WO1996018876A1 - Clip-on device for optical power meter - Google Patents
Clip-on device for optical power meter Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1996018876A1 WO1996018876A1 PCT/US1995/013781 US9513781W WO9618876A1 WO 1996018876 A1 WO1996018876 A1 WO 1996018876A1 US 9513781 W US9513781 W US 9513781W WO 9618876 A1 WO9618876 A1 WO 9618876A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- fiber
- mandrel
- head
- alignment means
- support structure
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3616—Holders, macro size fixtures for mechanically holding or positioning fibres, e.g. on an optical bench
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/26—Optical coupling means
- G02B6/28—Optical coupling means having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals
- G02B6/2804—Optical coupling means having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers
- G02B6/2852—Optical coupling means having data bus means, i.e. plural waveguides interconnected and providing an inherently bidirectional system by mixing and splitting signals forming multipart couplers without wavelength selective elements, e.g. "T" couplers, star couplers using tapping light guides arranged sidewardly, e.g. in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the bus light guides (light extraction or launching through cladding, with or without surface discontinuities, bent structures)
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/36—Mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3628—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers
- G02B6/3632—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means
- G02B6/3636—Mechanical coupling means for mounting fibres to supporting carriers characterised by the cross-sectional shape of the mechanical coupling means the mechanical coupling means being grooves
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to devices for testing signals in cables, such as telecommunications signals, and more particularly to a device for testing the operation of an optical fiber which may be carrying an active signal.
- Clip-on device 10 that improves on these designs, and is probably the closest prior art to the present invention, is adapted to fasten onto a fiber support tray 12 as shown in Figure I .
- Tray 12 has an aperture 14 therein over which passes a fiber 16.
- a wall 18 surrounds aperture 14, and notches 20 are formed in wall 18 to allow the straight passage of the fiber across aperture 14.
- Clip-on device 10 has a head portion 22 in which resides an optical sensor, i.e., photodiode. Head 22 includes a fitting or shroud 24 which serves to block out ambient light from above the tray.
- Fiber guide 26 also provides nominal alignment with wall 18, i.e., the inner surface of wall 18 has a rectangular cross-section and is sized to fit the rectangular outer shape of fiber guide 26. Fiber guide 26 may be provided with a rectangular cutout to further align the mandrel with the waveguide.
- the prior art clip-on device 10 is shown in detail in the exploded perspective of Figure 2, and generally includes a handle 28 supporting both head 22 and a mandrel assembly 30, and a lever 32 for actuating the device by forcibly urging mandrel assembly 30 toward head 22.
- Head 22 has a cavity therein which receives a waveguide element 34 constructed of an optically transmissive material (such as acrylic) and having one or more optical sensors (not shown) integrated therein for detecting leakage of any light from a fiber placed against the element.
- the outer walls of the element may be painted (e.g., black), to further reduce the effect of ambient light and also reduce internal reflections within the waveguide.
- Adapter 36 preferably includes some strain relief structures.
- Cord 38 leads to the power meter (not shown) which interprets the detector information and converts it to, e.g., a decibel reading displayed on a liquid crystal display.
- Head 22 is attached to the upper arm 40 of handle 28.
- Mandrel assembly 30 includes a cylindrical member 42 which houses a shaft 44 on which is mounted a mandrel 46.
- Cylinder 42 is fixedly attached to the lower arm 48 of handle 28 by means of a retaining ring 50 which abuts an annular flange 52 on cylinder 42.
- Shaft 44 is allowed to slide within cylinder 42, by means of a bearing 54.
- a tubular housing or button 56 slides on the outside of cylinder 42, i.e., button 56 has an inner diameter which is approximately equal to the outer diameter of cylinder 42.
- Lever 32 which is pivotally attached at one end to handle 28, is coupled to button 56 by actuator pins 58 which engage grooves 60 formed on opposing sides of button 56.
- the force applied by lever 32 to mandrel 46 is further transmitted through another spring 68, abutting a second washer or flange 70 on shaft 44, i.e., mandrel 46 may slide within the upper portion of shaft 44. Compression of spring 68 determines the total force which can be applied by mandrel 46 to the fiber, and more particularly prescribes a set pressure level on the fiber, independent of operator induced loading beyond the initial load requirements.
- Flanges 64 and 70 provide solid contact between button 56, shaft 44 and the mandrel housing . Stop pins 72 also provide means for absolutely limiting the movement of mandrel 46 in the retracted position, while cross-pin 73 restrains rotational movement.
- Mandrel 46 is further aligned with fiber guide 26 by mandrel housing 74 which fits in the upper portion of cylinder 42.
- Guide wires 76 are used, in conjunction with longitudinal grooves 78 formed in the outer surface of mandrel housing 74, to properly seat mandrel housing 74 in cylinder 44.
- the use of the springs allows mandrel housing 74 to move into position first with mandrel 46 progressing toward the fiber after mandrel housing 74 has come to rest.
- a latching mechanism is provided to secure device 10 in a stowed position when it is not being used.
- This mechanism includes a latching cylinder 80 having inner flanges 82 which are adapted to contact lugs 84 on the outer surface of mandrel housing 74.
- lever 32 Prior to storage of the device, lever 32 is squeezed, without there being any fiber tray or other obstruction between head 22 and latching cylinder 80, raising mandrel housing 74 to engagement with fiber guide 26. This places mandrel housing 74 substantially above latching cylinder 80, such that twisting of cylinder 80 positions flanges 82 under lugs 84.
- Lever 32 may then be released, but mandrel housing 74 will remain locked against head 22, protecting waveguide element 34 as well as mandrel 46 from accidental damage or foreign contaminants.
- the latch will not permit closure of the device while the mandrel is in contact with the fiber, or allow closing of the device when it is attached to tray 12.
- fiber guide 26 to position head 22 prior to engagement of the fiber provides some improvement in the repeatability of measurements taken with clip-on device 10, but there is still a noticeable amount of movement between head 22 and tray 12 when the device is held on the tray, due to the manufacturing tolerances designed into the shapes of wall 18 and fiber guide 26.
- One prior art reference has attempted to provide alignment of the clip-on device with a fiber support structure, but that device suffers from the same limitations regarding manufacturing tolerances.
- European Patent Application No. 326,250 discloses the use of four (straight) latching posts formed on the fiber support structure which mate with holes formed in the bottom of the clip-on device.
- the present invention provides a system for tapping an optical fiber, generally comprising a fiber support structure, such as a tray, having an aperture passing therethrough, and having means for receiving an optical fiber with a portion of the fiber passing over the aperture, and a clip-on device having an optical head, a waveguide located in the optical head, and a mandrel adapted to position the optical fiber against the waveguide, there further being provided alignment means formed on the optical head and on the fiber aperture tray, proximate the aperture, effectively defining three nonlinear points of contact which further define a contact plane, the alignment means restricting all freedom of movement in the contact plane when the alignment means is engaged by forcibly abutting the optical head against the fiber tray.
- the 3 -point contact is provided by three protrusions which are attached to, and preferably integrally motded with, the fiber tray, proximate the aperture, and three holes formed in the head, adapted to receive the three protrusions, respectively.
- the protrusions comprise tapered cones each having a maximum diameter which is greater than the maximum diameter of said holes, such that the protrusions becomes nested in the holes in a highly repeatable manner
- An alternative alignment means comprises a rounded protrusion or ball attached to the tray, which mates with a nest formed in the head, and a cylindrical member attached to tray, oriented generally orthogonal to the ball which mates with a groove formed in the head. Similar alignment means may be used to provide initial alignment of the mandrel housing with the optical head, or more specifically, with a fiber guide located in the optical head.
- the mandrel housing is slidably received in a cylindrical member, forming a mandrel assembly.
- the housing may be provided with an outer surface whose cross-section is generally oval, and the cylindrical member provided with an inner surface whose cross-section is approximately the same shape and size as the oval mandrel housing cross-section, to prevent rotation of the mandrel housing within the cylindrical member.
- a latching mechanism may be formed by a bail provided on the actuation lever of the device which catches a shoulder screw mounted to the device.
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a prior art clip-on device and an associated fiber aperture tray.
- Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the prior art clip-on device of Figure 1 ;
- Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fiber aperture tray and clip-on device according to one embodiment of the present invention
- Figure 4 is a perspective view of a mandrel housing and fiber guide which may be used in the clip-on device of the present invention.
- Clip-on device 100 is generally identical to the prior art device of Figures I and 2 except for the following changes additions
- the primary improvement relates to the precise positioning of clip-on device 100 onto aperture tray 102 and, in this embodiment, comprises three protrusions or locating cones 104 which are attached to, and preferably integrally molded with, aperture tray 102, and more specifically to the wall 106 formed on tray 102, surrounding the aperture 108, and further comprising three holes 110 formed in the shroud 112 of device 100, adapted to receive cones 104.
- a 3-point, nested contact refers to the positioning of two structures such that there are effectively three, and only three, point-like areas of contact between the two structures, defined by three protrusions which nest in three corresponding depressions or indentations.
- An example of a particular type of 3-point, nested contact is a Boys' carriage of kinematic (or geometric) design theory.
- the 3-point, nested contact is not only self-aligning but also provides very repeatable alignment which, in the context of clip-on device 100, greatly improves the repeatability of optical measurements.
