3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Gordon Wiegand

Charles M Mansfield

James R Bylander

Martin G Afflerbaugh

James Francis Brennan, Iii

Nicholas A Stacey

James B Carpenter

Bryon J Cronk

Anthony William Gatica

Dale E Elder

Suzanne T Zochowski

John P Stedman

Richard A Patterson

Larry R Cox

William George Allen

Sidney J Berglund

Donald G Doss

Edward B Lurie

Patrick Charles Howard

A polishing apparatus is provided for polishing an optical fiber connector. The optical fiber connector includes a connector housing and a ferrule. The polishing apparatus includes a mount to receive and hold the optical connector and a base to support the mount. The base further includes a dispenser portion. The polishing apparatus further includes a polishing strip dispensable by the dispensing portion of the base. The polishing strip has a portion thereof extending through a passageway formed in the mount, where a first surface of the polishing strip is disposed proximate to an end face of the ferrule of the optical connector disposed in the mount. In an exemplary aspect, the polishing strip comprises one or more polishing media disposed on a backing material.

Optical fiber polishing apparatus and method

An apparatus that exposes only a selected portion of a length of optical fiber to a hydrogen atmosphere loading process. The apparatus includes a loading chamber that encloses at least the selected portion of the optical fiber and contains a hydrogen hydrogen atmosphere. At least one heating element regionally heats the hydrogen atmosphere surrounding the selected portion. The heating element may heat the hydrogen atmosphere to a temperature of at least 250&#xb0; C.

Apparatus for selective photosensitization of optical fiber

A method for increasing the photosensitivity of a selected portion of an optical fiber and for producing a grating in the selected portion of an optical fiber. The method includes the step of placing the selected portion of the optical fiber in a hydrogen containing atmosphere. The volume of the hydrogen-containing atmosphere immediately surrounding only the selected portion of the optical fiber is heated to a temperature of at least 250&deg; C. Only the selected portion of the optical fiber is exposed to the heated volume of the hydrogen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of at least 250&deg; C. for a predetermined time.

Method for selective photosensitization of optical fiber

A filament organizer, for attaching an accessory to a section of filament, comprises a frame including a plurality of filament guides. The frame accommodates an accessory positioner adapted for sliding engagement therewith. A pair of spools, attached to the accessory positioner, has a section of filament extending from one to the other so that the filament passes around the plurality of filament guides of the frame to selectively position the section of filament. The accessory positioner includes an accessory cradle that moves from a retracted position to a proximate position. In its retracted position the accessory cradle receives an accessory to be placed in axial alignment with the section of filament. The accessory cradle then moves into the proximate position to attach the accessory to the filament section. Preferably, the filament is an optical fiber that includes a refractive index grating, and the accessory provides temperature compensation to stabilize the wavelength and facilitate wavelength tuning of the grating.

Filament organizer with accessory positioner

An assembly and method for a fiber grating package comprising a rod having a first end and a second end and a coefficient of thermal expansion. A first end cap includes a first base having a first opening formed therein to receive the rod for movement of the first end cap along the rod to a first position adjacent to the first end of the rod. The first end cap further includes a first cantilever member extending from the first base and the first cantilever member has a first contact point thereon. A second end cap includes a second base having a second opening formed therein to receive said rod for movement of said second end cap along said rod to a second position adjacent to the second end of the rod. The second end cap further includes a second cantilever member extending from the second base and the second cantilever member has a second contact point thereon. The first end cap and the second end cap have a common rate of thermal expansion that is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the rod. A portion of an optical fiber includes a Bragg grating, the portion of the optical fiber being attached between the first contact point and the second contact point. The portion of an optical fiber has a length defined by the distance between the first and second contact points, such that the length of the portion remains substantially unchanged in an operating range of temperature when the first end cap occupies the first position and the second end cap occupies the second position.

Temperature compensated fiber bragg grating

A tool for preparing an optical fiber end-face includes a station having a base with a fiber bender and a scribe for cleaving a fiber. The base may include a polishing surface and a well that serves as a fiber shard collector. A cleaver door may be attached to the base to be rotatable between an open position and a closed position covering the shard collector and may include a mount for releasably attaching a fiber handling tool or puck. The puck includes a body, a latch attached by a hinge to the body, and a face comprising a plate pivotally attached to an end of the body and having a fiber port extending through the plate. The body of the puck includes a nest for receiving a fiber holder for securing a fiber with an end of the fiber extending through the port of the face. The nest includes a reference stop and a means for urging the fiber holder against the reference stop when the latch is rotated to a closed position covering the body. The face of the puck with a fiber end extending through the port can be inserted into guide tracks in the station adjacent the scribe for cleaving the fiber. After the fiber has been cleaved and polished, an adapter holding a magnifier and a light source can be position on the puck for inspecting the fiber.

