Patents by Inventor Nicholas Anthony Lee

Nicholas Anthony Lee 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: 6390690
    Abstract: A connector assembly for optically coupling a first optical waveguide array mounted to a first substrate to an optical device on an intersecting second substrate. The first waveguide array includes a plurality of parallel optical waveguides having a minimum desired bend radius. The first and the second substrate define a first and a second plane respectively and the longitudinal direction of the first waveguide array defines a first axis. The intersection of the two planes defines an intersection axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis. The first waveguide array has a substrate portion mounted to the first substrate, a midspan portion, and an end portion. The connector assembly includes a first connector adapted to be detachably connected to the second substrate and aligned along a second axis generally perpendicular to the intersection axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael Alan Meis, Scott Anthony Igl, Nicholas Anthony Lee
  • Patent number: 6137158
    Abstract: Parallel optical coupling apparatus for coupling a connector attached to one end of a parallel optical cable to a receiver or transmitter array. A parallel fiber optic assembly includes a receiver or transmitter array subassembly that houses a parallel optical coupler for transferring optical signals from an array of sources (e.g., lasers) in the assembly to the connector, or from the connector to an array of receiving elements in the assembly. A connector shell is provided that properly aligns the connector with respect to the optical coupler array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Mitchell Simmons Cohen, Marco Gauvin, Glen Walden Johnson, Daniel M. Kuchta, Andre Lacerte, Nicholas Anthony Lee, Sylvain Ouimet, Stephen Louis Spanoudis, Stephane Tremblay, Jeannine Madelyn Trewhella
  • Patent number: 5781682
    Abstract: Parallel optical coupling apparatus for coupling a connector attached to one end of a parallel optical cable to a receiver or transmitter array. A parallel fiber optic assembly includes a receiver or transmitter array subassembly that houses a parallel optical coupler for transferring optical signals from an array of sources (e.g., lasers) in the assembly to the connector, or from the connector to an array of receiving elements in the assembly. A connector shell is provided that properly aligns the connector with respect to the optical coupler array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Lexmark International, Inc., Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Mitchell Simmons Cohen, Marco Gauvin, Glen Walden Johnson, Daniel M. Kuchta, Andre Lacerte, Nicholas Anthony Lee, Sylvain Ouimet, Stephen Louis Spanoudis, Stephane Tremblay, Jeannine Madelyn Trewhella
  • Patent number: 5764839
    Abstract: A control jacket houses a line, such as a fiber optic ribbon cable or other conductor, and limits the amount of bending and twisting movement of the line. The jacket preferably includes a multi-dimensional matrix of engagement elements separated by a plurality of gaps and connected by an underlying web structure. As the jacket is bent or twisted, adjacent engagement elements move together into engagement with each other, limiting the bend radius or twist angle of the jacket, and thus of the fiber optic ribbon cable or other protected line. The jacket preferably includes at least one fastening mechanism, allowing the control jacket to be opened along its length for easy insertion and removal of the line as needed. Multiple jackets can be placed end-to-end along the line, to create a composite jacket of any desired length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Scott Anthony Igl, Gordon Dwight Henson, Nicholas Anthony Lee