Patent
Optical fiber connector
| العنوان: | Optical fiber connector |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 4,253,730 |
| تاريخ النشر: | March 03, 1981 |
| Appl. No: | 05/852,229 |
| Application Filed: | November 17, 1977 |
| مستخلص: | The invention is directed to a connector for optically coupling one or more fibers to a like number of fibers. The individual fibers are supported upon members having resilient supports to permit the fibers on one member to be positioned onto the support of the other member and provide support during the complete coupling operation. Various clamps and strain reliefs are provided to minimize the effects of forces upon the cable or individual fibers. The cable may take a flat, circular or other configuration and the fibers may be of glass or plastic and may be coated with reflective sheaths or the like. |
| Inventors: | Logan, Maurus C. (Elizabeth, NJ); Cole, John M. (New Hope, PA); Garner, Peter (Chatham, NJ) |
| Assignees: | Thomas & Betts Corporation (Raritan, NJ) |
| Claim: | The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows |
| Claim: | 1. A connector for coupling first and second optical fibers in alignment along an axis, comprising |
| Claim: | (a) first support means for receiving said first fiber and disposing an end thereof in fixed position; |
| Claim: | (b) second support means for receiving said second fiber and disposing an end thereof in fixed position; |
| Claim: | (c) transfer means disposed between said first and second support means in supporting relation to one of said fiber ends and slidable along the axis of such alignment relative to at least one of said first and second support means into supporting registration with both such fiber ends. |
| Claim: | 2. The connector claimed in claim 1 further including coupling means for assembly with said first and second support means to secure the positional relationship of said first and second support means and said transfer means along said alignment axis. |
| Claim: | 3. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein said transfer means comprises first and second plate means respectively slidable in said first and second support means. |
| Claim: | 4. The connector claimed in claim 3 including resilient means for biasing said first and second plate means into respective preselected positions relative to said first and second support means. |
| Claim: | 5. A connector claimed in claim 4 including coupling means for engagement with said first plate means for fixedly positioning the same relative to said first optical fiber upon receipt of said first support means by said coupling means, said coupling means engagingly displacing said second plate means relative to said second optical fiber upon receipt of said second support means by said coupling means, said first plate means thereby being movable into supporting registration with both said fiber ends. |
| Claim: | 6. The connector claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second support means include fiber support grooves and clamp means for securement of fibers in said grooves, said transfer means also including fiber support grooves, said connector further including coupling means for securing the positional relationship of said first and second support members and said transfer means, said coupling means including further clamp means for securement of said fiber ends in such transfer means grooves. |
| Claim: | 7. A connector for coupling ends of first and second optical fibers in alignment along an axis, comprising first grooved means fixedly supporting said first optical fiber and second grooved means fixedly supporting said second optical fiber, a portion of said first grooved means being slidable along such alignment axis, relative to both the remainder of said first grooved means and said first optical fiber into supporting registration with ends of both said first and second optical fibers, in the course of movement of said first and second grooved means into coupled relation along said alignment axis. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 350/9621 |
| Current International Class: | G02B 514 |
| Patent References Cited: | 3917383 November 1975 Cook 4050783 September 1977 Tardy 4111522 September 1978 Auracher |
| Primary Examiner: | Levy, Stewart J. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Daley, James J. Rodrick, Robert M. Woldman, Jesse |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.04253730 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |