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Knecht, NC

Dennis M. Knecht, Hickory, NC US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080273839Connectorized nano-engineered optical fibers and methods of forming same - Connectorized nano-engineered optical fibers and method for forming them are disclosed. The methods include heating a mid-span bare fiber portion of the nano-engineered fiber to collapse the airlines therein so as to form an airline-free portion. The fiber is then inserted into a ferrule channel so that the fiber end protrudes beyond the ferrule end face, but with the airline-free portion positioned at the ferrule end face. The fiber is then cleaved at or near the ferrule end face in the airline-free portion, and the new fiber end face polished to create a solid fiber end face that coincides with the ferrule end face. The methods result in at most only minimal changes to the mode field diameter (MFD) and/or to the outer cladding diameter, which is essential in forming a connectorized nano-engineered fiber that can connect to like-size nano-engineered or non-nano-engineered fibers.11-06-2008
20080304796Connectorized nano-engineered optical fibers and methods of forming same - Connectorized nano-engineered optical fibers and method for forming them are disclosed. The methods include heating a mid-span bare fiber portion of the nano-engineered fiber to substantially collapse the airlines therein so as to form a substantially airline-free portion. The fiber is then inserted into a ferrule channel so that the fiber end protrudes beyond the ferrule end face, but with the substantially airline-free portion positioned at the ferrule end face. The fiber is then cleaved at or near the ferrule end face in the substantially airline-free portion, and the new fiber end face polished to create a solid fiber end face that coincides with the ferrule end face. The methods result in relatively small changes to the mode field diameter (MFD) and/or to the outer cladding diameter.12-11-2008
20090199597Systems and methods for collapsing air lines in nanostructured optical fibers - Systems and methods of collapsing the air lines in the air line-containing region of a nanostructure optical fiber are disclosed. One method includes initiating irradiation of a portion of the nanostructure optical fiber from essentially opposite directions with at least first and second laser beams having substantially equal power and essentially the same mid-infrared wavelength. The method includes continuing the irradiation for an irradiation time t08-13-2009
20100054679Fiber optic cable assembly with floating tap - A fiber optic cable assembly with a floating tap is disclosed, wherein the assembly comprises a fiber optic cable having a cable fiber assembly, such as in the form of a ribbon stack. The assembly includes at least one network access point (NAP) for accessing at least one cable fiber in the cable fiber assembly and at least one strength area for example a strength member. At least one cable fiber is extracted from the cable fiber assembly and held by a transition assembly. A buffer conduit loosely contains the at least one cable fiber and guides it to an intermediate buffer conduit, which in turn guides the at least one cable fiber to a splice tube. The intermediate buffer conduit can translate relative to the splice tube. At least one tether fiber is spliced to the at least one cable fiber. Alternatively, the at least one cable fiber has sufficient length to serve as the at least one tether fiber so that splicing to another fiber is not required. Each strength member is covered by a movable member. A bonding structure bonds the cable fiber assembly, buffer conduit and movable member so that the cable fiber assembly can translate but not rotate relative to the cable within the NAP. This allows the tap point to “float” within the NAP when the cable fiber assembly needs to translate within the cable.03-04-2010
20100154609Tools and Methods for Manufacturing Fiber Optic Distribution Cables - Fiber optic distribution cables and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. The methods present one or more optical fibers outward of the protective covering for distribution of the same toward the subscriber. Specifically, the methods include presenting a length of distribution optical fiber outward of the protective covering that is longer than the opening at access location. After the opening is made in the protective covering at the access location, the optical fibers for distribution are selected. Then a tool according to the present invention is positioned about the optical fibers selected for distribution and slid within the protective covering of the fiber optic distribution cable until it reaches a cutting location within the fiber optic distribution cable. Consequently, the tool is positioned for cutting the distribution optical fiber at a cutting location within the fiber optic distribution cable at a downstream location. Thereafter, the tool is removed and the cut distribution optical fiber is routed through the opening at the access location so the distribution optical fiber is presented outside the protective covering.06-24-2010
20100278495FIBER OPTIC CABLE ASSEMBLY WITH FLOATING TAP - A fiber optic cable assembly with a floating tap is disclosed, wherein the assembly comprises a fiber optic cable having a cable fiber assembly, such as in the form of a ribbon stack. The assembly includes at least one network access point (NAP) for accessing at least one cable fiber in the cable fiber assembly and at least one strength area for example a strength member. At least one cable fiber is extracted from the cable fiber assembly and held by a transition assembly. A buffer conduit loosely contains the at least one cable fiber and guides it to an intermediate buffer conduit, which in turn guides the at least one cable fiber to a splice tube. The intermediate buffer conduit can translate relative to the splice tube. At least one tether fiber is spliced to the at least one cable fiber. Alternatively, the at least one cable fiber has sufficient length to serve as the at least one tether fiber so that splicing to another fiber is not required. Each strength member is covered by a movable member. A bonding structure bonds the cable fiber assembly, buffer conduit and movable member so that the cable fiber assembly can translate but not rotate relative to the cable within the NAP. This allows the tap point to “float” within the NAP when the cable fiber assembly needs to translate within the cable.11-04-2010

