WO1995007794A1 - Outil a biseauter pour fibres optiques - Google Patents

Outil a biseauter pour fibres optiques Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1995007794A1
WO1995007794A1 PCT/US1994/007970 US9407970W WO9507794A1 WO 1995007794 A1 WO1995007794 A1 WO 1995007794A1 US 9407970 W US9407970 W US 9407970W WO 9507794 A1 WO9507794 A1 WO 9507794A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
adapter
fiber
arm
platter
abrasive surface
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1994/007970
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
James B. Carpenter
John J. Daugherty
Richard A. Patterson
William E. Saaranen
Original Assignee
Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company filed Critical Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
Publication of WO1995007794A1 publication Critical patent/WO1995007794A1/fr

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
    • B24B—MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
    • B24B19/00—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group
    • B24B19/22—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground
    • B24B19/226—Single-purpose machines or devices for particular grinding operations not covered by any other main group characterised by a special design with respect to properties of the material of non-metallic articles to be ground of the ends of optical fibres

Definitions

  • the present invention generally relates to optical fibers, and more particularly to the preparation of a terminal end of an optical fiber which is to be connected to another fiber or an optical device.
  • optical fiber has surpassed copper as the preferred medium for telecommunications.
  • Optical connectors and splices are used to interconnect fiber optic cables, and to terminate fibers at electro- optical devices.
  • a "connector” often refers to a device which allows repeatable engagement and disengagement of the cable, while a “splice” typically refers to a device which is used for the permanent attachment of two cable ends.
  • the terminal end of the fiber is physically prepared in order to optimize transmission of the signal at the interface between adjacent fibers (or between a fiber and an electro-optical component) .
  • the fiber ends are usually cleaved and/or polished.
  • beveling chamfering
  • the end face of the fiber may improve connector performance.
  • Figure 1A in which the angles of the end faces are exaggerated for purposes of illustration
  • Figure 1A if the end faces are not perfectly parallel, there will be a slight gap at the center of the fibers, where the entire signal travels along the innermost core. This is usually the case when the fibers are simply cleaved and not polished.
  • signal transmission usually improves (insertion loss is lower) with beveled fibers, in part due to the smaller longitudinal separation s at the fiber centers.
  • the fibers have been cleaved and beveled, but not polished.
  • polishing refers to grinding the entire surface of the fiber end face, particularly the central portion thereof.
  • beveling or chamfering only grinds the periphery of the fiber or, alternatively, leaves a central portion of the end face untouched.
  • the fiber is less likely to skive or scrape material from a splice element formed of a soft material, such as aluminum.
  • FIG. 2 The primary method in the prior art for imparting a bevel to a fiber is depicted in Figure 2.
  • an abrasive pad 1 is mounted on a grinding wheel 2 attached to a spindle or shaft 3.
  • a collet 4 which is spatially fixed with respect to wheel 2, holds the fiber 5 to be beveled.
  • Collet 4 is provided with a gear 6 which causes fiber 5 to rotate as it contacts pad 1.
  • This device has several significant disadvantages. Since the collet is fixed with respect to the grinding wheel, it is very limited in the bevel geometry it can generate. Specifically, since the distance from collet 4 to pad 1 is constant, the length of fiber l extending from collet 4 is likewise constant. Also, the angle of inclination of collet 4 is fixed. These limitations preclude wide selection of end face diameters and included angles of the bevel surface. Additionally, rotation of collet 4 via gear 6 induces torsional stress on that portion of the fiber leading away from the device, which could damage the fiber and even lead to breakage
  • Beveling may eliminate the time and expense associated with polishing, but it is of less overall benefit if the beveling process is more demanding than polishing. It would, therefore, be desirable and advantageous to devise a simple apparatus for quickly imparting a beveled finish to the end face of an optical fiber. Such an apparatus should, however, overcome the limitations of the device shown in Figure 2 relating to the geometry of the bevel and torsional stress on the fiber.
  • the present invention provides a bevel generating tool generally comprising a base having an abrasive surface, an arm attached to the base in such a manner as to allow relative translational motion between the arm and the abrasive surface, and an adapter securing the terminal portion of the optical fiber, the adapter being removably attached to the arm.
