Optical Fiber Temperature Sensor for Composite Molding

The patent introduces an intermediary solution by placing the optical fiber temperature sensor in the air gap between the mold and composite material, rather than embedding it directly in the material. This intermediary position allows temperature measurement without compromising the composite's strength, as the sensor measures the temperature of the mold surface and infers the composite temperature indirectly.

The patent uses the optical fiber sensor to measure the temperature field of the mold surface, which serves as a copy or proxy for the composite material temperature. By measuring the mold surface temperature and using thermal conduction principles to infer the composite temperature, the system achieves temperature monitoring without direct contact with the composite material, thus preserving its strength.

The patent divides the temperature measurement function into multiple segments by placing multiple optical fiber sensors at different positions (heating element positions and intermediate positions) on the mold surface. This segmentation allows independent measurement of temperature at each location, enabling precise control of temperature distribution across the composite material while maintaining relatively simple implementation using standard optical fiber sensor technology.

The patent transitions from single-point temperature measurement to multi-point spatial temperature measurement by distributing sensors across different positions on the mold surface. This dimensional expansion from one point to multiple points in space enables comprehensive temperature distribution control without significantly increasing device complexity, as each sensor operates independently using the same measurement principle.