Patent US7162130B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7162130B2
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Optical fiber with thermoplastic material based coating
Assignee: Pirelli and C SpA
•
Filing: 2002-10-23
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Granted: 2007-01-09
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Expires: 2022-10-23
Abstract
Abstract Optical fiber having a glass portion; at least one protective coating of thermoplastic material having at least one thermoplastic elastomer; the thermoplastic material having the following characteristics: a modulus of elasticity value at +25° C. lower than 150 MPa, preferably at least 10 Mpa, more preferably higher than 20 Mpa, and a Vicat point higher than 85° C., preferably higher than 120° C., more preferably lower than 350° C. Preferably, the coating is a single protective coating directly positioned onto the glass portion.
Inventors
- 👤 Luca Castellani
- 👤 Giovanni Brandi
- 👤 Mauro Maritano
- 👤 Franco Peruzzotti
- 👤 Giacomo Stefano Roba
- 👤 Sabrina Fogliani
- 👤 Lidia Terruzzi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:26
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C25/00; C03C25/10; C03C25/104; C03C25/106; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/02; G02B6/02395
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
An optical fiber comprising: a glass portion; at least one protective coating of thermoplastic material comprising at least one thermoplastic elastomer; said thermoplastic material having the following characteristics: a modulus of elasticity value at +25° C. lower than 150 MPa; and a Vicat point higher than 85° C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
An optical fiber comprising: a glass portion; at least one protective coating of thermoplastic material comprising at least one thermoplastic elastomer; said thermoplastic material having the following characteristics: a modulus of elasticity value at +25° C. lower than 150 MPa; and a Vicat point higher than 85° C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a modulus of elasticity value at +25° C. of at least 10 MPa.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a modulus of elasticity value at +25° C. higher than 20 MPa.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a Vicat point higher than 120° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber according to claim 4 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a Vicat point lower than 350° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a melting point higher than 180° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The optical fiber according to claim 6 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a melting point not higher than 350° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a water absorption value, measured at 55° C., not higher than 2%.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 8 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a water absorption value, measured at 55° C., not higher than 1%.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a Melt Flow Index (MFI) higher than 1 g/10 min.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical fiber according to claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a Melt Flow Index (MFI) higher than 5 g/10 min.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
The optical fiber according to claim 11 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a Melt Flow Index (MFI) of between 10 g/10 min and 100 g/10 min.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the ratio between the modulus of elasticity value at −40° C. and the modulus of elasticity value at +60° C. of the thermoplastic material is lower than 15.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical fiber according to claim 13 , wherein the ratio between the modulus of elasticity value at −40° C. and the modulus of elasticity value at +60° C. of the thermoplastic material is between 1 and 10.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material is a thermoplastic elastomer (a).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the protective coating is a single protective coating which is directly positioned onto the glass portion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The optical fiber according to claim 16 , wherein the single protective coating includes an inner layer of thermoplastic material directly positioned onto the glass portion, and an outer layer of thermoplastic material comprising at least one colouring agent directly positioned onto said inner layer.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is selected from: (a1) copolyether esters or copolyester esters; (a2) styrene block copolymers or terpolymers with different olefins and/or with dienes; or (a3) copolymer of ethylene with at least one aromatic α-olefin.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The optical fiber according to claim 18 , wherein the copolyether esters comprise poly[(C 1 –C 8 ) linear or cyclic]alkylene terephthalate segments and poly(C 1 –C 8 ) linear alkylene oxide segments.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The optical fiber according to claim 19 , wherein the poly[(C 1 –C 8 ) linear or cyclic]alkylene terephthalate segments are selected from: poly(butylene-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid), poly(cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid-cyclohexanemethanol), polybutyleneterephthalate and polytrimethyleneterephthalate-2,6-naphthalate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The optical fiber according to claim 19 , wherein the poly(C 1 –C 8 ) linear alkylene oxide segments are selected from polyalkylene oxides.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber according to claim 21 , wherein the polyalkylene oxides are polytetramethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, or polyethylene oxide.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The optical fiber according to claim 18 , wherein the copolyester esters comprise poly[(C 1 –C 8 ) linear or cyclic]alkylene terephthalate segments and (C 1 –C 8 ) linear aliphathic polyester segments.