Apparatus and method for arraying optical fibers side by side on a pitch greater than the diameter of the fiber

Abstract

An optical fiber arranging tool has a base, a top surface, and a recessed channel extending along the base and has a plurality of ribs disposed within the recessed channel. The plurality of ribs have a pitch of 250 microns creating a plurality of grooves for receiving the optical fibers. The tool may also have a latch extending from the top surface of the base on one side of the recessed channel and across the recessed channel to a second side of the recessed channel, there being a slot between the top surface of the base and an underside of the latch and in communication with the recessed channel. A method for aligning the optical fibers at a pitch that is larger than the outer diameter of the optical fibers includes sliding individual optical fibers one by one into slot and the recessed channel, moving an object along the optical fibers in the recessed channel, passing the individual optical fibers through a respective one of a plurality of grooves created by ribs within the recessed channel and maintaining the individual optical fibers at a distance of 0.250 mm at an end of the recessed channel.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An optical fiber arranging tool comprising:
 a base having a front end, a rear end, a top surface, a bottom surface, and a fiber channel extending from the rear end to the front end of the base on a plane different from a plane of the top surface,   the base having a slot provided across the fiber channel above the top surface and in communication with the fiber channel, and configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers to be arranged by the optical fiber arranging tool; and   a plurality of ribs disposed within the fiber channel and being spaced apart from each other across the fiber channel, and extending toward the front end of the fiber channel,   wherein the plurality of optical fibers are at a first pitch at a rear end of the plurality of ribs and are at a second pitch at the front end of the recessed channel, the first pitch being smaller than the second pitch.   
     
     
         2 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the second pitch is 250 microns. 
     
     
         3 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pitch is 200 microns. 
     
     
         4 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pitch is the same as a diameter of each of the plurality of optical fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the first pitch is 200 microns and the second pitch is 250 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed on an underside of a latch above the top surface or in a stacker at one end of the fiber channel. 
     
     
         7 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot is provided on the front end or the rear end of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot is formed on an underside of a latch at the rear end of the base or in a stacker at the front end of the base. 
     
     
         9 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber channel is recessed from the top surface. 
     
     
         10 . An optical fiber arranging tool comprising:
 a base having a fiber channel extending along the base from a rear end to a front end of the base; and   a plurality of grooves disposed within the fiber channel and having a pitch of 250 microns at the front end, configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers at the rear end of the optical fiber rearranging tool where the pitch is less than 250 microns.   
     
     
         11 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 10 , wherein the pitch at the rear end is 200 microns. 
     
     
         12 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 10 , wherein the pitch at the rear end is the same as a diameter of each of the plurality of optical fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 10 , further comprising a slot provided across the fiber channel and configured to receive the plurality of optical fibers to be arranged by the optical fiber arranging tool. 
     
     
         14 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the slot is formed on an underside of a latch or in a stacker at one end of the fiber channel. 
     
     
         15 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the slot is provided on the front end or the rear end of the base. 
     
     
         16 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the slot is formed on an underside of a latch at the rear end of the base or in a stacker at the front end of the base. 
     
     
         17 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 13 , wherein the slot is recessed in the base. 
     
     
         18 . An optical fiber arranging tool comprising:
 a base having a fiber channel extending along the base from a rear end to a front end of the base;   a plurality of grooves disposed within the fiber channel and configured to receive a plurality of optical fibers at a first pitch from the rear end of the base, the plurality of grooves having a second pitch at the front end that is greater than the first pitch; and   one of a latch at the rear end of the base or a stacker associated with the base at the front end, there being a slot in the latch and the stacker to receive the plurality of optical fibers to be arranged, the slot having a width that is less than twice the diameter of each of the plurality of optical fibers where the plurality of optical fibers are inserted into the slot.   
     
     
         19 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 18 , wherein the second pitch is 250 microns. 
     
     
         20 . The optical fiber arranging tool according to  claim 18 , wherein the first pitch is 200 microns.