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Microbending of optical fibers for remote force measurement

  • US 4,421,979 A
  • Filed: 08/27/1981
  • Issued: 12/20/1983
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A system for monitoring forces acting upon a structure, comprising:

  • an optical fiber extending along the structure;

    a plurality of force transducers each operatively associated with said fiber and mounted on the structure for movement in response to a force acting on the structure to induce microbending of said fiber whereby light passing through said fiber is abruptly attenuated at each microbend therein;

    means for launching a pulsed optical signal into said fiber for passage therethrough and for reflection of a portion of said signal back through the fiber as backscattered light;

    means for detecting the intensity of said backscattered light as a function of time of reflection whereby each microbend along said fiber is indicated by an abrupt attenuation in said detected intensity and the time of detection is indicative of the location of the microbend along said fiber; and

    position indicator means interposed between selected ones of said force transducers in operative association with said fiber for altering light transmissivity characteristics of said fiber, wherein the alteration of fiber transmissivity is detectable by said detecting means.

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