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:
Jan. 11, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 06, 1998
Tetsuya Nakamura, Yokkaichi, JP;
Hayato Yuuki, Yokkaichi, JP;
Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Yokkaichi, JP;
Abstract
A plastic optical fiber is provided with a desired length and with a desired graded refractive index. To this end, a base polymer is first mixed with a non-polymerizable compound having a higher refractive index to obtain a fiber material. This material is then melted and continually spun into a fiber. The fiber is dipped into a polymerizable monomer and heated, during which both the non-polymerizable monomer and the polymerizable monomer diffuse inside the fiber, thereby grading the refractive index. When the fiber is heated, the diffused polymerizable monomer is polymerized and the fiber is hardened. The fiber is further coated with a cladding to form the desired plastic optical fiber. Various devices are provided for carrying out the above described processes.