Optical Fiber Coating Stripping Using Sharp Ruby Blades

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for cutting and stripping the coating from optical fibers often result in delamination or tearing, leading to overheating issues in high-power fiber lasers due to the use of dull mechanical tools or acid stripping, which compromises the smoothness and cleanliness of the edge.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus using sharp ruby or diamond blades to slice the coating around the circumference of the fiber, either by rotating the fiber or rotating the blades, ensuring a clean cut without delamination, and translating the fiber to remove the coating without tearing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a mechanical tool with dull blades is used to strip the coating, then the stripping process can be performed, but the coating edge becomes crushed and delaminated rather than cleanly sliced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating edge smoothnessVSAvoidtool blade sharpness requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by first making a score cut through the coating at a controlled depth before completing the stripping. This preliminary cutting action guides the subsequent stripping process, ensuring the coating is removed cleanly without crushing or delamination, even when using standard mechanical tools.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of blade sharpness by specifying that the blades must be sufficiently sharp to slice the coating without crushing it. This parameter requirement transforms the stripping process from a crude mechanical removal to a precise cutting operation, achieving clean edges.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If acid stripping is used to remove the coating, then the coating can be removed, but long-term reliability issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoating removal efficiencyVSAvoidlong-term fiber performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical stripping method (acid) with a mechanical slicing method using sharp blades. This substitution eliminates the reliability issues associated with acid stripping while maintaining effective coating removal, achieving both ease of manufacture and long-term reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the coating is stripped with delamination, then the stripping process is completed, but the fiber laser overheats during operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestripping process completionVSAvoidfiber laser operating temperature

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The preliminary score cut at controlled depth establishes a precise cutting path that prevents delamination during the stripping process. This ensures the coating edge remains smooth and clean, preventing the overheating problem while completing the stripping operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of delamination into a benefit by using the controlled score cut to guide the stripping process. The initial cutting action, which could cause damage, is instead used to create a precise cutting path that ensures clean separation and prevents delamination, thereby reducing operating temperature.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution achieves a delamination-free edge, enhancing the thermal performance of high-power fiber lasers, allowing them to tolerate higher pump powers without overheating, as demonstrated by improved thermal performance and signal output power.

Implementation Method 1

positioning each blade so that its cutting edge cuts into the coating, while avoiding delaminating the coating from an underlying fiber cladding by providing the cutting edge with sufficient sharpness

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical cutting: Fracture Mechanics

Data Source

PatentUS10234631B2Preventing delamination of a coating on an optical fiber when stripping the fiber

Publication Date: 2019.03.19 OFS FITEL LLC

AI summary

A length of a coating on an optical fiber is cut and stripped from an end of the fiber by supporting the fiber in confronting relation to a cutting edge on one or more blades. Each blade is positioned so that its cutting edge cuts into the coating without delaminating the coating from an underlying fiber cladding by providing the cutting edge with sufficient sharpness. The coating is sliced around the circumference of the fiber by either rotating the fiber about its axis so that the cutting edge of each blade slices the coating around a corresponding portion of the circumference of the fiber, or rotating the cutting edge of each blade about the fiber axis so that the cutting edge slices the coating around a corresponding portion of the circumference of the fiber. A cut length of the coating is then removed from the end of the fiber.