US4611748A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process and apparatus for fabricating optical fiber cables
Assignee: Olin Corp
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Filing: 1984-10-01
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Granted: 1986-09-16
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Expires: 2004-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A process and apparatus for fabricating an optical fiber communication cable are described herein. The optical fiber cable has a cable core including a metal containment tube and at least one optical fiber within the tube. The containment tube preferably is formed by drawing a strip of metal through at least one forming die. In a first aspect of the present invention, smooth operation of the forming die is promoted by first passing the metal strip through a shaving die to remove any shearing burrs along the strip edges and to maintain the width of the strip within a desired tolerance. In a second aspect of the present invention, various approaches for effectively sealing the containment tube are described. In a first embodiment, the tube is sealed using a wave soldering approach wherein a flow of moving molten solder is used to substantially fill a seam in the tube. In a preferred embodiment, a mechanical separation is placed between the tube and the moving molten solder to prevent sealing until a steady state running condition has been achieved. In a second embodiment, the tube is sealed by wrapping a metal foil having a meltable coating about the tube and heating the assembly to melt the coating and effect a seal. In a third aspect of the present invention, the optical fiber cable is provided with an improved concentricity. The improved concentricity is effected by passing the sealed metal tube through a die for removing any excess material such as solder from about the outer periphery of the tube.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Winter
- 👤 Michael J. Pryor
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:23
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4401; G02B6/4429; G02B6/443; B; B23; B23K; B23K1/00; B23K1/14; B23K1/16; G02B6/4415; G02B6/4427; G02B6/4479; G02B6/4486; G02B6/4488; H; H01; H01B; H01B13/00; H01B13/22; H01B13/26; H01B13/2613; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T409/00; Y10T409/50; Y10T409/501476; Y10T409/50164; Y10T409/50246
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for fabricating an optical fiber cable, said apparatus comprising: means for assembling a cable core having a metal containment tube and at least one optical fiber within said tube, said core assembly means including means for forming a strip of metal into said tube, wherein the improvement comprises: means for providing said strip to said forming means in a substantially burr-free condition and with a width that does not exceed a desired width, said strip providing means comprising a shaving die having a bore through which said strip passes, said bore having a diameter substantially equal to said desired width, whereby providing said strip in said substantially burr-free condition and with said width not exceeding said desired width promotes smooth operation of said tube forming means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
An apparatus for fabricating an optical fiber cable, said apparatus comprising: means for assembling a cable core having a metal containment tube and at least one optical fiber within said tube, said core assembly means including means for forming a strip of metal into said tube, wherein the improvement comprises: means for providing said strip to said forming means in a substantially burr-free condition and with a width that does not exceed a desired width, said strip providing means comprising a shaving die having a bore through which said strip passes, said bore having a diameter substantially equal to said desired width, whereby providing said strip in said substantially burr-free condition and with said width not exceeding said desired width promotes smooth operation of said tube forming means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said shaving die shapes said strip to have a desired cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: means for guiding said strip through the approximate center of said bore.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said guiding means comprises: a first rotatable member adjacent an entry face of said die; and a second rotatable member adjacent an exit face of said die.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said strip guiding means further comprises: means for guiding the edges of said strip so that said strip is laterally aligned with said bore.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said edge guiding means comprises: a pair of collars mounted on each of said rotatable members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising: said die being mounted in a support structure; each said rotatable member being mounted to said support structure by a pair of mounting arms; and each said arm having a bearing in which an end of one of said rotatable members rotates.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process for fabricating an optical fiber cable, said process comprising: providing means for forming a strip of metal into a tube; passing said strip through said forming means to form said tube; and inserting at least one optical fiber into said tube, wherein the improvement comprises: passing said strip through a shaving die having a bore with a diameter substantially equal to a desired strip width prior to said tube forming step so as to promote smooth operation of said forming means by providing said strip to said forming means in a substantially burr-free condition and with a width that does not exceed said desired strip width.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
108 words
A process for fabricating an optical fiber cable, said process comprising: providing means for forming a strip of metal into a tube; passing said strip through said forming means to form said tube; and inserting at least one optical fiber into said tube, wherein the improvement comprises: passing said strip through a shaving die having a bore with a diameter substantially equal to a desired strip width prior to said tube forming step so as to promote smooth operation of said forming means by providing said strip to said forming means in a substantially burr-free condition and with a width that does not exceed said desired strip width.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 8 further comprising: guiding said strip through the approximate center of said bore.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 9 further comprising: guiding the edges of said strip so that said strip is laterally aligned with said bore.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 8 further comprising: said step of passing said strip through said die further comprising shaping said strip to have a desired cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
The process of claim 11 further comprising: said forming means being at least one forming die; said tube forming step comprising drawing said strip through said at least one die; and said shaping step comprising shaping said strip to have a substantially trapezoidal cross section, whereby drawing forces created during said tube forming step are reduced by said strip shaping.
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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) | 1989-09-15 | 1990-03-17 | 1990-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-15 | 1994-03-17 | 1994-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-15 | 1998-03-17 | 1998-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |