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:
Jun. 12, 2001
Filed:
May. 18, 1999
Rogerio T. Ramos, Bethel, CT (US);
Raghu Madhavan, Brookfield, CT (US);
Tsutomu Yamate, Brookfield, CT (US);
Stephen C. Balkunas, Brookfield, CT (US);
Robert J. Schroeder, Newtown, CT (US);
Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Ridgefield, CT (US);
Abstract
An optical fiber is provided with a Bragg grating formed along a portion of its core and a mechanical structure arranged adjacent to the Bragg grating for amplifying longitudinal strain on the fiber in the vicinity of the grating. The mechanical structure is designed to convert ambient pressure into longitudinal strain on the fiber in the vicinity of the grating and to allow the fiber to pass through the structure so that several pressure measuring apparatus may be arranged along a single optical fiber. An intermediate structure is provided between the fiber and the mechanical structure for minimizing buckling of the fiber. The methods of the invention include converting pressure into longitudinal strain on an optical fiber, amplifying the effect of pressure on the longitudinal strain, measuring pressure by determining the spectral location related to peaks (or minimums) of light reflected from an optical grating subjected to longitudinal strain.