Patent ID: 7242869

Claim:
An optical component for use in two-way optical communication in which transmission and reception of light are effected through a single optical fiber, said optical component comprising: an optical prism; first and second light-to-be-received condensing lens; and first and second light-to-be-transmitted condensing lens; said optical prism having: a first face positioned in opposition to an end face of said optical fiber; second and third faces each adjoining said first face at substantially right angles and opposing each other in parallel; a fourth face adjoining said second face and adapted to reflect a light-to-be-received which has entered from said optical fiber through said first face toward the second face; and a fifth face adjoining said third face and adapted to reflect a light-to-be-transmitted which has entered from a light source through the third face toward said first face; said fourth and fifth faces adjoining each other and junction therebetween being positioned closer to said first face than junction between said fourth face and said second face and junction between said fifth face and said third face are; said first and second light-to-be-received condensing lenses being formed integrally with said first and second faces, respectively; said first and second light-to-be-transmitted condensing lenses being formed integrally with said first and third faces, respectively; and tilt angles which said fourth and fifth faces form with respect to the axial direction of the optical fiber being selected to be less than 45°.