Mixer for optical waveguide bundle

Claim 1

In an optical communication system having first and second pluralities of optical waveguides, an optical mixer for coupling a portion of the optical signal propagating in any one of the waveguides of either said first or said second plurality of optical waveguides to all of the optical waveguides of the remaining plurality of optical waveguides, said mixer comprising first and second support means for disposing the end portions of said first and second pluralities of optical waveguides into first and second bundles, respectively, wherein the axes of said end portions of said first plurality of optical waveguides are maintained linear and parallel to one another, the axes of said end portions of said second plurality of optical waveguides are maintained linear and parallel to one another, and wherein the axes of the end portions of said first plurality of optical waveguides are substantially parallel to the axes of the end portions of said second plurality of optical waveguides, the endfaces of said fiber end portions of said first and second bundles lying in planes which are substantially perpendicular to the axes of said fiber end portions, thereby constituting first and second bundle endfaces, respectively, said second bundle endface being spaced from and facing said first bundle endface, and refractive means disposed between said first and second bundle endfaces for refracting light radiating from all of said optical waveguide endfaces in such a manner that light radiating from any optical waveguide endface in either of said first or second bundles is directed by said refracting means to all of the optical waveguide endfaces of the opposite bundle.