Abstract: A fiber optic connector attaches a fiber optic harness having a plurality of jacketed optic fibers to an optical device that has a flat rectangular contact surface. The connector comprises an outer member that has a plural number of non-linearly arrayed, grooves that receive individual jacketed optic fibers of the harness. An inner member wedge in the rear end of the outer member guides and holds individual jacketed optic fibers in the respective grooves. Each groove converges toward and communicates with a slot at the front end of the connector. The slot receives stripped end portions of the optic fibers and holds them in an abutting linear array for engagement with the flat rectangular contact surface of the optical device. The connector may also include latches for retaining the optic fibers individually and springs for biasing each individual optic fiber into engagement with the flat contact surface of the optic device.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicer-connector comprises a fiber section, a splice section, and a connecting section. The splice section is located between the fiber section and the connecting section. A fiber channel is disposed on the fiber section for accepting an optical fiber and for guiding the optical fiber to the splice section. Means for splicing optical fibers is located on the splice section. A fiber channel is disposed on the connecting section for accepting an optical fiber and for guiding the optical fiber to the splice section. The connecting section includes a connecting body for releasably attaching the splicer to an adapter. In one embodiment, the splice section and the connecting section are provided as separate, interengagable pieces.

Abstract: To connect one ribbon-shaped optical fiber cord to an opponent ribbon-shaped optical fiber cord while making reliable optical connection therebetween, an optical fiber splicer is used. The optical fiber splicer includes as essential components an aligning member and a cover member, and the cover member is fitted into the aligning member to build an integral structure without an optical fiber using an adhesive. In practical use, after the adhesive is hardened, both the ribbon-shaped optical fiber cords are inserted into the integral structure from both sides of the optical fiber splicer so that sheathless optical fibers of both ribbon-shaped optical fiber cords are firmly received in V-shaped aligning grooves on the aligning member in a face to-face relationship.

Abstract: An optical connector for connecting optical fibers, comprises: a guide-groove substrate having grooves for positioning optical fibers and guide pins; an upper plate having groove portions each for covering the guide pins positioned in the guide grooves of the guide-groove substrate; elastic guide-pin pressing members each provided in the groove portions of the upper plate above portions where the guide pin grooves are in contact with the guide pins. In such a arrangement, it is preferable to form an oxide film on said V-grooves of the guide-groove substrate at least in the vicinity of contact points between the guide pins and the V-grooves. The optical connector further includes a resin molding portion for surrounding the substrate and the upper plate, the resin molding portion including a pair of opposite opened portions at a front and back surfaces thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical fiber connector for a plurality of covered optical fibers, including (a) a lower ceramics plate with a top plane surface having a plurality of V-grooves, each groove for respectively holding one fiber, (b) an upper plate, in spaced apart combination with the lower plate, for firmly holding the optical fibers in the lower plate grooves, and (c) a holder having two opposed end portions in which (i) a first cavity is profiled in the first end portion to accommodate the combination of the upper and lower plates, and (ii) a second cavity is profiled in the second end portion to accommodate the covered fibers, and wherein the first cavity has a connection portion proximate to an inner end of the second cavity, which connects the first and second cavities to provide a through passage for the fibers.

Abstract: A device for splicing multiple optical fibers includes a novel splice element having two plates formed from a sheet of aluminum material, there being a fold line in the sheet forming a hinge, the two plates being folded toward one another to define opposing surfaces. One of the opposing surfaces has several fiber receiving grooves therein, parallel with the fold line. The aluminum is anodized prior to embossing the fiber receiving grooves. The element is inserted into the slot of a splice body formed of an injection moldable material. The splice body may be reinforced by insert molding a steel tube therein, surrounding the slot.

Abstract: A method of coupling an optical fiber to a desired optical input wherein the optical fiber is pre-coated with a magnetic material and then placed in an elongated groove in a base, one end of which groove terminates at the desired optical input. A magnetic field is applied to hold the pre-coated optical fiber firmly in place while it is permanently mounted by some means such as soldering or an adhesive.

Abstract: On an optical connector plug main body 3 whose transverse section is a trapezoid, a groove 6 of rectangular transverse section is provided, at a bottom of which a plurality of alignment V grooves 7 are formed. In a plate member 9 of rectangular transverse section has a receiving groove 10 of also rectangular transverse section, the groove 10 being connected with the bottom of the plate member 9. An alignment sleeve 12 has an alignment groove 14 of wedge head shape. The plate member 9 is engaged with the groove 6 of the connector plug main body 3, and protrusions 11 of the plate member 9 is ultrasonic bonded into recesses 8 provided in the connector plug main body 3. A ribbon type optical fiber to which an adhesive is applied is inserted from the groove 6 to complete the connector plug. Thus assembled connector plugs are inserted in the state whose ends are faced with each other into the groove 14 of the alignment sleeve 12 to make the connection of the ribbon type optical fiber.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optical fiber connector assembly for use in communication systems. The optical fiber connector assembly includes an insulating housing having complementary upper cover and bottom base members and at least one ferrule with the housing disposed longitudinally and parallel to the longitudinal axis at the free end of the housing. A multi-faceted key mechanism within the housing provides a marking feature to prevent improper connection of mating connectors. At the rear end of the bottom base and its corresponding upper cover there is provided a hollow retention bolt which is preassemblable and adapted to retain the optical fiber cable in position and to hold the two half-shells together. A dust-reject cover is provided having cooperating grooved recesses in opposite end walls sized to fit over and be retained on the connector cable when the connector is connected to another optical device and the dust cover must be removed from the housing.

