Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying glue to a fiber optic coupler composed of a plurality of contiguously extending optical fibers, the fibers extending though the bore of a tube and through a longitudinally adjacent coupling region where the tube is collapsed around the fibers, the fibers being fused together in the coupling region, the diameters of the fibers in the coupling region being smaller than the diameters thereof in the bore. The method comprises: holding the coupler, and simultaneously injecting glue into both ends of the tube bore; wherein the coupler is oriented vertically, the glue being injected into the bore ends by positioning a hollow needle at each of the bore ends, the glue flowing through the needle in the bore at the top end of the tube at a rate greater than it flows through the needle in the bore at the bottom end of the tube.

Abstract: An automated method and apparatus for making optical fiber couplers is disclosed. The apparatus includes various processing stations under the control of a programmable controller. A fiber feeding system receives a set of optical fibers from a reel and guides them to the various processing stations. The fibers are guided into a fiber insertion fixture. The insertion fixture moves the fibers to the aperture of a glass capillary tube. The fibers are then stripped of a portion of their coating. The feeding system feeds the stripped fibers through the insertion fixture and into the glass tube. The fibers are severed and terminated. Subsequently, a burner heats the glass tube, causing it to collapse around the fibers to form a fiber coupler.