# US 12,111,509 B2 · Bobbin for winding optical fiber

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- Number: US 12,111,509 B2
- Document ID: US12111509B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/786,814
- Filed: 2020-12-16
- Published: 2023-01-26
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-12-20
- Assignees: Fujikura Ltd.
- Applicants: Fujikura Ltd.
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi Akamatsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111509B2

## CPC

- G02B 6/4457: {Bobbins; Reels}
- B65H 75/14: with two end flanges
- B65H 75/146: {with at least one intermediate flange between the two end flanges}
- B65H 75/28: Arrangements for positively securing ends of material
- B65H 75/285: {Holding devices to prevent the wound material from unwinding}
- B65H 2701/32: Optical fibres or optical cables
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES

## Abstract

A bobbin for winding optical fiber includes: a body around which an optical fiber is wound; a flange that extends in a radial direction from the body; and a seal that is bonded to an axially outer side surface of the flange. The flange has a void penetrating the flange. A part of the seal covers at least a part of the void. At least a part of a portion of the seal is non-adhesive. The portion covers the void.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A bobbin for winding optical fiber comprising:
a body around which an optical fiber is wound;
a flange that extends in a radial direction from the body; and
a seal that is bonded to a side surface of the flange facing an axial direction of the bobbin, wherein
the flange has a void that extends through an entire thickness of the flange,
a part of the seal extends across and covers at least a part of the void, and
at least a part of a portion of the seal is non-adhesive, wherein the portion covers the void.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein the void is entirely covered with the seal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein an entirety of the portion of the seal is non-adhesive.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the seal is ultraviolet non-transmissive.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein the seal has an initial adhesive force of 1.5 N/10 mm or more and 10 N/10 mm or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein the void is a slit extending from an outer edge of the flange toward the body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The bobbin according to claim 6, wherein a width of the part of the portion of the seal is larger than a width of the slit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The bobbin according to claim 7, wherein the width of the part of the portion is larger than the width of the slit by 1 mm or more and 3 mm or less.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein elongation at break of the seal is greater than or equal to 100%.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein
the flange comprises a rib that protrudes in the axial direction of the bobbin from the side surface of the flange and extends from an outer edge of the flange toward the body, and
a part of an edge of the seal has a shape corresponding to a shape of an edge of the rib facing toward the void.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein
the seal comprises:
a base material having a sheet shape;
an adhesive material on a surface of the base material facing the flange; and
a bonding member that is bonded to the adhesive material and has a non-adhesive surface away from the base material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The bobbin according to claim 11, wherein a linear expansion coefficient of the bonding member is smaller than a linear expansion coefficient of the base material.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The bobbin according to claim 12, wherein the adhesive material comprises a portion separated from the flange between a portion bonded to the flange and a portion to which the bonding member is bonded.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The bobbin according to claim 11, wherein a Young's modulus of the bonding member is larger than a Young's modulus of the base material.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The bobbin according to claim 11, wherein a thickness of the bonding member is 70 μm or more and 120 μm or less.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, further comprising:
an auxiliary body portion extending in the axial direction of the bobbin on a side of the side surface of the flange to which the seal is bonded; and
an auxiliary flange extending outward in the radial direction from a side surface of the auxiliary body portion away from the flange.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The bobbin according to claim 1, wherein,
the optical fiber is wound around the body,
one end of the optical fiber is led out through the void of the flange from a side farther from the body to a side closer to the body, and
a part of the optical fiber is fixed to the flange by the seal.