Patent ID: 6922506

Claim:
A packaging structure for supporting a segment of optical fiber having a grated section, said packaging structure comprising a housing having a housing body defining a housing body outer surface, a housing body first end and a housing body second end, said housing body having a housing channel extending therethrough for receiving said grated section therein, said housing channel defining a housing channel longitudinal axis; a first component and a second component both mounted on said housing body respectively adjacent said housing body first and second ends, said first and second components respectively defining first and second component-to-fiber attachment sections both freely engaging said housing channel in opposite directions for securing said fiber in a tensioned state therebetween; said first component being movably coupled to said housing body for allowing said first component-to-fiber attachment section to selectively slide axially within said housing channel; said housing body being provided with at least one access window formed therein and extending substantially transversally from said housing body outer surface to said housing channel, said access window being positioned, configured and sized so as to be substantially in register with at least a portion of a selected one of said first or second component-to-fiber attachment sections for allowing physical access thereto; said housing being made of a housing material having a housing coefficient of thermal expansion, said first component being made out of a first component material having a first component coefficient of thermal expansion, said housing, first and second component coefficients of thermal expansion being selected so as to compensate for the thermal dependency of said grated section.