The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 01, 1977
Filed:
Apr. 26, 1976
Ronald L McCartney, Orange, CA (US);
Bruce K Arnold, El Toro, CA (US);
Vaughn C Hogan, Sun Valley, CA (US);
International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A connector for coupling a pair of single optical fibers is disclosed. The connector comprises a deformable elastomeric alignment element having a bore therethrough having a central uniform diameter portion and outwardly tapered end portions. Two sets of three equal diameter cylindrical rods are mounted in the opposite ends of the bore. Each set of rods defines an interstitial space therebetween which receives an optical fiber. The sets of rods have mating end faces which abut each other in the bore. The rods of each set have an interference fit in the central portion of the bore causing the rods to be resiliently compressed inwardly to engage each other and the fiber therebetween. By the compression of the rods, the rods of each set are disposed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle so that the fibers in the interstitial spaces between the rods become precisely laterally aligned. The number of rods in each set may exceed three so that a plurality of interstitial spaces are defined by the rods for coupling more than one pair of single optical fibers.