US4900126A — Bonded array of transmission media

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

A bonded array of transmission media, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in an array with longitudinal axes thereof being substantially parallel to one another, each of said optical fibers including at least one layer of a coating material; and a curable matrix bonding material which fills interstices between adjacent fibers of said array and which extends to a periphery than envelops said array with the thickness of the matrix bonding material contiguous to the optical fibers and extending to the periphery as measured along radii of the optical fibers not exceeding a predetermined value, the modulus of said matrix bonding material at room temperature and its bonding to each optical fiber being such as to hold together said array while allowing interfiber movement and to facilitate the exposure of each fiber by the application of peeling forces between the matrix bonding material and an optical fiber while providing suitable mechanical properties for said array.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

A bonded array of transmission media, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in an array with longitudinal axes thereof being substantially parallel to one another, each of said optical fibers including at least one layer of a coating material; and a curable matrix bonding material which fills interstices between adjacent fibers of said array and which extends to a periphery than envelops said array with the thickness of the matrix bonding material contiguous to the optical fibers and extending to the periphery as measured along radii of the optical fibers not exceeding a predetermined value, the modulus of said matrix bonding material at room temperature and its bonding to each optical fiber being such as to hold together said array while allowing interfiber movement and to facilitate the exposure of each fiber by the application of peeling forces between the matrix bonding material and an optical fiber while providing suitable mechanical properties for said array.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 61 words

The bonded array of claim 1, wherein each of said optical fibers includes a coating of a release material which contacts said matrix bonding material to facilitate the separation of matrix bonding material from an optical fiber by the application of suitable peeling forces along the interface between said matrix bonding material and a selected optical fiber having the release coating.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 86 words

The bonded array of claim 1, wherein the modulus of said matrix bonding material is fine-tuned to be sufficiently high to provide required mechanical properties for said array and the adhesion characteristics of the matrix bonding material to the coated optical fibers are such as to cause the matrix bonding material to have an affinity for the coated optical fiber which is sufficiently low to allow separation of the optical fiber from the matrix bonding material by the application of suitable peeling forces by a craftsperson.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 53 words

The bonded array of claim 1, wherein each optical fiber includes a color identification material applied to an outer surface thereof and wherein the bonding characteristics of said matrix bonding material are sufficiently different from that of the color identification material of each said optical fiber to facilitate accessing of the individual fibers.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 193 words

A bonded array of transmission media, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in an array with longitudinal axes thereof being substantially parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the array, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a color identification; and a curable matrix bonding material which fill interstices between adjacent fibers of said array and which extends to a periphery which envelopes said array with the thickness of the matrix bonding material contiguous to the optical fibers and extending from the optical fibers to the periphery as measured along radii of the optical fibers not exceeding a predetermined value, the modulus of said matrix bonding material at room temperature and its bonding to each color identified optical fiber being such as to hold together said array while allowing interfiber movement and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers upon the application of peeling forces between the matrix bonding material and an optical fiber without obfuscating the color identification of the optical fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the array.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 193 words

A bonded array of transmission media, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in an array with longitudinal axes thereof being substantially parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the array, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a color identification; and a curable matrix bonding material which fill interstices between adjacent fibers of said array and which extends to a periphery which envelopes said array with the thickness of the matrix bonding material contiguous to the optical fibers and extending from the optical fibers to the periphery as measured along radii of the optical fibers not exceeding a predetermined value, the modulus of said matrix bonding material at room temperature and its bonding to each color identified optical fiber being such as to hold together said array while allowing interfiber movement and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers upon the application of peeling forces between the matrix bonding material and an optical fiber without obfuscating the color identification of the optical fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the array.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 14 words

The bonded array of claim 5, which also includes at least one metallic conductor.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 27 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein adjacent fibers of said array are disposed such that longitudinal axes of the optical fibers are disposed in a plane.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein said matrix bonding material is a radiation curable bonding material.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein the color identification material is a solvent based ink which is applied to an exterior surface of each optical fiber.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein said color identification comprises a constituent of an outermost coating layer of each said optical fiber.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein a release agent is interposed between each said optical fiber and said matrix material.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

The bonded array of claim 5, wherein said curable matrix bonding material has a modulus at room temperature which is in the range of about 1 MPa-1 GPa.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 194 words

