A system and method are presented for detecting and measuring pressure within a region of a body lumen or vessel. The pressure sensing system includes a light source for transmitting light through a pathway of polarization maintaining fiber optic wire. A distal portion of the polarization maintaining fiber optic wire is engaged to and extends along a guidewire. The distal portion of the fiber optic wire includes pressure sensing station(s) made up of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). The light transmitted to and reflected from the FBGs on the two polarization modes of the polarization maintaining fiber optic wire can be analyzed to provide one or more pressure values.

Hardened fiber optic connectors having a mechanical splice assembly are disclosed. The mechanical splice assembly is attached to a first end of an optical waveguide such as an optical fiber of a fiber optic cable by way of a stub optical fiber, thereby connectorizing the hardened connector. In one embodiment, the hardened connector includes an inner housing having two shells for securing a tensile element of the cable and securing the mechanical splice assembly so that a ferrule assembly may translate. Further assembly of the hardened connector has the inner housing fitting into a shroud of the hardened connector. The shroud aides in mating the hardened connector with a complimentary device and the shroud may have any suitable configuration. The hardened connector may also include features for fiber buckling, sealing, cable strain relief or a pre-assembly for ease of installation.

Ferrule assemblies having a lens array are disclosed. In one embodiment, a ferrule assembly includes a ferrule body and a fiber array ferrule. The ferrule body includes a first end face and a second end face, at least one cavity for receiving one or more optical fibers disposed between the first end face and the second end face, and at least one body alignment feature at an outer surface of the body. The fiber array ferrule includes a first end face and a second end face, an array of alignment holes extending between the first end face and the second end face, and at least one ferrule alignment feature at an outer perimeter of the fiber array ferrule. The second end face of the fiber array ferrule is coupled to the first end face of the body.

An optical fiber connection system includes a first and a second optical fiber, each with end portions that are terminated by a first and a second fiber optic connector, respectively. A fiber optic adapter connects the first and the second fiber optic connectors. A fiber alignment apparatus includes V-blocks and gel blocks. Each of the fiber optic connectors includes a connector housing and a sheath. The end portions of the optical fibers are positioned beyond distal ends of the respective connector housings. The sheath is slidably connected to the connector housing and slides between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration. The sheath covers the end portion of the respective optical fiber when the sheath is at the extended configuration and exposes the end portion when at the retracted configuration. The end portions of the optical fibers are cleaned when slid between the V-blocks and the gel blocks.

A self-centering structure (300) for aligning optical fibers (308) desired to be optically coupled together is disclosed. The self-centering structure (300) including a body (310) having a first end (312) and a second end (314). The first end (312) defines a first opening (303) and the second end (314) defines a second opening (304). The self-centering structure (300) includes a plurality of groove structures (306) integrally formed in the body (310) of the self-centering structure for receiving the optical fibers (308) and a fiber alignment region (305) positioned at an intermediate location between the first and second ends (312, 314) to facilitate centering and alignment of the optical fibers (308). The plurality of cantilever members (322) is flexible and configured for urging the optical fibers (308) into their respective groove structures (306).

The present disclosure relates to an optical fiber alignment device that has an alignment housing that includes first and second ends. The alignment housing defines a fiber insertion axis that extends through the alignment housing between the first and second ends. The alignment housing includes a fiber alignment region at an intermediate location between the first and second ends. First and second fiber alignment rods are positioned within the alignment housing. The first and second fiber alignment rods cooperate to define a fiber alignment groove that extends along the fiber insertion axis. The first and second fiber alignment rods each having rounded ends positioned at the first and second ends of the alignment housing.

The present disclosure relates to a fiber alignment device (20) including a guide feature (62a, b) defining a fiber alignment groove (48). The fiber alignment device (20) also includes a fiber engagement component (44) defining a reference surface arrangement and elastic cantilever arms (56a, b) for pressing optical fibers into the fiber alignment groove (48). First portions of the guide feature (62a, b) engage the reference surface arrangement. Second portions of the guide (62a, b) feature engage the cantilever arms (56a, b) to flex the cantilever arms to a staged position.

A fiber optic coupling device comprises an elastomeric body. The elastomeric body includes first and second sides with a deformable alignment passage extending there between. The deformable alignment passage is configured to elastically center opposing first and second optical fibers. The deformable alignment passage includes a first portion that is configured to receive the first optical fiber having a first core. The deformable alignment passage also includes an opposing second portion that is configured to receive the second optical fiber having a second core. The first portion and the opposing second portion of the alignment passage are defined by a common encompassing periphery, and meet at a common location within the alignment passage to present the core of the received first optical fiber in coaxial alignment with the core of the received second optical fiber.

The present disclosure relates to methods, devices and systems for co-axially aligning first and second optical fibers to provide an optical coupling between the first and second optical fibers. A fiber engagement element is used to force the first and second optical fibers into an alignment groove.

In an optical connector, a connector main body includes an integrally formed plug frame. The plug frame has a connecting portion accommodation portion accommodating a ferrule, a mechanical splice, and a spring biasing the mechanical splice toward the ferrule, and a guide portion guiding the optical fiber extending from an optical cable. The connecting portion accommodation portion and the guide portion are partitioned via a partition wall having a cylindrical protrusion protruding into the connecting portion accommodation portion. The guide portion has a curved face extending in a conical shape from the partition wall.