Optical Fiber Mass Splice Fixture Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for splicing optical fibers in medical and harsh environment applications are complex and costly, requiring significant manufacturing skill and increasing complexity and cost, especially when dealing with multi-fiber groups or ribbons.
Innovation Solution
A method and assembly for mass splicing optical fibers using a fiber setting fixture with alignment blocks and clamps, which secures and aligns multiple fibers for efficient loading and clamping, reducing complexity and cost by facilitating precise and accurate splicing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individual fiber splicing is used for multi-fiber groups, then connectorization capability is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual fiber splicing operations into a single mass splicing operation. The mass splicing device simultaneously splices multiple fibers (typically 6, 12, or more) in one operation, replacing the need for multiple separate splicing steps. This merging of operations reduces manufacturing complexity while maintaining the ability to connectorize multi-fiber groups and ribbons.
Solution Approach 2:
The mass splicing device is designed to handle multiple types of fiber configurations (loose tube fibers, fiber optic ribbons, and multi-fiber groups) through a single unified system. The device can accommodate different fiber arrangements and perform splicing operations on various multi-fiber configurations, providing universal connectorization capability without requiring multiple specialized devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple individual termini are used in connector housings, then multi-fiber connector housing is created, but manufacturing skill requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mass splicing device performs preliminary splicing of multiple fibers to a common reference point or alignment structure in one operation. This preliminary action creates a pre-assembled multi-fiber unit that can then be directly housed in the connector housing, eliminating the need for skilled manual assembly of multiple individual termini. The complex alignment and positioning work is done in advance by the automated mass splicing process.
3Productivity
If mass fusion splice is used for multi-fiber groups, then splicing efficiency is improved, but alignment precision requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mass splicing device introduces reference structures, alignment blocks, and positioning fixtures as intermediaries to manage the alignment of multiple fibers. These intermediary elements provide mechanical references that guide fiber positioning during the mass splicing operation, ensuring consistent alignment precision across all fibers in the group or ribbon without requiring manual alignment of each individual fiber.
Data Source
AI summary
Optical fiber mass splice methods and assemblies are provided. A method may include securing a fiber clamp to a fiber setting fixture, the fiber setting fixture including a fiber alignment block and a backstop. A plurality of fiber grooves may be defined in the fiber alignment block. The method may further include inserting a plurality of optical fibers into the fiber setting fixture such that each of the plurality of optical fibers is disposed in one of the plurality of fiber grooves and contacts the backstop. The method may further include loading, after the inserting step, each of the plurality of optical fibers into the fiber clamp. The method may further include clamping the plurality of optical fibers in the fiber clamp.