SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Global fiber optics manufacturer AFL has announced that has been awarded three patents for use with the company’s Optical Connectivity and Apparatus products.
The first patent is for an Optical Fiber Event Sensor that allows continuous monitoring of network assets, like fiber distribution cabinets. The sensor creates an event by inducing a set amount of attenuation when compressed or released. A single fiber is looped through all of the sensors in series so that multiple assets can be monitored. An optical monitoring device connected to the fiber then scans for these attenuation events and alerts an operator when and where they occur. The patent was granted to Ted Lichoulas, engineering manager, Roger Vaughn, product technology manager, and Wink Courchaine, senior engineer.
Rich Cubala, OSP product specialist, and Craig Henderson, regional sales manager, received the second patent for a splice tray rail system. The trays are attached to a rail connector plate that allows the splice trays to be moved easily from the stack and over the rails to access an individual tray without disturbing other trays and splices.
The third patent was awarded to Kheng Seng, director of supply chain for OCA, for a secured fiber optic connecting system and method using offset fiber position in a single fiber connector. Combining fiber’s offset distance from the ferrule’s longitudinal center axis and its angular offset relative to a key on the connector housing provides a unique position achieving secured mating for a pair of connectors.
