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:
Jul. 26, 1994
Filed:
Aug. 19, 1992
Charles M Mansfield, Austin, TX (US);
Victor J Borer, Austin, TX (US);
Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A tool for converting several discrete optical fibers into a ribbon format. The tool includes a base and two shims, one shim being fixed to the base and the other being slidably attached to the base but parallel with the fixed shim, and a spring to bias the sliding shim toward the fixed shim. The fibers may be laid between the shims while the sliding shim is held in a retracted position away from the fixed shim. When the sliding shim is moved toward the fixed shim, the fibers become tightly packed against each other. A piece of tape may then be applied to the fibers, bonding them into a fiber ribbon. A blade assembly is designed to slide along two rails, one rail being attached to each of the shims, the blade assembly having a flexible blade which is positioned with respect to the rails whereby the blade forcibly abuts the straight edge of the shims. In this manner, as the blade assembly slides along the rails, the blade carefully trims the excess tape very close to the outlying fibers, but without damaging the fibers.