Optical fiber end-face preparation tool

A device for preparing an optical fiber for interconnection includes means for grasping the optical fiber at a first location along the optical fiber, means for scribing and breaking the optical fiber a first select distance from the first location, the means for scribing and breaking including guides for supporting and sliding the means for grasping along the guides in fixed relationship to the means for scribing and breaking, and means for polishing the optical fiber as broken, the means for polishing being connected to the means for breaking. The device also includes a polishing surface fixedly connected to the means for grasping. The polishing surface supports the means for grasping at a second select distance from the first location, the second select distance being shorter than the first select distance. The optical fiber is linearly moveable with respect to the polishing surface.

Optical fiber holder

A method, apparatus, and conversion kit for curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers, and a curved-angle end-face of a resulting optical fiber. The method requires fixing first and second portions of the optical fiber and introducing a flaw into the optical fiber between the first and second portions. Then, a substantially concentrated force is applied to the optical fiber between the flaw and the first portion of the optical fiber, on a side of the optical fiber opposite the flaw, in order to cause the optical fiber to cleave with a curved-angle cleave. Another embodiment of the method applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber before introduction of the flaw. The apparatus includes first and second pairs of optical fiber clamps separated by a first predetermined distance, a flaw-producing device that produces a flaw in a fiber clamped between the clamps, and a force-applying device that applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber at a second predetermined distance from the first pair of clamps, the flaw-producing device being located between the force-applying device and the second pair of optical fiber clamps at a third predetermined distance from the force-applying device. The conversion kit is useable to convert an existing square-angle optical fiber cleaver into a curved-angle optical fiber cleaver.

Conversion kits for curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers

A method and apparatus for curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers. The method requires the introduction of a flaw in an optical fiber to be cleaved, and the application of predetermined stress and strain to the optical fiber in the vicinity of the flaw to cause curved-angle cleaving of the optical fiber at the flaw. The apparatus of the present invention includes first and second pairs of optical fiber clamps separated by first predetermined distance, a flaw-producing device that produces a flaw in a fiber clamped between the clamps, and a force-applying device that applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber at a second predetermined distance from the first pair of clamps, the flaw-producing device being located between the force-applying device and the second pair of optical fiber clamps at third predetermined distance from the force-applying device. The first, second and third predetermined distances are selected in order produce a curved-angle cleave in the optical fiber. Also presented is a conversion kit which is useable to convert an existing square-angle optical fiber cleaver into a curved-angle optical fiber cleaver. Finally, a curved-angle end-face of an optical fiber is disclosed that results from operating the apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with the method of the present invention.

Curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers

A method and apparatus for curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers is presented. The method requires the introduction of a flaw in an optical fiber to be cleaved, and the application of predetermined stress and strain to the optical fiber in the vicinity of the flaw to cause curved-angle cleaving of the optical fiber at the flaw. More particularly, one embodiment of the method requires fixing first and second portions of the optical fiber, for example, by clamping, and introducing a flaw into the optical fiber between the first and second portions. Then, a substantially concentrated force is applied to the optical fiber between the flaw and the first portion of the optical fiber, on a side of the optical fiber opposite the flaw, in order to cause the optical fiber to cleave with a curved-angle cleave. Another embodiment of the method applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber before introduction of the flaw. The apparatus of the present invention includes first and second pairs of optical fiber clamps separated by first predetermined distance, a flaw-producing device that produces a flaw in a fiber clamped between the clamps, and a force-applying device that applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber at a second predetermined distance from the first pair of clamps, the flaw-producing device being located between the force-applying device and the second pair of optical fiber clamps at third predetermined distance from the force-applying device. The first, second and third predetermined distances are selected in order produce a curved-angle cleave in the optical fiber. The invention also contemplates a conversion kit which is useable to convert an existing square-angle optical fiber cleaver into a curved-angle optical fiber cleaver. Finally, the invention also includes a curved-angle end-face of an optical fiber that results from operating the apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with the method of the present invention.

Optical fiber end-face preparation and connector assembly

A splice member for splicing ends of optical fibers is provided with clips to restrict torsional stress from being applied to the ends of the cables held in the splice element. A tool is used to secure the splicing member onto the cables and it operates to sequentially actuate the splicing element to grip and align the fiber ends and actuates the clamps onto the fiber to restrict the torsional stress on the fiber ends.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Gordon Wiegand