Patents by Inventor Akihiko Yazaki

Akihiko Yazaki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20080247710
    Abstract: An angle type optical connector enables a splicing operation of an optical fiber cable accurately and stably without requiring skilled labor and having a superior on-site installation property. An optical connector is provided with a splicing section for securely supporting an incorporated optical fiber securely supported at a ferrule and an optical fiber of an outside optical fiber cable in an end-abutting condition. The body of the optical connector is provided with a cable holding member able to hold an optical fiber cable. The cable holding member can be set at a temporary position where it makes an optical fiber of the optical fiber cable abut against the incorporated optical fiber at the splicing section in the state holding the optical fiber cable and bends a covered optical fiber of the optical fiber cable between the splicing section and the cable holding member by a pressing force in the lengthwise direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Oike, Takaya Yamauchi, Akihiko Yazaki, Tsunetaka Ema, Kenichi Nakazawa, Yasuhiko Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7331718
    Abstract: A plug-type optical connector 10 is provided with a ferrule 22 and an aligning sleeve member 24. The aligning sleeve member 24 receives a portion of the ferrule 22 including an abutting end face 48 inside a bore 58 to prevent staining and damage and uses a movable shutter 54 to prevent light emitted through the ferrule 22 from leaking to the outside. The socket type optical connector 14 is provided with a ferrule 92 and a holding section 94. The optical connector 14 is not provided with an aligning sleeve member and further can hold a coated optical fiber by a holding section 94 behind the ferrule 92 by a radius of curvature of at least a prescribed minimum radius of curvature. Optical loss in the coated optical fiber can be reduced while effectively reducing the external dimensions in the direction of extension of the ferrule 92 at the time of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Akihiko Yazaki, Takaya Yamauchi, James R. Bylander, Eric M. Morgan, Wesley A. Raider, Kirk L. Taylor
  • Publication number: 20070297746
    Abstract: An optical fiber splicing and gripping device includes a material having first and second members hingedly attached. A gripping region is formed in the material that includes first and second gripping portions disposed on first and second inner portions of each of the members. The material further includes separate first and second clamping zones along a length of the gripping region. The optical fiber splicing and gripping device further includes a cap engageable with the material to selectively actuate the first clamping zone independently of actuating the second clamping zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: James Carpenter, Akihiko Yazaki, Takaya Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 7234878
    Abstract: An optical fiber connecting device has a pair of holding elements which are formed on an actuating member and are capable of undergoing elastic deformation as a sheath holding mechanism for securing, to a body, the sheath portions S of the optical fibers F having uncoated fiber elements C to be held by the fiber-element securing member. The holding elements form a pair of passages for guiding the optical fibers F on the body. The holding elements undergo the elastic deformation accompanying the motion, on the body, of the actuating member for closing the fiber-element securing member, and push and hold the sheath portions S of the optical fibers F in the corresponding passages by utilizing their own elastic restoring forces. Each holding element includes a pressing part formed at a free end separated away from a fixed end part, and an engaging part positioned between the fixed end part and the pressing part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Takaya Yamauchi, Akihiko Yazaki
  • Patent number: 7140787
    Abstract: An optical fiber splicing member can hold optical fiber buffer coatings stably in a simple structure as compared with conventional art and enables use of an existing splicing tool. There are provided a joint element 110, a jacket 120, buffer retainers 131 and a cap 140. By setting and pressing the cap to the jacket, it becomes possible to splice bare fibers of optical fibers 190 with each other by the joint element and to press the buffer coatings 192 by the buffer retainers. Assembling the splicing member is thus facilitated while the existing optical fiber splicing tool is utilizable as it is. The buffer coatings can be held stably because the holding is achieved through the pressing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Takaya Yamauchi, Akihiko Yazaki
  • Publication number: 20060233500
    Abstract: An optical fiber connecting device has a pair of holding elements which are formed on an actuating member and are capable of undergoing elastic deformation as a sheath holding mechanism for securing, to a body, the sheath portions S of the optical fibers F having uncoated fiber elements C to be held by the fiber-element securing member The holding elements form a pair of passages for guiding the optical fibers F on the body. The holding elements undergo the elastic deformation accompanying the motion, on the body, of the actuating member for closing the fiber-element securing member, and push and hold the sheath portions S of the optical fibers F in the corresponding passages by utilizing their own elastic restoring forces. Each holding element includes a pressing part formed at a free end separated away from a fixed end part and an engaging part positioned between the fixed end part and the pressing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Takaya Yamauchi, Akihiko Yazaki
  • Publication number: 20060201982
    Abstract: An optical fiber cleaving device includes an auxiliary support section movably disposed on a base section independently from a blade section and a pusher section. The auxiliary support section can be selectively disposed at the operable position for supporting an unsheathed optical fiber in cooperation with a pair of clamp sections. The auxiliary support section is constituted by a thin plate member having fiber support faces locally located between the clamp sections at the operable position and a relief area formed adjacent to the fiber support faces. The fiber support faces come in contact with the portions of a local length of the unsheathed optical fiber extending between the clamp sections, the local length being located away from the fiber cleaving position, and the relief area is so arranged as to avoid the contact with a portion of a second local length of the unsheathed optical fiber, located at the fiber cleaving position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Akihiko Yazaki, Takaya Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20060072884
