Patents by Inventor Masashi Fukuyama

Masashi Fukuyama 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).

  • Patent number: 7445832
    Abstract: A ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber is used to easily manufacture a polarization-maintaining optical fiber array with multiple fibers and improve the work efficiency and yield. The ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber includes a plurality of polarization-maintaining fibers, and has a ribbon portion of 2 to 300 mm in length surrounding at least some of the polarization-maintaining fibers. The ribboned polarization-maintaining fiber is manufactured by arranging the polarization-maintaining fibers with an exact pitch width while the end face of the polarization-maintaining fibers are rotationally adjusted so as to have a predetermined plane of polarization and then by fixing and coating a part thereof by and with an adhesive, thereby forming the ribbon portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Matsumoto, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 7421157
    Abstract: An optical device includes an optical fiber mount with an optical fiber disposed thereon, and an optical demultiplexer having a slit defined in the optical fiber across an optical axis thereof, and an optical demultiplexing member inserted in the slit for demultiplexing a portion of an optical signal beam transmitted through the optical fiber, wherein the optical demultiplexer guides a demultiplexed optical signal beam from the optical demultiplexing member out of the optical fiber, an optical path changer for changing an optical path of the demultiplexed optical signal beam guided out of the optical fiber, a waveguide serving as a medium from which the demultiplexed optical signal beam is emitted to the optical path changer, and a filter disposed on a surface of the waveguide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Ide, Yasunori Iwasaki, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 7324729
    Abstract: An optical device is made up of a glass substrate, an optical fiber array fixed to an upper portion of the glass substrate, a slit that extends from an upper surface of the optical fiber array into the glass substrate, a filter member inserted into the slit, and a resin filled in an interval between the slit and the filter member. An upper end of a light-incident surface of the filter member is positioned substantially in alignment with upper surfaces of the optical fibers, and an upper end of a light-exiting surface of the filter member is disposed at a position below the upper surfaces of the optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 7321703
    Abstract: An optical device includes an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, a slit extending from the upper surface of the optical fiber into a glass substrate, a filter member inserted in the slit, and a PD array for detecting divided light. A first high-polymer gel material fills a gap between the slit and a filter member within the slit. A second high-polymer gel material is interposed between an optical fiber array and the PD array and disposed on an optical path of the light divided by the filter member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 7310460
    Abstract: A light controlling means includes a shutter member and an actuator. The shutter member is disposed in a slit and has a function to shut off signal light propagated in the light path of an optical fiber array. The actuator is constructed to drive and move the shutter member in a vertical direction. The shutter member is fixed to one end of the actuator and positioned substantially in alignment with an inclination angle of the slit. Further, a base member of the shutter member is made from transparent quartz glass. A light reflecting film is formed on a portion of one of the plate surfaces of the shutter member, on a surface opposite the optical axis of a light exit portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Ide, Yasunori Iwasaki, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 7308174
    Abstract: When a surface of a filter member on a multilayer film is defined as a first surface, a surface of the filter member on an quartz substrate as a second surface, an inner wall surface of a slit which faces the first surface of the filter member as a first inner wall surface, and an inner wall surface of the slit which faces the second surface of the filter member as a second inner wall surface, one or more of the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface of the slit, and the second surface of the filter member do not lie parallel to the first surface of the filter member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 7287915
    Abstract: An optical device comprises an optical head and a package containing the optical head and having pins led outside. A V-groove is formed in one side of a glass substrate. On the other side, the glass substrate is secured to the base of the package. A PD array and the pins are electrically interconnected through a gold electrode pattern formed on a mounting face of a submount, through holes, electrode pads formed on the top of the submount, and wires.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide, Takuhiro Tani
  • Publication number: 20070160322
    Abstract: An optical device includes an optical fiber mount with an optical fiber disposed thereon, and an optical demultiplexer having a slit defined in the optical fiber across an optical axis thereof, and an optical demultiplexing member inserted in the slit for demultiplexing a portion of an optical signal beam transmitted through the optical fiber, wherein the optical demultiplexer guides a demultiplexed optical signal beam from the optical demultiplexing member out of the optical fiber, an optical path changer for changing an optical path of the demultiplexed optical signal beam guided out of the optical fiber, a waveguide serving as a medium from which the demultiplexed optical signal beam is emitted to the optical path changer, and a filter disposed on a surface of the waveguide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi IDE, Yasunori Iwasaki, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 7195402
    Abstract: An optical device comprises a PD array and a submount. Anode electrodes and cathode electrodes are disposed as a gold electrode pattern on a surface of the PD array facing the submount and a common cathode electrode and anode electrodes associated with respective channels are disposed as a gold electrode pattern on a mounting surface of the submount. The gold electrode pattern on the PD array and the gold electrode pattern on the submount are electrically connected to each other by a conductive layer. A gap between the PD array and the mounting surface of the submount includes a first gap corresponding to active layers and a second gap around the first gap, the first and second gaps comprising air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 7174062
    Abstract: An optical device comprising a first substrate in which V-grooves are made, four optical fibers, for example, having a reflective function and fixed in the V-grooves of the first substrate, an optical element bonded, through an adhesive layer, onto the optical path of a reflected light at least generated by the reflective function on the outside of the clad of each optical fiber, and a second substrate for mounting the optical element, wherein the second substrate is disposed such that the mounting surface of the optical element faces the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Publication number: 20060233495
    Abstract: A light controlling means includes a shutter member and an actuator. The shutter member is disposed in a slit and has a function to shut off signal light propagated in the light path of an optical fiber array. The actuator is constructed to drive and move the shutter member in a vertical direction. The shutter member is fixed to one end of the actuator and positioned substantially in alignment with an inclination angle of the slit. Further, a base member of the shutter member is made from transparent quartz glass. A light reflecting film is formed on a portion of one of the plate surfaces of the shutter member, on a surface opposite the optical axis of a light exit portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Ide, Yasunori Iwasaki, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Patent number: 7123798
    Abstract: An optical fiber, which is provided in each of channels of an optical fiber array disposed on V-grooves, has a portion (reflecting section) at which a core is cut out at an intermediate position of the optical fiber. The reflected light, which is split from a signal light transmitted in the core of the optical fiber on the basis of a refractive index difference at the reflecting section, is obtained through a index matching layer provided outside a clad of the optical fiber. The reflected light is monitored by a photodetector of a photodetecting array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 7123355
    Abstract: A method for determining core positions of an optical element array is provided, including the steps of causing white light to be incident on a first end face of an optical element of an optical element array including at least one optical element that is aligned and secured on a substrate, imaging light passing through the at least one optical element which is emitted from an opposed second end face of the at least one optical element using imaging means, and determining a core position of the at least one optical element based on a resulting image. The emitted light is imaged by the imaging means at an imaging distance where a diameter of the emitted light in the resulting image is as small as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Matsumoto, Masashi Fukuyama, Hironori Kurimoto
  • Patent number: 7095922
    Abstract: A lensed fiber array is provided with lensed fibers whose front end faces are formed in a lens shape, a substrate in one of whose faces a plurality of grooves respectively matching said lensed fibers are formed, and a fixing member which aligns and fixes said lensed fibers by suppressing them against the grooved face of the substrate. The substrate, lensed fibers, and the fixing member are fastened to one another with adhesive. The front end faces of the lensed fibers are protruded from the front end face of either the substrate or the fixing member. This lensed fiber array can prevent deterioration in optical characteristics by preventing the adhesive from sticking to the front end faces of the lensed fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Hironori Kurimoto
  • Publication number: 20060098912
    Abstract: An optical device is made up of a glass substrate, an optical fiber array fixed to an upper portion of the glass substrate, a slit that extends from an upper surface of the optical fiber array into the glass substrate, a filter member inserted into the slit, and a resin filled in an interval between the slit and the filter member. An upper end of a light-incident surface of the filter member is positioned substantially in alignment with upper surfaces of the optical fibers, and an upper end of a light-exiting surface of the filter member is disposed at a position below the upper surfaces of the optical fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Publication number: 20050259912
    Abstract: An optical device comprises an optical head and a package containing the optical head and having pins led outside. A V-groove is formed in one side of a glass substrate. On the other side, the glass substrate is secured to the base of the package. A PD array and the pins are electrically interconnected through a gold electrode pattern formed on a mounting face of a submount, through holes, electrode pads formed on the top of the submount, and wires.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide, Takuhiro Tani
  • Publication number: 20050244106
    Abstract: An optical device comprises a PD array and a submount. Anode electrodes and cathode electrodes are disposed as a gold electrode pattern on a surface of the PD array facing the submount and a common cathode electrode and anode electrodes associated with respective channels are disposed as a gold electrode pattern on a mounting surface of the submount. The gold electrode pattern on the PD array and the gold electrode pattern on the submount are electrically connected to each other by a conductive layer. A gap between the PD array and the mounting surface of the submount includes a first gap corresponding to active layers and a second gap around the first gap, the first and second gaps comprising air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Patent number: 6961504
    Abstract: An optical fiber array is provided in which an optical fiber tip end is housed in a holding member (2). The holding member (2) consists of a substrate (3) and a cover plate (5). The substrate (3) forms a sectional V shaped housing groove (4) for housing the optical fiber (1) on a top face. The cover plate (5) covers the top face of the substrate (3). An adhesive is filled between the substrate (3) and the cover plate (5) which fixes optical fiber (1) in the housing groove. A distance Y between the substrate (3) and the cover plate (5) is L / 6?Y?L, with Y being the thickness of the adhesive layer and L being a distance from a contact point (P) between the housed optical fiber (1) and the housing groove (4) to the cover plate (5). In this manner, even under severe environmental conditions, a release or delamination of the holding member (2) is not likely to occur, and good optical coupling characteristics can be maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Matsumoto, Masashi Fukuyama
  • Publication number: 20050238280
    Abstract: An optical device includes an optical fiber having a core and a cladding, a slit extending from the upper surface of the optical fiber into a glass substrate, a filter member inserted in the slit, and a PD array for detecting divided light. A first high-polymer gel material fills a gap between the slit and a filter member within the slit. A second high-polymer gel material is interposed between an optical fiber array and the PD array and disposed on an optical path of the light divided by the filter member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide
  • Publication number: 20050238279
    Abstract: When a surface of a filter member on a multilayer film is defined as a first surface, a surface of the filter member on an quartz substrate as a second surface, an inner wall surface of a slit which faces the first surface of the filter member as a first inner wall surface, and an inner wall surface of the slit which faces the second surface of the filter member as a second inner wall surface, one or more of the first inner wall surface and the second inner wall surface of the slit, and the second surface of the filter member do not lie parallel to the first surface of the filter member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Applicant: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masashi Fukuyama, Yasunori Iwasaki, Akiyoshi Ide