Reel to reel manufacturing line

• US 6,934,459 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Weatherford Canada Limited (Weatherford International PLC)
• Original Assignee: LxDATA Inc. (Weatherford International PLC)
• Inventors: Lefebvre, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, John D.
• Application Number:
  US10/276,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 385/123, 385/134, 385/147, 242/550, 242/563, 242/563.1, 242/563.2, 242/564, 242/564.1, 242/564.3, 242/564.5, 242/565, 242/566, 242/128
• US Class Current: 385/147
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2220/02 indicating an entity which is controlled, adjusted or changed by a control process, i.e. output
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2515/60 Optical characteristics, e.g. colour, light
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/32 Optical fibres or optical cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 49/02 Methods or apparatus in which packages do not rotate
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 54/2896 Flyers
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 57/20 Flyers for inserting twist D01H
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2006/12107 Grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02123 characterised by the method of manufacture of the grating photolithography G03F7/0005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/02152 involving moving the fibre or a manufacturing element, stretching of the fibre G02B6/02147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4479 Manufacturing methods of optical cables

Abstract

The invention relates to a line for processing an optical fiber having first and second ends, the line comprising a support for receiving a reel with the fiber wounded thereon; a de-winder for unwinding the fiber without substantial rotation of the reel; and a processing station for receiving the optical fiber from said de-winder to perform a processing on a portion of the optical fiber. The invention also relates to a method for writing a grating on a fiber having first and second ends, the fiber being wounded on a first reel and being capable of being wounded on a second reel, the method comprising connecting the first end of the fiber to a circulator; connecting said circulator to a source of light and to a first measurement means; de-winding the fiber from the first reel without rotation of the reel; writing a grating on the fiber with a source of radiation; and measuring reflection spectra of the grating with said first measurement means. The method also comprises winding the fiber on the second reel without rotation of the reel.

Claims

1. A line for processing an optical fiber having first and second ends, the line comprising:

a first support for receiving a first reel with the optical fiber wound thereon;

a de-winder for unwinding the optical fiber without substantial rotation of the first reel;

a processing station for receiving the optical fiber from said de-winder to perform a processing on a portion of the optical fiber;

a second support for receiving a second reel; and

a winder for winding the optical fiber on the second reel without substantial rotation of the second reel.

2. A line as defined in claim 1 wherein said processing station comprises a source of optical radiation for writing a grating on the optical fiber.

3. A line as defined in claim 2 further comprising a source of light adapted to be connected to one of the first and second ends of the optical fiber.

4. A line as defined in claim 3 further comprising a circulator adapted to be connected to one of the first and second ends of the optical fiber, said circulator being connected to said source of light.

5. A line as defined in claim 4 further comprising a measurement means connected to said circulator.

6. A line as defined in claim 5 wherein said measurement means is capable of measuring reflection spectra of the grating.

7. A line as defined in claim 6 wherein said measurement means is a first measurement means, said line further comprising a second measurement means adapted to be connected to the other one of the first and second ends of the optical fiber.

8. A line as defined in claim 7 wherein said second measurement means is capable of measuring transmission spectra of the grating.

9. A line as defined in claim 8 wherein said source of optical radiation is a laser.

10. A line as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said winder and de-winder comprises a rotatable arm operative to turn around one of the first reel and second reel for winding or de-winding the optical fiber.

11. A line as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said winder and de-winder is coupled to a servomotor.

12. A line as defined in claim 11 further comprising an electronic tensioner adapted to receive the optical fiber.

13. A line as defined in claim 12 further comprising an air bushing for guiding the optical fiber, said air bushing being located between said servomotor and said electronic tensioner.

14. A line as defined in claim 13 further comprising a dancer arm assembly adapted to receive the optical fiber, said dancer arm assembly having an arm movable between a first angular position and a second angular position.

15. A line as defined in claim 2, wherein said source of optical radiation is a laser, said line further comprising a stripping unit for removing at least a portion of a removable coating in at least one predetermined region of the optical fiber to expose the predetermined region of the optical fiber to said laser.

16. A line as defined in claim 15 further comprising a clamping unit for clamping the fiber at a first end and a second end of the predetermined region of the fiber.

17. A line as defined in claim 16 further comprising means for exerting longitudinal tension on the predetermined region of the fiber.

18. A line as defined in claim 17 further comprising a cleaning unit for cleaning the predetermined region of the fiber.

19. A line as defined in claim 18 further comprising a recoating unit for recoating the predetermined region of the fiber.

20. A line as defined in claim 19 further comprising an inspection unit.

21. A line as defined in claim 20 further comprising an annealing unit.

22. A line as defined in claim 21 further comprising an apparatus for aligning the fiber with said laser.

23. A line as defined in claim 3 wherein said source of light is selected from the group consisting of a broadband light source and a tunable laser.

24. A line as defined in claim 5 wherein said measurement means is selected from the group consisting of a power meter and an optical spectrum analyzer.

25. A line as defined in claim 7 wherein said second measurement means is selected from the group consisting of a power meter and an optical spectrum analyzer.

26. A line as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said first and second measurement means is capable of measuring polarization dependence loss of the grating.

27. A line as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said first and second measurement means is capable of measuring polarization mode dispersion of the grating.

28. A method for processing an optical fiber having first and second ends, the optical fiber being wound on a first reel and being capable of being wound on a second reel, the method comprising:

(a) connecting the first end of the optical fiber to a source of light and a measurement means;

(b) de-winding the optical fiber from the first reel without substantially turning the first reel;

(c) processing a portion of the optical fiber with a source of optical radiation;

(d) dining the processing, measuring reflection spectra of the portion of the optical fiber with said measurement means; and

(e) winding the optical fiber on the second reel without substantially turning the second reel.

29. A method as defined in claim 28 wherein said measurement means is a first measurement means, the method further comprising connecting the second end of the fiber to a second measurement means and measuring transmission spectra of the portion of the fiber with said second measurement means.

30. A method as defined in claim 29 further comprising measuring polarization dependence loss of the portion of the fiber.

31. A method as defined in claim 30 further comprising measuring polarization mode dispersion of the portion of the fiber.

32. A method as defined in claim 28 further comprising removing at least a portion of a removable coating in at least one predetermined region of the optical fiber to expose the predetermined region of the optical fiber to said source of radiation.

33. A method as defined in claim 32 further comprising clamping the fiber at a first end and a second end of the predetermined region of the fiber.

34. A method as defined in claim 33 further comprising cleaning the predetermined region of the fiber.

35. A method as defined in claim 34 further comprising exerting a longitudinal tension on the predetermined region of the fiber.

36. A method as defined in claim 35 further comprising annealing the predetermined region of the fiber.

37. A method as defined in claim 36 further comprising recoating the predetermined region of the fiber.

38. A method as defined in claim 37 further comprising marking the fiber.

39. A method as defined in claim 28 further comprising aligning the fiber with the source of optical radiation.

40. A line for measuring optical properties of a grating written on a fiber having first and second ends, the line comprising:

(a) first and second supports for receiving first and second reels, the first reel having the fiber wound thereon;

(b) a de-winder for unwinding the fiber without substantial rotation of the first reel;

(c) a winder for winding the fiber on the second reel without substantial rotation of the second reel;

(d) a source of light adapted to be connected to one of the first and second ends of the fiber; and

(e) a measurement means adapted to be connected to one of the first and second ends of the fiber for measuring optical properties of the grating.

41. A line as defined in claim 40 further comprising a circulator adapted to be connected to one of the first and second ends of the fiber, said circulator being connected to said source of light and said measurement means.

42. A line as defined in claim 40 wherein said measurement means is capable of measuring reflection spectra of the grating.

43. A line as defined in claim 42 wherein said measurement means is a first measurement means, said line further comprising a second measurement means adapted to be connected to the other one of the first and second ends of the fiber.

44. A line as defined in claim 43 wherein said second measurement means is capable of measuring transmission spectra of the grating.

45. A line as defined in claim 43 wherein one of said first and second measurement means is capable of measuring polarization dependence loss of the grating.

46. A line as defined in claim 43 wherein one of said first and second measurement means is capable of measuring polarization mode dispersion of the grating.

47. A method for performing a predetermined process on an optical fiber, the method comprising:

(a) providing a first reel having a continuous optical fiber wound thereon, the optical fiber having first and second ends;

(b) unwinding the optical fiber from the first reel substantially without rotation of the first reel;

(c) introducing light via one of the first and second ends of the optical fiber such that the light propagates in the optical fiber;

(d) performing a predetermined process on a portion of the optical fiber unwound from the first reel;

(e) providing a second reel; and

(f) winding the optical fiber unwound from the first reel on the second reel substantially without rotation of the second reel.

48. A method for performing a predetermined process on an optical fiber wound on a first reel, the optical fiber having first and second ends, the method comprising:

(a) unwinding the optical fiber from the first reel substantially without rotation of the first reel to create an unwound portion;

(b) performing a predetermined process on the unwound portion;

(c) winding the unwound portion after the predetermined process has been performed on a second reel substantially without rotation of the second reel;

(d) during the predetermined process, introducing light via one of the first and second ends of the optical fiber such that the light propagates to the unwound portion through a portion.