  • the adapter is preferably mounted to the arm such that it may rotate, with respect to the arm, as the arm moves about the abrasive surface. In this manner, the adapter does not actually rotate (from an absolute frame of reference) , relieving torsional stress which might otherwise be induced on the fiber.
  • the arm may be fixed to a shaft which is rotatably mounted to the base.
  • means may be provided for moving the abrasive surface while keeping the arm and adapter fixed.
  • Such means may take the form of a platter attached to a motor (via a crank arm or pulley system) located inside the base.
  • the arm may further be designed to receive a second adapter, having a keying element or other means for mechanically polarizing the adapter when attached to the arm.
  • the second adapter may be used to impart an angle polish to the beveled fiber endface.
  • Optical fibers having beveled end faces exhibit improved performance in both ultimode and singlemode applications, and in both discrete (single) and multifiber connectors and splices. Beveled fibers may be used with or without index matching gel. The beveling process is simple and may require less than a minute to complete per fiber. Beveling may be performed manually or with a motorized tool.
  • Figure 1A is a side elevational view of the interface between two optical fibers having cleaved end faces
  • Figure IB is a side elevational view of the interface between two optical fibers having beveled end faces
  • Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a prior art fiber beveling machine
  • Figure 3 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the optical fiber beveling tool of the present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a top plan view of the beveling tool of Figure 3, with the fiber adapter omitted;
  • Figure 5 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the optical fiber beveling tool of the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a front elevational view of the beveling tool of Figure 5, but the adapter arm has been rotated 90° to illustrate the fiber bow;
  • Figure 7 is a partial sectional view along lines 7-7 of Figure 5, depicting angle polishing of the previously beveled fiber
  • Figure 8 is a sectional view of an alternative abrasive surface for the embodiment of Figure 4.
  • Figure 9 is top plan view of yet another embodiment of the optical fiber beveling tool of the present invention.
  • Figure 10 is a sectional view along lines 10-10 of Figure 9;
  • Figure 11 is sectional view of an alternative fiber adapter
  • Figure 12 is a sectional view of still another embodiment of the optical fiber beveling tool of the present invention.
  • Figure 13 is a top plan view of the beveling tool of Figure 12, depicting its cover assembly;
  • Figure 14 is a top plan view of the tool of Figure 12, with the cover assembly removed, illustrating movement of the abrasive media platter and cam slide;
  • Figure 15 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of the optical fiber beveling tool of the present invention, similar to that of Figure 12.
  • Tool 10 is generally comprised of a base 12, a rotating fiber adapter arm 14, and a hand ⁇ held fiber adapter 16.
  • Base 12 has an abrasive surface 18 formed thereon for grinding the fiber end periphery during the beveling process.
  • abrasive surface 18 is defined by the outer wall of a circular channel 20 formed at the upper end 22 of base 12 (it could also be formed along the inner wall of channel 20) .
  • the abrasive nature of surface 18 may be created using either loose particle abrasives or micro-abrasive film adhesively secured to the outer wall of channel 20.
  • Base 12 may be constructed of any durable material, such as polycarbonate or aluminum.
  • Arm 14 is fixed to a shaft 24 which is rotatably mounted in base 12 by means of bearings 26, spacers 28 and C-clip 29.
  • a set screw 30 may be used to adjust the effective length of arm 14, i.e., the proximity of the end 32 of fiber 34 to surface 18.
  • arm 14 could be rotatably mounted to base 12 without the need for a rotating shaft.
  • Arm 14 is releasably attached to shaft 24 by retainer screw 36.
  • Arm 14 and shaft 24 may also be constructed of any durable material, preferably a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel.
  • Arm 14 has a hole 38 therein near its distal end 40, for receiving fiber adapter 14. Hole 38 does not extend normal to the plane of arm 14, but is slightly skewed. In this manner, the portion of fiber 34 immediately exiting adapter 16 is oriented at an oblique angle with respect to surface 18, and the resilient nature of optical fiber 34 causes it to bow near end 32. This resilience also maintains end 32 in forcible abutment with the abrasive media on surface 18. Adapter 14 secures fiber 34 by means of an elastomeric gripping collet which may be conveniently attached to an implement which facilitates manual grasping.
