METHOD OF MAKING AN OPTICAL FIBER BUNDLE, OPTICAL FIBER BUNDLE MADE THEREBY AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING THE METHOD

摘要

The method of making an optical fiber bundle (1) from individual optical fibers with good optical properties and a wider applicability includes temporarily mechanically holding individual optical fibers together and pushing them in a snug fit in a single metallic sleeve (3) made from a metallic material that has a sufficient high temperature strength at a forming temperature of the optical fiber glass; installing the optical fiber bundle (1) in a clamping device (4) in order to hold the optical fiber bundle fixed in an axial and radial direction; heating the end of the clamped optical fiber bundle (1) to the forming temperature, pressing the single metallic sleeve (3) on the optical fiber bundle and compressing the end of the optical fiber bundle in the single metallic sleeve with a forming tool (5) to shape or form the individual optical fibers in a hexagonal packing; cooling the shaped end of the optical fiber bundle (1) and removing the optical fiber bundle from the clamping device (4). The invention also includes the resulting optical fiber bundle and an apparatus for performing the method.