Patents by Inventor Michael K. Barnoski

Michael K. Barnoski 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: 11892691
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly includes a ferrule portion having a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the ferrule portion. The assembly includes an integrated optical element for coupling the input/output of an optical fiber to the opto-electronic devices in the opto-electronic module. The optical element can be in the form of a structured reflective surface. The end of the optical fiber is at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The structured reflective surfaces and the fiber alignment grooves can be formed by stamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Senko Advanced Components, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, Michael K. Barnoski, King-Fu Hii
  • Publication number: 20220026649
    Abstract: To couple light between an optical fiber and a grating coupler of a photonic integrated circuits, a mirror is provided to turn light to/from the optical fiber to allow the axis of the optical fiber to be oriented at small angles or parallel to the surface of the PIC, and lowered close to the surface of the PIC. The mirror is further configured to reshape light from a flat polished optical fiber to produce a mode field resembling the mode field of an angled polished optical fiber, to match the design angle of existing grating couplers that are designed to work with angled polished optical fibers. The mirror and optical fiber alignment structure in the optical connector are integrally/simultaneous formed by precision stamping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Inventors: Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Shuhe LI, Rand D. DANNENBERG, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Publication number: 20210072471
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly includes a ferrule portion having a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the ferrule portion. The assembly includes an integrated optical element for coupling the input/output of an optical fiber to the opto-electronic devices in the opto-electronic module. The optical element can be in the form of a structured reflective surface. The end of the optical fiber is at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The structured reflective surfaces and the fiber alignment grooves can be formed by stamping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI, King-Fu HII
  • Patent number: 10754107
    Abstract: A process of making a coupling device for physically and optically coupling an optical fiber to route optical signals to/from optical receiver/transmitter. The coupling device includes a structured reflective surface that functions as an optical element that directs light to/from the input/output ends of the optical fiber by reflection, and an optical fiber retention groove structure that positively receives the optical fiber in a manner with the end of the optical fiber at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The open structure of the structured reflective surface and fiber retention structure lends itself to mass production processes such as precision stamping. The coupling device can be attached to an optical transmitter and/or receiver, with the structured reflective surface aligned to the light source in the transmitter or to the detector in the receiver, and adapted in an active optical cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: CUDOQUANTA FLORIDA, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, King-Fu Hii, Michael K. Barnoski
  • Patent number: 10739535
    Abstract: A process and tool for reshaping and resizing grooves that were pre-formed in a pair of ferrules halves of an optical fiber ferrule. The pre-formed grooves are further subject to a separate, subsequent reshaping and resizing step using the tool and a gauge that may be a bare section of optical fiber or a pin. The ferrule halves are aligned, and using the pre-formed grooves as guides for the gauge optical fiber or gauge pin, the ferrule halves are compressed together with the gauge optical fiber or gauge pin therebetween, thereby reshaping and resizing the respective grooves on the ferrule halves. After reshaping and resizing, the resultant groove that is finally formed on each ferrule halve would be precisely shaped, sized and located with respect to the external alignment surface of each ferrule halve. The ferrule halves may be used to terminate an optical fiber cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: CUDOQUANTA FLORIDA, INC.