  • a polyurethane collet 42 (preferably having a durometer of about 50-80 Shore D) is inserted in an empty field mount ST ceramic connector 44 (after the collet has been threaded with the fiber) .
  • a bearing 46 is provided in hole 38 to allow rotation of fiber adapter 16 with respect to arm 14.
  • the end face diameter d and the included angle A of the bevel are the two main parameters of a beveled cylinder. These parameters are theoretically adjustable within a wide range, depending upon the size of the fiber. While tool 10 is somewhat limited in the ranges it can generate, the other embodiments of the present invention described below may be used to produce wide ranges in beveling, from just lightly chamfering the edge, to grinding away nearly all of the end face except for the core.
  • the bevel profiles illustrated in the drawings should therefore not be construed in a limiting manner.
  • single mode fibers having an outside diameter of 125 ⁇ m (0.005") and a concentric, 7.6 ⁇ m (0.0003") diameter core were beveled with end face diameters ranging from 117 ⁇ m (0.0046") to 15.2 ⁇ m (0.0006"). Consistent repeatability was achieved to within ⁇ 7.6 ⁇ m (0.0003") .
  • Included angles for the 125 ⁇ m fibers ranged from 40° to 160°, although the range of included angles for tool 10 was about 70° ⁇ 10°. The included angle is ultimately limited by the length of the fiber that can extend beyond the fiber adapter (in tool 10, this limit could be increased by making channel 20 deeper and adjusting the angle of adapter 16) .
  • the included angle can be controlled with excellent repeatability by accurately measuring the length of the fiber, such as by using a length setting fixture (not shown) , similar to a ruler or a micrometer. Concentrici- ty of the end face of the fiber is maintained with respect to the outside diameter thereof.
  • adapter 16 Once adapter 16 is positioned, it is grasped between the thumb and forefinger and used to rotate arm 14 in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. As explained above, the fiber does not rotate as it is clamped in collet 42 secured to adapter 16 which is held by the user. This causes the entire fiber edge periphery to come into contact with abrasive media upon each complete rotation of the adapter arm, consequently generating a conical bevel. As explained below, a specific number of arm rotations results in a particular end face diameter. After the desired number of rotations, adapter 16 is removed from arm 14, fiber 34 is removed from collet 30, and its end is cleaned using conventional methods. Typical times spent rotating arm 16 range from three to five minutes. Insertion and removal of fiber 34 from collet 30, and cleaning of the
  • SUBSTITUTESHEET(RULE28) fiber take about a minute.
  • the first is removal of end face surface imperfections caused by the cleaving process, particularly protruding defects at the edge which are common among cleaved fibers.
  • Another benefit is the reduction of fiber end face separation as shown in Figures 1A and IB.
  • Yet another benefit is the reduction in end face surface area which may improve physical contact between interconnected fibers. As noted above, this also allows smoother insertion into fiber optic devices.
  • a related benefit is the improved edge strength of a beveled end face, since there is more supporting glass behind the edge, i.e., the chamfer surface is frusto-conical.
  • tool 10 has several other advantages. It is relatively lightweight and may be very compact, which facilitates transportation and storage. While the dimensions of tool 10 may vary considerably depending upon the particular applications, the following approximate dimensions are deemed exemplary for beveling most conventional fibers used in telecommunications.
  • Base 12 has a diameter of 5.1 cm (2") , and is 4.4 cm (1%") high, from the bottom of base 12 to the top of adapter arm 14. Hole 38 is oriented at a 30° angle with respect to the normal of arm 14, i.e., with respect to surface 18.
  • tool 10 is manually driven and requires no power source.
  • means could be provided to motorize arm 14 (and prevent rotation of adapter 16) , which would require that tool 10 also include a battery (or solar cells) for portability, or have a transformer or other means for converting standard 110 volt AC power.
  • Other manual techniques could be provided to motorize arm 14 (and prevent rotation of adapter 16) , which would require that tool 10 also include a battery (or solar cells) for portability, or have a transformer or other means for converting standard 110 volt AC power.
  • SUBSTITUTESHEET(RULE28) could be used to drive arm 14, such as a spring wound motor, flywheel, turbine, etc.
