Patent EP0264941A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0264941A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Spool for holding optical fiber
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1987-10-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A spool (20) which is used in the taking up and the paying out of a reltaively long length of optical fiber includes two flanges (24, 26) and a hub (22) with each flange being tapered. The spool includes a collector (30) which is formed adjacent to one of the two tapered flanges of the spool and which provides access to the initial or leading end portion of the length of optical fiber which is wound on the spool. A groove (32) of the collector communicates with the hub of the spool through each of two diametrically opposed slots (28-28) in the adjacent tapered flange (24). This allows the optical fiber to be wound on one of two coaxially mounted spools and to be transferred to the other spool with the first few convolutions being received in the groove and then passed through one of the slots in the adjacent tapered flange onto the hub. In order to prevent losses in the optical fiber portion (44) which extends through one of the slots, each slot is sufficiently wide to avoid unduly sharp curvature of the optical fiber port . The spool with outwardly sloped flanges provides for a stable winding pattern which prevents snags in pay out operations. The capacity of this spool with a stable winding pattern may be maximized by optimizing the slope of the tapered flanges.
Inventors
- 👤 Daryl Lester Myers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 01:35
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H55/00; B65H75/00; B65H75/02; B65H75/04; B65H75/08; B65H75/14; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/4457; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/50; B65H2701/51; B65H2701/513; B65H2701/514
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
212 words
A spool (20) which is adapted to hold convolutions of an optical fiber (21), said spool (20) comprising a hub (22) having a longitudinal axis and a cross sectional configuration which is normal to the longitudinal axis and which is generally circular, first and second flanges (24, 26) being attached to opposite ends of said hub (22); and a collector (30) attached to said first flange (24) for accumulating a few convolutions of the optical fiber (21) to provide access to an end portion of the optical fiber, characterized in that each of said flanges (24, 26) having a truncated conical shape with a large diameter portion thereof facing outwardly and a small diameter portion thereof being attached to said hub (22) and further with said first flange (24) including a slot (28) which is formed radially through said first flange; and said collector (30) including a flange (34) and a peripheral surface (36) on which the convolutions were wound with said slot (28) in said first flange having sufficient width and the thickness of said first flange (24) being sufficiently thin to minimize the curvature of a portion of the optical fiber (21) which extends through said slot (28) from convolutions in said collector (30) to convolutions on said hub (22).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A spool (20) which is adapted to hold convolutions of an optical fiber (21), said spool (20) comprising a hub (22) having a longitudinal axis and a cross sectional configuration which is normal to the longitudinal axis and which is generally circular, first and second flanges (24, 26) being attached to opposite ends of said hub (22); and a collector (30) attached to said first flange (24) for accumulating a few convolutions of the optical fiber (21) to provide access to an end portion of the optical fiber, characterized in that each of said flanges (24, 26) having a truncated conical shape with a large diameter portion thereof facing outwardly and a small diameter portion thereof being attached to said hub (22) and further with said first flange (24) including a slot (28) which is formed radially through said first flange; and said collector (30) including a flange (34) and a peripheral surface (36) on which the convolutions were wound with said slot (28) in said first flange having sufficient width and the thickness of said first flange (24) being sufficiently thin to minimize the curvature of a portion of the optical fiber (21) which extends through said slot (28) from convolutions in said collector (30) to convolutions on said hub (22).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The spool of claim 2 wherein said flange (34) of said collector (30), said peripheral surface (36) and said first flange (24) form a groove (32) in which a predetermined number of convolutions of optical fiber (21) to be wound on said spool (20) are accumulated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The spool of claim 1 or 2 wherein a free peripheral edge portion (40) of said first flange (24) overhangs a portion of said peripheral surface (36) of said collector (3).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The spool of claim 3 wherein the thickness of said first flange (24) is substantially constant to minimize the curvature of the portion (44) of the optical fiber (21) which connects the convolutions on said collector (30) with the convolutions on said hub (22).