Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
A jaw arrangement for a microbend sensor comprising: a pair of jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) each having a facing corrugated surface for holding an optical fibre (5) therebetween and being movable with respect to each other to bend the optical fibre (5) to modulate light passing through the optical fibre (5), characterised in that; each corrugated surface includes a plurality of generally flat areas (2 b , 3 b ), disposed in a common plane extending in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of relative movement of the jaws, and a plurality of projections (2 c , 3 c ) extending from the generally flat surfaces in the direction of relative movement of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ); the projections (2 c , 3 c ) alternate with the flat areas (2 b , 3 b ); the projections (2 c , 3 c ) of one of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) oppose the generally flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) of the other of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ); and the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) are movable together under an overload condition to cause the projections (2 c , 3 c ) of one of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) to bend an optical fibre (5) placed between the jaws against the flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) of the other of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
229 words
A jaw arrangement for a microbend sensor comprising: a pair of jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) each having a facing corrugated surface for holding an optical fibre (5) therebetween and being movable with respect to each other to bend the optical fibre (5) to modulate light passing through the optical fibre (5), characterised in that; each corrugated surface includes a plurality of generally flat areas (2 b , 3 b ), disposed in a common plane extending in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to the direction of relative movement of the jaws, and a plurality of projections (2 c , 3 c ) extending from the generally flat surfaces in the direction of relative movement of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ); the projections (2 c , 3 c ) alternate with the flat areas (2 b , 3 b ); the projections (2 c , 3 c ) of one of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) oppose the generally flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) of the other of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ); and the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) are movable together under an overload condition to cause the projections (2 c , 3 c ) of one of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) to bend an optical fibre (5) placed between the jaws against the flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) of the other of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A jaw arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the height of each projection (2 c , 3 c ) of each jaw (2ʺ, 3ʺ) in the direction of relative movement of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) is equal to a maximum relative movement between the jaws.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A jaw arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the generally flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) are slightly concave with respect to a space between the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A jaw arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the facing surfaces of the jaws (2ʺ, 3ʺ) which contact the optical fibre (5) are made of softer material than the remainder of the jaws.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
118 words
A jaw arrangement for a microbend sensor characterised by a pair of jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) having an optical fibre (5) therebetween, at least one of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) having at least two flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) lying in a plane facing the other of said jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) and perpendicular to a direction of relative movement of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) together and apart for bending the optical fibre (5), and at least one projection (2 b , 3 b ) on said one of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) located between the flat areas and extending in the direction of relative movement of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
118 words
A jaw arrangement for a microbend sensor characterised by a pair of jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) having an optical fibre (5) therebetween, at least one of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) having at least two flat areas (2 b , 3 b ) lying in a plane facing the other of said jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) and perpendicular to a direction of relative movement of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) together and apart for bending the optical fibre (5), and at least one projection (2 b , 3 b ) on said one of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ) located between the flat areas and extending in the direction of relative movement of the jaw plates (2ʺ, 3ʺ).