Abstract: A high resolution fiber optic position sensor system including a remote sensor head connected by a pair of optical fibers to an electronic controller unit. The sensor is an electronically passive device that utilizes optical signals only that senses the angular absolute position over the full 360° rotation with a sensing resolution of 13 bit (8196). The sensor modulates the optical signal based on the exact position of the sensor disk. This modulated optical signal is analyzed in the controller and translated into the position signal. Because the sensor head is electrically passive it can be deployed in an EMI/RFI intense environment. Further, it is immune to lightening strikes and can also be located many hundred meters away from the control unit without creating undesirable ground loops.

Abstract: A passive all fiber optic encoder that will be able to determine speed, position, and direction of movement of a movable object. The all passive encoder utilizes no electronics within the sensing part and therefore is deployable in harsh environments, electrical, electromagnetic and radiation fields, otherwise not possible with conventional electronic encoders. The system utilizes a multiwavelength light source and one optical fiber leading to the encoder sensor housing which has a shutter, a light filter assembly and reflective mirror. The movement of the shutter produces a sequential series of light impulses sequenced proportional to the movement of the shutter. The light filter assembly utilizes a minimum of two different filters each of which passes or rejects light within a certain space and wavelength range.

Abstract: A communication cable which takes the form of an elongated flexible conductor which has mounted at one end thereof a transmitting connector and at the opposite end thereof a receiving connector. The conductor has integratingly mounted therein a plurality of optical fibers and a plurality of electrical wires. The transmitting connector includes a light emitting device for each optical fiber and a flexible printed circuit board holding electronic circuitry for converting electrical signals into optical signals. Further, the transmitting connector has an electrical interface accessible by the user. The receiving connector includes a photodetector for each optical fiber and also a flexible printed circuit board holding electronic circuitry for converting optical signals back to electrical signals. The receiving connector also has an electrical interface accessible by the user.

Abstract: A connector for optical fibers comprising a plug assembly and a first ferrule mounted coaxially therein, a receptacle assembly and a second ferrule mounted coaxially therein, wherein at least one of the plug-mounted ferrule and the receptacle-mounted ferrule is biased outwardly from a fiber-entry end of the ferrule. An alignment sleeve optically connects the ferrules and maintains the optical connection during translation of one of the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly in a longitudinal direction relative to the other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber optic test probe comprising a ferrule having a longitudinal axis and a fixable position and being transversely displaceable, and a gimbal coupled to the ferrule and being transversely displaceable, the gimbal comprising means for constraining transverse displacement of the ferrule from a fixed position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary joint for optical fibers comprising a plug assembly and a first ferrule having a fiber-entry end mounted coaxially therein, a receptacle assembly and a second ferrule having a fiber-entry end mounted coaxially therein, wherein at least one of the plug-mounted ferrule and the receptacle-mounted ferrule is biased outwardly from a fiber entry-end of the ferrule, and an alignment sleeve for optically connecting the first and second ferrules and maintaining the optical connection during rotation of one of the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly about an axis parallel to a longitudinal direction of the assembly relative to the other of the plug assembly and the receptacle assembly.

Abstract: A device for determining the presence of light in an optical fiber includes a housing having a light-receiving chamber. An aperture in a wall of the housing accommodates insertion of the fiber into the chamber. A brush-configured, light-blocking curtain is mounted adjacent to the aperture and has a plurality of bristles sized and arranged to allow an optical fiber to pass therebetween. A funnel-shaped light reflector is disposed in the chamber adjacent to the curtain and has a first relatively wide diameter opening at a forward end thereof and tapers to a second, relatively narrow diameter light-exiting opening at an apex thereof. An opto-electronic light detector is disposed adjacent to the narrow diameter opening of the funnel-shaped light reflector. Light emitted by an optical fiber that has been inserted through the bristles of the light-blocking curtain impinges upon the opto-electronic light detector.