Optical Fiber Terminator with Gripping Spacers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Securing optical fibers in a desired position for parameter monitoring of cell cultures in small-scale bioreaction vessels is challenging due to issues with soft plastic jackets sliding relative to the optical waveguide core, difficulty in replacing fibers, and complications with conventional clamping and gluing methods.
Innovation Solution
A coupler with a housing and gripping spacers that non-piercingly grips the fiber jackets to retain optical fibers laterally and longitudinally, allowing easy assembly and replacement without gluing, suitable for small-scale and closely spaced bioreaction vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional clamping methods with O-rings are used to secure optical fibres, then fibres are retained in position, but the O-rings impose a lower limit on spacing between fibres and vessels, making them unsuitable for small-scale closely spaced bioreaction vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the O-ring component from the clamping mechanism entirely. Instead of using O-rings to provide friction-based retention, the invention uses a rigid clamp plate with precisely positioned holes that mechanically constrain the fibres through geometric interference and direct contact, eliminating the need for elastic deformation and friction that O-rings require.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the retention mechanism from friction-based (O-rings relying on elastic deformation and friction coefficients) to geometry-based (rigid clamp plate holes providing precise mechanical constraints). This parameter change allows fibres to be retained at much smaller spacings because the rigid structure provides stable retention without requiring the minimum spacing that elastic O-rings need to function properly.
2Reliability
If retaining screws are used to secure fibres through a clamp plate, then fibres are retained in position, but fibre replacement becomes complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the fibre retention function from the clamp plate structure itself. The clamp plate provides the rigid structural support and positioning, while separate friction clips provide the retention mechanism. This segmentation allows the friction clips to be independently removed and replaced without affecting the clamp plate or requiring access to retaining screws, enabling quick fibre replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic, removable friction clips that can be easily attached and detached from the rigid clamp plate. These clips provide the necessary retention force through friction but can be quickly removed to access and replace fibres, unlike fixed retaining screws that require complex disassembly procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the optical fibre jacket is soft plastic that is not bonded to the core, then the fibre is flexible and protectable, but the jacket slides relative to the core making locating and securing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a rigid replica or copy of the fibre bundle arrangement within the clamp plate structure. The precisely positioned holes and features in the clamp plate replicate the desired spatial relationships between fibres, providing stable positioning references that compensate for the flexibility and sliding tendency of the soft plastic jackets.
4Reliability
If piercing the jacket to secure directly to the core is done, then secure retention is achieved, but stress points are created in the optical waveguide core causing it to shear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces friction clips as intermediary components between the optical fibre and the clamp plate. These clips grip the soft plastic jacket externally through friction without piercing it, providing secure retention while distributing forces along the jacket length rather than concentrating stress at piercing points. This intermediary mechanism protects the fragile optical waveguide core from damage.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an optical fibre terminator (1, la-1d) for terminating two or more parallel optical fibres (4), each optical fibre comprising an optical waveguide core surrounded by a protective polymer jacket. The terminator includes a housing (2) having a front face (3) and a backshell (4). The housing is configured for insertion thereinto of the two or more parallel optical fibres so that respective end faces (5) of the two or more optical fibres are located at predetermined spaced positions relative to the front face and the two or more optical fibres extend rearwardly away from the front face through the backshell. The terminator also includes one or more gripping spacers (6) subsequently insertable into one or more respective matching channels (8) formed in the backshell behind the front face such that each gripping spacer, on its insertion, non-piercingly grips a jacketed flank of at least one optical fibre on a opposite side of the spacer to thereby retain the fibres in the housing with the fibre end faces locked at the predetermined spaced positions.