Multicore optical fibers and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10156693-B2
Application number	US-201715615332-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2017
Priority date	Nov 22, 2013
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

A multicore optical fiber with a reference section having a material defining a marked multicore glass optical fiber. The multicore fibers can be in groupings, for example, the groupings can be in the form of one of an optical fiber ribbon covered by a matrix, and a tight buffered cable. Fiber optic connectors can be assembled to the multicore optical fiber at either or both ends, and the colored portion can be associated with the optical fiber connector aligning the optical core elements with the optical connectors. The assembly can have at least one transceiver device with a transmit port and a receive port defining a two-way communication channel. Further aspects describe methods of manufacturing multicore fibers including application of curable coatings and reference sections.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a multicore optical fiber having at least one colored portion thereon comprising the steps of:
a) translating a multicore optical fiber between an energy source and a detector;
b) directing a beam of the energy source so that the beam at least partially impinges upon the multicore optical fiber and causing an image of the intersection of the beam and the multicore optical fiber to be detected by the detector and the detector sending an output signal relating to the image to a controller;
c) the controller determining the orientation of at least some of the core elements in the multicore optical fiber, and providing a control signal output to a traction device engaging the multicore optical fiber, controlling the traction device to dynamically adjust the orientation of the multicore optical fiber core elements in relation to a coating die;
d) passing the multicore optical fiber through the coating die;
e) the coating die applying a curable layer to the multicore optical fiber and thereby defining a coating portion; and
f) applying a material adjacent the coating portion in the form of a colored portion being visually distinct from the coating portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , the step of detecting the image of at least some of the core elements including at least partial absorption of the energy by at least one dopant and one cladding.

3. The method of claim 2 , the step of partial energy absorption being at least partially caused by a germanium dopant.

4. The method of claim 2 , the step of energy absorption causing fluorescence and the step of determining the orientation of at least some of the core elements comprising imaging of the fluorescence.

5. The method of claim 3 , the step of energy absorption causing index of refraction differences and the step of detection of the image comprising interferometry.

6. The method of claim 1 , the step of determining the orientation of at least some of the core elements in the multicore optical fiber including programming at least one characteristic absorption wavelength band of about of between about 180 nm and 270 nm in an imaging system comprising the controller.

7. The method of claim 1 , the step of applying a material adjacent the coating portion comprising a colored portion being visually distinct from the coating portion and including one of co-extruding the colored portion and of applying an ink to the outer surface of the coating portion, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 7 , the step of applying the colored portion comprising one of forming the portion with one or more stripes, dashes, rings, or a series of rings and stripes thereon, and combinations thereof.

9. A method of making a fiber optic ribbon comprising:
a) translating at least two multicore optical fibers made according to the method of claim 1 ;
b) aligning the colored portions respectively of the multicore optical fibers; and
c) coating the multicore optical fibers with a curable matrix material and curing the matrix material.

10. The method of manufacturing a multicore optical fiber according to claim 1 , the step of translating including drawing the multicore optical fiber from a draw tower.

11. The method of manufacturing a multicore optical fiber according to claim 10 , the step of coating the multicore optical fiber occurring after cooling of the multicore optical fiber.

12. The method of manufacturing a multicore optical fiber according to claim 10 , the step of determining the core element orientation occurring prior to the coating application step.

13. The method of manufacturing a multicore optical fiber according to claim 10 , the steps of applying the colored portion comprises one of:
a) directly applying the colored portion adjacent to the coating after the coating step but before a curing step of the coating;
b) directly applying the colored portion adjacent to the coating after a curing step of the coating;
c) and combinations of steps a) and b).

14. The method of claim 1 , the step of determining the orientation of at least some of the core elements in the multicore optical fiber including programming at least one characteristic absorption wavelength band with a minimum value of about 180 nm.

Assignees

• Corning Optical Communications LLC

Inventors

• Benjamin Seldon David
• Bennett Kevin Wallace
• Butler Douglas Llewellyn
• Hurley William Carl

Classifications

• B29C47/00

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B29L2011/0075

  Light guides, optical cables · CPC title

• B29C47/02

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G02B6/448

  Ribbon cables · CPC title

• G02B6/4246

  Bidirectionally operating package structures · CPC title