- the locating posts will seat themselves in the same position when the device is removed from the fiber supporting structure and repositioned onto the posts. Indeed, the wider tolerances used in these posts is actually due in part to the requirement of using more than three posts, and also due to having posts which are essentially straight rather than tapered.
- the surface features providing the 3-point contact need not be made to exacting specifications, nor do the exact location of the points of contact need to be controlled. All that is required is that the 3-points be nonlinear, and that the protrusions be nested such that movement in the two degrees of freedom of the contact plane is restricted.
- nest structures may provide this function.
- the cones could be formed on shroud 112 and the holes formed in wall 106.
- Cylinders can also be used in grooves.
- a single ball nested in a cavity coupled with a cylinder lying in a groove which is not collinear with the cavity would also constitute a 3 -point, nested contact (this construction is discussed further below in conjunction with Figure 4, although there it is used to align the mandrel and waveguide, instead of the clip-on head and tray).
- a cylinder may be thought of as having an infinite number of points of contact along its length, according to kinematic theory there are effectively only two such points as a result of tolerances; if there were more than two points of actual contact, this would be a result of unnecessarily tight tolerances, and consequently wasted manufacturing cost since the multiple contact points would still be collinear and so not provide any further alignment or restriction of movement.
- the cylinder and ball arrangement effectively has only three points of contact.
- manufacturing of the alignment features is simplified in the present invention and tooling cost is minimized.
- the 3-point, nested contact may also be applied to the alignment of the mandrel 114 with the optical waveguide which houses the photodiode or active device.
- the mandrel housing 116 on clip- on device 100' has on its upper surface a ball 118 or other protrusion having an arcuate shape, and a cylinder 120 oriented orthogonal to ball 118.
- ball 118 becomes nested in N-groove 124 of fiber guide 126
- cylinder 120 becomes nested in a cross-groove 128 formed in fiber guide 126.
- Ball 118 should be sufficiently large so that it does not crimp the fiber, positioned at the apex of V-groove 124.
- This construction provides for a high degree of positional repeatability of mandrel 114 with the optical waveguide prior to mandrel 114 touching the fiber, again without requiring excessively tight tolerances in the fabrication of the grooves or the ball and cylinder.
- Another cost-saving improvement is shown in Figure 4.
- the cylinder 130 which slidably receives mandrel housing 116 has an inner surface whose cross- section is generally oval or elliptical.
- Mandrel housing 116 accordingly has an outer surface with an oval shape of approximately the same size. This construction prevents the rotation of mandrel housing 116, but eliminates the guide wires used in the prior art device.
- Additional repeatability in optical measurements may be achieved by minimizing operator influence, specifically, by providing means for locking device 100' in its actuated position, but without manual assistance, i.e., continual squeezing of the handle.
- Such locking means may take the form of a bail attached to the actuation lever which catches on a shoulder screw attached to the handle, or a twisting knob on the handle which engages the cylindrical member of the mandrel assembly.
- the clip-on device of the present invention could incorporate additional features, such as dampening of the mandrel movement or sensors for the mandrel, as taught in U.S. Patent No. 5, 138,690
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CA002205594A CA2205594A1 (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1995-10-25 | Clip-on device for optical power meter |
EP95937632A EP0797760A1 (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1995-10-25 | Clip-on device for optical power meter |
JP8518773A JPH10511178A (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1995-10-25 | Clip-on device for optical power meter |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US08/358,197 | 1994-12-16 | ||
US08/358,197 US5483610A (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1994-12-16 | Clip-on device for optical power meter |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1996018876A1 true WO1996018876A1 (en) | 1996-06-20 |
Family
ID=23408663
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US1995/013781 WO1996018876A1 (en) | 1994-12-16 | 1995-10-25 | Clip-on device for optical power meter |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US5483610A (en) |
EP (1) | EP0797760A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH10511178A (en) |
CA (1) | CA2205594A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO1996018876A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5742715A (en) * | 1995-12-21 | 1998-04-21 | Lucent Technologies Inc. | Optical fiber status analyzer and related methods |
WO2007087897A1 (en) * | 2006-01-31 | 2007-08-09 | Pirelli & C. S.P.A. | Method and device for optical fiber connection |
KR20160145049A (en) | 2014-04-11 | 2016-12-19 | 록히드 마틴 코포레이션 | System and method for non-contact optical-power measurement |
EP3182053B1 (en) * | 2015-12-17 | 2018-08-29 | Hexagon Technology Center GmbH | Optical probe and coordinate measuring machine having an integrally formed interface |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA1213057A (en) * | 1984-10-25 | 1986-10-21 | Northern Telecom Limited | Method and apparatus for measuring absolute fiber junction loss |
US4741584A (en) * | 1986-12-29 | 1988-05-03 | Motorola Inc. | Fiber optic tap connector and method |
WO1990013839A1 (en) * | 1989-05-04 | 1990-11-15 | Raynet Corporation | Optical fiber tap utilizing reflector and resilient closure |
Family Cites Families (23)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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US4728169A (en) * | 1981-04-27 | 1988-03-01 | Raychem Corp. | Methods and apparatus for optical fiber systems |
US4747652A (en) * | 1981-04-27 | 1988-05-31 | Raychem Corporation | Optical fiber coupler |
US4790617A (en) * | 1981-04-27 | 1988-12-13 | Raychem Corp. | Methods and apparatus for optical fiber systems |
US4834482A (en) * | 1981-04-27 | 1989-05-30 | Raychem Corp. | Optical fiber coupler |
US4586783A (en) * | 1983-05-23 | 1986-05-06 | Raychem Corporation | Signal coupler for buffered optical fibers |
JPS6079244A (en) * | 1983-10-07 | 1985-05-07 | Nippon Telegr & Teleph Corp <Ntt> | Propagating light detection apparatus of optical fiber without cutting |
US4759605A (en) * | 1985-07-15 | 1988-07-26 | Raychem Corporation | Apparatus for coupling light between an optical fiber and a light element |
US4824199A (en) * | 1987-02-13 | 1989-04-25 | Raychem Corp. | Optical fiber tap utilizing reflector |
GB8706929D0 (en) * | 1987-03-24 | 1987-04-29 | British Telecomm | Optical coupling device |
GB8800666D0 (en) * | 1988-01-13 | 1988-02-10 | British Telecomm | Optical fibre handling apparatus |
GB8800667D0 (en) * | 1988-01-13 | 1988-02-10 | British Telecomm | Optical power meter |
US5220703A (en) * | 1989-04-06 | 1993-06-22 | Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Co. | Combination of optical connector cleaner and holder jig |
US4961620A (en) * | 1989-12-20 | 1990-10-09 | Raychem Corporation | Optical bypass switch |
US4981334A (en) * | 1989-12-22 | 1991-01-01 | Raynet Corp. | Compact optical fiber coupler |
GB9015992D0 (en) * | 1990-07-20 | 1990-09-05 | British Telecomm | Optical tap |
US5138690A (en) * | 1990-09-28 | 1992-08-11 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Fiber identifier |
FR2673003B1 (en) * | 1991-02-15 | 1993-04-23 | Cegelec | OPTICAL PICKUP COUPLER. |
US5311614A (en) * | 1992-03-31 | 1994-05-10 | The Whitaker Corporation | Single mode fiber optic variable attenuator with supported optical fiber |
US5315365A (en) * | 1992-06-17 | 1994-05-24 | Laser Precision Corp. | Macrobend splice loss tester for fiber optic splices with silicon gel cushion on optical coupling blocks |
US5259051A (en) * | 1992-08-28 | 1993-11-02 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Optical fiber interconnection apparatus and methods of making interconnections |
JP3352199B2 (en) * | 1993-02-10 | 2002-12-03 | 住友電気工業株式会社 | Optical fiber wiring switching device |
US5402511A (en) * | 1993-06-11 | 1995-03-28 | The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Method of forming an improved tapered waveguide by selectively irradiating a viscous adhesive resin prepolymer with ultra-violet light |
US5409074A (en) * | 1993-11-16 | 1995-04-25 | Haworth, Inc. | Motorized vehicle with fiber-optic joystick controller |
-
1994
- 1994-12-16 US US08/358,197 patent/US5483610A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1995
- 1995-10-25 EP EP95937632A patent/EP0797760A1/en not_active Ceased
- 1995-10-25 CA CA002205594A patent/CA2205594A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1995-10-25 JP JP8518773A patent/JPH10511178A/en active Pending
- 1995-10-25 WO PCT/US1995/013781 patent/WO1996018876A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CA1213057A (en) * | 1984-10-25 | 1986-10-21 | Northern Telecom Limited | Method and apparatus for measuring absolute fiber junction loss |
US4741584A (en) * | 1986-12-29 | 1988-05-03 | Motorola Inc. | Fiber optic tap connector and method |
WO1990013839A1 (en) * | 1989-05-04 | 1990-11-15 | Raynet Corporation | Optical fiber tap utilizing reflector and resilient closure |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPH10511178A (en) | 1998-10-27 |
US5483610A (en) | 1996-01-09 |
EP0797760A1 (en) | 1997-10-01 |
CA2205594A1 (en) | 1996-06-20 |
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