Patent ID: 7149393
Filing Date: 2006-12-12
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for forming a fiber optic faceplate comprising: (a) a mandrel for spirally winding optical fiber, in a single strand, from a fiber supply over a length dimension parallel to the axis of the mandrel, said mandrel having at least one pair of axially disposed spacing guides of at least said length dimension, wherein each said pair of spacing guides comprises: said input spacing guide separated from said output spacing guide along the circumference of said mandrel by a width dimension, and said input and output spacing guides being differentially dimensioned to provide distinct input and output spacings between wound fibers; (b) a ribbon forming apparatus for forming, along the axial direction, a ribbon structure having a ribbon length determined by said length dimension and a ribbon width determined by said width dimension, the ribbon structure comprising: said ribbon structure comprising thereby a single row of optical fibers wherein each optical fiber has a fixed input position along said input edge and a fixed output position along said output edge.