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The spool of any of claims 1 through 4 wherein each of said first and second flanges (24, 26) includes diametrically opposed slots (28) with each slot in said first flange communicating said groove (32) in said collector (30) to said hub (22), further said slots (28) in said first flange (24) being aligned with said slots (28) in said second flange (26).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The spool of claim 5 wherein said hub (22) is covered with a resilient material (27).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The spool of claim 6 wherein said resilient material (27) is provided with a single groove (29) which extends along said hub (22) and which is al igned with one of the slots (28) in said first flange (24) and an opposing aligned slot (28) in said second flange (26).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
The spool of any of claims 1 through 7 wherein the intersection of an outer surface (38) of said flange (24) and a surface which forms said slot (28) is provided with a radius.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The spool of any of claims 1 through 8 wherein the angle (α) which is formed between an inner surface of each said first and second flanges (24, 26) and a longitudinal axis of said hub (22) has a predetermined value to maximize packing density of convolutions of optical fiber wound on said spool and to optimize the stability of the wound package.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
The spool of claim 9 wherein the acute angle (α) between the inner surface of each said first and second flanges (24, 26) and the longitudinal axis of said hub is about 60°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
242 words
A package length of optical fiber (21) which comprises a spool (20) which is adapted to hold convolutions of an optical fiber (21), said spool (20) comprising a hub (22) having a longitudinal axis and a cross sectional configuration which is normal to the longitudinal axis and which is generally circular, first and second flanges (24, 26) being attached to opposite ends of said hub (22) and a collector (30) attached to said first flange (24) for accumulating a few convolutions of the optical fiber (21) to provide access to an end portion of the optical fiber; said spool; (20) characterized in that each of said flanges (24, 26) having a truncated conical shape with a larger diameter portion thereof facing outwardly and a small diamater portion thereof being attached to said hub (22) and further with said first flange (24) including a slot (28) which is formed radially through said first flange (24); and said collector (30) including a flange (24) and a peripheral surface (36) on which the convulutions are wound with said slot (28) in said first flange (24) having sufficient width and the thickness of said first flange (24) being sufficiently thin to minimize the curvature of a portion (44) of the optical fiber which extends through said slot (28) from convolutions in said collector (30) to convolutions on said hub (22); and a plurality of convolutions of optical fiber (21) which are wound on said hub (22)>
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
242 words
A package length of optical fiber (21) which comprises a spool (20) which is adapted to hold convolutions of an optical fiber (21), said spool (20) comprising a hub (22) having a longitudinal axis and a cross sectional configuration which is normal to the longitudinal axis and which is generally circular, first and second flanges (24, 26) being attached to opposite ends of said hub (22) and a collector (30) attached to said first flange (24) for accumulating a few convolutions of the optical fiber (21) to provide access to an end portion of the optical fiber; said spool; (20) characterized in that each of said flanges (24, 26) having a truncated conical shape with a larger diameter portion thereof facing outwardly and a small diamater portion thereof being attached to said hub (22) and further with said first flange (24) including a slot (28) which is formed radially through said first flange (24); and said collector (30) including a flange (24) and a peripheral surface (36) on which the convulutions are wound with said slot (28) in said first flange (24) having sufficient width and the thickness of said first flange (24) being sufficiently thin to minimize the curvature of a portion (44) of the optical fiber which extends through said slot (28) from convolutions in said collector (30) to convolutions on said hub (22); and a plurality of convolutions of optical fiber (21) which are wound on said hub (22)>
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
98 words
The packaged length of optical fiber of claim 11 wherein said flange (34) of said collector (30), said peripheral surface (36) and said first flange (24) form a groove (32) in which a predetermined number of convolutions of optical fiber (21) wound on said spool (20) are accumulated at least one convolution of the optical fiber (21) being disposed in said collector (3) with said at least one convolution being connected to the convolutions wound on said hub (22) by a portion (44) of the optical fiber which extends through said slot (28) in said first flange (24).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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