CA1323183C - Apparatus for making recoated spliced lengths of optical fiber - Google Patents

Apparatus for making recoated spliced lengths of optical fiber

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Publication number
CA1323183C
CA1323183C CA000616393A CA616393A CA1323183C CA 1323183 C CA1323183 C CA 1323183C CA 000616393 A CA000616393 A CA 000616393A CA 616393 A CA616393 A CA 616393A CA 1323183 C CA1323183 C CA 1323183C
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CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
portions
end portions
recoating
optical fiber
recoated
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA000616393A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Ralph Joel Darsey
William Joseph Hurd
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
AT&T Corp
Original Assignee
American Telephone and Telegraph Co Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US07/133,579 external-priority patent/US4865411A/en
Application filed by American Telephone and Telegraph Co Inc filed Critical American Telephone and Telegraph Co Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1323183C publication Critical patent/CA1323183C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Abstract

ABSTRACT
A recoating apparatus for recoating end portions of lengths of optical fiber which have been spliced together. The apparatus includes a chuck for holding portions of fiber, a molding device to provide a passageway to receive the end portions which are spliced together, an injection system for introducing a curable recoating material into the passageway to recoat the end portions, a radiation device to cure the recoating material and a reflective curved surface for reflecting radiant energy. The reflective surface has a parabolic configuration and the passageway and reflective surface are positioned relative to each other such that the passageway is disposed at the focal point of the parabolic reflecting surface.

Description

~3231 ~3 APPARATU~ FOR I~AKING RE~OATE~
SPLICED LENGTE~S OF OPTI(:AL FIl~El~

This is a division of copending Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 585,918 which was filed on December 14, 198~.
5 Technical Field This invention relates to recoated spliced lengths of optical Flbers and to methods of and apparatus for making same.
Ba~k round of the Invention Ihe introduction of optical fiber applications to eve~more hostile environments,10 such as in underwater cable, has required that more stringent requirements be imposed on physical properties of the fiber, such as strength. For these more demanding applications as well as for other less demanding ones, it has become increasingly more common to splice optical fibers which have broken, either accidentally, or during appropriate proof testing. Additionally, extremely long lengths of fiber may be obtained by splicing a 15 plurality of lengths which are obtained using current manufacturing techniques. For these and other applications, splicing in which the coating material is removed from end portions of two fibers which are then fused together end ~o end provides a suitable means for joining the ends of two glass fibers with an acceptable loss. However, the recoating of bared spliced fiber end portions continues as a problem to be overcome, especially while 20 maintaining stringent requirements on dimensional and strength parameters associated with the coated fiber.
A method of recoating spliced end portions of optical fibers is disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 4,410,561. The method involves placing the spliced fiber end portions from which the original coating material has been removed and adjacent portions within a 25 cavity in the forrn of a groove in a split mold. The effective diameter of the groove is somewhat greater than that of the remaining coated portion of each fiber. The fibers are positioned so that only portions of the coated portions of the fibers touch the surface which defines the groove, while the vulnerable, uncoated spliced end portions of the fibers remain suspended and do not contact the groove surface. Then, the mold is covered to 30 enclose the groove and a suitable curable coating material is injected into the groove to recoat the bared, spliced fiber end portions. The recoating material contacts the adjacent originally coated portions of the spliced fibers along substantially radial planes exposed ~323~8s~, when the original material was removed ~rom the end portions and along overlapping portions of the outer surface of the original coating material adjacent to the radial planes.
The coating material is then cured to yicld a recoated spliced section with a transverse cross section which is larger than that of the optical fiber having the original coating S material thereon.
This molding process provides a recoated splice; however, steps must be taken to avoid an undesirable number of residual bubbles in the recoating material. The existence of bubbles may lead to stress concentrations when the fiber is handledsubsequently. This is particularly undesirable in underwater cables where splices are 10 inaccessible and under stress for many years.
It appears that there are three sources of bubbles. These are air already present in the recoating material, air entrained during the molding process, a~d bubbles formed during the shrinkage of the recoating material during its cure. The bubbles due to shrinkage tend to be concentrated at the interface be~ween the coating on the unbared 15 fiber portions and the recoating material. This is caused by the pulling away of the recoating material from the coating material on the unbared fiber portions during curing.
Inadequate overlap between the recoating material and the original coating material on the unbared portions of the optical fibers is another problem. Long term integrity of the fiber may be affected by the failure of the recoating material to overlap 20 adequately the original coating material on the portions of the fibers adjacent to the spliced end portions. It may result in the separation of the existing and recoating materia]s and expose the bare fiber.
Another problem which has surfaced recently relates to the use of optical fibersfor tethered vehicles. In these, an optical fiber which is wound on a payoff device and 25 connected to a guidance system is payed off as the vehicle is moved. The payoff device contains a length of precision wound optical fiber.
For tethered vehicles, the winding of the optical fiber on the payoff device must be accomplished in a precision manner. Otherwise, payoE could be disrupted. It has been found that it is clifficult to wind a precision package with recoated splices which 30 are made by present techniques. If the cross section of the recoated portion transverse of the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber is not the same as tha~ of the optical fiber as originally coated, the winding pattern on the payoff device in all likelihood is not uniform.
This will cause problems in fiber payoff following the launch of the tethered vehicle.

