Automated system and method for electroless plating of optical fibers
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorJohn T. Doncsecz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automated system for electroless metallization of optical glass fibers, includes a plurality of spaced apart plating stations having different solutions for electroless metallization of optical fibers. A motor-driven fiber transport and dipping apparatus is used in the system for shuttling optical glass fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical glass fibers in the solutions. A programmable controller directs the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals, and directs the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the fibers into the solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate.
Claims18
A method of automated coating of optical fibers adapted for providing optical fibers having substantially consistent coatings thereon, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of plating stations, wherein each of the plurality of plating stations has a container with at least one solution therein to define a plurality of solutions;
- aligning the optical fibers in a fiber aligning fixture so that the ends of the optical fibers extend substantially vertically therefrom;
- positioning the fiber aligning fixture in a transport and dipping apparatus adapted for selectively moving the fiber aligning fixture horizontally and vertically, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is coupled to a programmable controller for directing the movement of the transport and dipping apparatus;
- activating the programmable controller to cause the transport and dipping apparatus to move horizontally so that the fiber aligning fixture is disposed above one of the plurality of plating stations and to move vertically so that the fiber aligning fixture is disposed with the ends of the optical fibers dipped into the container of the one of the plurality of plating stations, and wherein the programmable controller directs the transport and dipping apparatus to the plurality of plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals and directs the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the ends of the optical fibers into the solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate to substantially consistently coat the optical fibers.
An automated system adapted for electroless metallization of optical fibers each having at least one end, the system comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart plating stations, each of the plating stations having at least one solution to define a plurality of solutions adapted for electroless metallization of optical fibers;
- a motor-driven fiber transport and dipping apparatus including a removable fiber holding fixture having a fiber aligning fixture for aligning the optical fibers in the fiber holding fixture so that the ends of the optical fibers extend therefrom a selected distance, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is adapted for shuttling optical fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical fibers in the plurality of solutions;
- and
- a programmable controller for directing the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals, and directing the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate.
An automated system adapted for consistently coating optical fibers, each of the optical fibers having at least one end, the system comprising:
- a plurality of spaced apart plating stations, each of the plating stations having at least one solution to define a plurality of solutions adapted for coating the optical fibers;
- a fiber transport and dipping apparatus including a fiber aligning fixture for aligning the optical fibers so that the ends of the optical fibers extend substantially vertically from the transport and dipping apparatus a selected distance, wherein the transport and dipping apparatus is adapted for shuttling the optical fibers to the plating stations and immersing the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions;
- and
- a programmable controller for directing the transport and dipping apparatus to the plating stations in a selected order and at selected time intervals and for directing the apparatus at each of the stations to immerse the optical fibers into the plurality of solutions at a selected entry rate, for a selected duration, and at a selected withdrawal rate, so that each one of the optical fibers in the fiber aligning fixture are coated substantially consistently to each other of the plurality of optical fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.