Collision detection optical fiber sensor

• US 20080226218A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abe, Tomiya, Yamamoto, Satoshi, Suzuki, Akira, Hishida, Yasuyuki, Kobayashi, Shigenori, Takaba, Mitsuo, Tsutsuda, Katsushi
• Application Number:
  US11/978,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20080226218A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/243 using means for applying force perpendicular to the fibre axis

Abstract

An optical fiber 1 includes a core 11 and a cladding material 12. In a collision detection optical fiber sensor 100, a plurality of linear members 2 and 3 are twisted around an outer periphery of the cladding material 12 of the optical fiber 1. An elastic member 6 of the liner member 2 has an elasticity different from that of an elastic member 7 of the first linear member 3. The hardness of the elastic member 6 is lower than that of the elastic member 7. A rubber hardness difference measured by a durometer type A according to a JIS K6253 between the elastic member 6 and the elastic member 7 is not less than 10.

Claims

1. A collision detection optical fiber sensor, comprising:

an optical fiber including a core and a cladding material;

a first linear member having an elasticity and twisted around an outer periphery of the cladding material; and

a second linear member having an elasticity different from that of the first linear member, and twisted around the outer periphery of the cladding material together with the first linear member.

2. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein the first linear member and the second linear member are disposed alternately along a circumferential direction of the optical fiber to be twisted around the optical fiber.

3. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein a first linear member group comprising a plurality of the first linear member and a second linear member group comprising a plurality of the second linear members are disposed alternately along a circumferential direction of the optical fiber to be twisted around the optical fiber.

4. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first linear member and the second linear member comprises a tension member and an elastic member covering an outer periphery of the tension member.

5. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first linear member and the second linear member comprises an elastic member with a string-shape.

6. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 4, wherein a rubber hardness difference measured by a durometer type A according to a JIS K6253 between the elastic member of the first linear member and the elastic member of the second linear member is not less than 10.

7. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 5, wherein a rubber hardness difference measured by a durometer type A according to a JIS K6253 between the elastic member of the first linear member and the elastic member of the second linear member is not less than 10.

8. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 4, wherein the elastic member comprises a silicone rubber.

9. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 5, wherein the elastic member comprises a silicone rubber.

10. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 4, wherein the tension member comprises a copper wire.

11. The collision detection optical fiber sensor according to claim 1, wherein each of the first linear member and the second linear member consists of an elastic member with a string-shape.