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:
Nov. 24, 1998
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1996
Charles M Mansfield, Austin, TX (US);
Gordon Wiegand, Austin, TX (US);
Martin G Afflerbaugh, Austin, TX (US);
Suzanne T Zochowski, Austin, TX (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for curved-angle cleaving of optical fibers. The method requires the introduction of a flaw in an optical fiber to be cleaved, and the application of predetermined stress and strain to the optical fiber in the vicinity of the flaw to cause curved-angle cleaving of the optical fiber at the flaw. The apparatus of the present invention includes first and second pairs of optical fiber clamps separated by first predetermined distance, a flaw-producing device that produces a flaw in a fiber clamped between the clamps, and a force-applying device that applies a substantially concentrated force to the fiber at a second predetermined distance from the first pair of clamps, the flaw-producing device being located between the force-applying device and the second pair of optical fiber clamps at third predetermined distance from the force-applying device. The first, second and third predetermined distances are selected in order produce a curved-angle cleave in the optical fiber. Also presented is a conversion kit which is useable to convert an existing square-angle optical fiber cleaver into a curved-angle optical fiber cleaver. Finally, a curved-angle end-face of an optical fiber is disclosed that results from operating the apparatus of the present invention, in accordance with the method of the present invention.