Laser photocuring system
First Claim
1. A system for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon, comprising:
- a laser for outputting a laser beam;
a splitter for splitting said laser beam into a plurality of output beams; and
a reflector device for reflecting said output beams such that said output beams are irradiated on said coating of said optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon from different angles.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and a method for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon using a laser curing device which emits a plurality of laser beams, having a predetermined wavelength or wavelength range, that impinge on the fiber or ribbon at differing angles to provide a uniform cure. The system includes at least one laser for outputting a laser beam; a splitter for splitting the laser beam into a plurality of output beams; and reflector arrangement for reflecting the output beams such that the output beams are irradiated on the coating of the optical fiber from different angles. The reflector comprises a plurality of mirrors or, alternatively, a housing, which substantially surrounds the optical fiber where at least a portion of an inner surface of the housing is reflective. Alternatively, the reflector may be replaced with a bundle of UV-waveguides directing portions of the beam to the substrate at different angles and/or directions. The system may also include a second laser for outputting a second laser beam which impinges on the fiber, where the wavelength range of the second laser is in a range that is different from the wavelength range of the first laser.
38 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A system for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon, comprising:
-
a laser for outputting a laser beam;
a splitter for splitting said laser beam into a plurality of output beams; and
a reflector device for reflecting said output beams such that said output beams are irradiated on said coating of said optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon from different angles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or ribbon, comprising:
a plurality of lasers for respectively outputting a plurality of laser output beams, said output beams being irradiated on said coating of said optical fiber or ribbon from different angles. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
15. A system for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or ribbon, comprising:
a laser for outputting a laser beam, said laser beam being split into a plurality of output beams which impinge on said fiber or ribbon from different angles.
-
16. A system for curing a coating applied to an optical fiber or optical fiber ribbon substrate, comprising:
-
a laser for outputting a laser beam; and
a bundle of UV-optical fibers for directing the lasers UV-radiation towards said optical fiber or said optical fiber ribbon from a plurality of different directions.
-
Specification