Lateral illumination fiber optic cable device and method of manufacture
US5333228A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 21, 1993 |
| Grant date | Jul 26, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 21, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S385/901
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A fiber optic cable (10) suitable for lateral illumination lighting installations has a tubular central core (12), wrapped perimetrically with angularly evenly distributed bundles (15) of optical fibers (16) and covered with a transparent sheath (17). The core includes an outer cylindrical surface (14) of reflective material (24) that deflects inwardly directed lateral emissions back outwardly, so they can contribute usefully to the visible light. In manufacture, the bundles are wound about the core by a cabling machine which simultaneously extrudes the sheath about the winding. In a modified embodiment, a cable (10') includes an arcuate cutout (30) that mates with a complementary track (39, 40) of a mounting strip (35) . Strip (35) includes a reflective substance in an area (38) between upper and lower cables (10') to present a continuous, top to bottom lateral illumination effect. In another form of the modified embodiment, the fiber bundles are provided directly within upper and lower reflective channels (41) formed integrally within the mounting strip.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.