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:
Mar. 29, 1994
Filed:
Jun. 25, 1992
Joseph A Wysocki, Oxnard, CA (US);
Michael R Vince, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Stephen W McCahon, Newbury Park, CA (US);
John T Kenna, Thousand Oaks, CA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An optical fiber fusion splicer apparatus (20) comprises a laser power source that produces a laser beam (32) having a laser beam axis (26). The laser power source includes a laser (22), a shutter (28) that controllably blocks and passes the laser beam, and an optical system (30) that expands the diameter of the laser beam. A parabolic mirror (34) has its axis coincident with the laser beam axis (26) and a bore (48) therethrough coincident with the laser beam axis (26). Optical fiber clamps (42, 46) hold the two optical fibers (40, 44) with their axes coincident with the laser beam axis (26) and their ends (62, 64) at the focal point (38) of the parabolic mirror (34). A sensor (82) measures the power reaching the optical fiber ends (62, 64) at the focal point (38) of the parabolic mirror (34), and a controller (72) controls the power level of the laser (22) responsive to the power measured by the sensor. The alignment of the optical fibers (40, 44) is sensed, preferably by a reflective device (74) that measures their internal reflectance or a video camera (68) that images their peripheries, and the optical fiber ends (62, 64) are aligned responsively.