PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16242171
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2019-01
Publication Date: 2019-05
Patent Classification: ["385", "096000"]

Abstract:
A micro splice protector for a fusion connection between a pair of optical fibers takes the form of a cylindrical sleeve of dimensions similar to that of the fusion splice itself, with an epoxy material used to encase the fusion splice within the sleeve. The sleeve is formed to exhibit an inner diameter only slightly greater than the outer diameter of the fibers, with the length of the sleeve typically formed to be only slightly longer than the stripped end terminations of the pair of fibers being spliced together. The cylindrical sleeve is formed of a rigid (but lightweight) material. An epoxy is injected into the configuration to fill any gaps between the fusion connection and the inner surface of the sleeve. The result is a relatively stiff fusion splice protector that is small in size and well-suited for use in optical packages where space is at a minimum.

Claim (Index 9):
A protected fusion splice configuration comprising:\n a first optical fiber having a first predetermined outer diameter, the first optical fiber formed to include a end termination stripped to expose a cladding layer, the end termination defining a first optical fiber endface and having a diameter less than the first predetermined outer diameter; a second optical fiber having a second predetermined outer diameter, the second optical fiber formed to include a end termination stripped to expose a cladding layer, the end termination defining a second optical fiber endface and having a diameter less than the second predetermined outer diameter; a fusion splice formed to join the first and second optical fiber endfaces; a cylindrical sleeve of rigid material disposed over the first and second optical fibers in the region of the fusion splice, the cylindrical sleeve having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the first and second optical fibers and a length sufficient to encase the fusion splice and the stripped end terminations of the first and second optical fibers; and epoxy material disposed within the cylindrical sleeve so as to surround the fusion splice location and the stripped end terminations of the first and second optical fibers in a manner that fills gaps between the fused first and second optical fibers and an interior surface of the cylindrical sleeve.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 35.0
- Percentile: 99.0
- Lexical Diversity: 1.975
- Patent Class: 385.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['15215705', '13245853', '10604161', '16143645', '11447312']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.8239122326142929
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.5703448282794689
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.7985554921808106
- Mean Citation Score: 295.0582040000001
- Max Citation Score: 466.02032
- Similarity Product: 415.7915760658551

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 1
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 0
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 1
- Label 101 Adjusted: 1

Dataset: test