US4547040A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Optical fiber assembly and process for preparing same
Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corp
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Filing: 1983-06-21
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Granted: 1985-10-15
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Expires: 2003-06-21
Abstract
Abstract An optical fiber assembly comprising at least two plastic optical fibers and an embedding material, said plastic optical fibers being arranged substantially in parallel to each other and embedded in said embedding material, wherein each plastic optical fiber comprises a core of polymer having a refractive index, n1, and a cladding of a polymer having a refractive index, n2, wherein the refractive indices n1 and n2 satisfy the following relationship [I] n1-n2>0.01 [I] The optical fiber assembly is prepared by extruding from a spinneret a plurality of optical fibers having a core-cladding structure and an embedding material of a polymer in three layers of core, cladding and embedding material, according to a melt-spinning method; arranging the optical fibers in parallel to each other before solidification thereof; and bonding the optical fibers together through the embedding material.
Inventors
- 👤 Takashi Yamamoto
- 👤 Kenichi Sakunaga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 05:36
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/04; G02B6/06; B; B29; B29C; B29C48/00; B29C48/03; B29C48/06; B29C48/09; B29C48/11; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00663; G02B6/02; G02B6/02033; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4403
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
An optical fiber assembly comprising at least two plastic optical fibers and an embedding material, said plastic optical fibers being arranged substantially in parallel to each other and embedded in said embedding material, wherein each plastic optical fiber comprises a core of polymer having a refractive index, n 1 , and a cladding of a polymer having a refractive index, n 2 , wherein the refractive indices n 1 and n 2 satisfy the following relationship [I] n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 >0.01 [I], and wherein said embedding material comprises a polymer having a refractive index n 3 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
An optical fiber assembly comprising at least two plastic optical fibers and an embedding material, said plastic optical fibers being arranged substantially in parallel to each other and embedded in said embedding material, wherein each plastic optical fiber comprises a core of polymer having a refractive index, n 1 , and a cladding of a polymer having a refractive index, n 2 , wherein the refractive indices n 1 and n 2 satisfy the following relationship [I] n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 >0.01 [I], and wherein said embedding material comprises a polymer having a refractive index n 3 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
The optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cladding polymer having a refractive index n 2 is a copolymer comprising (A) 30 to 99.95% by weight of a polyfluoroalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, (B) 0.05 to 10% by weight of a vinyl monomer containing at least one hydrophilic group and (C) 0 to 69.95% by weight of one or more copolymerizable vinyl monomers, thereby attenuating the refractive index n 2 of said cladding polymer, wherein said refractive indices n 2 and n 3 satisfy the following relationship [II] n.sub.3 -n.sub.2 >0 [II].
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
The optical fiber assembly according to claim 1, wherein said core polymer of the plastic optical fibers comprises polystyrene, refractive index of 1.59; polymethyl methacrylate, refractive index of 1.49; styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymer, refractive index of 1.50 to 1.58; poly-4-methyl-1-pentene, refractive index of 1.46; polycarbonate, refractive index of 1.50 to 1.59; methyl methacrylate/styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, refractive index of 1.50 to 1.58; methyl methacrylate/styrene/α-methylstyrene/maleic anhydride copolymer, refractive index of 1.50 to 1.58; methyl methacrylate/vinyl toluene/maleic anhydride copolymer, refractive index of 1.50 to 1.58; fluorine-containing polymers having a refractive index of 1.38 to 1.48; and the deuteration products of the foregoing polymers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 1, wherein the value (n 1 -n 2 ) is in the range of 0.01 to 0.20.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of said cladding is about 1 to 3 μm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 5, wherein the thickness of said cladding is about 2 to 20 μm.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 1, wherein the thickness of said embedding material is about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 7, wherein the thickness of said embedding material is about 1 to 50 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 2, wherein the polyfluoroalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid comprises the products of the ester-forming reaction of trifluoroethanol, tetrafluoropropanol or pentafluoropropanol and acrylic acid or methacrylic acid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 2, wherein said vinyl monomer comprising at least one hydrophilic group comprises carboxyl group-containing monomers, glycidyl group-containing monomers, carboxylic acid-amine group containing monomers, amide group-containing monomers, and hydroxyl group-containing monomers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 10, wherein said vinyl monomer comprising at least one hydrophilic group comprises acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The optical fiber assembly of claim 2, wherein said copolymerizable vinyl monomer (C) comprises methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, n-propyl methacrylate, n-butyl methacrylate, nonyl methacrylate, lauryl methacrylate, methyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, styrene, α-methylstyrene and maleic anhydride or mixture thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
117 words
A process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies which comprises: (a) extruding from a spinneret assembly a plurality of optical fibers comprising a core of a polymer having a refractive index n 1 , and a cladding of a polymer having a refractive index n 2 , and an embedding material of a polymer, according to a melt-spinning method, in three layers of core, cladding and embedding material, wherein the refractive indices n 1 and n 2 satisfy the following relationship [I]: n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 >0.01 [I] (b) arranging said optical fibers, embedded in said embedding material, substantially in parallel to each other before solidification thereof, and (c) bonding said optical fibers together through said embedding material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
117 words
A process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies which comprises: (a) extruding from a spinneret assembly a plurality of optical fibers comprising a core of a polymer having a refractive index n 1 , and a cladding of a polymer having a refractive index n 2 , and an embedding material of a polymer, according to a melt-spinning method, in three layers of core, cladding and embedding material, wherein the refractive indices n 1 and n 2 satisfy the following relationship [I]: n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 >0.01 [I] (b) arranging said optical fibers, embedded in said embedding material, substantially in parallel to each other before solidification thereof, and (c) bonding said optical fibers together through said embedding material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
75 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 13, wherein streams of a melt of said core polymer are first formed in the spinneret assembly, then streams of a melt of said cladding polymer are formed around said core polymer streams, then streams of a melt of said embedding polymer are formed around said cladding polymer streams, and then the formed three-layered composite melt streams are extruded from said spinneret assembly.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
76 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 13, wherein said cladding polymer comprises a copolymer comprising (A) 30 to 99.95% by weight of a polyfluoroalkyl ester of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, (B) 0.05 to 10% by weight of a vinyl monomer containing at least one hydrophilic group and (C) 0 to 69.95% of one or more copolymerizable vinyl monomers, thereby attenuating the refractive index n 2 of said cladding polymer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of said cladding is about 1 to 30 μm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 13, wherein the thickness of said embedding material is about 0.5 to 100 μm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 16, wherein the thickness of said cladding is controlled by drawing the multi-layer composite polymers comprising the core-cladding optical fibers and the embedding material, and extruding said multi-layer composite polymers from the spinneret assembly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 18, wherein said multi-layer composite polymers are extruded from the spinneret assembly at a temperature of about 120° to 180° C. and a draw ratio of about 1.1 to 5.0.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 17, wherein the thickness of said embedding material is controlled by drawing the multi-layer composite polymers comprising the core-cladding optical fibers and the embedding material, and extruding said multi-layer composite polymers from the spinneret assembly.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process for the preparation of optical fiber assemblies according to claim 20, wherein said multi-layer composite polymers are extruded from the spinneret assembly at a temperature of about 120° to 180° C. and a draw ratio of about 1.1 to 5.0.
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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) | 1988-10-14 | 1989-04-15 | 1989-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-14 | 1993-04-15 | 1993-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-14 | 1997-04-15 | 1997-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |