Patent ID: 8670111

Claim:
A fiber monitoring apparatus, comprising: a holder body having a first portion with a plurality of retention elements thereon each arranged next to another and configured to receive and hold an optical fiber such that the optical fibers extend along paths passing through said retention elements and in opposite directions from said holder body, and a second portion adjacent to said first portion with a plurality of attachment elements thereon configured for enabling the mounting of said holder body on a support structure; and a thermal sensing array including a plurality of thermal sensor devices each supported by said second portion of said holder body adjacent to said first portion of said holder body and adjacent to and aligned with the path of at least one of the optical fibers so as to enable said thermal sensor devices to detect changes in temperature corresponding to the occurrence of thermal events in the optical fibers while transmitting laser beams, and a plurality of electrical circuitry elements supported by said second portion of said holder body so as to electrically interconnect said thermal sensor devices in a series relationship.