System and method of winding a fog coil

An optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• a bobbin disposed about a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is an axis of rotation about which the bobbin revolves;
• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, and characterized by an intermediate point between the first end and the second end, wherein a first section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around the bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and a second section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction;
• an epoxy zipper disposed between at least a portion of the first section and the second section of the optical fiber, so as to join the first section and the second section of the optical fiber to form a fiber lead pair;
• and,
• an epoxy bridge disposed between at least a portion of the fiber lead pair and the bobbin, so as to secure the fiber lead pair to the bobbin.

An optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• a bobbin disposed about a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is an axis of rotation about which the bobbin revolves;
• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, and characterized by an intermediate point between the first end and the second end, wherein a first section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around the bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and a second section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction;
• and,
• an integrated optics circuit rotatably mounted to an end of the bobbin, such that the integrated optics circuit rotates about the axis of rotation, wherein the first end and the second end of the optical fiber is fixedly attached and optically coupled to the integrated optics circuit.

An optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• a bobbin disposed about a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is an axis of rotation about which the bobbin revolves;
• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, and characterized by an intermediate point between the first end and the second end, wherein a first section of the optical coil defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around the bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and a second section of the optical coil defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction;
• and,
• an epoxy zipper disposed between at least a portion of the first section and the second section of the optical fiber, so as to join the first section and the second section of the optical fiber to form a fiber lead pair.

An optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• a bobbin, disposed about a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis is an axis of rotation about which the bobbin revolves;
• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, and characterized by an intermediate point between the first end and the second end, wherein a first section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around the bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and a second section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction;
• a reversal of the optical fiber in the second section, such that an end portion of the second section, from the reversal to the second end, is wound around the bobbin in the first direction, along with an end portion of the first section;
• an epoxy zipper disposed between at least a portion of the first section and the second section of the optical fiber, so as to join the first section and the second section of the optical fiber to form a fiber lead pair;
• an epoxy bridge disposed between at least a portion of the fiber lead pair and the bobbin, so as to secure the fiber lead pair to the bobbin;
• and,
• an integrated optics circuit rotatably mounted to an end of the bobbin, such that the integrated optics circuit rotates about the axis of rotation, the first end and the second end of the optical fiber being fixedly attached and optically coupled to the integrated optics circuit;
• wherein the optical fiber is constructed and arranged as one or more layers of wound fiber, each of the layers being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and an epoxy layer is disposed upon the outer portion of each of the one or more layer of wound fiber.

A method of constructing an optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• winding an optical fiber about a bobbin, beginning at an intermediate point on the fiber between a first end and a second end and winding a first section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around the bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and winding a second section of the optical fiber defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction, wherein the optical fiber is constructed and arranged as one or more layers of wound fiber, each of the layers being substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and an epoxy layer is disposed upon the outer portion of each of the one or more layer of wound fiber;
• providing a reversal of the optical fiber in the second section, such that an end portion of the second section, from the reversal to the second end, is wound around the bobbin in the first direction, along with an end portion of the first section;
• applying an epoxy zipper disposed between at least a portion of the first section and the second section of the optical fiber, so as to join the first section and the second section of the optical fiber to form a fiber lead pair;
• applying an epoxy bridge disposed between at least a portion of the fiber lead pair and the bobbin, so as to secure the fiber lead pair to the bobbin;
• and,
• rotatably mounting an integrated optics circuit to an end of the bobbin, such that the integrated optics circuit rotates about the axis of rotation, the first end and the second end of the optical fiber being fixedly attached and optically coupled to the integrated optics circuit.

A method of constructing an optical fiber coil assembly, comprising:

• winding a length of optical fiber about an axis of rotation of a bobbin;
• cutting a pair of ends of the optical fiber to a predetermined length;
• reversing one of the fiber ends of the pair so as to form a fiber lead pair;
• attaching the fiber ends of the pair to an integrated optical circuit, and attaching the integrated optical circuit to a mounting fixture;
• rotatably attaching the mounting fixture to an end of the bobbin, such that the mounting device rotates about the axis of rotation;
• winding the fiber lead pair about the bobbin;
• rotating the mounting fixture so as to remove excess slack from the fiber lead cable about the bobbin;
• coating at least a portion of the optical fiber, the lead pair and the bobbin with an epoxy;
• applying an epoxy zipper to the lead pair;
• and,
• forming a bridge between the bobbin and the lead pair, so as to secure the lead pair to the bobbin.

An optical fiber coil assembly for use in a fiber optic gyroscope, comprising:

• an optical fiber having a first end and a second end, and characterized by an intermediate point between the first end and the second end, wherein a first section of the optical coil defined from the intermediate point to the first end is wound around a bobbin in a first rotational direction about the axis of rotation, and a second section of the optical coil defined from the intermediate point to the second end is at least partially wound around the bobbin in a second rotational direction opposite of the first rotational direction;
• means for reversing the optical fiber in the second section, such that an end portion of the second section, from the reversal to the second end, is wound around the bobbin in the first direction, along with an end portion of the first section;
• means for joining the first section and the second section of the optical fiber to form a fiber lead pair;
• and,
• bridging means for bridging at least a portion of the fiber lead pair with respect to the bobbin, so as to secure the fiber lead pair to the bobbin.