Abstract: An optical fiber holder 10 has a base 20 which has at least one groove 24 for retaining a fiber 13, which groove 24 is optimally slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the optical fiber 13. The top of the groove 24 is slightly larger than the diameter of the fiber 13. A strand retaining plate 30 is spring biased to additonally secure the fiber 13 when the plate 30 is placed over the fiber 13. The base 20 may be securely fixed in place. To fuse two fibers 13, two optical fiber holders 10 may be placed facing each other with the end of a fiber 13 extending from each. When fusing is to be performed by laser, the pair of apparatus may be securely placed at the proper distance from the laser beam as well as at the proper distance with respect to one another.

Abstract: A molded polymeric resin-filled coupler comprising two low-refractive index plastic molded subassemblies. One subassembly has an optically finished mixing region, with a channel that has a V shaped lower portion. The mixing region subassembly is covered with a lid subassembly of the same material as the mixing region subassembly. During assembly, optical fibers are inserted into the mixing region subassembly which is then filled with a high index material to form a high-refractive index waveguide core region in the channel. The molded low-refractive index subassemblies provide a waveguide cladding around the high-refractive index waveguide core. Low cost is attained by utilizing optically finished metal molds to produce the subassemblies resulting in an optically finished mixing region and lid subassemblies without the need to polish each subassembly.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for securely aligning a plurality of optical fiber pairs, including a connection device with a body having recesses therein for a fiber guide to which are mounted a plurality of optical fibers, a removable connector to which are mounted a corresponding plurality of fibers, and a movable locking member disposed in the body and which positively holds the connector in the body so that ends of pairs of fibers are aligned and the connector is securely disposed in the body; and a sensing system with a base unit and optical fibers which employs such a connection device.

Abstract: A device for splicing multiple optical fibers includes a splice element having two plates with fiber receiving V-grooves formed in the inner surface of one of the plates, and a splice body having a wedge to actuate the splice element by clamping the plates together. The splice body includes a jacket and a cap, there being a slot in the jacket for receiving the splice element and a cavity adjacent the slot for receiving the wedge. The cavity has a ramped surface which causes the wedge to move toward the splice element and clamp the plates as the wedge is moved forward on the ramp surface. A tongue, formed integrally with the cap, is preferably interposed between the wedge and the splice element to prevent deformation of the plates which might result from direct contact between the plates and the wedge as it slides forward.

Abstract: An optical fiber mechanical splice comprises a pair of gripping members and a resilient biasing member. Each gripping member has a plastically deformable griping surface. One of the gripping surfaces has a v-groove for receiving and aligning optical fiber ends. The resilient biasing means acts between the gripping members to resiliently bias the gripping surfaces of the gripping members toward one another. In use of the mechanical splice, the gripping surfaces are urged toward one another with optical fiber ends in abutting alignment in the v-groove. The gripping surfaces plastically deform around the fiber ends to provide a larger area of contact between the fiber ends and the gripping surfaces.

Abstract: An optical fiber splicing device (20) includes a glass cylindrically shaped capillary tube member (24) having a passageway formed therethrough eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of the capillary tube member. The capillary tube member is provided with a slot (86) such that a portion of the passageway in the form of a groove (88) extends across a planar surface (87) formed by the slot. The capillary tube member is mounted in a housing (22) which is made of a material and formed to provide a lens opposite to the slot to facilitate visual inspection of ends of end portions of two optical fibers which are positioned in the groove. A spring clamp (26) is mounted to the housing in a first position spaced from the planar surface to allow insertion of fiber end portions into the groove.

Abstract: A field assemblable multifiber optical connector has a tubular housing enclosing a passage in which we inserted two plug assemblages having respective butting front end faces butting each other. Each assemblage comprises (a) a plug consisting of two plates spaced by a gap and having on opposite sides of such gap respective registering sets of laterally spaced gooves defining fiber receptacle channels running to such end faces, and respective pairs of longer groves deferring similarly running pin receptacle channels flanking such fiber channels, and (b) a resilient clip coupled to both guide plates to urge them towards each other and maintain them in alignment. Initially, each such assemblage also includes a comb at the back of the plug for aiding insertion of optical fibers into it. The housing also mounts in its passage a pair of aligning pins receivable partly in both one and the other of the plugs in their pin channels.

Abstract: Two sets of optical fiber ends to be connected are contained in opposing v-grooves in the respective interiors of a first (left) and a second (right) mating housings. In the unengaged position, the housing accesses are closed to protect the fibers. In the engaged position, the two housings form a protective enclosure. Each housing include mechanisms which are actuated by surface features of the other housing during mating engagement, to open the access doors to the housing interiors. Each fiber groove contains a fixed alignment ball whose center is on the fiber core axis. In the left housing, the v-groove in which the fiber and ball are contained, is formed on the underside of a pivotally mounted finger. When not engaged to the right housing, the finger is held in a retracted position. As the two housings engage, an actuator slidably mounted in the left housing is moved inwardly by contact with the right housing.