and an optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule bore. The ferrule is then cooled so that the ferrule bore decreases in diameter and forms a mechanical interface with the optical fiber. Finally, the optical fiber is fused to the ferrule by irradiating the optical fiber and the ferrule with laser energy.

Methods of securing one or more optical fibers to a ferrule

A method of forming an optical fiber connector is provided. The optical connector includes a body having a passage with a first section extending inwardly from a first face of the body, a second section extending inwardly from a second face from the body, and a transition section located between the first and second sections. The first section of the passage has a first width and the second section of the passage has a second width that is less than the first width. The method comprises loading an adhesive composition into the passage and storing the adhesive composition for at least one day without coupling the optical connector to an optical fiber. The adhesive composition is a meltable, substantially solid material maintained the first passage section, transition section, or both the second passage section and transition section.

A method of terminating an optical fiber involves providing a ferrule having a front end, a rear end, a ferrule bore extending between the front and rear ends, and a bonding agent disposed in at least a portion of the ferrule bore. The method also involves applying energy to heat the bonding agent. An end section of an optical fiber is inserted into the ferrule bore and through the bonding agent when the bonding agent is heated. The end section of the optical fiber includes a primary coating prior to insertion into the ferrule bore. During insertion of the end section of the optical fiber through the bonding agent, the heated bonding agent thermally removes at least a portion of the primary coating during so that the optical fiber can be secured in the ferrule bore with the bonding agent.

Methods of terminating one or more optical fibers

An optical fiber connector preloaded with an adhesive is provided. The optical connector includes a body having a passage with a first section extending inwardly from a first face of the body, a second section extending inwardly from a second face from the body, and a transition section located between the first section and the second section. The first section of the passage has a first width and the second section of the passage has a second width that is less than the first width. An adhesive composition is located within the transition section of the passage and is configured to bind an optical fiber to an inner surface of the second section following melting and solidification of the adhesive composition.

Optical connector with adhesive material

An optical fiber includes a glass fiber, having a cladding and core, surrounded by a polymer coating. Some of the coating is removed by a laser beam so that the optical fiber comprises a first lengthwise portion covered by the coating and a second lengthwise portion where the coating is not present on at least ninety-five (95) percent of an exterior surface of the second lengthwise portion. A microstructure of the polymer coating, adjacent to the second lengthwise portion on the first lengthwise portion, tapers at an angle such that a thickness of the polymer coating decreases toward the second lengthwise portion as a function of proximity to the second lengthwise portion. The optical fiber may also be optionally cleaved with the laser beam.

Optical fibers having coatings removed therefrom and related methods

A fiber optic connector includes a ferrule. The ferrule includes an inner piece including silica and an outer piece including ceramic. The outer piece surrounds the inner piece and the inner piece extends beyond an end of the outer piece by a distance of at least 10 micrometers.

Fiber optic connector

A method is provided of fabricating an optical fiber having a polished end face, including providing an optical fiber having an axis; positioning and maintaining the axis A of the fiber, at a specific location along the fiber, at a fixed position; and forming a laser processed end face on the individual fiber at said specific location L by irradiating the individual fiber at said location with one or more laser beams while moving the one or more laser beams in a rotational direction around the fiber. The method may be applied to a jacketed fiber and/or a fiber on a reel. Resulting fibers are also disclosed.

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Hickory, NC, United States of America

Darrin Max Miller