Patent ID: 8346038

Claim:
An optical assembly, said optical assembly comprising: a first optical fibre and a second optical fibre, said second optical fibre defining a second fibre coupling section and a second fibre transmitting section extending from said second fibre coupling section, said second fibre coupling section defining a radially outwardmost peripheral surface, said radially outwardmost peripheral surface defining a peripheral surface coupling portion; and an optical coupler, said optical coupler defining a coupler first end section and a substantially opposed coupler second end section, said coupler first end section defining a first end surface and a first coupling surface part of said first end surface; a second coupling surface extending along said optical coupler between said coupler first and second end sections; and a coupler passageway extending along and between said coupler first and second end sections, said second coupling surface being located peripherally relative to said coupler passageway; said second optical fibre extending through said coupler passageway, said optical coupler and said second optical fibre being spaced apart from each other in said coupler passageway in said coupler first end section, said first optical fibre being optically coupled with said first coupling surface and secured thereto and said second coupling surface extending substantially parallel to said peripheral surface coupling portion and being optically coupled with said peripheral surface coupling portion, apart of said first end surface being free from optical fibre connection; wherein said optical coupler has optical and geometrical properties such that substantially all the light guided to said first coupling surface by said first optical fibre is directed towards said second coupling surface and into said second optical fibre through said peripheral surface coupling portion so as to be guided into said second fibre coupling section for transmission into said second fibre transmitting portion.