13~31~

Seemingly, a recoated splice having the same transverse cross secti~n as th~t ofthe unspliced fiber has not been attained by the use of prior art methods and apparatus.
The transverse cross section of the recoated portion had to be larger to provide overlap of the recoating material with portions of the original coating material adjacent to the 5 recoated end portions, otherwise the necessary adhesion to the original coating material would not be achieved only along the radial planes exposed by the baring of the end portions. When the recoated portion is made larger in a tr~nsverse cross section thE~n that of the original coating material, a portion of the recoating material beco~es adhered to peripheral portions of the original coated fiber lengths which are adjacent to the 10 beginning of the recoated end portions of the optical fibers and supplements the adhesion along the radial planes.
What is needed and what seemingly is not provided by the prior art is a recoated optical fiber splice which may be used in providing a relatively long length of optical fiber for use in guiding a tethered vehicle, for example~ Such a recoated splice 15 must be implemented easily, must have the same transverse cross section as that of the original coated optical fiber and must have integrity of adhesion of the recoating material to the original coating material over a period of time. Also, the sought after methods and apparatus which are to be used to recoat spliced end portions of optical fibers preferably are such that the formation of bubbles is avoided substantially.
20 Summars! of the Invention The foregoing problems of recoated prior art splices have been overcome with the recoated splice of this invention and with the methods and apparatus for making same.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatus ~5 for recoating end portions of lengths of optical fiber which have been spliced together, said apparatus including: chuclc means for holding portions of lengths of fibers adjacent to end portions thereof which are spliced together; mold means providing a passageway in which are received the end portions which are spliced together and portions of the optical fibers between those held in said chuck means and the end portions; injection means for 30 introducing a curable recoating material into said passageway to recoat the end portions;
radiation means for emitting energy toward engagement with the recoated portions of the optical fibers to cure the recoating material; and rellective means comprising a curved surface for reflecting radiant energy moved past the recoated end portions and eEfective .

.

