Hughes Aircraft Company

Hughes Missile Systems Company

Other

Daniel K Schotter

Gary R Redford

Gregory LoStracco

George H Hulderman

Stanley P Peterson

Wilbur M Bailey

Nancy J Christie

Ronald L Hehn

Charles F Marner

John F Christian

William L Chapman

An apparatus for winding a coil pack of a fiber such as an optical fiber winds the fiber as a radial coil, and then joins the coil axially to previously wound coils. Each radial coil is wound on a flexible flange that is deformable from a first tapered shape which facilitates the winding against the flange, to a second shape wherein the coil wound thereon conforms to the shape of the last coil affixed to the fiber pack. The flexible flange is preferably made of an elastomer, and its shape change is readily accomplished by an articulated series of nesting cylinders. The apparatus further includes a fiber winding head that winds the fiber onto the flexible flange, and an adhesive applicator head that applies adhesive between succeeding coils of fiber as they are joined to the coil pack.

Coil winding apparatus incorporating a flexible winding flange

A missile includes an optical fiber canister with the optical fiber wound as an annular fiber pack having an initial payout region extending from the inner annular surface. A reinforcing leader overlies the initial payout region of the optical fiber to form a leader composite structure. The leader composite structure is wound into a flat outwardly spiraling coil lying perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of the annular fiber pack, with the outer turn of the spiral leading away from the optical fiber pack. The coil is encased in a mass of potting compound. At the initiation of optical fiber payout, the turns of the coil progressively tear free of the mass of potting compound to achieve a gradual loading of the optical fiber and opening of a path for the axial payout of the portion of the optical fiber not protected by the reinforcing leader.

Missile with inside payout optical fiber canister

In-line application of liquid adhesive to an optical fiber (10) while it is being wound onto a drum (14) is accomplished by a tube (58) interconnected with a pressurized adhesive source of supply (70). An end (60) of the tube provides adhesive in a beadlike strip which wets the drum or underlying winding layer just under the fiber lower surface before it is laid down onto the drum.

Apparatus for applying adhesive to an optical fiber during winding

An optical fiber canister (40) comprises a tapered cylindrical bobbin (42) having a length of optical fiber (28) wound thereon to form a fiber pack (43). The optical fiber (28) is wound so as to pay out with a preselected circumferential payout direction component (45), as well as a longitudinal payout direction component. The canister (40) has an optical fiber payout opening (50) through which the optical fiber (28) is paid out. An air duct (60, 62, 90) from the exterior of the canister (40) to the interior of the canister (40) has an air outlet (70) within the interior of the canister (40) oriented to direct the air flow oppositely to the preselected circumferential payout direction (45). The optical fiber canister (40) may be mounted within a missile (20), and the air duct (90) desirably extends from the exterior of the missile (20) to the interior of the canister (40), to provide a velocity-dependent air flow that damps out the helical motion of the optical fiber (28) during payout, permitting the optical fiber (28) to be paid out smoothly even though the payout opening (50) is small.

Air damped linear optical fiber dispenser

A composite bobbin (10) for use in an optical fiber canister has a surface with a spirally groove base layer (38) in which the first layer of an optical cable (42) is wound. The base layer (38) is prepared by coating the external surface of a central portion (12) of the bobbin (10) with an adhesive layer (16) of a curable two-stage epoxy, winding a tensioned wire (22) in a spiral pattern along the length of the central portion (12), and heating the bobbin (10) to cure the epoxy. The proper combination of tension and curing cycle permits the grooves of the base layer (38) to be formed to a depth of about 1/3 of the diameter of the optical cable (42).

Optical cable composite-material bobbin with grooved base layer

A bobbin (50) includes a substantially cylindrical bobbin support (52), formed of a structural material such as aluminum or graphite-epoxy composite material, and an overlying sleeve (58) that slides on the bobbin support (52), formed of a material having a longitudinal coefficient of thermal expansion matched to that of the longitudinal coefficient of thermal expansion of an optical fiber pack (66) wound upon the sleeve (58). One end of the sleeve (58) is fixed to the corresponding end of the bobbin support (52). The expansion coefficient of the sleeve material is preferably at least about 50.times.10.sup.-6 per degree F., to more closely match that of the fiber pack in the direction perpendicular to the fibers.

Optical fiber bobbin with stress-reducing sleeve

An optical fiber payout canister (22) comprises a bobbin (30) having a dispensing end and an optical fiber pack having a plurality of optical fiber layers (34, 36) wound upon the bobbin (30). The pack has a transition winding pattern between the optical fiber layers (34, 36) at the dispensing end thereof, and an overcoat adhesive layer overlies the transition winding pattern of the optical fiber pack. The adhesive layer desirably comprises from about 80 to about 72 parts by weight of a precatalyzed organofunctional siloxane polymer and from about 20 to about 28 parts by weight of a silicone elastoplastic resin. The adhesive layer desirably has a tensile strength of from about 25 to about 40 psi, and a modulus of elasticity of from about 1200 to about 1600 psi, over a temperature range of from about -50.degree. C. to about +80.degree. C.

