AFL gains more patents for OCA optical connectivity products

Global fiber optics manufacturer and service provider AFL has been awarded three new U.S. patents for technologies used in the enhancement of the company's Optical Connectivity and Apparatus (OCA) products.

Ted Lichoulas, engineering manager, Roger Vaughn, product technology manager, and Wink Courchaine, senior engineer received a patent for an Optical Fiber Event Sensor that allows continuous monitoring of network assets such as fiber distribution cabinets.

The sensor creates an event by inducing a set amount of attenuation when compressed or released depending on the application, as in opening and closing a door. A single fiber is looped through all of the sensors in series so that multiple assets can be monitored. An optical monitoring device (OTDR) connected to the fiber then scans for these attenuation events and alerts an operator when and where they occur.

Rich Cubala, OSP product specialist and Craig Henderson, regional sales manager, secured a patent for a splice tray rail system.

Responding to market demand for better organization of splice trays, the duo of Cubala and Henderson implemented a rail system that allows for easier access. 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.

Finally, Kheng Seng, director of supply chain for OCA, received a patent for a secured fiber-optic connecting system and method using offset fiber position in a single-fiber connector. The combination of the 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.

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