EP0460635A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical phase modulator
Assignee: Panasonic Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1991-06-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-06-05
Abstract
Abstract An optical phase modulator (10) for use with a fiber optic sensor such as a fiber optic gyroscope includes a piezoelectric vibrator (11) which is asymmetric in at least one cross-sectional shape thereof, a pair of electrodes (14,15) for applying a voltage to said piezoelectric vibrator (11), and an optical fiber (13) joined to at least a portion of said piezoelectric vibrator (11) by adhesive bonding. The piezoelectric vibrator (11) has a cavity (12) defined therein, and one of said electrodes (14) is disposed on a surface of said piezoelectric vibrator which defines said axial cavity (12), the other electrode (15) being disposed on an outer surface of said piezoelectric vibrator (11). The piezoelectric vibrator may be cylindrical, elliptically cylindrical, or planar in shape. The cavity (12) may be cylindrical or elliptically cylindrical in shape.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshinori Takeuchi
- 👤 Yuko Takei
- 👤 Hidehiko Negishi
- 👤 Ken Idota
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:54
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/58; G01C19/64; G01C19/72; G01C19/721; G01C19/722; G02; G02F; G02F1/00; G02F1/01; G02F1/0128; G02F1/0131; G02F1/0134
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
52 words
An optical phase modulator comprising: a piezoelectric vibrator which is asymmetric in at least one cross-sectional shape thereof; a pair of electrodes for applying a voltage to said piezoelectric vibrator, said electrodes being attached to said piezoelectric vibrator; and an optical fiber joined to at least a portion of said piezoelectric vibrator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator has a cavity defined therein, one of said electrodes being disposed on a surface of said piezoelectric vibrator which defines said axial cavity, the other electrode being disposed on an outer surface of said piezoelectric vibrator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 2, wherein said optical fiber is wound around said other electrode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 2, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator is cylindrical in shape, said cavity being defined axially therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 4, wherein said cavity is cylindrical in shape.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 4, wherein said cavity is elliptically cylindrical in shape.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 5, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator has a slanted end lying obliquely to the axis thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 2, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator is elliptically cylindrical in shape, said cavity being defined axially therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 8, wherein said cavity is cylindrical in shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 8, wherein said cavity is elliptically cylindrical in shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 10, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator has a recess defined in a corner thereof remotely from said cavity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 2, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator is triangularly prismatic in shape, said cavity being defined axially therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 12, wherein said cavity is frustoconically cylindrical in shape.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 5, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator has a plurality of cylindrical sections having different diameters and axially superimposed in eccentric relationship, said other electrode having a plurality of cylindrical sections held respectively against outer circumferential surfaces of said cylindrical sections of said piezoelectric vibrator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator comprises a piezoelectric vibratory plate, said electrodes being disposed on respective opposite surfaces of said piezoelectric vibratory plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 15, wherein said optical fiber is bonded to one of said electrodes by adhesive.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 1, wherein said piezoelectric vibrator comprises a plurality of piezoelectric vibratory plates, said electrodes being disposed on respective opposite surfaces of each of said piezoelectric vibratory plates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical phase modulator according to claim 17, wherein said optical fiber is bonded to one of said electrodes on each of said piezoelectric vibratory plates by adhesive.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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