§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5035169A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Guided vehicle system

Assignee: Nokia Bell Labs
•
Filing: 1990-05-01
•
Granted: 1991-07-30
•
Expires: 2010-05-01
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract An optical fiber package (20) is provided by winding a plurality of convolutions in a plurality of layers on a bobbin. To each layer is applied an adhesive material (45) which in a preferred embodiment is a mixture comprising a relative silicone copolymer resin, a solvent system which includes an aromatic constituent, a catalyst and a wetting agent. The mixture has a modulus behavior which is relatively stable with respect to time throughout a relatively wide operating temperature. Inasmuch as the solvent system and the method of application of the mixture are effective to control the rate of precipitation and the rate of cure of the silicone constituent, the surface roughness of the convolutions is controlled. After the desired number of convolutions have been wound, the package is subjected to a heat treatment which relieves stresses in the wound fiber and which completes the cure of the adhesive material. The adhesive material is effective to hold the convolutions together sufficiently to allow transport and deployment and to allow the convolutions constantly to be payed off over a relatively wide temperature range and over a relatively wide range of payout speeds without the use of excessive force and without breakage.

Inventors

  • 👤 John T. Chapin
  • 👤 Charles W. Jackson
  • 👤 Thomas O. Mensah
  • 👤 Mickey R. Reynolds

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 07:18
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65H; B65H55/00; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/44; G02B6/4439; G02B6/4457

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 179 words
A guided vehicle system which includes: a control station; a vehicle which is adapted to be controlled by said control station; and a package of optical fiber which is disposed in said vehicle, and from which optical fiber is adapted to be payed out, said package of optical fiber including: a bobbin; a plurality of convolutions of optical fiber which are wound on said bobbin; and a curable adhesive material which has been applied to outwardly facing surface portions of each of said convolutions, said adhesive material including a silicone material having a modulus variation which is relatively stable with respect to time throughout a relatively wide operating temperature range at payout speeds which may be as high as about 300 meters per second and a solvent system which includes an aromatic solvent constituent and which is effective to prevent premature precipitation or premature curing of said adhesive material, and wherein said package is such that the optical fiber may be payed off an end of the bobbin without rotational motion of the bobbin about a longitudinal axis thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 179 words
A guided vehicle system which includes: a control station; a vehicle which is adapted to be controlled by said control station; and a package of optical fiber which is disposed in said vehicle, and from which optical fiber is adapted to be payed out, said package of optical fiber including: a bobbin; a plurality of convolutions of optical fiber which are wound on said bobbin; and a curable adhesive material which has been applied to outwardly facing surface portions of each of said convolutions, said adhesive material including a silicone material having a modulus variation which is relatively stable with respect to time throughout a relatively wide operating temperature range at payout speeds which may be as high as about 300 meters per second and a solvent system which includes an aromatic solvent constituent and which is effective to prevent premature precipitation or premature curing of said adhesive material, and wherein said package is such that the optical fiber may be payed off an end of the bobbin without rotational motion of the bobbin about a longitudinal axis thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive material covers portions of said turns which are contiguous to portions of adjacent convolutions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the surfaces of the adhesive material which covers the optical fiber convolutions are substantially uniform.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said adhesive material comprises a reaction product of a reaction mixture which has been applied to the convolutions of each layer of said package, and wherein said mixture also comprises a catalyst and wetting agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 13 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said solvent system comprises an aromatic solvent.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said solvent system comprises an aromatic solvent which has a boiling point and a vapor pressure similar to that of methyl ethyl ketone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said solvent system is selected from the group consisting of toluene and xylene.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 48 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the modulus of adhesive silicone material varies between about 10 8 .4 and 10 9 .8 dynes/cm 2 within a temperature range about -30° C. to 60° C. over a time which extends from about 1 second to about 10 -8 seconds.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2732817A Cited
US2200720A Cited
US2639097A Cited
US3156185A Cited
US3044614A Cited
US3266423A Cited
US3217989A Cited
US3114456A Cited
US3319781A Cited
US3607490A Cited
US3613619A Cited
US3783180A Cited
US4326657A Cited
US4565593A Cited
US4553815A Cited
US4701015A Cited
US4752113A Cited
US4573647A Cited
US4781434A Cited
US4798346A Cited
US4793048A Cited
US4907763A Cited
US4838643A Cited
US4903607A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-07-29 1995-01-28 1995-07-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-07-29 1999-01-28 1999-07-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-07-29 2003-01-28 2003-07-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag