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:
Oct. 16, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1998
Joseph Earl Ford, Oakhurst, NJ (US);
Lucent Technologies Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
A method and assembly for optically connecting a first grouping of optical fibers with a second grouping of optical fibers. To form the optical connection, the optical fibers in the first grouping and the second grouping are set into two separate arrays. A plurality of collimating elements are positioned proximate both arrays. The collimating elements correspond in both number and orientation to the optical fibers. As a result, any light signal emanating from either the first array or the second array will pass through a collimating element and will become substantially collimated. The first array and the second array are oriented with respect to one another so that each collimated element is at least partially aligned with a collimating element from the opposing array. Accordingly, light emitted from one fiber element in one array will be focused on an optical element in the opposing array without the optical fibers being precisely aligned.