~23~ ~

to cause the reflected radiant energy to engage portions of the recoated portions not directly engaged by energy from said radiation means, wherein said surface has a parabolic configuration and the passageway and retlective surface are positioned relative to each other such that the passageway is disposed at the focal point of the parabolic retlecting surface.
The methods and apparatus o~ the preferred invention assure that the recoating material which covers the spliced portions of the lengths of optical fibers are cured uniformly. After a curable recoating material has been injected through the port into the passageway and caused to encapsulate the bared and tapered portions of the end portions, it is cured by exposing it to suitable radiation. The trough in the metallic pedestal has a transverse cross section which is parabolic. Advantageously, the passageway is positioned at the focal point of the parabolic cross section of the trough so that radiation extending past the optical ~lber is reflected by the wall of the trough and caused to engage the peripheral portion of the optical fiber which is not exposed directly to the radiation. As a result, the entire periphery of the optical fiber portions in the passageway is cured uniformly.
Brief Description of the Drawing The present invention taken in conjunction with the invention disclosed in copending Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 585,918 which was filed on December 14, 1988, will be described hereinbelow with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view Oe spliced end portions of two lengths of optical fibers which have been prepared in accordance with this invention to receive a recoating ma~erial;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of end portions of lengths of optical ~Iber which have been prepared for recoating in accordance with prior art methods and apparatus;
F~G. 3 is side elevational view of one of the end portions of FIG. 2 aeter a recoating material has been applied thereover;
FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the spliced end portions of FIG. 1 after a recoating material has been applied thereover;
FIG. S is a schematic view of an apparatus for removing coating material from a portion of the length Oe an optical fiber;

~3~3~ ~
s FIG. 6 is a perspective v~ew of an apparatus for recoating spliced end portions o~ two lengths of optical fibe~s;
FIG. 7 is a pe~spective view of ~ fixture of the apparatus of FIG. 6 which may be used to support spliced end portions o~ lengths of optical fibers for recoating in 5 accordance with this invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a prior art fixture for supporting spliced end portions o~ optical fibers to be recoated;
~ G. 9 is a perspective view of spliced lengths of optical fiber wound on a spool, the spliced portion of which has been recoated by prior art methods; and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of spliced lengths of optical fiber wound on a spool, the spliced portion shown having been recoated in accordance with the methods o~
~his invention.
3~etailed Descripti~n Referring now to FIG. 1, there are shown end portions 30-30 of two lengths, a 15 first length 32 and a second length 33, of optical fiber which have been spliced together to ~orm a juncture 35. Each of the optical fibers includes an optical fiber 36 having a coating material 38 applied thereon (see FIG. 1). As is well known, the optical fiber 36 includes a core and a cladding. An outer diameter of the coated optical fiber is on the order of 250 microns. The bared end portions 30-30 ~rom which the coating material 38 ~0 has been removed at least partially have been spliced together by a technique such as fusion bonding which is disclosed in an article entitled "Optical Fiber Joining Technique"
which was authored by D. L. Bisbee and which appeared beginning at page 3153 of Vol. 50, No. 10 of the December 1971 issue of the Bell System Techzlical Journal. Each end portion 30 has a length of about 0.5 inch. The spliced end portions 30-30 are 25 recoated in accordance with the methods and apparatus of this invention.
Typically, spliced end portions of optical fiber lengths prior to recoating appear as shown in FIG. 2. There it can be seen that a coating material 40 has been removed from an end portion 4~ of each of two optical fibers 44 and 45 which have been spliced together to form a juncture 46. The portion of the coating material that has been 30 removed is generally in the shape of a cylindrical tube or sleeve. An exposed end face 47 of the coating material lies generally in a plane which generally is normal to a longitudinal axis 48 of the optical fiber (see ~iIG. 3). After the end portions of the optical fiber lengths have been fusion bonded together? they must be recoated. This may be ':
.. .. . . ... . . . . . .
. ~ . . , - . -. .
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., . ~
.
.- . .
.

