Optical fiber coupler and connector

Claim 2

A connector for an optical fiber comprising an inner rigid cylindrical sleeve generally having an axial bore therethrough, the optical fiber extending throughout essentially the entire bore, the bore having a diameter which is sufficiently close to that of the optical fiber to be essentially parallel to the axis of the bore, the optical fiber terminating essentially at a first end surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve and extending beyond a second surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, means for fixedly adhering the optical fiber within the axial bore in the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, a main body having a generally axial through bore and a first external longitudinal surface thereon which is parallel to the bore axis, the bore having a diameter at a first end surface of the main body which is larger than the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve being disposed in the through bore such that the first end surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve is adjacent to the first end surface of the main body, such that the optical fiber is essentially parallel to the first external longitudinal surface and in a predetermined relationship thereto, and such that the optical fiBer extends through the bore in the main body and beyond a second end surface thereof, whereby the optical fiber is accurately located relative to the external longitudinal surface of the main body so that efficient optical coupling of the optical fiber to another similarly mounted optical fiber may be accomplished, and means for fixedly adhering the inner sleeve in the axial bore in the main body.

Claim 3

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 1, wherein the first external longitudinal surface having the optical fiber accurately located with respect thereto is a circularly cylindrical external longitudinal surface.

Claim 4

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 2, wherein the optical fiber terminates at the first end surface of the inner sleeve and the optical fiber and the inner sleeve are polished on the first end surface.

Claim 5

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 3, wherein the main body further includes a circularly cylindrical shoulder of greater radial dimension than the first cylindrical external longitudinal surface disposed adjacent to the second end surface of the main body to provide a longitudinal seating surface for the optical fiber connector.

Claim 6

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 3, wherein the inner sleeve and optical fiber protrude from the first end surface of the main body for permitting abutting contact with a correspondingly protruding sleeve and optical fiber of another similar optical fiber connector.

Claim 7

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 5, wherein the inner sleeve is fixedly adhered to the main body with an adhesive.

Claim 8

A connector for an optical fiber according to claim 6, wherein the inner sleeve is attached to the main body with an epoxy adhesive.

Claim 9

An optical fiber coupler comprising a pair of cylindrical optical fiber connectors each having a first external longitudinal surface thereon and an optical fiber end located at a first end of the connector approximately at the axis thereof and in a predetermined relationship to the first external longitudinal surface, the optical fiber extending beyond a second end of the optical fiber connector, a coupler block having an open channel therethrough which is dimensionally constant along its length to receive and locate the pair of cylindrical optical fiber connectors with their first ends in a juxtaposed, opposed relationship, so that the optical fibers are aligned end to end in the coupler, and means for firmly seating and retaining the fiber optical connectors in the channel to enable efficient optical coupling between the optical fibers.

Claim 10

An optical fiber coupler comprising a pair of cylindrical optical fiber connectors each having a first external longitudinal surface thereon and an optical fiber end located at a first end of the connector approximately at the axis thereof and in a predetermined relationship to the first external longitudinal surface, the optical fiber extending beyond a second end of the optical fiber connector, a coupler block having an open channel therethrough which is dimensionally constant along its length to receive and locate the pair of cylindrical optical fiber connectors with their first ends in a juxtaposed, opposed relationship, so that the optical fibers are aligned end to end in the coupler, and means for firmly seating and retaining the fiber optical connectors in the channel to enable efficient optical coupling between the optical fibers.

Claim 11

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 8, wherein the first external longitudinal surface on each of the optical fiber connectors is a right circularly cylindrical surface and establishes line contact on each side of the channel in the coupler block.

Claim 12

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 9, wherein the means for firmly seating and retaining the optical fiber connectors in the channel includes and individual spring biased element exerting a force on each of the connectors which is perpendicular to the axis of the connectors.

Claim 13

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 10, wherein each spring biased element includes a rotatable spherical tip which bears against the first external longitudinal surface of the optical fiber connector.

Claim 14

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 11, wherein the spring biased elements are carried by a strap attached to the coupler block and disposed transversely across the channel.

Claim 15

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of channels lie across the planar surface in a parallel spaced relationship, each of said channels having associated therewith means for firmly seating and retaining a pair of juxtaposed, opposed optical fiber connectors therein.

Claim 16

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 13, wherein each of the channels is a V-groove.

Claim 17

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 14, wherein the first external longitudinal surface on each of the optical fiber connectors is a circularly cylindrical surfaces on the optical fiber connectors bear against the sides of the V-groove channel.

Claim 18

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 8, wherein the channel is a V-groove.

Claim 19

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 16, wherein the first external longitudinal surface on each of the optical fiber connectors is a circularly cylindrical surface and wherein the width of the V-groove channel at the planar surface of the coupler block is such that the circularly cylindrical surfaces on the optical fiber connectors bear against the sides of the V-groove channel.

Claim 20

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 17, wherein each optical fiber connector comprises an inner rigid cylindrical sleeve generally having an axial bore therethrough, the optical fiber extending throughout essentially the entire bore, the bore having a diameter which is sufficiently close to that of the optical fiber to cause the optical fiber to be essentially parallel to the axis of the bore, the optical fiber terminating essentially at a first end surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve and extending beyond a second end surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, means for fixedly adhering the optical fiber within the axial bore in the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, a main body having a generally axial through bore and a first external longitudinal surface thereon which is parallel to the bore axis, the bore having a diameter at a first end surface of the main body which is larger than the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve, the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve being disposed in the through bore such that the first end surface of the inner rigid cylindrical sleeve is adjacent to the first end surface of the main body, such that the optical fiber is essentially parallel to the first external longitudinal surface and in a predetermined relationship thereto, and such that the optical fiber extends through the bore in the main body and beyond a second end surface thereof, whereby the optical fiber is accurately located relative to the external longitudinal surface of the main body so that efficient optical coupling of the optical fiber to another similarly mounted optical fiber may be accomplished, and means for fixedly adhering the inner sleeve in the axial bore in the main body.

Claim 21

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 18, wherein each first external longitudinal surface having the optical fiber accurately located with respect thereto is a circularly cylindrical external surface.

Claim 22

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 19, wherein the optical fibers terminate at the first end surfaces of the inner sleeves and are polished on the first end surfaces.

Claim 23

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 20, wherein each main body further includes a circularly cylindrical shoulder of greater radial dimension that the first cylindrical external longitudinal surface disposed adjacent to the second end surface of the main body to provide a longitudinal seating surface for the optical fiber connector.

Claim 24

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 21, wherein each inner sleeve and optical fiber protrude from the first end surface of the main body for permitting abutting contact with a correspondingly protruding sleeve and optical fiber of the other similar optical fiber connector.

Claim 25

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 22, wherein each inner sleeve is fixedly adhered to the main body with an adhesive.

Claim 26

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 23, wherein each inner sleeve is attached to the main body with an epoxy adhesive.

Claim 27

An optical fiber coupler according to claim 8, wherein an index of refraction matching fluid is interposed between the ends of the optical fibers to eliminate reflection losses.

Claim 28

An optical fiber coupler according tO claim 8, wherein the pair of optical fibers have their ends disposed in an abutting relationship.