Tooling and method for manufacturing a fiber optic array

1. A fixture for forming a fiber optic array that defines a plurality of discrete fibers extending from a spaced-apart arrangement to a consolidated arrangement wherein the fibers are layered next to each other for a further securing process that keeps the fibers together, the fixture comprising:

first and second contact blades that are configured to slide toward each other within guide tracks provided on the fixture along a direction transverse to longitudinal axes of the fibers for consolidating the fibers, the fixture further defining channels at a front end thereof for supporting the fibers in the spaced-apart arrangement, wherein the fixture includes a first clamp adjacent the front end of the fixture for keeping the fibers within the channels in the spaced-apart arrangement and a second clamp adjacent a rear end of the fixture for keeping the fibers against a bearing surface of the fixture for contact by the transversely moving contact blades, the second clamp slidable in a direction from the rear end of the fixture toward the front end of the fixture.

2. A fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the channels define curved rear portions for transitioning the fibers from the spaced-apart arrangement toward a consolidation point at which the fibers are to be layered next to each other for further securing to keep the fibers together.

3. A fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the channels are defined by a removable substrate that forms a part of the fiber optic array manufactured using the fixture.

4. A fixture according to claim 1 , wherein the second clamp defines a plurality of vertical pins, each pin positioned to be in between a given pair of fibers such that if the fibers of the given pair are crossed-over, the pin can contact both fibers of the given pair at a cross-over point and move the cross-over point toward the front end of the fixture.

5. A method for forming a fiber optic array that defines a plurality of discrete fibers extending from a spaced-apart arrangement to a consolidated arrangement wherein the fibers are layered next to each other, the method comprising:

laying the fibers within spaced-apart channels defined by a substrate that is provided as a removable insert of a fixture, the channels having parallel portions;

moving first and second contact blades toward each other within guide tracks provided on the fixture along a direction transverse to longitudinal axes of the fibers to abut and to consolidate the fibers;

securing together the fibers at both the spaced-apart portion of the array and the consolidated portion of the array; and

removing the substrate from the fixture after the spaced-apart portion and the consolidated portion of the fibers have been secured to the substrate.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the fibers are placed within the channels such that portions thereof extend outwardly from the channels to form pigtails, wherein the pigtails are terminated with fiber optic ferrules.

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of discrete fibers define pairs of fibers, the method further comprising crossing over the fibers of each of the pairs to form crossed-over fibers before moving the contact blades to consolidate the fibers.

8. A method according to claim 7 , further comprising contacting both fibers of a given pair at a cross-over point by a vertical pin to move the cross-over point toward the channels defined on the fixture.

9. A method for forming a fiber optic array that defines a plurality of discrete fibers extending from a spaced-apart arrangement to a consolidated arrangement wherein the fibers are layered next to each other, the method comprising:

laying the fibers within spaced-apart channels defined on a fixture, the channels having parallel portions, wherein the fibers next to each other define pairs of fibers;

crossing over the fibers of each of the pairs to form crossed-over fibers;

contacting both fibers of a given pair at a cross-over point by a vertical pin to move the cross-over point toward the channels defined on the fixture;

moving a pair of contact blades on the fixture along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axes of the fibers to abut and to consolidate the fibers; and

securing together the fibers at both the spaced-apart portion of the array and the consolidated portion of the array.