~323~s~

accomplished by using methods and apparatus s~lch as, for example, those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,627,942. Typically, a portion 49 of a recoating material extends past the radial end face plane 47 of the end portion 42 of the optical fiber and overlaps a portion of the original coating material (see FIG. 3). This is done in order to provide 5 sufficient interfacial area between the original coating material and the recoating material to insure the integrity of the coating and recoating materials along the interface therebetween over a period of time.
As can best be seen in FIG. 3, the interface between the recoating material 49 and the original coating material without the overlap is not much greater than the cross-10 sectional annular area of the original coating material. As a result, the opportunity foradhesion between the original coating and recoating materials is somewhat limited. Of course, the overlapped portion is additive to this, but this causes the cross section of the recoated end portion of the optical fiber transverse to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber to exceed that of the optical fiber with the original coating material thereon.
This problem is overcome by configuring the stripped end portion of each length of optical fiber to appear as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. As can be seen in those figures, the coating material 38 is removed completely from a portion 50 of each end portion 30. Also, a tubular portion of the coating material is removed from each end portion 30 adjacent to the bared portion 50 in such a manner as to cause a tapered portion 52 to remain. The tapered portion 52 of original coating material has a generally truncated conical shape. In other words, in the vicinity of the splice juncture 35, the original coating material increases from a transverse cross section substantially equal to the transverse cross section of the uncoated clad optical fiber of the bared portion 50 to the transverse cross section of the original coated optical fiber. Typically, the distance from the junsture 35 to the beginning of the tapered portion 52~ i.e. the length of the bared portion 50, is about 0.64 cm or more and the length of the tapered portion of the original coating material is equal at least to the product of three and the largest dirnension of a transverse cross section of a coated optical fiber but does not exceed a value of about 0.64 cm.
Such a configuration of the coating material remaining after stripping is highlyadvantageous during recoating. As can best be seen in FIG. 4, a recoating material 51 abuts the original coating material along an interface which is substantially larger than that of FIG. 3. As a result, there is substantial interfacial contact between the original ~323~3 coating material 38 and the recoating material 51 to provide sufficient adhesion and preYent unwanted separation of the recoating material from the spliced encl portions of the lengths o~ the optical fibers.
Further, and importantly, the increased interfacial contact of the recoating 5 material 51 and the original coating material 38 obviates the need for overlap as used in FIG.3. As a result, the transverse cross section of the recoated end portions 30-30 may be held to be substantially the same as that of the optical fiber having the original coating material 38 thereon. In other words, the cross sect;ion of the coated optical rlber along portions having the original coating material 38thereon and along those portions which 10 have been recoated is substantially constant.
Prior to the fusion bonding and recoating steps of providing a spliced length ofoptical fiber, the end portions 30-30 oE two lengths o~ optical fiber must be prepared.
Preparation includes the complete removal of the original coating material from a portion 50 of the end portion 30. Preparation also includes the removal of a portion which is 15 contiguous to the portion 50 (see FIG. 1) and which has a transverse cross section that decreases in a direction from the portion 50 to the coated optical fiber adjacent to the end portion 30.
In ~ilG.5, there is shown a holder 53 for holding an optical fiber length 32 above a container 55 of a suitable liquid material such as an acid which may be used to 20 remove coating material from an end portion 30 of an optical fiber to provide the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The holder 53is adapted to be moved vertically reciprocally by turning a cam 57.
An operator mounts the optical fiber 32 in the holder 53 with a portion of the optical flber contiguous to an end o the optical fiber being immersed in the liquid 25 material in the container 55. This causes the coating material 38 to be removed completely from that portion which is immersed to form a bared portion. Then theoperator causes the cam 57 to be turned. As a result, the portion of the end portion 30 of the optical fiber which is adjacent to the bared portion is moved into and out of the container 55 in one or more cycles to removed the coating material partially therefrom to 30 fonn the tapered portion 52 shown in FIG. 1. The configuration of the tapered portion 52 is a function of the temperature of the liquid material in the container 55 as well as the cycle time and the configuration of the cam. Subsequently, the operator causes the bared portion to be broken to provide the bared portion 50 having a desired length.

'~ ' . ' ' ', ' .

. . .

