Methods of and apparatus for terminating a lightguide fiber ribbon

Abstract

In terminating a ribbon which comprises an array of lightguide fibers, a substrate having a plurality of parallel grooves is positioned in a nest and supported at its end portions after which an end portion of the ribbon is moved longitudinally to cause the fibers to be separated by a comb-like device adjacent one end of the nest after which the ribbon is secured with a clamp adjacent the other end of the nest. Another substrate having aligned grooves is placed over the fibers so that the fibers are held in channels formed by the opposing grooves after which the assembly of substrates and fibers are secured together with a temporary clamp which applies compressive forces to end portions of the assembly along a longitudinal centerline of the assembly. Then a vise which includes jaws having parallel surfaces for engaging the substrate is moved toward the assembly to position a lower jaw under the lower substrate and an upper jaw above the upper substrate. Further motion between the jaws is caused to clamp together the substrates and is controlled to avoid damage to the assembly. The temporary clamp is disengaged from the assembly and the vise is removed to an environment wherein heat transfer into the vise is caused so that a potting compound applied to the assembly fills the interstices thereof to bond together the substrates and fibers.