Patent · US Expired

Optical fiber encapsulation techniques

US5394504A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
9References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 24, 1994
Grant dateFeb 28, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 24, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T156/1089
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Optical fibers are encapsulated, first by bonding them to a first surface (18) of a flat member (17) having first and second opposite major surfaces. The flat member and a sheet of thermoplastic (13) are placed in an air-tight chamber (10) such that a first major surface of the sheet faces the first major surface (18) of the flat member (17). Next, the air pressure on the second major surface of the flat member is made to be significantly lower than the air pressure on the second surface of the thermoplastic sheet (13), thereby to cause the sheet to press against the flat member. The thermoplastic sheet is heated sufficiently during this process to cause it to adhere to the first surface (18) of the flat member, thereby to encapsulate the optical fibers.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.