Optical fiber sensor and method of manufacture
First Claim
1. A method of making an optical fiber sensor from an optical fiber having proximal and distal portions, a light conducting optical fiber core with a side portion and a coating of cladding material over said side portion, the steps of the method comprising:
- removing a length of said cladding material from the distal portion of the side portion of the optical fiber to expose a distal side portion of the optical fiber core;
applying a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material to the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core; and
applying a coating of reflective material over the sensing material matrix.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The optical fiber sensor is formed from an optical fiber having a light conducting optical fiber core, and a coating of cladding material, with a length of a sensing material matrix applied to the distal portion of the optical fiber core. The method involves removing a length of the cladding material from the distal portion of the optical fiber to expose a distal tip of the optical fiber core, applying a sensing material matrix to the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core, and applying a coating of reflective material over the sensing material matrix.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of making an optical fiber sensor from an optical fiber having proximal and distal portions, a light conducting optical fiber core with a side portion and a coating of cladding material over said side portion, the steps of the method comprising:
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removing a length of said cladding material from the distal portion of the side portion of the optical fiber to expose a distal side portion of the optical fiber core; applying a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material to the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core; and applying a coating of reflective material over the sensing material matrix. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11)
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- 9. The method of claim 9, wherein said step of applying the sensing material matrix comprises dipping the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core into an uncured liquid form of the sensing material matrix.
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13. An optical fiber sensor apparatus comprising:
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an optical fiber having proximal and distal portions, a light conducting optical fiber core with a side portion having a coating of cladding material over the proximal portion of the side portion of said optical fiber core and with said coating of cladding material having been removed from the distal portion of the side portion of said optical fiber core; and a length of a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material applied to the uncladded distal portion of the optical fiber core. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of making an optical fiber sensor from an optical fiber having an optical fiber core and a side surface coated with a cladding material, the steps of the method comprising:
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removing a portion of said cladding material from the side surface of the optical fiber to expose a portion of the side surface of the optical fiber core; applying a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material to the exposed portion of the optical fiber core; and applying a coating of reflective material over the sensing material matrix. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An optical fiber sensor apparatus comprising:
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a optical fiber having a light conducting optical fiber core with a side surface substantially coated with a cladding material and a portion of said side surface having said cladding material removed therefrom to provide an uncladded side surface portion of said optical fiber; and a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material applied to the uncladded side surface portion of the optical fiber core. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of making an optical fiber sensor from an optical fiber having proximal and distal portions, a glass light conducting optical fiber core with a side portion and a coating of cladding material over said side portion, the steps of the method comprising:
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removing a length of said cladding material from the distal portion of the side portion of the optical fiber to expose a distal side portion of the optical fiber core; cleaning the surface of the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core and treating the surface with sulfuric acid to improve wettability of the exposed optical fiber core; and applying a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material to the exposed distal potion of the optical fiber core. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method of making an optical fiber sensor from an optical fiber having proximal and distal portions, a light conducting optical fiber core with a side portion and a coating of cladding material over said side portion, the steps of the method comprising:
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removing a length of said cladding material from the distal portion of the side portion of the optical fiber to expose a distal side portion of the optical fiber core; and applying a polymeric, semipermeable sensing material matrix containing a dye indicator material to the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core by dipping the exposed distal portion of the optical fiber core into an uncured liquid form of the sensing material matrix, and controlling the thickness of the sensing material matrix by controlling the viscosity of the uncured liquid form of the sensing material matrix.
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Specification