Optical Fiber Fusion Splice Structure for Light Output Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

When optical fibers are fusion-spliced with glass tubes, structural changes occur, affecting the incident characteristics of the optical fibers, leading to undesirable light output changes.

Innovation Solution

The fusion-spliced structure is designed such that parts of the optical fiber and glass tube are made of materials with lower fusion points or higher light absorption performance for specific wavelengths, allowing for controlled fusion that minimizes structural changes and maintains light output characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If optical fiber and glass tube are fusion-spliced together, then they form a united body, but major structural changes occur affecting light output characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrity of fusion-spliced jointVSAvoidlight output characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The glass tube is divided into two distinct layers: an inner layer made of material with lower fusion point than the optical fiber, and an outer layer made of material with higher or equal fusion point. This segmentation allows selective fusion of only the inner layer with the optical fiber, preventing structural changes to the fiber that would affect light output characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different layers of the glass tube are assigned different material properties (fusion points) to achieve different functions. The inner layer's lower fusion point enables controlled fusion with the optical fiber, while the outer layer's higher fusion point protects the fiber structure. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between forming a united body and maintaining light output characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach prevents major structural changes during fusion, ensuring that light output characteristics of the optical fibers are not influenced, thereby maintaining efficient light transmission.

Implementation Method 1

at least in part of the optical fiber/glass tube fusion spliced structure, an outer circumference portion of the optical fiber and an inner circumference portion of the glass tube are fusion spliced

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFusion: Melting

Implementation Method 2

a material having a higher light absorption performance for laser beam having a predetermined wavelength than a light absorption performance of the part of the fusion spliced portion of the other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS7507038B2Optical fiber/glass tube fusion-spliced structure, optical fiber assembly including the structure, and glass tube used in the structure

Publication Date: 2009.03.24 MFOPTEX CO LTD

AI summary

An optical fiber/glass tube fusion spliced structure includes an optical fiber made of glass and a glass tube through which the optical fiber is inserted and at least in part of the optical fiber/glass tube fusion spliced structure, an outer circumference portion of the optical fiber and an inner circumference portion of the glass tube are fusion spliced. Part of the fusion spliced portion located in one of the optical fiber and the glass tube is formed of a material having a lower fusion point than a fusion point of part of the fusion spliced portion located in the other.