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:
Jul. 31, 1979
Filed:
Dec. 20, 1977
William L Schumacher, Camp Hill, PA (US);
AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, PA (US);
Abstract
A connector means for connecting together two optical fibers whose ends have been stripped of optical cladding to expose the cores. The connector comprises means for gripping the fibers at unstripped sections thereof with a predetermined length of fiber extending from datum or reference surfaces on the connector such that the ends of the stripped fibers face each other and are spaced apart a very short distance of the order of not more than one and one-half times the core diameter. The connector further comprises a pair of elastomeric elements each with grooves of semi-cylindrical cross-section formed therein that fit together to form a cylindrical bore which retains the stripped ends of the two fibers. Because the diameter of the cylindrical bore is less than the diameter of either core retained therein, the resilient walls of the cylindrical bore will give way and will thereby force the ends of the two cores into substantial concentric alignment. The elastomeric elements must be made of a material having an index of refraction which is less than that of the cores and preferably is equal to that of the optical cladding.