Fibre Optic Sensor Assembly with Bistable Elongate Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
The deployment of fibre optic assemblies for communication networks and structural sensing is hindered by the difficulty in controlling position and tension, leading to signal loss and increased installation time, especially in long-distance applications where sharp bends cause significant light attenuation and require frequent amplifiers, and existing methods are labor-intensive and prone to damage.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an elongate member with a laminate structure that can transition from a coiled to an extended form, providing a resilient substrate to maintain fibre optic tension and position, allowing for accurate deployment and sensing without the need for manual clipping or extensive support structures, using a fibre reinforced composite material with a bistable design to ensure stability and strain transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fibre optic cable is manually deployed and tensioned in situ by skilled workers, then the fibre optic position and tension can be controlled to prevent signal loss, but the installation time increases significantly and construction work is held up
Solution Approach 1:
The fibre optic cable is pre-tensioned and pre-positioned within the elongate member during manufacturing, before deployment to the site. The elongate member is supplied in a coiled form with the fibre optic already embedded and tensioned, eliminating the need for time-consuming in-situ tensioning and positioning operations by skilled workers.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongate member acts as an intermediary carrier that protects and positions the fibre optic cable during deployment. The member's structural properties (stiffness, strength) enable it to maintain the fibre optic at the desired tension and position without requiring direct manual handling of the delicate fibre cable itself.
2Manufacturing precision
If fibre optic cable is handled and deployed manually, then precise position and tension control can be achieved, but the risk of cable damage increases due to delicate handling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The elongate member provides a protective sheath or shell that encases and protects the delicate fibre optic cable during handling and deployment. The member's structure prevents sharp bends, kinks, and mechanical damage to the fibre, while still allowing precise positioning through the member's controlled uncoiling and extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongate member is designed to automatically maintain the fibre optic at the correct tension and position through its own structural properties during deployment. The member's resilience and stiffness enable it to self-regulate the fibre positioning without requiring continuous manual adjustment, reducing handling risks.
3Reliability
If fibre optic assembly uses conventional support structures and clipping methods, then the fibre optic can be protected and positioned, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective function, positioning function, and support function are merged into the single elongate member structure. The member simultaneously protects the fibre optic from damage, maintains its tension, and positions it along the desired path, eliminating the need for separate support structures, clips, and anchoring systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongate member is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple roles: it serves as a protective sheath, a tensioning device, a positioning guide, and a structural support element. This universal component replaces multiple separate installation aids and support structures, simplifying the overall system.
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
This approach simplifies and accelerates the deployment of fibre optic assemblies, reduces signal loss, and allows for accurate sensing of structural properties, enabling rapid installation by unskilled personnel while minimizing damage and the need for additional amplifiers, particularly suitable for large-scale infrastructure projects.
Implementation Method 1
an elongate member formed from a laminate of at least two layers constructed and arranged so as to be configurable between a coiled form and an extended form... the member being resiliently biased in that form
Implementation Method 2
at least one fibre optic disposed along at least a part of the longitudinal extent of the member... at least a part of the fibre optic is fixed to the member such that in uncoiling the member the bending stiffness of the member automatically achieves a desired tension in said part of the fibre optic
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application describes methods and apparatus relating to sensor assemblies and fibre optic assemblies. In one example, a method is described of deploying a sensor assembly (1) for sensing a property associated with a structure of interest (100). The sensor assembly (1) includes an elongate member (2) configurable between a coiled form and an extended form and at least one sensor (3) disposed along at least a part of the longitudinal extent of the member. The method comprises uncoiling the elongate member (2) and positioning the sensor assembly (1), and then forming the structure of interest around the sensor assembly (1) or introducing a filler material in the space between the sensor assembly (1) and the structure of interest such that the sensor assembly (1) is coupled to the structure and the property of the structure can be sensed by the sensor (3).