METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FIBER OPTIC COUPLERS

摘要

PCT No. PCT/US96/15254 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 25, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 25, 1998 PCT Filed Sep. 16, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/11917 PCT Pub. Date Apr. 3, 1997An automated method and apparatus for making optical fiber couplers is disclosed. The apparatus includes various processing stations under the control of a programmable controller. A fiber feeding system receives a set of optical fibers from a reel and guides them to the various processing stations. The fibers are guided into a fiber insertion fixture. The insertion fixture moves the fibers to the aperture of a glass capillary tube. The fibers are then stripped of a portion of their coating. The feeding system feeds the stripped fibers through the insertion fixture and into the glass tube. The fibers are severed and terminated. Subsequently, a burner heats the glass tube, causing it to collapse around the fibers to form a fiber coupler.