  • Tool 50 has a body 52 which houses a rotating shaft supported by bearings in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 3.
  • Body 52 also acts as a handle for the tool.
  • a disk 54 is attached to body 52 at one end thereof, the disk having another abrasive surface 56.
  • An arm 58 adjacent disk 54 is attached to the rotating shaft inside body 52.
  • Arm 58 has a hole therein to rotatably support an adapter 60 which is similar to adapter 14. As shown in Figure 6, a fiber held in adapter 60 will undergo the same bowing toward its end where it contacts abrasive surface 56.
  • a gage may be used to set the length of fiber extending beyond adapter 60 (the fiber set length) .
  • the amount of bowing of the fiber determines its included angle and the amount of force imparted, which determines the material removal rate at the periphery.
  • Arm 58 may be moved clockwise or counterclockwise. Operation is essentially identical to that with tool 10 and, as with tool 10, the fiber itself does not rotate or twist when using tool 50 since adapter 60 is free to rotate in arm 58, and it is held by the user during movement of arm 58. With every complete rotation of the pivot arm, the complete end periphery of the fiber contacts the abrasive media.
  • a conventional counter 62 may optionally be provided to track the number of revolutions of arm 58.
  • Counter 62 which has a reset button 64, is attached to body 52 by a bracket 66.
  • Figures 5-7 also depict the optional provision of a second fiber adapter 70 which may be seated in a second hole of arm 58.
  • Adapter 70 may be used to impart an angled end face to a fiber which has already been beveled. Angle polishing the end face of a fiber is known to minimize the adverse effects of back reflections which occur when a signal traverses the fiber end face.
  • the outer portion of abrasive surface 56 may be coarser for beveling (e.g., 5 ⁇ m grit), than the inner or central portion which is finer for polishing (e.g., 0.3 ⁇ m grit).
  • adapter 70 should be compatible with both of these holes so that the user does not have to remove the fiber from one adapter and place it into another.
  • the fiber set length is adjusted, however, when moving the adapter from the beveling hole to the polishing hole, by the difference in height where adapter 70 rests on arm 58. This adjustment (decreasing the fiber set length to slightly greater than the distance from the adapter to surface 56) changes the pitch of the fiber end, and results in removal of a portion of the end face rather than the periphery.
  • adapter 70 In order to polish a flat angled finish, it is necessary to fix adapter 70 to arm 58 (nevertheless, tool 50 can still, if desired, avoid actual rotation of the fiber by moving the entire body 52 and disk 54 in a circular motion while maintaining adaptor 70 fixed; such manipulation of tool 50 is facilitated by its hand-held nature) .
  • Adapter 70 may be fixed on arm 58 by any convenient means, such as keying it with a spline which mates with a corresponding groove formed in the polishing hole of arm 58, or providing other mechanical polarizing means.
  • a ring or bushing may be placed about adapter 70 to be gripped with fingers if arm 58 is to rotate while body 52 is stationary.
  • the outermost hole of arm 58 could also be used to polish an angled end face, but the present invention is primarily directed to a fiber beveling tool and so, in the preferred embodiment of tool 50, the outermost hole in arm 58 is not design for fixed (keyed) attachment.
  • Use of the optional polishing adapter could also be designed into a modified version of tool 10.
  • the effective orientation of surface 18 (i.e., the orientation of the tangent plane defined at any point of contact between fiber 34 and cylindrical surface 18) is parallel to the axis of rotation of arm 14.
  • tool 50 orients abrasive surface 56 perpendicular to the axis of rotation of arm 58.
  • abrasive surface 18 which was oriented at a non-orthogonal angle but still not parallel to the axis of rotation of arm 14, i.e., at an oblique angle.
  • a frusto-conical surface 68 could be provided as shown in Figure 8, wherein the axis of the cone coincides with the rotating shaft.
  • channel 20 could be formed in an insert element which is removably positioned in the upper end of base 12, and a plurality of such inserts interchangeably used to provide abrasive surfaces at different angles.
  • flat disk 54 there are, however, some advantages in using flat disk 54 to support the abrasive surface.
