Patent ID: 6324325
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A method for the preparation of a device for connecting a first M by N array of optical fibers with a second N by M array of optical fibers, each first array comprising M rows and N columns of fibers and each second array comprising N rows and M columns of fibers, wherein each row is identified by a first subscript i and each column is identified by a second subscript j, wherein a fiber at a position ij of an input array is routed to a corresponding position ji of an output array, the method comprising:(a) assembling a first input array of optical fibers, comprising M optical fiber ribbons, by assembling M row-groups of fibers, each row-group comprising N fibers, into M ribbons by:(i) selecting a first portion of each optical fiber from each row-group of the first array, the first fiber portions being adjacent to a first end of the fiber;(ii) assembling a row-group of fibers by adhering the first portions of each selected optical fiber in a side-by-side arrangement to form a row-group optical fiber ribbon;(iii) repeating steps (i) - (ii) until M row-group ribbons are assembled;(iv) stacking the M row-group ribbons atop one another to form a first input array of fibers;(b) assembling a second output array of optical fibers, comprising N optical fiber ribbons, by assembling N column-groups of fibers, each column-group comprising M fibers, into N ribbons by:(i) selecting a second portion of each optical fiber from each column-group of the first array, the second fiber portion being adjacent to a second end of the fiber;(ii) assembling a column-group of fibers by adhering the second portions of each selected optical fiber in a side-by-side arrangement to form a column-group optical fiber ribbon;(iii) repeating steps (i) - (ii) until N column-group ribbons are assembled;(iv) stacking the N column-group ribbons atop one another to form a second output array of fibers; so thata fiber at a row position ij of the input array is routed to a corresponding column position ji of the output array.