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. 31, 1998
Filed:
May. 03, 1996
Graham W Flint, Albuquerque, NM (US);
Laser Power Corporation, San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A fiber optic coupler for coupling an asymmetrical beam such as provided by a laser diode into a fiber optic cable. The coupler comprises at least one fiber optic cable having a first end including a tapered section that has an approximately flat coupling facet for receiving the asymmetrical beam and an approximately flat tapered surface adjacent to the coupling facet for reflecting the rapidly diverging radiation, a main body for receiving and transmitting the reflected laser radiation, and an output end having an approximately flat output facet. A support structure situates the coupling facet proximate to the laser diode. A second, approximately flat tapered surface may be formed in the tapered section opposite the first tapered surface. The fiber optic cable may have any cross-section, such as circular, rectangular, or square. The coupler is particularly useful for coupling multiple output beams from a laser diode array into a plurality of fibers that are collected on their output ends to approximate a single beam, which can be then applied to end-pump a solid state laser.