Composite optical fiber and method of manufacturing the same

摘要

Disclosed is a composite optical fiber which has high flexibility and is hard to break. The composite optical fiber comprises a larger-diameter optical fiber and smaller-diameter optical fibers each having a smaller diameter than that of the larger-diameter optical fiber, wherein the larger-diameter fiber and the smaller-diameter optical fibers are so arranged that the larger-diameter fiber is surrounded by the smaller-diameter optical fibers, and the smaller-diameter optical fibers that surround the larger-diameter optical fiber are made from a plastic material.

主权项

1. A method of manufacturing a composite optical fiber, the method comprising:
installing a plurality of elemental plastic optical fibers, each comprising a core portion and a cladding portion, between a plastic outer pipe and a plastic inner pipe, installing a core rod, comprising a transparent portion as an optical fiber's constituent element, inside of the plastic inner pipe, reducing an air pressure between the plastic outer pipe and the plastic inner pipe, and heating and drawing the plastic outer pipe, the elemental plastic optical fibers, the plastic inner pipe, and the core rod, with a gap portion among the plastic outer pipe, the element plastic optical fibers, the plastic inner pipe, and the core rod under a reduced-pressure condition.