Patent ID: 6904222

Claim:
An optical fiber splice protection apparatus for use in an optical fiber hydrophone assembly, the hydrophone assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of mandrels having cylindrical walls that are helically wrapped with optical fiber and connected in linear relation, the hydrophone assembly being in a module filled with module fill fluid, the fiber splice comprising two loose fiber ends spliced and disposed within a fusion splice sleeve, the fiber splice protection apparatus comprising: a splice protector affixed to a mandrel, the splice protector having a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hydrophone assembly and a cavity adapted to receive the fusion splice sleeve; and a rotation sleeve for winding excess fiber onto the mandrel, the rotation sleeve mounted on the mandrel between the splice protector and an adjacent mandrel, the rotation sleeve having a longitudinal axis aligned with the longitudinal axis of the hydrophone assembly and a groove to receive the fiber and maintain the fiber's minimum bend radius, wherein the cavity and the groove each comprise a recessed area defined by two opposing shoulders.