Method and apparatus for producing flexible fiber optical light conductors

Claim 1

The method of preparing a length of fiber optical ribbon for endwise light admission and emission, comprising, the steps of clamping said ribbon at a predetermined distance from one of its ends in an end-wise and laterally fixed position; clenching said ribbon at said one end thereof so as to gather its fibers into a light admitting and emitting cylindrical portion; pushing a plastic ferrule sleeve and a surrounding metallic ferrule sleeve over said cylindrical ribbon portion and thereby threading said clenched end of said ribbon through said plastic and metallic ferrule sleeves; crimping said metallic ferrule sleeve radially inward upon said plastic ferrule sleeve and thereby securing the latter to said cylindrical ribbon portion; and removing said ribbon from said fixed position.

Claim 2

The method of preparing a length of fiber optical ribbon for endwise light admission and emission, comprising, the steps of clamping said ribbon at a predetermined distance from one of its ends in an end-wise and laterally fixed position; clenching said ribbon at said one end thereof so as to gather its fibers into a light admitting and emitting cylindrical portion; pushing a plastic ferrule sleeve and a surrounding metallic ferrule sleeve over said cylindrical ribbon portion and thereby threading said clenched end of said ribbon through said plastic and metallic ferrule sleeves; crimping said metallic ferrule sleeve radially inward upon said plastic ferrule sleeve and thereby securing the latter to said cylindrical ribbon portion; and removing said ribbon from said fixed position.

Claim 4

An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a stationary frame assembly, a pair of spaced apart conveyor means operable to move parallel, laterally spaced fiber optical ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame assembly, a ferrule attaching unit mounted on said frame assembly laterally of said conveyor means in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyor means; and a ferrule trimming unit spaced from said ferrule attaching unit in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation to said conveyor means so as to slice end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors means, and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.

Claim 5

An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a stationary frame assembly, a pair of spaced apart conveyor means operable to move parallel, laterally spaced fiber optical ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame assembly, a ferrule attaching unit mounted on said frame assembly laterally of said conveyor means in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyor means; and a ferrule trimming unit spaced from said ferrule attaching unit in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation to said conveyor means so as to slice end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors means, and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.

Claim 6

An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a frame assembly; a pair of parallel, relatively spaced conveyors operable to support fiber optical ribbons extending therebetween in Laterally spaced relation to each other and to advance said ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame; a pair of ferrule attaching units mounted on said frame assembly in laterally confronting relation, respectively, to said conveyors and in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies having a ferrule at each end during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors; and a pair of ferrule trimming units spaced from said ferrule attaching units in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation, respectively, to said conveyors so as to slice opposite end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons at both ends with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.

Claim 7

An apparatus for producing fiber optical light conductors comprising a frame assembly; a pair of parallel, relatively spaced conveyors operable to support fiber optical ribbons extending therebetween in Laterally spaced relation to each other and to advance said ribbons sidewise step-by-step along said frame; a pair of ferrule attaching units mounted on said frame assembly in laterally confronting relation, respectively, to said conveyors and in cooperable relation thereto so as to produce ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies having a ferrule at each end during periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors; and a pair of ferrule trimming units spaced from said ferrule attaching units in the direction of sidewise movement of said ribbons and mounted on said frame assembly in cooperative relation, respectively, to said conveyors so as to slice opposite end portions from said ribbon and attached ferrule assemblies during said periods of temporary standstill of said conveyors and thereby provide each of said fiber optical ribbons at both ends with a plane light admitting and emitting end face.

Claim 8

An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a ribbon holding unit mounted on said support for adjustment to ribbon engaging and releasing positions; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said ribbon holding unit; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said ribbon holding unit; ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to the end of a fiber optical ribbon held by said holding unit; and a ferrule feeding system mounted on said tool slide for supplying ferrules successively to said ferrule attaching means.

Claim 9

An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a ribbon holding unit mounted on said support for adjustment to ribbon engaging and releasing positions; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said ribbon holding unit; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said ribbon holding unit; ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to the end of a fiber optical ribbon held by said holding unit; and a ferrule feeding system mounted on said tool slide for supplying ferrules successively to said ferrule attaching means.

Claim 14

An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a clamp assembly mounted on said support for back and forth adjustment between a lowered ribbon releasing position and a raised ribbon holding position; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said clamp assembly; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said clamp assembly; a pair of ribbon clenching arms mounted on said tool slide for swinging movement into and out of a ribbon clenching position; actuating means for said clamp assembly and for said clenching arms operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its lowered ribbon releasing position and said clenching arms out of their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is in its retracted position, and so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its raised ribbon holding position and said clenching arms in their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is advanced toward said projected position, and ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to a fiber optical ribbon held by said clamp assembly and clenched by said clenching arms.

Claim 15

An apparatus for attaching ferrules to fiber optical ribbons comprising, a support; a clamp assembly mounted on said support for back and forth adjustment between a lowered ribbon releasing position and a raised ribbon holding position; a tool slide mounted on said support for reciprocating movement toward and away from said clamp assembly; actuating means operable to adjust said tool slide to projected and retracted positions relative to said clamp assembly; a pair of ribbon clenching arms mounted on said tool slide for swinging movement into and out of a ribbon clenching position; actuating means for said clamp assembly and for said clenching arms operatively interrelated with said tool slide actuating means so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its lowered ribbon releasing position and said clenching arms out of their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is in its retracted position, and so as to maintain said clamp assembly in its raised ribbon holding position and said clenching arms in their ribbon clenching position while said tool slide is advanced toward said projected position, and ferrule attaching means mounted on said tool slide and operable upon adjustment of the latter to said projected position to attach a ferrule to a fiber optical ribbon held by said clamp assembly and clenched by said clenching arms.