1~2~ ~3 Then, end portions of two lengths o~ optical ~lbers having the coating material thereon removed as described hereinabove are spliced together by fusion bonding for example. The spliced end portions 30-30 are now ready to be }ecoated.
Shown in FIG. 6 is an apparatus designated generally by the numeral 60 for recoating the sp]iced together ends of the lengths of optical fibers. The apparatus 60 includes a base 62 which includes two ways 6~ and 6G spaced along a longitudinal axis of the base. Mounted in each of the ways 64 and 66 is a vacuum chuck 68. Each chuck 68 includes a groove 71 which extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis o~ the base.
Each of the grooves 71-71 has a transverse cross section such that it is capable of holding a length of coated optical fiber. Further, the wall of each of the grooves 71-71 is connected to a source of vacuum (not shown) to hold a coated optical fiber in the groove during the recoating process.
As further can be seen in FIG. 6 (see also FIG. 7), a center portion 73 of the base 60 is raised somewhat over adjacent portions. The center portion 73 includes a longitudinally extending trough 75 which in transverse cross section has a parabolic configuration. This trough 75 is referred to as a reflective chamber and typically is milled in a base which is made of aluminum. The surface of the trough 75 is polished.
Supported on the center portion 73 is a mold block 80 (see FIGS. 6 and 7);
The mold block 80 includes a longitudinal extending groove 82 which is adapted to hold the spliced end portions of two lengths of optical fibers. Projecting upwardly from two corners of the mold block 80 are two alignment pins 84-84. The alignment pins 84-84 are used to align a top mold block 90 with the mold block 80. The mold blocks are made from a material which is transparent to ultraviolet (UV) radiation such as Plexiglas~ UV
transparent material or equivalent resin material or quartz, for example.
~5 The top mold block 90 also includes a longitudinally extending groove 92 which is adapted to cooperate with ~he groove 82 in the mold block 80 to provide a passageway 93 to enclose the spliced end portions of the two lengths o~ optical fibers. Further, the top mold block 90 is secured to the mold block 80 to provide a close fitting groove for those end portions by four bolts 94 94, or other suitable clamping means.
When the top mold block 90 is secured to the bottom mold block 8Q
passageway 93 communicates with an injection nozzle 96 (see FIG. 6). The injection nozzle 96 is connected to a supply of recoating material which preferably is the same .

