Stress and temperature mapping using an array of optical fibers and charge coupled devices

• US 4,820,917 A
• Filed: 12/18/1987
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aluminum Company of Egypt
• Original Assignee: Aluminum Company of Egypt
• Inventors: Ioannou, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B.
• Application Number:
  US07/135,056
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 250/227, 250/231 R, 250/231 P, 73/763, 73/767, 356/73.1, 374/162
• US Class Current: 250/227.14
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/32 using changes in transmittance, scattering or luminescence in optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/247 using distributed sensing elements, e.g. microcapsules along a single optical fibre G01L1/242
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/228 using tactile array force sensors

Abstract

A fiber optic core cladded with a material having an index of refraction lower than the core material and light sensing means located along the length of the core and cladding material. The sensing means receives light which escapes into the cladding from the core when the fiber optic is stressed, and produces an output in response to light received. Measurement of the output provides both magnitude and location information with respect to stresses in the fiber optic. A measurement of fiber temperature by detection of dark current, which is the function of temperature, is effected in pixels of the sensing means located in intimate contact with the fiber. An accurate measurement of stress in the fiber is made by subtracting dark current measurements from stress measurements when the fiber optic is excited with light.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring bending imposed on an optical fiber comprising:

means for passing light through the fiber,

a light sensing layer located on the surface and along the length of said fiber for sensing the magnitude of light escaping from the fiber as a function of the location of bending, and

means for scanning the light sensing layer to determine the location of bending.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including means for receiving analog information from the light sensing layer and for converting the same to a video data format.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the light sensing layer is a jacket of material encircling the optical fiber.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the light sensing layer is a charge coupled device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the charge coupled device includes a charge coupled analog shift register.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein the charge coupled device and analog shift register are integrated circuitry located along the surface of said fiber.

7. An apparatus for measuring light escaping from an optical fiber comprising:

means for passing light through the fiber,

a light sensing layer located on the surface and along the length of the fiber for sensing the magnitude of light escaping from the fiber as a function of the location of the escaping light, and

means for scanning the light sensing layer to determine the location of the escaping light.

8. An apparatus for measuring stress imposed upon an optical fiber comprising:

means for passing light through the fiber,

a light sensing layer located on the surface and along the length of the fiber for sensing the magnitude of light escaping from the fiber as a function of the location of the stress; and

means for scanning the light sensing layer to determine the location of the stress.

9. Apparatus for measuring the temperature along an optical fiber comprising:

a charge coupled device located along the length of said fiber, said device being comprised of a plurality of discrete pixels,

means for scanning said pixels to detect dark current in each of said pixels, and

means for converting said detected dark current to a temperature value.

10. Apparatus for accurately measuring stress of an optical fiber having a charge coupled device and shift register located along its length, comprising in combination:

means for measuring the output of said the charge coupled device after light has been passed through said optical fiber,

means for measuring the output of the charge coupled device when no light is present and only dark current of the charge coupled device can be measured, and

means for subtracting the measured dark current output from the fist measured charge coupled output to determine the portion of the measured output which represents the stress in the optical fiber.

11. A method of measuring stress imposed upon an optical fiber comprising:

passing light through the fiber,

locating a layer of light sensing material on the surface and along the length of the fiber,

using said light sensing layer to detect the location and amount of the light escaping from the fiber as a function of the location and amount of stress imposed on the fiber.