Appeal No. 1997-4044 Page 7
Application No. 08/504,233
[t]he inner surface affixation system and process is a
method for affixing wound optical fibers on the inner
surface of a hollow cylinder. It is useful, for example,
in the manufacture of rigid mandrel-based fiber optic
sensors. The optical fibers of a sensor wound on the
inner surface are less susceptible to damage than are
optical fibers wound on the outside of the mandrel. The
process requires that the fibers be supported on a
cylinder, which is coated with an adhesive and placed
within the sensor mandrel cylinder, at which time the
circumference of the supporting cylinder is expanded,
causing the fibers to engage the inner surface of the
sensor mandrel cylinder. The adhesive is then cured,
holding the fibers in place on the inner surface of the
sensor mandrel cylinder while the supporting cylinder is
contracted and removed from the sensor mandrel cylinder.
In Figure 3, Maas further discloses a preferred
embodiment using a cylindrical bladder 9. Cylindrical bladder
9 serves as supporting means for optical fibers 3. The
cylindrical bladder consists of thin-walled hose 10, pressure
plugs at each end 11, and a pressure vent 12. After the
cylinder/fiber assembly is placed in hollow member 4, the
internal pressure is increased causing expansion of the
circumference of cylindrical bladder 9. Fibers 3 engage the
inner surface of hollow member 4. Once the adhesive has
cured, decreasing the internal pressure will allow removal of
cylindrical bladder 9.
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