Patent ID: 11906334
Assignee: OPTASENSE HOLDINGS LIMITED
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 10:
11. A fibre optic cable structure comprising:
an optical fibre; and
a bend inducer that is responsive to an environmental parameter to control bending of the optical fibre;
wherein the bend inducer is configured to adopt a first configuration at a first value of the environmental parameter that induces a first curvature of the optical fibre and to adopt a second configuration at a second, different, value of the environmental parameter that induces a second, different, curvature of the optical fibre such that a change in value of the environmental parameter imparts a bending force on the optical fibre,
wherein the bend inducer is configured such that a given change in the environmental parameter results in a positive change in a longitudinal dimension on a first side of the bend inducer components and a negative change in longitudinal dimension on a second, opposite side of the bend inducer, wherein the bend inducer comprises:
a plurality of first elements fixedly coupled to a first surface at a first end and coupled to one another by resilient arms at a second opposite end; and
a plurality of second elements, each second element being located between two first elements and supported by the resilient arms, such that transverse force applied to the resilient arms causes the second element to move transversely with respect to the first surface;
wherein the first and second elements are shaped such that relative transverse movement of a second element with respect to its neighbouring first elements results in a change in the distance between the first elements.