Method of manufacturing a light guide
AssigneePoly Optics Australia Pty, Ltd
InventorsEdmond Kenneth Joseph, Robert Jacob Molitoris
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing light guide by filling a polymer tube with a monomeric mixture then pressurising and heating the full length of the polymer tube to initiate and maintain polymerisation in the tube. An apparatus for performing the method is also described in which the polymer tube is placed in a reaction vessel and a temperature controlled fluid is circulated to regulate the temperature in the vessel.
Claims22
A method of manufacturing a polymer light guide including the steps of:
- producing a monomeric mixture from amounts of monomer, initiator and cross-linking agent;
- forming a polymer tube into a coil that is wound onto a drum, wherein the length of the polymer tube is greater than 100 meters;
- filling the coil of polymer tube with the monomeric mixture;
- and pressurising and heating the full length of the polymer tube to conditions appropriate to initiate and maintain polymerisation of the mixture.
An apparatus suitable for manufacturing a polymer light guide, said apparatus comprising:
- a coil of polymer tube supported by a drum wherein the length of the polymer tube is greater than 100 meters;
- a reaction vessel for holding the coil of polymer tube, wherein the polymer tube is fillable with a monomeric mixture;
- pressure means connectable to the polymer tube for applying pressure to the full length of said polymer tube before and after filling said tube with said monomeric mixture;
- a temperature controlled fluid, circulable through the reaction vessel so as to control the temperature within the reaction vessel;
- a pump for circulating the temperature controlled fluid;
- and
- temperature control means for adjusting the temperature of the temperature controlled fluid.
A method of manufacturing a polymer light guide of lengths greater than 100 metres, said polymer light guide having a polymeric core within a polymer tube having a lower refractive index than the polymer core, the method including the steps of:
- producing a monomeric mixture from amounts of monomer, initiator and cross-linking agent;
- stirring the monomeric mixture until a uniform monomeric mixture is obtained;
- filling a polymer tube of greater than 100 metres length with the uniform monomeric mixture, said polymer tube being wound on a drum so as to form a coil;
- placing the polymer tube filled with uniform monomeric mixture in a reaction chamber at a first temperature;
- connecting the polymer tube to a pressure source and pressurising the full length of the polymer tube to a first pressure;
- and
- subjecting the polymer tube to further temperature and pressure conditions, by changing the temperature in the reaction chamber and changing the pressure of the pressure source, until the uniform monomeric mixture has polymerised to a desired degree.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.