Method of manufacturing reinforced optical fiber
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing reinforced optical fiber comprising the steps of:
- conveying an elongated optical fiber from a source;
symmetrically, coaxially winding reinforcing fiber to a selected density per unit length around said optical fiber to form a reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber;
immersing said reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber in an resin bath for a predetermined time to form a flexible resin matrix among said wound reinforcing fibers to form a resin-coated optical fiber;
passing said resin-coated optical fiber through a first sizing die to remove excess resin from and to shape the resin coating of said optical fiber to form a shaped resin-coated optical fiber;
passing said shaped resin-coated optical fiber through an oven to cure said resin to form a cured resin-coated optical fiber;
coating said cured resin-coated optical fiber with an external coating material to form a coated optical fiber;
passing said coated optical fiber through a second sizing die to shape and to remove excess external coating to form a reinforced optical fiber; and
storing said reinforced optical fiber on a reel.
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing reinforced optical fiber including conveying optical fiber from a source; symmetrically, coaxially winding reinforcing fiber to a selected density per unit length around the optical fiber; forming an resin matrix among the reinforcing fibers; and coating the resin matrix with an external coating. Reinforcing a predetermined length of an elongated optical fiber comprises gradually reducing the thickness of the external coating and then gradually reducing the density of reinforcing fiber and the thickness of the resin matrix to form a transition from a reinforced fiber and a non-reinforced fiber.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing reinforced optical fiber comprising the steps of:
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conveying an elongated optical fiber from a source; symmetrically, coaxially winding reinforcing fiber to a selected density per unit length around said optical fiber to form a reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber; immersing said reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber in an resin bath for a predetermined time to form a flexible resin matrix among said wound reinforcing fibers to form a resin-coated optical fiber; passing said resin-coated optical fiber through a first sizing die to remove excess resin from and to shape the resin coating of said optical fiber to form a shaped resin-coated optical fiber; passing said shaped resin-coated optical fiber through an oven to cure said resin to form a cured resin-coated optical fiber; coating said cured resin-coated optical fiber with an external coating material to form a coated optical fiber; passing said coated optical fiber through a second sizing die to shape and to remove excess external coating to form a reinforced optical fiber; and storing said reinforced optical fiber on a reel. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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2. A method of manufacturing optical fiber covered with a reinforcing coating for predetermined length thereof, the method comprising the steps of:
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conveying an elongated optical fiber from a source at a constant rate; symmetrically, coaxially wrapping reinforcing fiber around said optical fiber at a predetermined rate to achieve a predetermined reinforcing fiber density per unit length of reinforcing fiber-covered optical fiber; passing said reinforcing fiber-covered optical fiber over rollers immersed in a bath of resin having a predetermined depth to form a flexible resin matrix among the reinforcing fibers covering said optical fiber to form a resin-coated optical fiber; passing said resin-coated optical fiber through a first sizing die having a variable opening to remove excess resin from and to shape the resin coating of said optical fiber; passing said shaped resin-coated optical fiber through an oven to cure said resin; passing said cured resin-coated optical fiber over rollers immersed in a bath of external coating material having a predetermined depth for a predetermined immersion time, to form a coated optical fiber; passing said coated optical fiber through a second sizing die having a variable opening to remove external coating material in excess of a desired thickness and to shape the external coating to form an optical fiber with a reinforcing coating; placing said reinforced optical fiber on a take-up reel; gradually reducing the thickness of said reinforcing coating after said predetermined length is obtained by the steps of gradually reducing the thickness of said external coating applied to said fiber until no external coating is applied and then gradually reducing the reinforcing fiber density per unit length to zero while simultaneously reducing the amount of resin applied to said fiber to zero. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of reinforcing a predetermined length of an elongated optical fiber comprising the steps of:
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axially conveying said elongated fiber from a source; symmetrically weaving strands of a reinforcing fiber to a selected density per unit length around said optical fiber; forming an resin matrix to a desired resin thickness among the strands of said woven reinforcing fiber; coating said resin matrix covered optical fiber with an external coating to a desired coating thickness; and after said predetermined length, sequentially gradually reducing the thickness of said external coating and gradually reducing the thickness of said resin matrix and the density of said reinforcing fiber to form a transition from reinforced fiber to non-reinforced fiber.
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16. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber reinforced in tensile and bending strength comprising the steps of:
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conveying an elongated optical fiber from a source; symmetrically, coaxially winding reinforcing fiber to a selected density per unit length around said optical fiber to form a reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber; immersing said reinforcing-fiber covered optical fiber in a resin bath for a predetermined time to form a flexible resin matrix among said wound reinforcing fibers to form a resin-coated optical fiber; passing said resin-coated optical fiber through a first sizing die to remove excess resin from and to shape the resin coating of said optical fiber to form a shaped resin-coated optical fiber; passing said shaped resin-coated optical fiber through an oven to cure said resin to form a cured resin-coated optical fiber; coating said cured resin-coated optical fiber with an external coating material to form a coated optical fiber; passing said coated optical fiber through a second sizing die to shape and to remove excess external coating to form a reinforced optical fiber; and storing said reinforced optical fiber on a reel.
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Specification