  • abrasive pads which are the appropriate size and shape for a disk, and they are easily replaced.
  • There is also more useable abrasive media particularly if the length arm 58 is adjusted to use different ring areas over the radius of the pad.
  • tool 50 is both lightweight and compact. While its dimensions may also vary, the following approximate dimensions are considered exemplary for tool 50. Its overall length (from the tip of counter 62 to the top of arm 58) is 23 cm (9") , with an additional 2.5 cm (1") for the fiber adapter. The abrasive disk is 10 cm (4") in diameter.
  • Tool 72 is intended for bench use. It includes a base 74 having another rotatably mounted shaft 76, with another arm 78 attached to shaft 76. Operation of tool 72 is similar to that of tool 50. Tool 72 may be designed for use with a different type of adapter 80 depicted in Figure 11, which grips the fiber more securely than adapter 16. Different adapters, each having the same outer dimensions, may be used for different fibers, i.e., 250 ⁇ m and 900 ⁇ m fibers, or even fiber ribbons, with only the inner fiber passageway being different.
  • beveling tools described herein may be used to bevel multi-fiber ribbons as well as discrete fibers.
  • a fiber ribbon will not flex (bow) in the identical manner as a discrete fiber (i.e., it is stiffer along its transverse dimension) , but a satisfactory bevel may still be formed, although it may be oval about the periphery rather than perfectly circular.
  • the different adapters can fit into a common nest in arm 78.
  • adapter 80 could also be used with the other beveling tools described herein.
  • Adapter 80 has a body 82 with a collet portion 84 and a cap 86 movable on the collet between a raised, open position and a lowered, closed position.
  • An inwardly extending annular flange 88 formed in one end of cap 86 provides a friction fit for both positions, by seating in one of two grooves on either side of an annular ridge 90 formed at the juncture of collet 84 and body 82.
  • cap 86 moves about 2 mm (0.08") between the open and closed positions.
  • Cap 86 and body 82 are constructed of any resilient material, preferably a polymer such as DELRINTM, an acetal polymer available from E.I. duPont de Nemours of Wilmington, Delaware.
  • Collet 84 has a hole therethrough for receiving the fiber, and the entrance end of collet 84 has several slots extending from edge to edge through the fiber hole, approximately one-third the length of the adapter 80.
  • the outer surface of collet 84 and the inner surface of cap 86 are conical or tapered, so that moving cap 86 to its lowered position creates a confining pressure about collet 84, collapsing it partially about the slots, thereby compressing the fiber and securing it in the adapter.
  • Closing adapter 80 does not affect the position of the fiber which is important since the fiber set length is measured with a gage prior to closing.
  • the fiber hole through collet 84 and body 82 is preferably about 280 ⁇ m (0.011") in diameter.
  • An adapter for 900 ⁇ m fiber would have a hole about 1 mm (0.04") in diameter.
  • the hole through a fiber ribbon adapter (e.g., for a 12-fiber ribbon) would be more of a slot, with a width of about 280 ⁇ m (0.011") and a length of about 3.2 mm (0.125").
  • cap 86 also has a hole therethrough, preferably tapered, for insertion of the fiber and alignment with the fiber passageway in collet 84.
  • the overall height of adapter 80 is approximately 3.2 cm (1 "); the lower body has a diameter of about 0.6 cm (V) # and the cap has a diameter of about 1 cm (0.4"), with a flange width of 1.5 cm (0.6").
  • the following approximate dimensions are considered exemplary for tool 72.
  • Base 74 is 10.8 cm (4V) in diameter, and 5 cm (2") high, although the overall height (from the bottom of base 74 to the top of the cam clamp mentioned below) is 9.9 cm (3.9").
  • Arm 78 is 10.5 cm (4.13") long.
  • a flange 92 is formed on body 82 as a reference for the fiber set length, and to attach adapter 80 on arm 78.
  • adapter 80 is secured to arm 78 by spring-loaded locking clamps 94.
  • Clamps 94 pivot about shoulder screws 96 and are adjacent a plate 98, forming part of arm 78, having a slot 100 therein defining a track for adapter 80.
  • an adapter 80 may be inserted into clamps 94 by sliding the adapter along plate 98, in slot 100 (from the left side of Figure 9), to nest area 102.
