The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 23, 1993
Filed:
Nov. 22, 1991
James R Rochester, Tucson, AZ (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
The diameter of an optical fiber (36) moving past a measurement apparatus (20) is evaluated in a time of less than about 50 microseconds, permitting closely spaced individual measurements along the length of the optical fiber (36). The measurement apparatus (20) includes a number of discrete, stationary light sensors (22) arranged in a linear array (24), a light source (28) positioned to shine a beam of light (34) into the sensors (22) of the array (24), and a lens (38) that directs an enlarged image of the optical fiber (36) onto the array (24) of light sensors (22). The light sensors (22) each produce an output signal (26) responsive to the intensity of light reaching the sensor (22). The number of light sensors (22) having a signal below a threshold value at a selected moment is counted as a measure of the diameter of the portion of optical fiber (36) then lying between the light source (28) and the array of optical sensors (22).