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. 02, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 27, 1998
Patrick E O'Rourke, Martinez, GA (US);
William R Toole, Jr, Aiken, SC (US);
Equitech Int'l Corporation, Aiken, SC (US);
Abstract
A fiber optic Raman probe and optical coupler assembly, and a method for making the assembly and reproducibly aligning a plurality of optical fibers therein. The probe includes a housing or probe body, a probe tip with a window for protecting the interior of the housing, at least one light-transmitting fiber, at least one light-receiving fiber spaced apart from the light-transmitting fiber, an optical coupler, and (if desired), in-line devices such as filters and lenses positioned in optical communication with the fibers. The coupler assembly includes aligning means that helps maintain the fibers in precise, reproducible relative alignment of the fibers; thus, the assembly with the fibers can be cut to install filters and other in-line devices, then readily re-assembled with the cut ends accurately re-aligned, for use. The probe is simple and rugged, and can be manufactured and assembled without the need for high-precision machining or optical alignment procedures.