Patent Publication Number: US-2013230288-A1

Title: Optical fiber

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber capable of minimizing the light loss due to leakage from lateral surface of the optical fiber. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Fiber-optic communication is a method of transmitting information through an optical fiber. The optical fiber is used with a light source, and the light source emits light into the optical fiber that is modulated to carry information. Only entered light rays that have incident angles greater than a predetermined critical angle can travel down the optical fiber without leaking out. It is important to maximize the amount of light rays that have incident angles greater than the critical angle. Therefore, a new type of optical fiber with less leaking out is needed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an optical fiber according to an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of the optical fiber of  FIG. 1 , taken along an optical axis X of the optical fiber. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of the optical fiber being used with a light source. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are now described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an optical fiber  1  according to an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The optical fiber  1  includes a main body  10  for totally internally reflecting light rays therein. The main body  10  includes an end  20  that light rays enter. 
     The main body  10  includes a cylindrical lateral surface  11 . In the embodiment, the optical fiber  1  is a single mode fiber, and a portion of the end  20  is cut off by a laser cutting machine, which forms a convex connecting surface  22  and an end surface  21 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 2 , the end surface  21  is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis X of the main body  10 . The connecting surface  22  includes a first inclined annular surface  221  connected and surrounding to the end surface  21  and a second inclined annular surface  222  between the lateral surface  11  and the first surface  221 . A first angle α is defined between the first surface  221  and the end surface  21 . A second angle β is defined between the second surface  222  and the end surface  21 . In the embodiment, the first angle a is less than the second angle β. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the solid lines shows the optical fiber  1  that is used with a light source  5 , and the broken lines shows a conventional optical fiber that is used with the light source  5 . The light source  5  can be a light emitting diode (LED) light source. The light source  5  emits light rays into the optical fiber  1 . Comparing with the conventional fiber, it is clear that the light rays that are refracted into the main body  10  through the first surface  221  and the second surface  222  have greater incident angles, thereby maximizing the amount of light rays that have incident angles greater than the predetermined critical angle. The incident angles are measured between the broken line that is perpendicular to the lateral surface  11  and the light rays refracted into the end  20 . Thus, the optical fiber  1  coupled to the light source  5  can minimize light loss due to leakage from the lateral surface  11 . 
     While various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be constructed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.