Patent US4397524A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4397524A
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US
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Image-transmitting bundled optical fibers
Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd
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Filing: 1979-09-12
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Granted: 1983-08-09
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Expires: 1999-09-12
Abstract
Abstract Image-transmitting bundled fibers and processes for producing the same in which a bundle of elemental image fibers is assembled without randomizing so as to maintain the picture image without distortion utilizing an inventive assembly technique. The assembled fibers are covered with cladding layer then surrounded by a light-absorbing layer of a disclosed preferred group of materials. Fiber bundles of the invention can have a length of several tens of kilometers while the bundles have a good flexibility and a sufficiently high number of elemental image fibers to convey a clear and satisfactory image.
Inventors
- 👤 Kozo Yoshimura
- 👤 Takenobu Higashimoto
- 👤 Tetsuji Ono
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:26
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C25/00; C03C25/10; C03C25/24; C03C25/26; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/012; C03B37/01205; C03B37/01211; C03B37/01214; C03B37/014; C03B37/018; C03B37/02; C03B37/022; C03B37/023; C03B37/025; C03B37/027; C03B37/028; C03C25/104; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/04; G02B6/06; C03B2203/00; C03B2203/10; C03B2203/22; C03B2203/26; C03B2203/40; C03B2205/00; C03B2205/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S359/00; Y10S359/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers comprising the steps of inserting a group of elemental image fibers into a pipe made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and a multicomponent glass having one end sealed, spinning the resulting assembly at an elevated temperature while reducing the pressure at the open end of the pipe, coating a layer of a metal having a lower melting point than the material constituting the image fibers onto the spun assembly before said assembly contacts a solid surface to provide a protective metal coating and cooling the spun and coated assembly.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers comprising the steps of inserting a group of elemental image fibers into a pipe made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and a multicomponent glass having one end sealed, spinning the resulting assembly at an elevated temperature while reducing the pressure at the open end of the pipe, coating a layer of a metal having a lower melting point than the material constituting the image fibers onto the spun assembly before said assembly contacts a solid surface to provide a protective metal coating and cooling the spun and coated assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers comprising the steps of inserting a group of elemental image fibers into a pipe made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and a multicomponent glass having one end sealed, spinning the resulting assembly at an elevated temperature while reducing the pressure at the open end of the pipe, coating a layer of a resin material selected from the group consisting of thermosetting and ultraviolet-curable resin materials onto the spun assembly before said assembly contacts a solid surface to provide a protective resin coating and cooling the spun and coated assembly.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers comprising the steps of inserting a group of elemental image fibers into a pipe made of a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and a multicomponent glass having one end sealed, spinning the resulting assembly at an elevated temperature while reducing the pressure at the open end of the pipe, coating a layer of a resin material selected from the group consisting of thermosetting and ultraviolet-curable resin materials onto the spun assembly before said assembly contacts a solid surface to provide a protective resin coating and cooling the spun and coated assembly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said group of elemental image fibers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and a material comprising primarily quartz.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said group of elemental image fibers are multicomponent glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers, by aligning elemental image fibers comprising mainly quartz or a multicomponent glass positioned in a quartz or glass pipe, said process comprising the steps of pouring water into said pipe and rotating said pipe while simultaneously vibrating said pipe by means of an ultrasonic vibrating element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers, by aligning elemental image fibers comprising mainly quartz or a multicomponent glass positioned in a quartz or glass pipe, said process comprising the steps of pouring water into said pipe and rotating said pipe while simultaneously vibrating said pipe by means of an ultrasonic vibrating element.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers by aligning elemental image fibers, comprising mainly quartz or a multicomponent glass positioned in a quartz or glass pipe, said process comprising the steps of pouring water into said pipe, rotating said pipe, and vibrating said pipe by means of an ultrasonic vibrating element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
A process for producing an image guide of multiple fibers by aligning elemental image fibers, comprising mainly quartz or a multicomponent glass positioned in a quartz or glass pipe, said process comprising the steps of pouring water into said pipe, rotating said pipe, and vibrating said pipe by means of an ultrasonic vibrating element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for producing a multifiber image guide by providing a light-absorbing layer around each of a plurality of elemental image fibers which form picture image elements, comprising providing a quartz pipe surrounding said elements comprising a material selected from the group consisting of colored rock crystal quartz doped with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for producing a multifiber image guide by providing a light-absorbing layer around each of a plurality of elemental image fibers which form picture image elements, comprising providing a quartz pipe surrounding said elements comprising a material selected from the group consisting of colored rock crystal quartz doped with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image guide comprising a plurality of elemental image fibers assembled without randomization to form picture image elements of said image guide and a light-absorbing layer provided around each of said image fibers, said light-absorbing layer comprising material selected from the group consisting of colored rock salt and quartz doped with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
87 words
An image guide comprising a plurality of elemental image fibers assembled without randomization to form picture image elements of said image guide and a light-absorbing layer provided around each of said image fibers, said light-absorbing layer comprising material selected from the group consisting of colored rock salt and quartz doped with at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process for producing a multifiber image guide by providing a light-absorbing layer around elemental image fibers which form picture image elements, each of said picture image elements comprising a core and a cladding layer formed primarily of quartz, comprising: forming a film of doped quartz on the outer surface of said cladding layer surrounding said core, said doped quartz light-absorbing layer being doped with a material selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
88 words
A process for producing a multifiber image guide by providing a light-absorbing layer around elemental image fibers which form picture image elements, each of said picture image elements comprising a core and a cladding layer formed primarily of quartz, comprising: forming a film of doped quartz on the outer surface of said cladding layer surrounding said core, said doped quartz light-absorbing layer being doped with a material selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 9, wherein said doped quartz light-absorbing layer is formed by reacting SiCl 4 , H 2 and O 2 with a halide of one of said group of materials.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image guide comprising a plurality of elemental image fibers assembled without randomization to form picture image elements of said image guide, a cladding layer surrounding said image fibers, and a layer of light-absorbing material surrounding said cladding layers and comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W and a halide of Si doped with one of said metals for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
86 words
An image guide comprising a plurality of elemental image fibers assembled without randomization to form picture image elements of said image guide, a cladding layer surrounding said image fibers, and a layer of light-absorbing material surrounding said cladding layers and comprising a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Rh, La, Ce, Nd and W and a halide of Si doped with one of said metals for increasing the coefficient of light absorption of the light-absorbing layer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The image guide of claim 11 wherein said image fibers comprise quartz.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The image guide of claim 12 wherein said cladding layer comprises B-doped quartz.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The image guide of claim 11 wherein said image fibers comprise quartz doped with at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ge, P, Al, Ti and Ga.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
The image guide of claim 14 wherein said cladding layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of glass and B-doped quartz.
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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) | 1986-08-08 | 1987-02-07 | 1987-08-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-08-08 | 1991-02-07 | 1991-08-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-08-08 | 1995-02-07 | 1995-08-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |