Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A plastic optical fiber comprising: (1) a core consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 1 , (2) a cladding layer consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 2 , and (3) a protective layer consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 3 , which optical fiber is characterized in that said refractive indices n 1 , n 2 , and n 3 satisfy the relationships n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 ≧0.01 and n 3-n.sub.2 >0 and in that said cladding layer-forming polymeric material consists essentially of a copolymer of: (A) 20% to 99.95% by weight of at least one fluorine-containing-comonomer selected from the group consisting of fluoroalkyl acrylates and fluoroalkyl methacrylates; (B) 0.05% to 10% by weight of at least one vinyl comonomer having a hydrophilic radical; and (C) 0% to 79.95% by weight of at least one other vinyl comonomer capable of copolymerizing with the above-mentioned comonomers (A) and (B).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A plastic optical fiber comprising: (1) a core consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 1 , (2) a cladding layer consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 2 , and (3) a protective layer consisting of a polymeric material and having a refractive index n 3 , which optical fiber is characterized in that said refractive indices n 1 , n 2 , and n 3 satisfy the relationships n.sub.1 -n.sub.2 ≧0.01 and n 3-n.sub.2 >0 and in that said cladding layer-forming polymeric material consists essentially of a copolymer of: (A) 20% to 99.95% by weight of at least one fluorine-containing-comonomer selected from the group consisting of fluoroalkyl acrylates and fluoroalkyl methacrylates; (B) 0.05% to 10% by weight of at least one vinyl comonomer having a hydrophilic radical; and (C) 0% to 79.95% by weight of at least one other vinyl comonomer capable of copolymerizing with the above-mentioned comonomers (A) and (B).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cladding layer has a thickness of from 1 to 30 μm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractive index n 1 of said core is substantially equal to said refractive index n 3 of said protective layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said fluorine-containing comonomer (A) is selected from the group consisting of 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate and methacrylate, 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoropropyl acrylate and methacrylate, and 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropyl acrylate and methacrylate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said hydrophilic vinyl comonomer (B) is selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated mono- and di-carboxylic acids.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 5, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acid is selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said hydrophilic vinyl comonomer (B) is selected from ethylenically unsaturated epoxy comonomers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said hydrophilic vinyl comonomer (B) is selected from the group consisting of ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic amides, N-alkylcarboxylic amides, N-methylolcarboxylic amides, and alkyl ethers of the above-mentioned amides.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 8, wherein said ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic amide is selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, methacrylamide, N-methylacrylamide, and N,N'-diethylacrylamide and said alkyl ethers of the above-mentioned amides are selected from the group consisting of methyl ethers and ethyl ethers of said amides.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said hydrophilic vinyl comonomer (B) is selected from ethylenically unsaturated polycaboxylic acids.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said refractive indexes of the core and the protective layer (3) are 1.44 or more, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
97 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said core-forming polymeric material consists essentially of at least one member selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate copolymers comprising at least 70% by weight of copolymerized methyl methacrylate, polycarbonates, deuterated styrene polymers comprising at least 70% by weight of polymerized styrene which has been deuterated at a degree of deuteration of at least 50%, and deuterated methyl methacrylate polymers comprising 70% by weight or more of polymerized methyl methacrylate which has been deuterated at a degree of deuteration of 50% or more.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said cladding layer-forming polymeric material comprises a copolymer of: 20% to 99.95% by weight of fluoroalkyl methacrylate, 0.05% to 10% by weight of at least one vinyl comonomer having a hydrophilic radical, and 0% to 79.95% by weight of at least one other comonomer capable of copolymerizing with the above-mentioned comonomers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The plastic optical fiber as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protective layer-forming polymeric material comprises at least one methylmethacrylate polymer comprising at least 70% by weight of polymerized methylmethacrylate.