Methods of and apparatus for organizing fiber lightguides into a planar array
US4289558A · kind A · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 30, 1978 |
| Grant date | Sep 15, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 30, 1998 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB29C70/687
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
In order to organize a plurality of fiber lightguides (33--33) into a planar array (40), so that they can be bonded together between two tapes (34--34) to form a ribbon (32), the fiber lightguides are payed out from individual supply spools (51--51) and advanced toward a takeup (43). Interposed between the supply spools and the takeup is at least one surface (72) past which the lightguides are advanced and which is effective to organize them contiguously into a single layer array (76). The surface is made with a curvature which is convex in the direction of advance of the fiber lightguides and which is concave in a direction transverse to the direction of advance. The single layer array (76) is advanced past and in engagement with another surface (86) which reforms the array into a planar configuration after which the lightguides are bonded together to form the ribbon (32). A plurality of the ribbons may be formed into a stack which comprises a core (31) of an optical communication cable and which lends itself to group-splicing techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.