3sae Technologies, Inc.

Jared C Meitzler

Robert G Wiley

Brett G Clark

Clyde Troutman

Clyde J Troutman

Christopher Guy Williams

Jeremy Dawkins

Donald Grasso

Steven A Valle

Sam Aderogba

Brett Clark

A multi-electrode system includes a fiber holder that holds at least one optical fiber, a plurality of electrodes arranged to generate a heated field to heat the at least one optical fiber, and a vibration mechanism that causes at least one of the electrodes from the plurality of electrodes to vibrate. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum. The system can be used for processing many types of fibers, such processing including, as examples, stripping, splicing, annealing, tapering, and so on. Corresponding fiber processing methods are also provided.

Multi-electrode system with vibrating electrodes

The present invention is directed to a liquid metal clamp, and a clamp system and method including same. A clamp system includes a first clamp configured to hold a first portion of a set of fibers and a second clamp configured to hold a second portion of the set of fibers, the second clamp comprising a liquid metal that takes a liquid form at a first temperature for receipt of the second portion of the set of fibers and that takes a solid form at a second temperature to secure the second of the set of fibers. The set of fibers can be a single fiber or a plurality of fibers. The fiber or fibers can have a circular or non-circular cross section.

Liquid metal clamp and fiber cleaving using same

A multi-electrode system comprises a fiber support configured to hold at least one optical fiber and a set of electrodes disposed about the at least one optical fiber and configured to generate arcs between adjacent electrodes to generate a substantially uniform heated field to a circumferential outer surface of the at least one optical fiber. The electrodes can be disposed in at least a partial vacuum.

Multi-electrode system

A fiber holder platform includes a support, a clamp configured to secure a cable to the support, and a securing mechanism configured to detachably secure the platform to a fiber holder and alternatively to a heat oven. A fiber holder assembly includes the fiber holder platform and the fiber holder, in a detachable or integral configuration.

Detachable fiber holder platform and assembly

In accordance with various aspects of the present invention, provided is an extremely compact, simple, and cost-effective approach for aligning optical fibers in an optical fiber fusion splicer. The basis of this alignment method is an 'S'-Curve Piezo Bending Actuator. The device comprises a thin strip of elastically flexible material (such as spring steel, beryllium copper, or fiber reinforced polymer) that is coated in four areas with a piezoelectric material (such as barium titanate or other known compounds).

Compact, active alignment fusion splicer with automatic view-angle compensation

A method and apparatus for processing an optical fiber includes generating a continuous or pulsed arc in a first area wherein the arc creates a plasma in one or more gasses in the first area. The method further includes positioning a portion of the fiber in a second area adjacent to and outside of the plasma region, wherein coating material that is present on the optical fiber portion is removed when the plasma is present. Alternatively, in the case of a pulsed arc, the optical fiber portion may be positioned at least partially within the plasma region. The positioning step may be performed prior to or subsequent to the arc generating step. The method and apparatus may be utilized in a system that also strips and cleaves optical fibers. Also, a method for reducing the gap resistance between two electrodes by injecting negative ions into the area between the electrodes.

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Spring Hill, TN, United States of America

Jared C Meitzler