Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Helical or random winding of material – And severing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-20
2001-10-09
Mansen, Michael R. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Helical or random winding of material
And severing
C242S15700C, C242S487900, C242S488000, C242S920000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299097
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of an optical fiber (hereinafter “fiber”). In particular, the invention relates to removing a whipping end from a fiber being wound onto a spool.
2. Technical Background
The use of fiber in the telecommunications industry to transmit data and other types of information is becoming the industry standard. Typically the fiber is coated and wound onto a spool. This is for ease of handling and shipping fiber to a customer.
During the process of winding the fiber onto a spool, the fiber may break or be cut. This break will generate a loose end of fiber, commonly known as a tail or a whip end. Unless properly treated, this end can flail and strike the fiber already on the spool and cause damage. The action of the flailing whip end of the fiber impacting the wound fiber is commonly referred to as whipping. Whipping is a very serious problem as it can damage fiber many layers deep on the spool. The whip end can cause significant and irreversible damage to many layers of fiber. This damage may result in breaks in downstream manufacturing processes, during the fiber cabling process, or even worse, in the field after the fiber is installed in a telecommunications network system.
One particular type of whip damage is “continuous whip.” Continuous whip is potentially repetitive impact of the tail upon the fiber on the spool as the spool rotates to a stop. As the tail moves with the spool, the loose end may wrap around nearby objects. As the fiber unwraps, it flails about and can strike the fiber already wound on the spool. This can cause irreversible damage to the wound fiber that significantly degrades the strength of the fiber. The damage can range from punctures in the coating layers to abrasions on the glass portion of the fiber.
Prior responses to minimize continuous whip damage have included the use of guards that completely or nearly completely surround the takeup spool. However, the use of a guard has certain size and space limitations. The use of this type of guard is also prohibited by the need to thread new fiber through the guard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the present invention is a fiber whipping end cutting apparatus. The apparatus includes an active cutting element. The element is positioned to cut a segment from an end of an optical fiber, while the fiber is being wound onto a rotating spool.
In another aspect, the present invention includes a method of cutting a whipping end from an optical fiber. The method includes removing a segment of the end of the fiber with an active cutting element.
A further aspect of the invention includes a method of cutting an optical fiber while winding the fiber onto a shipping or storage spool. The fiber has a whipping end and a wound segment. The method includes separating the whipping end of the fiber from the wound segment with an active cutting element.
Yet an additional aspect of the invention is a method of reducing fiber whip damage to fiber wound onto a spool. The method includes engaging an active cutting element on a fiber being wound on a spool, and removing a loose end from the fiber in a manner that reduces fiber whip damage to the fiber already wound onto the spool.
The invention has the advantage of preventing whip damage to the fiber wound onto the spool. The invention also has the advantage of protecting the fiber from surface damage and pitting. The invention has the further advantage of being free from size and space requirements. The invention has the advantage of removing the offending fiber whip end. Furthermore, the invention has at least the additional advantage that the cutting element is not dependent on movement of the fiber.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the description or recognized by practicing the invention as described herein, including the detailed description which follows, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary of the invention, and are intended to provide an overview or framework for understanding the nature and character of the invention as it is claimed. The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles and operation of the invention.
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Bird Lindwood A.
Chang Chester H. H.
Green Brian L.
Wallace, Jr. Gilbert B.
Watson Johnnie E.
Corning Incorporated
Krogh Timothy R.
Mansen Michael R.
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