Removable Indexed Optical Coupler for Fiber Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical couplers do not effectively improve light transmission between optical fibers, limiting their efficiency in various applications.
Innovation Solution
An optical system with a removable coupler that aligns and longitudinally connects optical fibers, using connectors with grooves and a key to ensure precise alignment, achieving over 70% light transmission by ensuring coaxial and overlapping ends of the fibers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional optical couplers are used to connect optical fibers, then the device structure is simple, but the light transmission efficiency is insufficient (less than 70%)
Solution Approach 1:
The optical coupler is divided into separate modular components: a first connector with first optical fibers, a second connector with second optical fibers, and a coupler body. This segmentation allows for precise alignment of fiber ends within the coupler body while maintaining ease of connection and disconnection, achieving over 70% light transmission efficiency without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupler body acts as an intermediary component that receives and precisely aligns the first and second connectors. The coupler body includes alignment features such as positioning holes and positioning pins that ensure the optical fibers from both connectors are accurately positioned against each other, maximizing light transmission efficiency.
2Measurement precision
If optical fibers are connected without precise alignment features, then the connection process is simple, but the alignment precision is insufficient leading to poor light transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The connectors are pre-equipped with alignment features including positioning holes and positioning pins before the connection process. These features are designed in advance to automatically guide and align the optical fibers when the connectors are mated, ensuring high alignment precision without requiring complex real-time adjustment mechanisms during connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment systems with a simpler positioning mechanism based on geometric fitting between positioning holes and positioning pins. This mechanical interlocking system provides precise alignment through its inherent geometric constraints rather than requiring active mechanical adjustment, achieving high alignment precision with minimal complexity.
3Productivity
If optical fibers are not properly aligned, then the connection is easy to make, but the light transmission efficiency remains below 70%
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment features (positioning holes and positioning pins) are designed to automatically perform the alignment function when the connectors are brought together. The system is self-aligning, meaning the geometric constraints of the positioning features inherently guide the optical fibers into proper alignment without requiring external intervention or complex adjustment procedures, thus maintaining high connection efficiency while achieving over 70% light transmission.
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical system (20) is provided that includes a first optics line (22A), a second optics line (22B) and an optical coupler (24) removably connecting the first optics line (22A) to the second optics line (22B). The first optics line (22A) includes a plurality of first optical fibers (26A, 28A). The second optics line (22B) includes a plurality of second optical fibers (26B, 28B). The optical coupler (24) aligns an end of each of the first optical fibers (26A, 28A) with an end of a respective one of the second optical fibers (26B, 28B) to optically couple each of the first optical fibers (26A, 28A) to the respective one of the second optical fibers (26B, 28B).