Method and apparatus for manufacturing distributed refractive index plastic optical-fiber
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a graded refractive-index plastic optical-fiber, said method comprising:
- preparing a base polymer and a monomer-containing solution;
preparing a fiber material from said base polymer and including a non-polymerizable compound having a refractive index higher than that of said polymer;
heating and melting said fiber material to obtain a melt;
continuously spinning said melt to form a fiber;
dipping said fiber in said monomer-containing solution and impregnating said fiber therewith, so that each of said monomer and said non-polymerizable compound are diffused in said fiber; and
curing and hardening said monomer.
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Abstract
A base polymer is mixed with a non-polymerizable compound having a higher refractive index to form a fiber material. This material is continuously transformed into a fiber in a fiber-preparing unit. The fiber is dipped in diffusion tanks containing monomer substances so as to diffuse these substances into the fiber, and cured in a heater so as to polymerize these substances. By alternatingly repeating this procedure, the monomer substances and the non-polymerizable compound are diffused in the fiber and form a graded refractive index. Next, the fiber is drawn, coated with a cladding and coiled. This method can be performed with a high running ratio, minimizing the necessity of scaling-up of the facilities when the production is increased, and easily confers a desired index grading on the fiber. Likewise, the method allow continued manufacturing of a graded refractive index plastic optical-fiber with a desired length and of constant quality.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a graded refractive-index plastic optical-fiber, said method comprising:
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preparing a base polymer and a monomer-containing solution; preparing a fiber material from said base polymer and including a non-polymerizable compound having a refractive index higher than that of said polymer; heating and melting said fiber material to obtain a melt; continuously spinning said melt to form a fiber; dipping said fiber in said monomer-containing solution and impregnating said fiber therewith, so that each of said monomer and said non-polymerizable compound are diffused in said fiber; and curing and hardening said monomer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A device for manufacturing a graded refractive-index plastic optical-fiber, said device comprising:
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a fiber-preparing mechanism comprising a unit for mixing a base polymer and a non-polymerizable compound having a refractive index higher than that of said base polymer to obtain a mixture, a unit for heating and melting said mixture to obtain a melt, and a unit for spinning said melt to continuously form a fiber, a plurality of monomer-diffusing devices, each device comprising a unit for containing a monomer solution, a unit for dipping said fiber in said monomer solution to obtain diffused monomer in said fiber, and a unit for recovering said fiber from said unit for dipping said fiber; a curing unit; and a first handling mechanism for passing the fiber exiting from said fiber-preparing mechanism, alternatingly through said diffusing devices and said curing unit. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 13)
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9. A device for manufacturing a graded refractive-index plastic optical-fiber, said device comprising:
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a fiber-preparing mechanism comprising a unit for mixing a base polymer and a non-polymerizable compound having a refractive index higher than that of said base polymer to obtain a mixture, a unit for heating and melting said mixture to obtain a melt, and a unit for spinning said melt to continuously form a fiber; a plurality of monomer-diffusing devices each comprising a unit for containing a monomer solution, at least one unit for dipping said fiber in said monomer-containing solution to obtain diffused monomer in said fiber, and at least one unit for recovering said fiber from said unit for dipping said fiber; a plurality of curing units; and at least one handling mechanism for passing the fiber exiting from one said monomer-diffusing device through a respective said curing unit and returning said fiber into a further said monomer diffusing device. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 14)
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Specification