Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Robert G Frey

James P Mathers

Terry Lee Smith

Gordon D Henson

Jack P Blomgren

Timothy D Fletcher

Richard Hagan

The present invention provides a precise optical fiber cable connector for aligning and connecting ends of a pair of cables. The connector has a fiber alignment block having a fiber receiving surface and a connector engagement surface. First and second openings are provided in the connector engagement surface. An alignment ball is provided and is retained in the first opening. The alignment ball is for aligning the connector with another like connector, and specifically, for aligning optical fibers carried on the connector alignment assemblies.

Alignment assembly for multifiber or single fiber optical cable connector

A ceramic optical fiber ferrule is constructed from CaTiO.sub.3 (calcium titanate) or CeO.sub.2 --ZrO.sub.2 (ceria-zirconia). The ferrule is PC-radiused and thus includes a first, convex end having a predetermined radius of curvature, a second end, and an axial bore which joins the first and second ends. An optical fiber can be fixedly positioned within the bore and a terminal end of the optical fiber can be created by standard polishing or grinding techniques which is coplanar with the first, convex end of the ferrule.

Optical fiber ferrule

This invention provides a transparent aluminum magnesium oxynitride ceramic, wherein greater than 0.5 weight percent of the total ceramic composition is magnesium oxide. The ceramic article of the present invention is useful in applications where it is desirable to have a transparent ceramic including, for example, in orthodontic brackets, ferrules, and gas tight envelopes.

Transparent aluminum oxynitride-based ceramic article

This invention provides a transparent ceramic article comprising aluminum oxide and aluminum magnesium oxynitride. The ceramic article of the present invention is useful in applications where it is desirable to have an optically transparent ceramic including, for example, in orthodontic brackets, ferrules, and gas tight envelopes.

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White Bear Lake, MN, United States of America

Robert G Frey