Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device and method for precise positioning, or alignment of one or more articles with respect to the device or to each other. The device comprises one or more elements of Unistructural Mass of Inherent Memory Polymer with one or more internal cavities which have inherent shapes with at least one cross-sectional configuration which is congruent to a cross-sectional configuration shape of the said article(s) in the positioned or aligned position(s). The unistructural mass has cross-sectional configurations which are the same or smaller than those corresponding to the positions of the articles. The unistructural mass is deformed such that the articles can be readily inserted into the corresponding cavities. In one embodiment, a single unistructural mass has a single cavity for precision positioning of the article. In another embodiment, the mass has at least two cavities for article alignment.

Abstract: The present invention involves a multiple cavity optical fiber splice made of a unistructural mass of inherent shape memory polymer material. The unistructural mass has a longitudinal dimension with opposite ends which includes at least a first bore at one end and at least a second bore and a third bore at the other end wherein the bores go into the mass and at least two connect to each other. The unistructural mass has two shapes, the first shape is a unique, recoverable, predetermined inherent shape wherein each bore has a preset diameter to accommodate and tightly hold end segments of denuded optical fibers of predetermined diameter and the second shape is a deformed shape which may be caused by solvent swelling and partial shrinking of the inherent memory polymer material such that each bore has enlarged predetermined diameters greater than the diameters of the segments of the denuded optical fibers so as to freely receive the end segments of the denuded optical fibers.

Abstract: The present invention involves an optical fiber splicer made of a unistructural mass of inherent shaped memory polymer material. The splicer has a longitudinal dimension with opposite ends having first bore at one end and a second bore at the other end wherein the bores go into the mass and to each other. Preferably, the first bore and the second bore are merely a single continuous oriface. The unistructural mass has a first shape and a second shape. The first shape is a recoverable, predetermined inherent shape wherein the first bore and second bore each have a preset diameter to accomodate and tightly hold end segments of denuded optical fibers of predetermined diameter in spliced, butted alignment with one another. The second shape is such that the first bore and second bore each have swollen predetermined diameters which are greater than the diameters of the end segments of optical fibers so as to loosely and freely receive the end segments.