  • By sliding adapter 80 onto arm 78 in this manner the end of the fiber slides onto and across abrasive surface 104. This minimizes possible damage to the fiber end face which might otherwise occur if the adapter were moved downward onto nest area 102, and which would require re- cleaving.
  • adapter 80 When adapter 80 is in nest 102, the ends of clamps 94 overlie flange 92 and restrict upward motion (accidental removal) of adapter 80, although there is sufficient clearance between the clamps and flange 92 to allow rotation of adapter 80 as arm 78 rotates. After the fiber has been beveled, adapter 80 may be upwardly removed by squeezing the handle portions of clamps 94, thereby retracting the clamps from over flange 92.
  • tool 72 Another optional feature of tool 72 is the ability to index the adapter arm, i.e., adjust its length, which allows greater use and life of the abrasive sheet on surface 104. In the preferred embodiment of tool 72, this is achieved by machining multiple slots 106 in an extension 108 of arm 78, the slots being perpendicular to the axis of shaft 76. A pin 110 smaller in diameter than slots 106 is pressed though shaft 76 to locate arm 78 in one of many indexed positions. A cam clamp 112 attached to the top of shaft 76 has a radius cam surface 114 which applies and releases clamping forces to adapter arm 78 through a bushing 116. This mechanism allows quick indexing of arm 78.
  • Cam clamp 112 is shown in its clamping position, with the release position indicated with dashed lines.
  • a pin 118 retains cam clamp 112 on shaft 76, but can be removed to quickly and easily disassemble clamp 112, bushing 116 and arm 76 from shaft 76 to permit changing of the abrasive sheet at surface 104.
  • the abrasive media is formed on a disk which may also rotate about shaft 76.
  • the disk is connected by a gear train to shaft 76, such that movement of arm 78 causes counter- rotation of the disk, speeding up beveling time.
  • a motorized embodiment 120 of the fiber beveling tool of the present invention is presented.
  • Tool 120 uses the same principles as the foregoing tools to bevel the fiber end without twisting the fiber.
  • Tool 120 includes a base 122 housing a motor 124 (preferably having a 280 rpm output at 12 volts) .
  • Base 122 should also house a power source for motor 124, i.e., a battery or a 110 volt to 12 volt converter (not shown) .
  • a coupling 125 attaches the shaft 126 of motor 124 to a crank arm 128.
  • the upper end of crank arm 128 is rotatably mounted to a platter 130 by means of a bearing 132 inserted in a socket 134 formed in the lower surface of platter 130. Movement of platter 130 is limited by a sliding plate 136 having a generally rectangular cutout 138 therein, the cutout surrounding socket 134; the outer wall of socket 134 is accordingly generally square in shape.
  • sliding plate 136 Movement of sliding plate 136 is in turn limited by slide retainers 140, which allow sliding movement of plate 136 in only one direction, and by the inner walls 142 of base 122.
  • platter 130 which supports the abrasive media, may move in an orbiting fashion about the axis of shaft 126, but platter 130 does not necessarily rotate due to bearing 132.
  • Crank arm 128 draws a circle about 3.8 cm (1.5") in diameter.
  • a cover assembly 144 shown in Figure 13 overlies base 122 and receives a plurality of adapters 80.
  • Cover assembly 144 includes a cover plate 146 having a plurality of slots 148 similar to slot 100 in arm 78 of tool 72.
  • Cover plate 146 is generally circular and slots 148 extend radially thereon from the periphery of plate 146 toward the center thereof, where each slot terminates in a nest area 150 near the center of plate 146.
  • cover plate 146 has eight slots, and may thus simultaneously bevel eight different fibers (more or less slots could be provided) .
  • Adapters 80 may be secured in nest areas 150 by means of a fiber adapter lock 152 rotatably attached to plate 146 at the center thereof.
  • Fiber adapter lock 152 has a plurality of spokes or fingers 154 which extend toward nest areas 152, but the fingers are spaced widely enough to allow upward removal of adapters 80 when lock 152 is in its open position. By slightly twisting lock 152 to its closed position, one of the fingers 154 overlies each nest area, securing the adapters by retaining flanges 92 thereof. As with the foregoing embodiments, the fibers do not rotate during the beveling process, i.e., fiber adapter 80 does not rotate when platter 130 is orbiting. Bevels were generated on fibers within 15 seconds with this tool.