    Abstract: To provide an optical fiber splicing member which can hold optical fiber buffer coatings stably in a simple structure as compared with conventional art, and which enables use of an existing splicing tool. There are provided a joint element (110), a jacket (120), buffer retainers (131) and a cap (140). By setting and pressing the cap to the jacket, it becomes possible to splice bare fibers of optical fibers (190) with each other by the joint element and to press the buffer coatings (192) by the buffer retainers. Assembling the splicing member is thus facilitated while the existing optical fiber splicing tool is utilizable as it is. The buffer coatings can be held stably because the holding is achieved through the pressing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Inventors: Takaya Yamauchi, Akihiko Yazaki
  • Publication number: 20050281529
    Abstract: An optical fiber splicing and gripping device includes a material having first and second members hingedly attached. A gripping region is formed in the material that includes first and second gripping portions disposed on first and second inner portions of each of the members. The material further includes separate first and second clamping zones along a length of the gripping region. The optical fiber splicing and gripping device further includes a cap engageable with the material to selectively actuate the first clamping zone independently of actuating the second clamping zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: James Carpenter, Akihiko Yazaki, Takaya Yamauchi
  • Publication number: 20050141817
    Abstract: A plug-type optical connector 10 is provided with a ferrule 22 and an aligning sleeve member 24. The aligning sleeve member 24 receives a portion of the ferrule 22 including an abutting end face 48 inside a bore 58 to prevent staining and damage and uses a movable shutter 54 to prevent light emitted through the ferrule 22 from leaking to the outside. The socket type optical connector 14 is provided with a ferrule 92 and a holding section 94. The optical connector 14 is not provided with an aligning sleeve member and further can hold a coated optical fiber by a holding section 94 behind the ferrule 92 by a radius of curvature of at least a prescribed minimum radius of curvature. Optical loss in the coated optical fiber can be reduced while effectively reducing the external dimensions in the direction of extension of the ferrule 92 at the time of use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Akihiko Yazaki, Takaya Yamauchi, James Bylander, Eric Morgan, Wesley Raider, Kirk Taylor
  • Publication number: 20030138232
    Abstract: A fiber recoating process and a recoated optical fiber formed by the process that comprises the steps of providing an optical fiber having a coating and cutting a first cut boundary spaced from a secondary cut boundary to mark an internal section of the coating that has opposing sides. Removal of the coating from at least one of the opposing sides provides a pared intervening layer and further forms a first transition region opposite a second transition region. Each of the first transition region and the second transition region has a substantially wedge-shaped contour. Solvent treatment of the pared intervening layer weakens the bond between the coating and the optical fiber between the first cut boundary and the second cut boundary before displacing the coating from the optical fiber to provide the stripped optical fiber. The stripped optical fiber includes a section of optical fiber, the first transition region and the second transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Applicant: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Shinichi Abe, Akihiko Yazaki, John T. Cowher, William V. Dower, Anthony W. Gatica, Jason D. Kordecki
  • Patent number: 6549712
    Abstract: A fiber recoating process and a recoated optical fiber formed by the process that comprises the steps of providing an optical fiber having a coating and cutting a first cut boundary spaced from a secondary cut boundary to mark an internal section of the coating that has opposing sides. Removal of the coating from at least one of the opposing sides provides a pared intervening layer and further forms a first transition region opposite a second transition region. Each of the first transition region and the second transition region has a substantially wedge-shaped contour. Solvent treatment of the pared intervening layer weakens the bond between the coating and the optical fiber between the first cut boundary and the second cut boundary before displacing the coating from the optical fiber to provide the stripped optical fiber. The stripped optical fiber includes a section of optical fiber, the first transition region and the second transition region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Shinichi Abe, Akihiko Yazaki, John T. Cowher, William V. Dower, Anthony W. Gatica, Jason D. Kordecki
  • Publication number: 20020186947
    Abstract: A fiber recoating process and a recoated optical fiber formed by the process that comprises the steps of providing an optical fiber having a coating and cutting a first cut boundary spaced from a secondary cut boundary to mark an internal section of the coating that has opposing sides. Removal of the coating from at least one of the opposing sides provides a pared intervening layer and further forms a first transition region opposite a second transition region. Each of the first transition region and the second transition region has a substantially wedge-shaped contour. Solvent treatment of the pared intervening layer weakens the bond between the coating and the optical fiber between the first cut boundary and the second cut boundary before displacing the coating from the optical fiber to provide the stripped optical fiber. The stripped optical fiber includes a section of optical fiber, the first transition region and the second transition region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Publication date: December 12, 2002
    Inventors: Shinichi Abe, Akihiko Yazaki, John T. Cowher, William V. Dower, Anthony W. Gatica, Jason D. Kordecki