:~3~3~'3~

material which was used to coat the drawn ~1ber. Such a material may be a UV curable acrylate material, for example.
Portions of the spliced lengths 32 and 33 of the optical fibers adjacent to the end portions 30-30 are caused to be received in the grooves 71-71 in the chucks 68-68.
Vacuum is applied to hold those portions during the recoating step. With the portions o~
the lengths of optical fibers held in the vacuum chucks 68-68, the lengths o~ the optical fiber which are spliced together are disposed in the passageway 93 formed by thecooperating grooves in the top mold block 90 and the mold block 80.
Also, it should be observed that the passageway 93 formed by the grooves in the top mold 90 and in the mold 80 is aligned with the reflective chamber 75. The spatial relationship of the passageway 93 and the reElective chamber 75 is such that thepassageway is disposed at the focal point of the parabolic configuration of the reflective chamber. As a result of this arrangement, the curing of the recoating material by exposure to W radiation rom a source (not shown) is enhanced substantially. This will become apparent by comparing Fl(:;S. 7 and 8. In FIG. 8, there is depicted a prior art apparatus 100 for curing the recoating applied over spliced end portions. As the UV
radiation is directed past the spliced end portions, it engages a metallic base plate 99 and is re1ected. It is unlikely that the re1ected radiation will be directed to the underside of the recozting material. Hence, the recoating material may not be cured uniformly.
On the other hand, the arrangement of this invention which is shown in FIG. 7 assures substantially uniformity of cure in the recoating material. The U~l energy radiating past the optical fiber end portions 30-30 and contacting the parabolic sur~ace is reaected. Because the recoated portions are disposed at the focal point of the parabolic reflecting surace, the reflected radiation contacts those portions of the periphery of the recoating material which are not exposed directly to the emitted radiation, thereby ensuring the uniforrnity of cure.
The resulting product is a relatively long length of optical fiber which has a substantially constant cross section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber.
The cross section of the recoated spliced portions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the optical fiber are substantially equal to that of the unspliced end portions. This equivalence o transverse cross section is advantageous particularly in the winding of the fiber on a spool or other payout device. With prior art recoatings, as mentionedhereinbefore, the transverse cross section of a spliced portion is larger than that of the 13~3~3 unspliced portions. ~s a result, when such spliced portions are wound with convolutions of optical fiber on a spool laterally and outwardly, as shown by the arrows 101 and 102 in FIG. 9, the windin~ pattern is disrupted and non-precise winding occurs. The overlapped portion 49 (see FIGS. 3 and 9) of a recoating material causes unwanted displacement in 5 the direction shown by the arrow 101 in FIG. 9 of adjacent convolutions in the same layer and of those conductors above the spliced portion covering the spliced portion. As a result, those portions o~ the convolutions are not nested between adjacent convolutions of adjacent layers. Furthermore, the enlarged splice causes unwanted bulging o~ the portion of fiber directly covering the splice, as can be seen by portions 104, 105, 106, and 107, for 10 example in FlG. 9. This may result in snags during payoEf as portions of outer convolutions become caught in spacing between the spliced portions and convolutions adjacent thereto. With spliced portions recoated by the methods and apparatus of this invention, a precise winding pattern in achievable without any spacing between convolutions which include the recoated portions and those that do not (see FIG. 10).
The recoating technique of this invention also helps to avoid the occurrence of bubbles adjacent to the interface. Bubbles tend to become entrapped at the interface between the original coating material and the recoating material. Also, when therecoating material is applied, it contracts and tends to pull bubbles outwardly from the original coating material into the interface. The existence of bubbles is unwanted, 20 particularly at the interface, because of possible adverse a~fects on the adhesion level across the interface. It has been ound that because of the lengthened interface provided by the methods and apparatus of this invention, any bubbles tend to be moved ou~wardly toward the outer surface of the optical fiber and are not residual in the recoated splice portions.
It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the invention. Other arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereo .

Claims

CLAIM:
1. An apparatus for recoating end portions of lengths of optical fiber which have been spliced together, said apparatus including:
chuck means for holding portions of lengths of fibers adjacent to end portions thereof which are spliced together;
mold means providing a passageway in which are received the end portions which are spliced together and portions of the optical fibers between those held in said chuck means and the end portions;
injection means for introducing a curable recoating material into said passageway to recoat the end portions;
radiation means for emitting energy toward engagement with the recoated portions of the optical fibers to cure the recoating material; and reflective means comprising a curved surface for reflecting radiant energy moved past the recoated end portions and effective to cause the reflected radiant energy to engage portions of the recoated portions not directly engaged by energy from said radiation means, wherein said surface has a parabolic configuration and the passageway and reflective surface are positioned relative to each other such that the passageway is disposed at the focal point of the parabolic reflecting surface.
CA000616393A 1987-12-16 1992-05-29 Apparatus for making recoated spliced lengths of optical fiber Expired - Fee Related CA1323183C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US133,579 1987-12-16
US07/133,579 US4865411A (en) 1987-12-16 1987-12-16 Recoated spliced lengths of optical fibers
CA000585918A CA1313784C (en) 1987-12-16 1988-12-14 Recoated spliced lengths of optical fibers and methods of and apparatus for making same

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000585918A Division CA1313784C (en) 1987-12-16 1988-12-14 Recoated spliced lengths of optical fibers and methods of and apparatus for making same

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1323183C true CA1323183C (en) 1993-10-19

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000616393A Expired - Fee Related CA1323183C (en) 1987-12-16 1992-05-29 Apparatus for making recoated spliced lengths of optical fiber

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1323183C (en)

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