  • Base 122 is 22 cm
  • Tool 160 is very similar to tool 120, and includes a base 162 housing a motor 164 which may be coupled, via reduction gears, to a shaft 166.
  • Base 162 of tool 160 may also house conventional components (not shown) related to motor 164, such as a battery, speed selector switch, and timer circuit.
  • tool 160 induces orbiting motion of the abrasive media platter 168 using a pulley system.
  • Shaft 166 is fixed to a crank arm 170 which has a hole therein at one end for receiving the platter axle 172, and a counterweight at the other end.
  • Axle 172 is free to rotate in the hole due to the presence of a bearing 174 located therein.
  • the lowest end of axle 172 passes through a pulley 176 which is coupled by a flexible belt (not shown) to another pulley 178.
  • Pulley 178 which rotatably receives motor shaft 166, is fixed to base 162 by any convenient means, such as screws. In this manner, as motor shaft 166 rotates, crank arm 174 causes platter 168 to orbit.
  • the diameter of pulley 178 is slightly shorter than the diameter of pulley 176 whereby platter 168 will rotate several degrees upon completion of each orbit, ensuring that the fiber end will consistently be exposed to unused abrasive media, extending the life of the abrasive sheet.
  • Figure 15 also illustrates the alternative use of guide rails 180 to retain the fiber adapters 80 on the cover 182 of tool 160.
  • cover 182 may have a plurality of slots therein for receiving the adapters.
  • Guide rails 180 overlap a portion of the slots, with sufficient clearance to receive flange 92 of adapter 80. This prevents the accidental upward movement of the adapter during insertion which might lead to fiber end face contact with the abrasive surface, causing damage to the end face.
  • Guide rails 180 may be provided with integral leaf springs at the adapter nest areas to forcibly secure the adapters during the beveling operation.
  • Base 162 is 21.6 cm (8.5") square, and its overall height is 13.5 cm (5.3").
  • the distance from the abrasive surface to the bottom of the fiber adapter (when it is fully inserted into the slots in cover 182) is 7.65 mm.
  • a user of tool 160 may generate a bevel with a desired included angle A and a desired end face diameter d for a glass fiber by adjust ⁇ ing the fiber set length and rotating arm the number of turns indicated in the following table. These data were gathered using a 250 ⁇ m buffered fiber (with a 10 mm strip length) and Imperial Lapping Film with a 1.5 ⁇ m grit (diamond abrasive) .
  • Platter 168 rotated at 240 orbits per minute. -19-
  • a device for removing a portion of the end of an optical fiber along its periphery comprising: a base member having an abrasive surface; adapter means for releasably securing a length of the fiber near its end, said adapter means allowing adjustment of the length; arm means, attached to said base member, for providing relative translational motion between said adapter means and said abrasive surface, and for maintaining said adapter means and said abrasive surface a constant distance apart during said relative motion, said distance being shorter than the secured length of the fiber and said adapter means being oriented with respect to said abrasive surface such that the fiber is bowed near its end, and its periphery forcibly abuts said abrasive surface during said relative motion.
  • said base member has a disk member affixed thereto, said disk member bearing said abrasive surface; said base member further has a shaft member rotatably mounted thereon, said arm means being affixed to said shaft member; and said adapter means is releasably attached to said arm means.
  • the device of Claim 1 further comprising: a platter member bearing said abrasive surface; a crank arm member rotatably mounted on said base member, said platter member being attached to an end of said crank arm member; and means, attached to said base member, for

Abstract

Outil permettant de biseauter l'extrémité d'une fibre optique. L'outil selon l'invention comporte une base présentant une surface abrasive et un bras supportant un adaptateur permettant de fixer la partie terminale de la fibre à biseauter. Le bras est fixé à la base de manière à permettre un mouvement de translation entre le bras et la surface abrasive. Dans un mode de réalisation, la surface abrasive se trouve le long d'une paroi d'un canal circulaire formé dans l'extrémité supérieure de la base. Dans d'autres modes de réalisation, la surface abrasive est généralement plane, formée directement sur la base ou sur un plateau fixé à la base. Un moteur induisant le mouvement du plateau par l'intermédiaire d'un système à manivelle ou poulie peut également être prévu. L'opérateur peut demander un biseau précis (un angle d'ouverture et un diamètre de la face d'extrémité prévisible) en réglant la longueur de la fibre s'étendant depuis l'adaptateur, et en faisant tourner le bras ou le plateau un certain nombre de fois. Lorsque l'adaptateur pour fibre est en position orthogonale par rapport à la surface abrasive et que la longueur de la fibre dépassant de l'adaptateur est supérieure à la distance entre ce dernier et la surface abrasive, la fibre se courbe en son extrémité terminale, et son élasticité produit la force nécessaire pour réduire par émoulage le pourtour de la face d'extrémité. L'outil selon l'invention peut être conçu de manière à empêcher la rotation de l'adaptateur (par rapport à un cadre absolu de référence) et à supprimer toute contrainte de torsion inutile dans la fibre.
PCT/US1994/007970 1993-09-16 1994-07-15 Outil a biseauter pour fibres optiques WO1995007794A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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US12275593A 1993-09-16 1993-09-16
US08/122,755 1993-09-16

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WO1995007794A1 true WO1995007794A1 (fr) 1995-03-23

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Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5812718A (en) * 1996-03-27 1998-09-22 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Method for connecting optical fibers and the interconnection
WO2005069051A1 (fr) * 2003-12-24 2005-07-28 3M Innovative Properties Company Connecteur optique, fibre optique pourvue d'un connecteur, dispositif de connexion de fibres optiques et procede de connexion de fibres optiques
US7556438B2 (en) 2004-07-16 2009-07-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector and optical fiber connecting system
US7637673B2 (en) 2004-07-16 2009-12-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector and optical fiber connecting system

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1988004217A1 (fr) * 1986-12-09 1988-06-16 Engis Limited Appareil de rodage ou de polissage de fibres optiques
EP0294650A2 (fr) * 1987-06-11 1988-12-14 Tektronix Inc. Procédé et dispositif pour positionner avec précision des microlentilles sur des fibres optiques
WO1990009207A1 (fr) * 1989-02-10 1990-08-23 Rudolf Simons Reduction du diametre d'une partie de connexion male pour un stimulateur cardiaque
EP0529939A1 (fr) * 1991-08-23 1993-03-03 Totoku Electric Co., Ltd. Embout pour fibre optique, méthode de sa fabrication et connexion optique l'utilisant

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1988004217A1 (fr) * 1986-12-09 1988-06-16 Engis Limited Appareil de rodage ou de polissage de fibres optiques
EP0294650A2 (fr) * 1987-06-11 1988-12-14 Tektronix Inc. Procédé et dispositif pour positionner avec précision des microlentilles sur des fibres optiques
WO1990009207A1 (fr) * 1989-02-10 1990-08-23 Rudolf Simons Reduction du diametre d'une partie de connexion male pour un stimulateur cardiaque
EP0529939A1 (fr) * 1991-08-23 1993-03-03 Totoku Electric Co., Ltd. Embout pour fibre optique, méthode de sa fabrication et connexion optique l'utilisant

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5812718A (en) * 1996-03-27 1998-09-22 Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company Method for connecting optical fibers and the interconnection
WO2005069051A1 (fr) * 2003-12-24 2005-07-28 3M Innovative Properties Company Connecteur optique, fibre optique pourvue d'un connecteur, dispositif de connexion de fibres optiques et procede de connexion de fibres optiques
US7331718B2 (en) 2003-12-24 2008-02-19 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector, optical fiber with connector, optical fiber connecting device, and optical fiber connection method
US7942589B2 (en) 2003-12-24 2011-05-17 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector, optical fiber with connector, optical fiber connecting device, and optical fiber connection method
US7556438B2 (en) 2004-07-16 2009-07-07 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector and optical fiber connecting system
US7637673B2 (en) 2004-07-16 2009-12-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Optical connector and optical fiber connecting system

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