Patent ID: 6456766
Filing Date: 2002-09-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
An optical coupler comprising:a coupler block including a body portion having a top surface and first and second end surfaces; at least one fiber guide extending through said body portion beneath said top surface and between said end surfaces, said fiber guide comprising: first and second spaced walls defining a trench having a narrow width and extending across said top surface and into said body portion, said trench walls being flared apart from each other at at least one of said first and second end surfaces; a guide cavity within said body portion beneath and in communication with said trench, said cavity having a minimum dimension equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of an optical fiber to be received by said coupler, said guide cavity dimension being greater than the width of said trench, said cavity flaring outwardly at at least one of said first and second end surfaces to facilitate insertion of an optical fiber into the cavity; and means for transferring light carried by an optical fiber in said guide cavity to an optical element.