Assembly for thermally actuated optic fiber jointing device

Abstract

An assembly for end-to-end coupling, and decoupling, of optical fibers in which the fibers are captured in a selectively expandable channel defined between a plurality of thermally actuated, shape memory vanes. The vanes are configured to provide flared ends to the channel that guide optical fibers into the channel from a precision groove in a surrounding casing. The fibers are retained within the groove of the casing by a leaf spring that prevents deflection of the fibers while holding them in place until the channel contracts around them. The thermally actuated, shape memory vanes are contained within a collar that provides a spring bias which maintains the contracted channel size at room temperature when the vanes are not thermally activated to thus securely capture and hold the optical fibers. The vanes, as an alternative, may be coated with a resilient material that adapts the channel dimensions to slightly different fiber diameters, providing exact fiber centering within the channel. The collar for the vanes is loosely fitted into a surrounding housing which limits the expansion of the channel to a predetermined size to prevent fibers from slipping out of the channel during insertion. The housing further helps to distribute the activating heat evenly around the collar, to the vanes.