Bell Telephone Laboratories

Bell Communications Research, Inc.

At&t Bell Laboratories

Western Electric Company, Inc.

William C Young

Lyn Curtis

Virendra S Shah

Derek D Mahoney

Hans A Kvinlaug

Han-Chiu Wang

Wiley M Baldwin

A smooth, oblique-angled endface fracture of an optical fiber 39 useful in low reflectance, low insertion loss mechanical splices is achieved by creating tensile stress in the fiber and scoring the fiber at an angle to its longitudinal axis. Tension may be applied by bending the fiber with a flexible platen 16 to which it is affixed, and the scoring may be accomplished by scribing the fiber surface with a sharp point or impressing a notch into the fiber with a blade 28.

Oblique fracturing of optical fibers by angled scoring

A smooth, oblique-angled endface fracture of an optical fiber 20 useful in low reflectance, low insertion loss mechanical splices is achieved by tensioning the fiber while it is in contact with the abrupt edge 23 of an anvil 22 and applying a shearing force to the fiber at a point closely offset from the anvil edge and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fiber.

Oblique fracturing of optical fibers by offset shearing

Continuously variable attenuation between the substantially abutting ends of two optical fibers is provided by varying the angle formed between the fiber ends. In the disclosed embodiment, the ends of two optical fibers are abutted and biased against a fiber receiving member. The varying angle is then formed by displacement of the receiving member.

Optical attenuator

Switching between optical fibers is achieved through the use of a fixed (101) and a moveable (102) housing disposed within a slotted support member (103, 205). The fixed and moveable housings respectively contain first (104, 105) and second (108) sets of optical fibers. Each housing has two grooved (204) and parallel exterior surfaces. Both housings are disposed in substantial abutment to one another in the slotted support member with both sets of optical fibers parallel to one another. The sidewalls of the slot are grooved to be the mating opposite of the grooved housing surfaces. The first housing is fixedly positioned in the slot by the mutual engagement of the grooved exterior housing surfaces and the grooved sidewalls. Switching between optical fibers is accomplished by the translation of the moveable housing surfaces to either of two positions which axially aligns a predetermined number of optical fibers in the first and second sets. Each position of the moveable housing is precisely determined by the engagement of one grooved exterior housing surface and one grooved sidewall.

Optical fiber switch

An insert (21) is molded within an optical fiber connector (2,3) to provide more precisely defined and symmetric alignment surfaces (5,6). The insert may be used for connectors directly molded about an optical fiber or for field mountable connectors subsequently affixed thereto. During molding, the insert partitions the mold cavity into two portions. The first portion (53) defines the alignment surfaces and the second defines the balance of the connector. Filler material (55) fills the second portion first and then is conducted through the insert to symmetrically fill the first portion. This directed flow control also precludes bending of the optical fiber (32) during direct molding of a connector about the fiber.

Molded optical fiber connectors

An apparatus and method of molding a biconical socket (FIG. 1) of precise concentricity and length. The biconical socket is formed by a two piece mandrel assembly (20, 21), each mandrel member having a frustoconical end (22, 23). The frustoconical ends of the mandrel members are abutted and aligned by means of a coaxially extending pin (24) in one member which engages a hole (25) in the second member. The pin is fabricated from a dissimilar material so that at the elevated molding temperature the clearance between pin and hole is substantially reduced, thereby providing precise concentricity. During molding the pressure of the mold material forces the mandrel members slightly apart against predetermined stops (32, 33) to provide a socket of precise length (L). The resulting biconical socket is particularly well-suited for use in an optical connector assembly.

Apparatus and method of molding a biconical socket

A waveguide hybrid coupler having a pair of intersecting, rectangular, waveguides formed in a planar block of material. The coupling region at the intersection of such waveguides has two pairs of opposed corners wherein at least one pair of opposed corners projects into the coupling region. Additionally, a commutating hybrid is formed by connecting two such crossguide hybrid couplers with a pair of rectangular waveguide sections of unequal length. The commutating hybrids are then further connected in cascade to form a channel branching network which will combine and/or separate a plurality of frequency channels presented to the network.

Growing community of inventors

Middletown, NJ, United States of America

William C Young