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:
Jun. 20, 2006
Filed:
Aug. 31, 2004
Applicants:
Masahiro AO, Tochigi, JP;
Shinji Furuichi, Mohka, JP;
Inventors:
Masahiro Ao, Tochigi, JP;
Shinji Furuichi, Mohka, JP;
Assignee:
Hitachi Metals, LTD, Tokyo, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 6/00 (2006.01); G02B 6/26 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
The invention provides a variable optical attenuator capable of adjusting the attenuation of an optical signal to obtain the optical signal having a controlled intensity. The variable optical attenuator includes a circular loop formed by winding an optical fiber by at least one turn. The circular loop of the optical fiber is mechanically transformed into an oval loop to change the curvature radius at the deflected part of the optical fiber so that the attenuation of the output light is adjusted.