An optical fiber ribbon, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in a parallel array in which adjacent fibers are substantially contiguous to each other and in which longitudinal axes of the optical fibers are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said array and disposed in a plane, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a colorant identification material; and a radiation curable matrix bonding material which fills interstices between adjacent fibers to bond together the optical fibers and which extends across the array of optical fibers with the thickness of the matrix bonding material extending beyond the optical fibers and as measured along radii of the optical fibers which are normal to said plane not exceeding about 25 μm, said matrix bonding material having a modulus at room temperature and being bonded to said optical fibers such as hold together said array while allowing relative movement among the optical fibers and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers without obfuscating the color identification of the fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the ribbon.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 194 words

An optical fiber ribbon, which comprises: a plurality of longitudinally extending optical fibers which are disposed in a parallel array in which adjacent fibers are substantially contiguous to each other and in which longitudinal axes of the optical fibers are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said array and disposed in a plane, each of said optical fibers being provided with at least one layer of a coating material and with a colorant identification material; and a radiation curable matrix bonding material which fills interstices between adjacent fibers to bond together the optical fibers and which extends across the array of optical fibers with the thickness of the matrix bonding material extending beyond the optical fibers and as measured along radii of the optical fibers which are normal to said plane not exceeding about 25 μm, said matrix bonding material having a modulus at room temperature and being bonded to said optical fibers such as hold together said array while allowing relative movement among the optical fibers and to facilitate the exposure of the individual optical fibers without obfuscating the color identification of the fibers while providing suitable mechanical properties for the ribbon.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 13, wherein a UV curable matrix bonding material fills voids created between the optical fibers and major sides of said ribbon which extend across the array of optical fibers parallel to said plane and which are tangential to the optical fibers therein.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 33 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 14, wherein the modulus of the matrix bonding material at room temperature is one which is less than about 1 GPa and more than about 1 MPa.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 13, wherein said matrix bonding material is a first UV bonding material and said first matrix bonding material is enclosed by a layer of a second matrix bonding material.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 16, wherein said first matrix bonding material is confined between planes which are tangent to said fibers.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 31 words

The optical fiber of claim 16, wherein the modulus of said second matrix bonding material has a modulus which is substantially greater than that of the material which fills the interstices.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 42 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 16, wherein the thickness of said layer of second matrix bonding material as measured along radii of said optical fibers in a direction normal to said plane does not exceed a value of about 25 μm.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 19, wherein the modulus of said second matrix bonding material is in the range of about 1 GPa.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 71 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 13, wherein each of the optical fibers is provided with a colorant material on an external surface thereof and wherein each of the optical fibers including the colorant material on a surface of each is provided with a release material which facilitates the accessing of individual ones of the optical fibers without the removal of the colorant material from the surfaces of the optical fibers.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 82 words

The optical fiber ribbon of claim 13, wherein each of the optical fibers is enclosed in at least one layer of a coating material with the surface of the outermost layer of coating material being provided with a colorant material, the matrix bonding and coating materials being such that the bond between the colorant material and the outer surface of the outermost layer of coating material is greater than that of the bond between the colorant material and the matrix bonding material.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 52 words

The bonded ribbon of claim 13, wherein each of said optical fibers is provided with at least one layer of a coating material and further each of the coated optical fibers is enclosed in a layer of a plastic buffering material disposed between the matrix bonding material and the coated optical fibers.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 52 words

The bonded ribbon of claim 13, which is arranged in a stack of a plurality of the bonded ribbons with a bonding material being disposed between each two adjacent ribbons, the matrix bonding matrix material and the bonding material being such that shear strength therebetween is sufficiently low to allow interribbon movement.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 40 words

A stack of bonded optical fiber ribbons, which includes a plurality of the optical fiber ribbons of claim 13 being stacked together with a bonding material being disposed between adjacent ribbons and having a modulus which facilitates accessing individual ribbons.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 22 words

The stack of claim 25, wherein each of said ribbons is precoated with a release material prior to assembly into said stack.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 16 words

The stack of claim 26, wherein each of said ribbons is provided with color identification means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 19 words

The stack of claim 27, wherein said color identification means is a colorant material provided about each said ribbon.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

The stack of claim 27, wherein said color identification means is a constituent of said matrix bonding material of each of said ribbons.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1993-02-12	1993-08-14	1994-02-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1997-02-12	1997-08-14	1998-02-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2001-02-12	2001-08-14	2002-02-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Bonded array of transmission media

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