Abstract: A wire winding machine includes two mandrels for winding wire alternately thereon. A traverse positions wire axially along each mandrel, and moves in an arcuate path to position wire adjacent one or the other mandrel. A single transfer arm transfers wire from a wound to an unwound mandrel by extending a wire guide adjacent the wound mandrel, retracting the wire guide to engage the wire, rotating to position the wire adjacent the wound mandrel, and extending to guide the wire into a clamping and cutting mechanism. The mechanism clamps and cuts the wire in response to the mandrel end cap being placed into position. The wire winding machine includes a portable operator console, and a network interface. A wire tension control unit includes a radiated signal source and detector to detect movement of a moveable pulley assembly relative to a fixed pulley assembly to control the supply of wire.

Abstract: A wire winding machine includes two mandrels for winding wire alternately thereon. A traverse positions wire axially along each mandrel, and moves in an arcuate path to position wire adjacent one or the other mandrel. A single transfer arm transfers wire from a wound to an unwound mandrel by extending a wire guide adjacent the wound mandrel, retracting the wire guide to engage the wire, rotating to position the wire adjacent the wound mandrel, and extending to guide the wire into a clamping and cutting mechanism. The mechanism clamps and cuts the wire in response to the mandrel end cap being placed into position. The wire winding machine includes a portable operator console, and a network interface. A wire tension control unit includes a radiated signal source and detector to detect movement of a moveable pulley assembly relative to a fixed pulley assembly to control the supply of wire.

Abstract: A wire winding machine includes two mandrels for winding wire alternately thereon. A traverse positions wire axially along each mandrel, and moves in an arcuate path to position wire adjacent one or the other mandrel. A single transfer arm transfers wire from a wound to an unwound mandrel by extending a wire guide adjacent the wound mandrel, retracting the wire guide to engage the wire, rotating to position the wire adjacent the wound mandrel, and extending to guide the wire into a clamping and cutting mechanism. The mechanism clamps and cuts the wire in response to the mandrel end cap being placed into position. The wire winding machine includes a portable operator console, and a network interface. A wire tension control unit includes a radiated signal source and detector to detect movement of a moveable pulley assembly relative to a fixed pulley assembly to control the supply of wire.

Abstract: A wire winding machine includes two mandrels for winding wire alternately thereon. A traverse positions wire axially along each mandrel, and moves in an arcuate path to position wire adjacent one or the other mandrel. A single transfer arm transfers wire from a wound to an unwound mandrel by extending a wire guide adjacent the wound mandrel, retracting the wire guide to engage the wire, rotating to position the wire adjacent the wound mandrel, and extending to guide the wire into a clamping and cutting mechanism. The mechanism clamps and cuts the wire in response to the mandrel end cap being placed into position. The wire winding machine includes a portable operator console, and a network interface. A wire tension control unit includes a radiated signal source and detector to detect movement of a moveable pulley assembly relative to a fixed pulley assembly to control the supply of wire.

Abstract: A wire winding machine includes two mandrels for winding wire alternately thereon. A traverse positions wire axially along each mandrel, and moves in an arcuate path to position wire adjacent one or the other mandrel. A single transfer arm transfers wire from a wound to an unwound mandrel by extending a wire guide adjacent the wound mandrel, retracting the wire guide to engage the wire, rotating to position the wire adjacent the wound mandrel, and extending to guide the wire into a clamping and cutting mechanism. The mechanism clamps and cuts the wire in response to the mandrel end cap being placed into position. The wire winding machine includes a portable operator console, and a network interface. A wire tension control unit includes a radiated signal source and detector to detect movement of a moveable pulley assembly relative to a fixed pulley assembly to control the supply of wire.

Abstract: An integrated optical transmitter for use in an optical system has an optical head assembly with an optical beam generator for providing an optical beam and a lens assembly collecting the optical beam and generating therefrom a formed optical beam. Interface optics receives the formed optical beam and provides optical coupling so as to minimize insertion loss to the optical beam. Also included is an optical modulator for receiving the optical beam from the interface optics and for providing a modulated optical beam in response to received modulation signals. The optical modulator is coupled to the interface optics to be in a fixed relationship therewith.

Abstract: A variable optical filter for video cameras designed to variably attenuate certain wave length signals by means of alternating radially oriented areas of coatings which are opaque or partially opaque to the aforesaid wave lengths. A pair of similarly designed filters can be relatively rotated to cause opaque areas to overlap non-opaque areas and thereby reduce the signal intensity.

