Patent US4082423A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4082423A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Fiber optics cable strengthening method and means
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1976-08-19
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Granted: 1978-04-04
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Expires: 1996-08-19
Abstract
Abstract A non-metallic, high strength, high temperature resistant external or internal strengthening for fiber optics cables is provided. The strengthening may be in various forms such as internally deployed filaments, outer woven mesh fibers, segmented cylinders, helical wrap ribbon, etc., and is made from single high-strength crystal fibers preferably of sapphire, i.e. α-Al 2 O 3 . The non-conductive strengthening crystals have a low density, are highly crush resistant and meet severe environmental fiber optic sensor and data transmission requirements.
Inventors
- 👤 Andrew S. Glista
- 👤 Rodney S. Katz
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 07:51
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/4434; G02B6/443; G02B6/4432
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
An electrically non-conductive strengthening means for glass fiber optics bundles or other similar fiber cables capable of withstanding installation stresses as well as continuous tensile loading during service comprising: a plurality of light energy-conducting fibers bundled together in side-by-side substantially parallel relationship with each other; and a protective binding about said bundle comprised of individual single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at environmental and substantially higher than environmental temperatures.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
An electrically non-conductive strengthening means for glass fiber optics bundles or other similar fiber cables capable of withstanding installation stresses as well as continuous tensile loading during service comprising: a plurality of light energy-conducting fibers bundled together in side-by-side substantially parallel relationship with each other; and a protective binding about said bundle comprised of individual single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at environmental and substantially higher than environmental temperatures.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The strengthening means of claim 1 wherein said fibers are made of glass and said single crystal members are filaments made of an electrically non-conductive compound having little elongation at its total strength and a high value of bending modulus so as to form a bending restriction which protects said glass fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The strengthening means of claim 2 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The strengthening means of claim 2 wherein said cables include an embedment material and said fibers and said filaments are contained therein, said fibers being centrally disposed in said embedment material, said filaments being grouped in at least two bundles disposed about and spaced from said fibers in said embedment material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The strengthening means of claim 4 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
79 words
The strengthening means of claim 2 wherein said cables include a jacket of resilient electrically non-conductive material surrounding said fibers, said filaments being annularly disposed about said resilient material; an inner sheath of resilient electrically non-conductive material disposed over said filaments for holding said filaments in place and providing more uniform bending; and an outer sheath of resilient electrically non-conductive material enclosing said inner sheath for containing and protecting said fibers, said jacket, said filaments, and said inner sheath.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The strengthening means of claim 6 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
The strengthening means of claim 2 wherein said fibers are held together by an annular film of resilient electrically non-conductive material and said filaments are wound about said resilient material to form a self-tightening sheathing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The strengthening means of claim 8 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The strengthening means of claim 2 wherein said fibers are held together by an annular film of resilient electrically non-conductive material and said filaments are in the form of ribbons which are wound about said resilient material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The strengthening means of claim 10 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A composite construction of fiber optics bundles comprising: light energy conducting means and protective means, one of said means being single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered, and the other of said means forming the remainder of the fiber optics bundle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
A composite construction of fiber optics bundles comprising: light energy conducting means and protective means, one of said means being single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered, and the other of said means forming the remainder of the fiber optics bundle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conducting means form a plurality of centrally disposed conductive elements and said protective means is a cladding about said elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The composite construction of claim 13 wherein said central elements are single crystals of sapphire and said cladding is glass.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conducting means is a plurality of glass fibers and said protective means is a plurality of sapphire filaments symmetrically distributed with respect to said glass fibers; and a sheathing of electrically non-conductive resilient material containing and shielding said fibers and filaments.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conducting means is a plurality of glass fibers and said protective means is a plurality of adjacent close-fitting collars longitudinally enclosing said fibers, each of said collars being a single crystal of sapphire.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conducting means is a plurality of glass fibers bundled in side-by-side substantially parallel relationship with each other and said protective means is a binding about said bundle of fibers comprised of individual single crystals of sapphire.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The composite construction of claim 17 and further including an annular film of resilient electrically non-conductive material longitudinally enclosing said fibers, said filaments wound about said resilient material to form a self-tightening sheathing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said protective means is a plurality of single crystal sapphire filaments; a jacket of resilient electrically non-conductive material longitudinally enclosing said filaments, said energy conductive means being a plurality of glass fibers circumferentially disposed about said jacket; and jacketing means of resilient electrically non-conductive material longitudinally enclosing said fibers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
60 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conductive means is a plurality of glass fibers; a cable embedment material and said fibers centrally embedded therein during extrusion thereof, said protective means including a plurality of single crystal sapphire filaments, said filaments assembled in at least two bundles and said bundles spaced from said fibers in said embedment material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said protective means is a plurality of single crystal sapphire filaments; a cable embedment material and said filaments centrally embedded therein during extrusion thereof, said energy conductive means being a plurality of glass fibers, said fibers assembled in at least two bundles and said bundles spaced from said filaments in said embedment material.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
71 words
The composite construction of claim 12 wherein said energy conductive means is a plurality of glass fibers; a cable embedment material and said fibers centrally embedded therein, said protective means being a plurality of single crystal sapphire filaments circumferentially disposed about said embedment material; strengthening means of woven single crystal sapphire filaments disposed about said circumferentially disposed filaments; and jacketing means of resilient electrically non-conductive material longitudinally enclosing said strengthening means.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of protecting fiber optics bundles comprising: enclosing a bundle of light energy conductive glass fibers in a loose fitting tubular jacket and encircling said jacket with a protective means comprised of single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
56 words
A method of protecting fiber optics bundles comprising: enclosing a bundle of light energy conductive glass fibers in a loose fitting tubular jacket and encircling said jacket with a protective means comprised of single crystal members of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 23 wherein said members are single crystal filaments of sapphire entwined about said jacket.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of protecting fiber optics bundles comprising embedding separate bundles of glass fibers and single crystal filaments of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered in a flexible electrically non-conductive cable embedment material.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
46 words
A method of protecting fiber optics bundles comprising embedding separate bundles of glass fibers and single crystal filaments of a compound having a high modulus of elasticity, low density and high tensile strength at high temperatures generally encountered in a flexible electrically non-conductive cable embedment material.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said filaments are made of sapphire.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-04-03 | 1981-10-03 | 1982-04-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-04-03 | 1985-10-03 | 1986-04-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-04-03 | 1989-10-03 | 1990-04-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |