Process of and apparatus for leading an optical waveguide through a wall via a hermetic seal

An improvement in apparatus for hermetically leading a flexible optical waveguide (3;

• 403) made of glass, covered by a multiple-ply protective layer (33;
• 433) through a wall (5;
• 405) of a housing (7;
• 407) into the interior of the housing;
• wherein according to the improvement the optical waveguide (3;
• 403) is retained in a bushing (15;
• 415), has a first section (23;
• 423) free of the protective layer (33;
• 433) and a first sealing area (25;
• 425) which is connected with a hermetic seal to the bushing by glass solder (27;
• 427);
• the waveguide further having a load-relieving section (37;
• 437) leading out of the bushing (15;
• 415) and being fastened by fastening means (41;
• 51) to the bushing (15;
• 415), the bushing (15;
• 415) extending through a wall (5;
• 405) of the housing (7;
• 407);
• having a portion adjacent the housing sealed in a second sealing area (17;
• 417) hermetically against the wall and having a first section extending into the housing and terminating as a free end within the housing, the optical waveguide being surrounded in a first section (37;
• 437) extending from the bushing into the housing interior by at least one inner ply (33;
• 433) of the multiple-ply protective layer (13;
• 413);
• a glass solder seal (27;
• 427) extending from the portion of the bushing adjacent the housing in an elongated solder glass pipe (39;
• 439) in which the optical waveguide is guided, the solder glass pipe (39;
• 439) providing via an end section at the portion of the brushing adjacent the inner surface of the wall of the bushing, protection from bending for the optical waveguide (3;
• 403).