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US 6,720,550 B2Granted
Sensor assembly
AssigneeSandia National Laboratories
InventorsThomas E. Bennett, Drew V. Nelson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ribbon-like sensor assembly is described wherein a length of an optical fiber embedded within a similar lengths of a prepreg tow. The fiber is “sandwiched” by two layers of the prepreg tow which are merged to form a single consolidated ribbon. The consolidated ribbon achieving a generally uniform distribution of composite filaments near the embedded fiber such that excess resin does not “pool” around the periphery of the embedded fiber.
Claims8
A consolidated assembly, comprising;
- a length of fiber;
- and
- first and second lengths of a prepreg tow, said prepreg tow comprising a plurality of bundles of continuous, untwisted filaments embedded in an impregnating matrix material in an approximately uniform distribution, said first and second lengths disposed opposite one another about said length of fiber with said untwisted filaments aligned about parallel with said length of fiber, wherein said first and second lengths are consolidated to form a single, continuous ribbon surrounding said fiber, wherein the distribution of untwisted filaments adjacent said fiber is everywhere approximately the same as the distribution of filaments distal to said fiber thereby eliminating preferential pooling of said impregnating matrix material adjacent to said length of fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.