Optical Fiber Ribbon Bonding for Nonvisible Deviation Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical fiber ribbons face challenges in detecting deviations of connecting agents due to their colorlessness and transparency, leading to impaired visibility and identifiability, and using colored agents risks obscuring markings.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a connecting member that is colorless and transparent to visible light but opaque to specific wavelength bands, such as ultraviolet or infrared, allows deviation detection through image processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a colorless and transparent connecting agent is used, then the visibility and identifiability of optical fibers are maintained, but deviation detection of the connecting member becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovevisibilityVSAvoiddeviation detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting member is designed to exhibit wavelength-dependent optical properties: it appears colorless and transparent to visible light for maintaining visibility, but is opaque to specific wavelength bands (ultraviolet or infrared) for enabling deviation detection through image processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The connecting member acts as an intermediary that selectively interacts with different wavelength bands of light, allowing it to simultaneously fulfill the dual requirements of maintaining optical fiber visibility while enabling its own position detection through specialized imaging techniques

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Difficulty of detecting and measuring

If a colored connecting agent is used, then deviation detection becomes easier, but markings on optical fibers may be obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeviation detectionVSAvoidmarking visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Difficulty of detecting and measuringVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The connecting member utilizes selective wavelength absorption rather than visible coloration, appearing colorless in the visible spectrum to preserve marking visibility while being opaque to ultraviolet or infrared wavelengths for deviation detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The solution moves the detection mechanism from the visible light dimension to another wavelength dimension (ultraviolet or infrared), allowing deviation detection without interfering with visible markings on the optical fibers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables accurate detection of connecting member deviations, maintaining visibility and identifiability of optical fibers while preventing interference with markings.

Implementation Method 1

The connecting member is colorless and transparent to visible light, and is opaque to light in a specific wavelength band other than a visible light region

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS12554085B2Optical fiber ribbon

Publication Date: 2026.02.17 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES LTD

AI summary

An optical fiber ribbon includes a plurality of optical fibers, and a connecting member configured to intermittently connect the plurality of optical fibers adjacent to each other. The connecting member is colorless and transparent to visible light, and is opaque to light in a specific wavelength band other than a visible light region.