Patent applications by Dennis M. Knecht, Hickory, NC US

Dennis M. Knecht, 4921 Elmhurst Drive Hickory, NC US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20100054680Optical fiber assemblies for fiber to the subscriber applications - Disclosed are spools, fiber optic assemblies, and methods for use with a lashing machine or other suitable deployment for routing the fiber optic cable toward the subscriber allowing the craft to quickly and easily deploy the fiber optic cable in the field. The fiber optic assemblies may include a spool, at least one fiber optic cable disposed on the spool, and a fiber optic connector. In one embodiment, the spool includes a first spool flange and a second spool flange that include notches that overlap at angular positions for allowing the spooling of fiber optic cable off the same. In another embodiment, the fiber optic connector is attached to the spool for plug and play connectivity of the spool. In other embodiments, a splitter may be attached to the spool for splitting the optical signal.03-04-2010

Dennis Michael Knecht, Hickory, NC US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20080240657Right-angle optical fiber connector assembly - A right-angle optical-fiber connector assembly for providing an optical connection to an external device such as a circuit board. The connector assembly includes a rigid ferrule having at least one right-angle bend and that defines an interior region and first and second ferrule ends, and a maximum optical fiber bending radius R10-02-2008
20080247719CABLE ASSEMBLY WITH ACCESS POINT AND RIBBON STACK HANDLING - A cable assembly comprising a fiber optic cable having a ribbon stack therein, at least one network access location for accessing the ribbon stack, and a bonding fillant for locking an uncut portion of the ribbon stack to the cable at the network access location to prevent ribbon stack translation and rotation at the network access point relative to the tubular component. A method for eliminating optical fiber translation and rotation at a predetermined position within a fiber optic cable comprising providing a cable, forming an access location, filling exposed cable portions with a fillant, flowing the fillant, and curing the fillant to bond a length of the ribbon stack within the cable.10-09-2008
20110091165Fiber Optic Connectors and Structures for Large Core Optical Fibers and Methods for Making the Same - Fiber optic connectors and other structures that can be easily and quickly prepared by the craft for termination and/or connectorization in the field are disclosed. More specifically, the fiber optic connectors and other structures disclosed are intended for use with glass optical fibers having a large core. In one embodiment, the fiber optic connector includes a ferrule having a bore sized to receive an optical fiber and a buffer layer at a front end face of the ferrule. Methods of making the fiber optic connectors and other structures are also disclosed. The methods disclosed allow “rough cutting” of the optical fibers with a buffer layer thereon by the craft.04-21-2011
20110091166Fiber Optic Connectors and Structures for Large Core Optical Fibers and Methods for Making the Same - Fiber optic connectors and other structures that can be easily and quickly prepared by the craft for termination and/or connectorization in the field are disclosed. More specifically, the fiber optic connectors and other structures disclosed are intended for use with glass optical fibers having a large core. In one embodiment, the fiber optic connector includes a a body having a portion with a retaining structure for securing an optical fiber and a front portion having a passageway sized to receive an optical fiber and a buffer layer through a front end. Methods of making the fiber optic connectors and other structures are also disclosed. The methods disclosed allow “rough cutting” of the optical fibers with a buffer layer thereon by the craft.04-21-2011

Dennis Michael Knecht, Hickroy, NC US

Patent application numberDescriptionPublished
20090041412Laser erosion processes for fiber optic ferrules - A method for processing fiber optic ferrules, the method comprising: providing a fiber optic ferrule defining an endface portion and a pedestal portion about one or more protruding optical fibers; mechanically polishing the one or more protruding optical fibers substantially flush with the pedestal portion; and non-mechanically eroding the pedestal portion about the one or more protruding optical fibers to a depth of at least the end face portion such that the one or more optical fibers remain protruding from the endface portion. Non-mechanically eroding may include laser erosion or chemical erosion.02-12-2009