Optical fiber canister and process with overcoat adhesive layer to

An optical fiber (12) being removed from a storage spool (14) for winding onto a canister (20) passes through a housing formed from separable parts (22, 24). A chamber (34) within the housing has a nozzle (40) connected to a supply of a cleaning solvent and directs a spray of the solvent onto the moving fiber. Another version locates a further nozzle (46) within the housing directing a pressurized air stream on the fiber to dry the solvent as well as remove foreign particulate matter from the fiber. Yet another version has brushes (50, 52) within the housing that the fiber moves against to aid in removing particulate matter from the fiber surface.

Optical fiber cleaner

Guided missiles (10) which trail control umbilicals such as optical fibers (20) are launched from an array (16) of launch tubes (14) that point in the same direction. A swing arm (40) extends over the face of the array (16) to capture and move the umbilicals (20) of previously launched missiles (10) away from the portion of the array (16) from which the next missile (10) will be launched, to avoid interference between the launched missile (10) and the exisiting umbilicals (20). As each missile (10) is launched, the swing arm (40) recycles to capture the umbilical (20) of the newly launched missile (10).

Apparatus for lauching umbilical-guided missiles

An optical fiber (18) payout system for a missile (10) which is to be hot-launched from a tube (12) reinforces that part of the fiber to be exposed to propulsion gases by juxtaposing with one or more wires (24) and encasing within a thermally protective sheath (22) forming a so-called leader (20). The leader (20) extends outwardly of the missile aft end (16) and is releasably secured within a rail assembly (32) by a flexible strip (46) having a line of perforations (48) extending along its longitudinal axis. The outer end portion of the leader (20) is secured to an anchor block (52). On launch, the leader (20) tears loose from the flexible strip (46), the restraining action of which prevents optical fiber predispensing.

Open breech hot launched fiber optic payout system

A fiberoptic leader connected between a missile and a launch tube is paid out upon missile launch with a controlled degree of bend in the fiberoptic filament, and is furthermore protected from blast effects in the launch. The fiberoptic filament is stiffened within a leader comprised of a TEFLON sleeve insulating the fiberoptic filament. A protective sheathing of high tensile strength longitudinally wires are disposed about and encase the TEFLON sleeve, and in turn are encased within an outer sleeve. The stiffened leader is led along the longitudinal length of a C-shaped channel attached to the side of the missile. The channel is disposed upon a longitudinal portion of the missile. The stiffened leader is laid against and under one of the channel arms from the aft end of the missile, where the fiberoptic leader is fed out during launch, to a forward end of the missile and channel. The leader is then led across the width of the channel to the opposing arm of the C-shaped channel. The stiffened leader is then led partly aft along the opposing arm of the channel and then out to an open longitudinal slot defining the ends of the C-shaped channel. That end of the stiffened leader is coupled to a fixed point within the launch tube from which point optical communications are provided to the missile during flight. As the missile is launched, the bend propagates down the channel tearing the stiffened leader from a longitudinally perforated tape which secures the leader into and under one of the arms of the channel.

Bend limiting stiff leader and retainer system

An optical fiber data link (14) between a missile (12) and a moving platform (10) launch site has a wound stack canister (16) on the platform and a second canister (18) that is aboard the missile. A first version of the platform canister (16) locates the wound stack (20) within an enclosure (26) with the fiber being payed out through an opening (28) in the enclosure which has a curved flared edge portion (30). In yet another version, the platform canister (32) is mounted within a gimbal (38) enabling the fiber payout direction to follow a path that does not result in damage to the fiber.

Multi-directional payout fiber optic canister

An in-line filament cleaner and adhesive applicator for an optical fiber (10) which is to be wound onto a canister (22) used as a missile data link, for example, has a first tank (14) containing a cleaning solvent (16), a second tank (18) containing a liquid adhesive (38), and pulleys (24, 26, 28, 34, 36) for moving the fiber (10) through tank (14) to be cleaned along an air path for drying, and through tank (18) where adhesive is applied. An adhesive thickness gauge (20) insures adhesive does not exceed a given maximum and a guid tube (40) directs the adhesive coated fiber at a predetermined angle for winding on the canister (22).

In-line filament cleaner and adhesive applicator

An open-ended cylindrical housing (50) with a slot (52) extending along one side contains within its bore first and second roller guides (54, 56) each having a longitudinal extending V-shaped groove (58) in an outer surface. The housing and included roller guides are located as a unit within an adhesive recovery tube (62) having a slot (66) along one side. In use, a fiber (18) with adhesive on its surface moves along the V-shaped grooves. Adjustment of the V-shaped groove aperture existing at the facing roller guide ends is accomplished by relative roller guide rotation.

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Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Daniel K Schotter