    Inventors: Robert Ryan Vallance, King-Fu Hii, Yang Chen, Joseph Kim Bond, Po-Tsung Wu, Michael K. Barnoski, Matthew Gean
  • Patent number: 10718914
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly includes a ferrule portion having a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the ferrule portion. The assembly includes an integrated optical element for coupling the input/output of an optical fiber to the opto-electronic devices in the opto-electronic module. The optical element can be in the form of a structured reflective surface. The end of the optical fiber is at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The structured reflective surfaces and the fiber alignment grooves can be formed by stamping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: CUDOQUANTA FLORIDA, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, Michael K. Barnoski, King-Fu Hii
  • Patent number: 10649161
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly, including a first ferrule portion having a first surface provided with a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the first ferrule portion, and a second ferrule portion having a second surface facing the first surface of the first ferrule, wherein the first ferrule portion is attached to the second ferrule portion with the first surface against the second surface, wherein a cavity is defined between the first ferrule portion and the second ferrule portion, wherein the cavity is wider than the grooves, and wherein a suspended section of each optical fiber is suspended in the cavity, and wherein the cavity is sealed with a sealant. The sealant extends around the suspended sections of the optical fibers within the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: CUDOQUANTA FLORIDA, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, Michael K. Barnoski
  • Publication number: 20200116960
    Abstract: To couple light between an optical fiber and a grating coupler of a photonic integrated circuits, a mirror is provided to turn light to/from the optical fiber to allow the axis of the optical fiber to be oriented at small angles or parallel to the surface of the PIC, and lowered close to the surface of the PIC. The mirror is further configured to reshape light from a flat polished optical fiber to produce a mode field resembling the mode field of an angled polished optical fiber, to match the design angle of existing grating couplers that are designed to work with angled polished optical fibers. The mirror and optical fiber alignment structure in the optical connector are integrally/simultaneous formed by precision stamping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Shuhe LI, Rand D. DANNENBERG, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Publication number: 20200049907
    Abstract: A process of making a coupling device for physically and optically coupling an optical fiber to route optical signals to/from optical receiver/transmitter. The coupling device includes a structured reflective surface that functions as an optical element that directs light to/from the input/output ends of the optical fiber by reflection, and an optical fiber retention groove structure that positively receives the optical fiber in a manner with the end of the optical fiber at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The open structure of the structured reflective surface and fiber retention structure lends itself to mass production processes such as precision stamping. The coupling device can be attached to an optical transmitter and/or receiver, with the structured reflective surface aligned to the light source in the transmitter or to the detector in the receiver, and adapted in an active optical cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, King-Fu HII, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Publication number: 20200003973
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly includes a ferrule portion having a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the ferrule portion. The assembly includes an integrated optical element for coupling the input/output of an optical fiber to the opto-electronic devices in the opto-electronic module. The optical element can be in the form of a structured reflective surface. The end of the optical fiber is at a defined distance to and aligned with the structured reflective surface. The structured reflective surfaces and the fiber alignment grooves can be formed by stamping.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Publication number: 20190391345
    Abstract: An optical coupling device for routing optical signals for use in an optical communications module, in which defined on a base are a structured surface having a surface profile that reshapes and/or reflect an incident light, and an alignment structure defined on the base, configured with a surface feature to facilitate positioning an optical component on the base in optical alignment with the structured surface to allow light to be transmitted along a defined path between the structured surface and the optical component. The structured surface and the alignment structure are integrally defined on the base by stamping a malleable material of the base. The alignment structure facilitates passive alignment of the optical component on the base in optical alignment with the structured surface to allow light to be transmitted along a defined path between the structured surface and the optical component. The structured surface has a reflective surface profile, which reflects and/or reshape incident light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Patent number: 10413953
    Abstract: A composite structure includes a base and an auxiliary portion of dissimilar materials. The auxiliary portion is shaped by stamping. As the auxiliary portion is stamped, it interlocks with the base, and at the same time forming a desired structured feature on the auxiliary portion, such as a structured reflective surface, an alignment feature, etc. With this approach, relatively less critical structured features can be shaped on the bulk of the base with less effort to maintain a relatively larger tolerance, while the relatively more critical structured features on the auxiliary portion are more precisely shaped with further considerations to define dimensions, geometries and/or finishes at relatively smaller tolerances. The auxiliary portion may include a composite structure of two dissimilar materials associated with different properties for stamping different structured features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, Michael K. Barnoski, Yongsheng Zhao, Matthew Gean, Tewodros Mengesha, Rand D. Dannenberg
  • Patent number: 10359575