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The optical fiber according to claim 23 , wherein the poly((C 1 –C 8 ) linear or cyclic]alkylene terephthalate segments are selected from: poly(butylene-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid), poly(cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid-cyclohexanemethanol), polybutyleneterephthalate and polytrimethyleneterephthalate-2,6-naphthalate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical fiber according to claim 23 , wherein the (C 1 –C 8 ) linear aliphathic polyester segments are selected from: polybutylene adipate, polytetramethylene adipate, or polycaprolactone.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The optical fiber according to claim 18 , wherein the styrene block copolymers or terpolymers with different olefins and/or with dienes (a2) are selected from: styrene-butadiene-styrene (S-B-S), styrene-isoprene-styrene (S-I-S) and styrene-ethylene/butene-styrene (S-EB-S) triblock polymers; styrene-ethylene/propylene (S-EP) and styrene-ethylene/butene (S-EB) diblock polymers; styrene-butadiene or styrene-isoprene branched polymers.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
137 words
The optical fiber according to claim 18 , wherein in the copolymer (a3), the aromatic α-olefin is an olefin of formula (I): CH 2 ═CH—(R 1 R 2 C) x —C 6 H 5-y (R 3 ) y (I) wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , which may be identical to or different from each other, represent hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms; or R 3 , different from R 1 and R 2 , represents an alkoxy group, a carboxyl group, an acyloxy group, said acyloxy group optionally being substituted with alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms or hydroxyl groups or halogen atoms; x is 0 or an integer between 1 and 5 inclusive; and y is 0, 1 or 2.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
29 words
The optical fiber according to claim 27 , wherein the olefin of formula (I) is styrene; mono- or poly-alkylstyrenes; styrene derivatives containing functional groups; phenyl-substituted alkenes; or mixtures thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least one thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b).
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The optical fiber according to claim 29 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) has a melting point higher than 180° C.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The optical fiber according to claim 30 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) has a melting point not higher than 350° C.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical fiber according to claim 29 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) is selected from: syndiotactic polystyrene; poly(4-methyl-1-pentene), either as a homopolymer or as a copolymer with an α-olefin; polyketones; poly(phenylene sulfide); or mixtures thereof.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The optical fiber according to claim 29 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) is selected from: polyesters; polyamide; or mixtures thereof.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical fiber according to claim 29 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 10% to 45% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
38 words
The optical fiber according to claim 34 , wherein the thermoplastic crystalline polymer (b) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 20% to 35% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
19 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least one amorphous polymer (c).
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 36 , wherein the amorphous polymer (c) has a glass transition temperature (T g ) higher than 180° C.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
26 words
The optical fiber according to claim 36 , wherein the amorphous polymer (c) has a glass transition temperature (T g ) not higher than 350° C.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical fiber according to claims 36 , wherein the amorphous polymer (c) is selected from: cycloolefin random copolymers; polyphenyleneoxide; aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon resins; or mixtures thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical fiber according claim 36 , wherein the amorphous polymer (c) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 10% to 45% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical fiber according to claim 40 , wherein the amorphous polymer (c) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 20% to 35% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
48 words
The optical fiber according to claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least one styrene block copolymer or terpolymer with different olefins and/or with dienes (a2) or at least one copolymer of ethylene with at least one aromatic α-olefin and at least a processing oil (d).
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 42 , wherein the processing oil (d) is selected from mineral oils, vegetable oils, synthetic oils, or mixtures thereof.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical fiber according to claim 42 , wherein the processing oil (d) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 2% to 100% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
37 words
The optical fiber according to claim 44 , wherein the processing oil (d) is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 5% to 70% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
18 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least an anti-hydrolysis agent.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
The optical fiber according to claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises at least one colouring agent selected from pigments, dyes, or coloured fillers.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical fiber according to claim 47 , wherein the colouring agent is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
36 words
The optical fiber according to claim 48 , wherein the colouring agent is present in the thermoplastic material in an amount of 0.5% to 5% by weight with respect to the weight of the thermoplastic material.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-01-08 | 2010-07-10 | 2011-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-01-08 | 2014-07-10 | 2015-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-01-08 | 2018-07-10 | 2019-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |