Patents by Inventor Stephen W. Wall

Stephen W. Wall 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: 5125059
    Abstract: An optical fiber terminus is provided in which front and rear connector bodies 15, 22 are provided, each having a bore 16, 35, 36, with a counterbore 17 being formed in the rearward end of the front connector body 15. A sleeve 42 of resilient material is positioned in the counterbore and an optical fiber 13 is extended through the sleeve 42 and the bores 16, 35, 36. The rear connector body 20 is advanced a predetermined distance into the counterbore 17, which it engages with a press fit, so that it engages and compresses the sleeve 42, and causes the sleeve 42 to grip and retain the optical fiber 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Stephen W. Wall
  • Patent number: 5113464
    Abstract: A fiber optic terminus is provided in which a deformable material (37), such as an elastomer, is compressed and grips an optical fiber (34) along a substantial length of a terminus body (10). In accomplishing this, an opening (15, 16, 18) in a front terminus body (10) receives a liquid material (37) which can be cured to a solid consistency. An optical fiber (34) then is extended through an opening (24, 25, 26) in a rear terminus body (20) and through the passageway (15, 16, 18) in the front terminus body (10), emerging at the forward end of the latter. The rear terminus body (20) then is forced a short distance into the passageway (15) in the front connector body (10) and the material (37) is cured to a solid consistency. After this, the rear connector body (20), which has a press fit within the passageway (15), is moved to a second position causing compression of the material (37) in the passageway ( 15, 16, 18) so that it grips the optical fiber (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1992
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Stephen W. Wall
  • Patent number: 5107536
    Abstract: An optical fiber terminus is provided in which front and rear connector bodies 15, 22 are provided, each having a bore 16, 35, 36, with a counterbore 17 being formed in the rearward end of said front connector body 15. A sleeve 40 is provided with a tapered surface 44 and slots 50, 51 through it so that one end portion of the sleeve can flex transversely. A taper 46 is formed in the counterbore 17, matching the taper of the sleeve. The sleeve 40 is positioned in the counterbore 17 and an optical fiber 13 is extended through sleeve 40 and the bores 16, 35, 36. The rear conenctor body 20 is advanced a predetermined distance into the counterbore 17, which it engages with a press fit, so that the sleeve 40 is biased forwardly to cause a reaction between the tapered surfaces 40, 46 thereby compressing one end portion of the sleeve 40 inwardly to grip and retain the optical fiber 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Stephen W. Wall
  • Patent number: 4878730
    Abstract: A fiber optic attenuator (11) comprising fiber optic termini (13, 13a) having bodies (23, 23a), with end faces (27, 27a) and optical fibers (29, 29a). The optical fibers (29, 29a) have distal ends (31, 31a) adjacent the end faces (27, 27a). A connector in the form of an alignment sleeve (15), a housing (17) and a coupling (19) connects the termini (13, 13a) with the end faces (27, 27a) in confronting relationship, and the distal ends (31, 31a) optically coupled. A screw (21) carried by the housing (17) can relatively displace the distal ends (31, 31a) in a generally radial direction to provide attenuation of the optical signal transmitted between the termini (13, 13a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Stephen W. Wall
  • Patent number: 4859021
    Abstract: A feedthrough connector (11) comprising a connector body (17) having a passage (33) extending therethrough, a graded index rod (19) in the passage and an alignment sleeve (21) receiving portions of the graded index rod and having a section extending beyond the end (65) of the graded index rod for receiving a bushing (73) of a fiber optic terminus (75). The connector body includes end body sections (25, 27) and a central body section (23), with the end body sections being releasably attached to the central body section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1989
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventor: Stephen W. Wall