    Abstract: A ferrule for an optical fiber connector has an external surface for alignment with a complementary surface of an alignment sleeve (i.e., the inside surface of a generally cylindrical or tubular sleeve). The external surface of the ferrule is generally cylindrical, having a sectional contact surface profile that is generally oval in shape. More specifically, a plurality of points of contact between the ferrule and the sleeve are defined along a curve in cross-section, wherein the center of curvature at each of the contact points along this contact point curve (i.e., the curve containing contact points that contribute to alignment) does not lie in the plane of the axis of the array of optical fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Robert Ryan Vallance, Michael K. Barnoski
  • Publication number: 20190219772
    Abstract: A ferrule for an optical fiber connector has an external surface for alignment with a complementary surface of an alignment sleeve (i.e., the inside surface of a generally cylindrical or tubular sleeve). The external surface of the ferrule is generally cylindrical, having a sectional contact surface profile that is generally oval in shape. More specifically, a plurality of points of contact between the ferrule and the sleeve are defined along a curve in cross-section, wherein the center of curvature at each of the contact points along this contact point curve (i.e., the curve containing contact points that contribute to alignment) does not lie in the plane of the axis of the array of optical fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Publication number: 20190137707
    Abstract: A hermetic optical fiber alignment assembly, including a first ferrule portion having a first surface provided with a plurality of grooves receiving the end sections of optical fibers, wherein the grooves define the location and orientation of the end sections with respect to the first ferrule portion, and a second ferrule portion having a second surface facing the first surface of the first ferrule, wherein the first ferrule portion is attached to the second ferrule portion with the first surface against the second surface, wherein a cavity is defined between the first ferrule portion and the second ferrule portion, wherein the cavity is wider than the grooves, and wherein a suspended section of each optical fiber is suspended in the cavity, and wherein the cavity is sealed with a sealant. The sealant extends around the suspended sections of the optical fibers within the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI
  • Patent number: 10274683
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spring bias that is particularly suited for use to preload a low profile ferrule of an optical connector. In accordance with the present invention, an axial preload is applied to a connector ferrule by a spring structure provided external of the connector. In one embodiment, spring structure is provided outside a plurality of optical fiber connectors, which provides axial preload of multiple ferrules. Each ferrule could be of the type that supports a plurality of optical fibers of a fiber cable. In one embodiment, the spring bias is effected by a planar flexure external of the connector. The ferrule is coupled to the planar flexure with its longitudinal axis through the center of the planar flexure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Shuhe Li, Gregory L. Klotz, Michael K. Barnoski, Robert Ryan Vallance
  • Publication number: 20180290195
    Abstract: A composite structure includes a base and an auxiliary portion of dissimilar materials. The auxiliary portion is shaped by stamping. As the auxiliary portion is stamped, it interlocks with the base, and at the same time forming a desired structured feature on the auxiliary portion, such as a structured reflective surface, an alignment feature, etc. With this approach, relatively less critical structured features can be shaped on the bulk of the base with less effort to maintain a relatively larger tolerance, while the relatively more critical structured features on the auxiliary portion are more precisely shaped with further considerations to define dimensions, geometries and/or finishes at relatively smaller tolerances. The auxiliary portion may include a composite structure of two dissimilar materials associated with different properties for stamping different structured features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE, Michael K. BARNOSKI, Yongsheng ZHAO, Matthew GEAN, Tewodros MENGESHA, Rand D. DANNENBERG
  • Patent number: 10063316
    Abstract: A wall plate is provided having a built-in modem on the backside of the wall plate that performs O/E, E/O and protocol conversions. The backside of the wall plate has an optical port for connecting an end of an optical fiber cable to the wall plate. A printed circuit board (PCB) disposed on the backside of the wall plate has electrical circuitry mounted thereon that performs protocol conversion and communicates with an optical transceiver module also mounted on the PCB. The optical transceiver module receives optical signals transmitted to the customer premises and transmits optical signals from the customer premises and performs O/E and E/O conversion. A front face of the wall plate has at least one socket therein for connection with an electrical connector disposed on an end of an electrical cable. The wall plate does not require a separate power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Laurence R. McColloch, Michael K. Barnoski, Robert R. Vallance, Shuhe Li
  • Patent number: 9983414
    Abstract: A stamped metal optic includes at least a bench for holding at least one optoelectronic component and a reflector for folding an optical pathway. The stamped metal optic is formed of a piece of metal that is shaped using known metal stamping techniques. The stamped metal optic preferably has at least one fiducial mark used to ensure that the optoelectronic device is precisely aligned with the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: NANOPRECISION PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Laurence R. McColloch, Michael K. Barnoski, Robert R. Vallance, Shuhe Li
  • Publication number: 20180136411
    Abstract: The present invention provides a spring bias that is particularly suited for use to preload a low profile ferrule of an optical connector. In accordance with the present invention, an axial preload is applied to a connector ferrule by a spring structure provided external of the connector. In one embodiment, spring structure is provided outside a plurality of optical fiber connectors, which provides axial preload of multiple ferrules. Each ferrule could be of the type that supports a plurality of optical fibers of a fiber cable. In one embodiment, the spring bias is effected by a planar flexure external of the connector. The ferrule is coupled to the planar flexure with its longitudinal axis through the center of the planar flexure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 17, 2018
    Inventors: Shuhe LI, Gregory L. KLOTZ, Michael K. BARNOSKI, Robert Ryan VALLANCE