3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Corning Research & Development Corporation

James R Bylander

Ding Wang

Johnny P Bryant

Donald Kent Larson

James B Carpenter

Takaya Yamauchi

Mark R Richmond

Gordon Wiegand

Ronald Phillip Pepin

Martin G Afflerbaugh

James Francis Brennan, Iii

Richard L Simmons

Sidney J Berglund

Wesley A Raider

Nicholas A Stacey

Anthony William Gatica

Akihiko Yazaki

Dale E Elder

Eric M Morgan

Kavita Vemuri

John P Stedman

Nathan Stipek

Kirk L Taylor

Michael Alan Meis

Richard A Patterson

Curtis L Shoemaker

Paul N Winberg

Donald G Doss

Bryon J Cronk

Edward B Lurie

Robert W Wilson

Joseph Christopher Sawicki

Grieg A Olson

Tomoyasu Oike

Vern E Radewald

Douglas P Hills

Julius T Puchammer

Carl E Fisher

Nuran H Cubukciyan

Joseph M Van Allen

Steven L Johnson

Laura A Weller-Brophy

Robert B Otto

Yukino Miyoshi

Paul M Wendell

Ronald P Pepin

A multiple optical fiber connection apparatus comprises an outer housing to receive a plurality of optical fibers and a collar body disposed within the housing having a fiber comb portion disposed at a front portion of the collar body. The fiber comb portion includes an array of grooves, with each groove configured to guide an optical fiber disposed therein, and a ramp section adjacent the groove array, wherein the ramp section including a gradual rising portion.

Optical fiber connection apparatus

The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers such as in optical fiber ribbon cables. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates an optically transmissive substrate combining the features of optical fiber alignment, along with redirecting and shaping of the optical beam.

Transceiver interface having staggered cleave positions

An optical fiber connector for terminating a fiber cable comprising a plurality of optical fibers, comprises an outer connector housing, a ferrule essentially free of adhesive, a backbone, and a collar body disposed between the ferrule and backbone. The collar body includes a remote gripping region to remotely grip the plurality of optical fibers outside of the ferrule. In some aspects, the collar body includes a fiber comb portion that separates potentially tangled fibers, arranges the plurality of fibers in a uniform pitch, and provides for straightforward feeding of the fiber array into ferrule bores during a fiber cable insertion process. In some aspects, the connector includes a resilient element disposed between the backbone and a rear portion of the collar body, and an intermediate spring element disposed between a front portion of the collar body and a rear portion of the ferrule.

Remote grip multi-fiber connector

The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers such as in optical fiber ribbon cables. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates a unitary substrate combining the features of optical fiber alignment and redirection of the optical beam to a connected optical fiber.

Multiple purpose optical connecting element

The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers to other optical fibers or optical devices. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact and reliable optical fiber connector () that incorporates an optically transmissive substrate () receiving the optical fibers () in V-grooves on a first major surface thereof with their angle cleaved ends () arranged in a staggered arrangement so as to redirect light to an associated microlens () at the opposite surface of the transparent substrate ().

Optical connector having a plurality of optical fibres with staggered cleaved ends coupled to associated microlenses

The disclosure generally relates to sets of optical waveguides such as optical fiber ribbons, and fiber optic connectors useful for connecting multiple optical fibers. In particular, the disclosure provides an efficient, compact, and reliable optical fiber connector that incorporates a unitary substrate comprising a plurality of staggered light redirecting features on an input surface thereof directing incoming light from optical fibers through the substrate towards optical elements to be coupled with.

Optical substrate having a plurality of staggered light redirecting features on a major surface thereof

A bladeless optical fiber cleaver includes a first clamp and a second clamp coupled to each other via a generally support tray, where the second clamp is movable with respect to the first clamp along an axis of the optical fiber. The first and second clamps each receive a portion of the optical fiber. The fiber cleaver includes a mechanism to create a tension force in a stripped portion of the optical fiber, where the stripped portion of the fiber under tension is exposed to receive contact from a flexible abrasive material, the flexible abrasive material introducing a flaw in the optical fiber where the cleave takes place.

Bladeless optical fiber cleaver

An optical fiber coupling device, comprises a coupling assembly that includes a first ferrule and a second ferrule and an optical fiber having a first end mounted in the first ferrule and a second end mounted in the second ferrule. The first ferrule is disposed in an axial bore of a first barrel and the second ferrule is disposed in an axial bore of a second barrel. The coupling assembly is disposable in a coupling housing configured to receive at least two optical fiber connectors.

Flexible optical coupling

An assembly tool for installing an optical fiber in an optical connector includes a base and a protrusion setting station. The base includes a connector mount disposed in the base. The connector mount can be configured to receive and secure the optical connector on the base where the connector has a housing and a connector ferrule. The protrusion setting station enables the craftsperson to set distance (or protrusion) that a terminal end of the optical fiber extends from an end face of the connector ferrule. The protrusion station includes a light source to illuminate the terminal end of the optical fiber, at least one black body absorber to eliminate unwanted reflected light and a window to visualize the terminal end of the optical fiber protruding from the end face of the connector ferrule.

Assembly tool and optical connector assembly method

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

A bladeless optical fiber cleaver is provided for cleaving an optical fiber connector in a straightforward manner. The bladeless optical fiber cleaver includes a generally planar body that includes a first body portion and a second body portion pivotably coupled to each other, where the second body portion is movable with respect to the first body portion. The fiber cleaver includes a mechanism to create a strain force in a stripped portion of the optical fiber, where the stripped portion under strain is exposed to receive contact from a flexible abrasive material, the flexible abrasive material introducing a flaw in the optical fiber where the cleave takes place.

Bladeless optical fiber cleaver and method

An optical fiber connector comprises an outer housing configured to mate with a receptacle and a collar body disposed in the outer housing. The collar body receives and secures a ferrule in a first portion of the collar body. The ferrule includes a central bore that defines an axis. The ferrule further includes a fiber stub disposed in a portion of the central bore, the fiber stub comprising a first optical fiber having a first end proximate to an end face of the ferrule and a prepared second end terminating within the ferrule. The collar body further includes a second portion that includes a housing portion to house a gripping device that grips a second optical fiber.

Remote grip optical fiber connector

A heat pipe for cooling a heat-generating component has a generally planar, sealed flexible body having an evaporator section, a condenser section, and a flexible bellows section. The bellows section is located between the evaporator section and the condenser section along a longitudinal length of the body. A chamber extends from the evaporator section to the condenser section inside the body and contains a working fluid. The bellows section includes internal supports to keep the chamber open during repeated bending of the heat pipe at the bellows section.

Flexible heat pipe

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

James R Bylander