Abstract: A mini-bend optical arrangement and an associated method are described. This arrangement is designed to change the directional orientation of a light path using optical fiber. A first and a second fiber optic member define first and second light paths, respectively, which first and second members include a numerical aperture and which introduce substantial bend losses upon being bent at less than a predetermined bend radius. The first and second fiber optic members are arranged along the first and second paths preferably bent by less than the predetermined bend radius.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for manufacturing an optical fiber Bragg grating, which in a preferred embodiment includes the steps of: (a) removing at least a portion of a removable coating on an optical fiber element in at least one section to sufficiently expose the optical fiber in the section for a subsequent treatment by a source of optical radiation; (b) fixing the at least one section with respect to the source of optical radiation; (c) directing optical radiation from the source into the optical fiber to produce at least one Bragg grating in the at least one section; and (d) covering the at least one section. The present invention also extends to an apparatus for carrying out the process steps described above, which includes means for coating removal, means for fiber immobilization, means for writing a Bragg grating, and means for packaging.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for manufacturing an optical fiber Bragg grating, which in a preferred embodiment includes the steps of: (a) removing at least a portion of a removable coating on an optical fiber element in at least one predetermined section to sufficiently expose the optical fiber in the section for a subsequent treatment by a source of optical radiation; (b) fixing the at least one section with respect to the source of optical radiation; (c) directing optical radiation from the source into the optical fiber to produce at least one Bragg grating in the at least one section; and (d) covering the at least one section. The present invention also extends to an apparatus for carrying out the process steps described above, which includes means for coating removal, means for fiber immobilization, means for writing a Bragg grating, and means for packaging.

Abstract: An integrated optical transmitter for use in an optical system includes an optical head assembly having an optical beam generator for providing an optical beam and a lens assembly for collecting the optical beam and generating therefrom a formed optical beam. Interface optics receive the formed optical beam for coupling the beam to a modulator so as to reduce nsertion loss to the optical beam. The optical modulator receives the optical beam from the interface optics and provides a modulated optical beam in response to received modulation signals. The optical modulator is coupled to the interface optics to be in a fixed relationship therewith. The integrated optical transmitter can include a means for sampling the optical beam and controlling the temperature of and/or the current supplied to the optical beam generator for controlling the wavelength of the optical transmitter.

Abstract: An optical amplifier for amplifying a plurality of signal components of a multi-wavelength optical beam passing through an optical fiber includes a portion of the optical fiber doped with a rare earth ion to amplify the optical signal wherein the gain spectrum as a function of the wavelength is nonuniform. The optical amplifier further includes a gain flattening module to compensate for the nonuniform gain spectrum of the doped fiber by attenuating each of the channels of the amplified signal to equalize the gain. A gain equalization module compensates for varying gain fluctuations due to the adding and subtracting of signal components. The gain equalization module adjusts dynamically each signal component of the optical beam such that the amplitudes of the signal components are substantially equal, in response to a plurality of control signals. Each control signal is representative of the degree of attenuation required to equalize the signal components.

Abstract: A rare earth doped fiber for use in a fiber laser is presented. The fiber laser uses a single stripe broad area pump diode permits Yb lasing in its 3-level transition at 980 nm preferentially over the 1010 nm 4-level transition. The present fiber laser is characterized by a dual cladding fiber geometry which includes an inner rare earth doped single mode core. There is an inner cladding designed to be a multimode pump core for the pump light. The pump core is followed by a final cladding to confine the pump radiation. The present laser matches the larger/outer mode field to that of a single stripe broad area diode in order to maximize the pump intensity.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in selectively adding or dropping channels in an optical network includes an optical circulator and an array of programmable fiber Bragg gratings. Each fiber Bragg grating is a narrow ban reflective element which can be tuned on or off of an ITU standard wavelength division multiplex channel so that the channel is either fully reflected or transmitted by the grating. The addition or subtraction of signal channels is operated by a controller which operates the individual fiber Bragg gratings between transmissive and reflective states.

Abstract: A loop status monitor for determining the magnitude of the power output of each signal component of a multi-wavelength optical beam includes a dense wavelength division demultiplexing arrayed waveguide and a detector array. The detector elements are butt-coupled to each respective output of the waveguide to reduce insertion loss and cost. The detector array is formed of planar silica material having a plurality of precision ion implanted regions that separate the optical beam into its respective signal components. The signal components are directed to a corresponding detector element of the detector array. Each detector element includes a photodiode that converts the optical beam to an electrical signal indicative of the amplitude of the power of the channel.

Abstract: A material handling system generally consisting of a base assembly including a support means mountable on the operating arms of a vehicle, an arm member pivotally connected to the support means and movable between open and closed positions relative to the support means for clamping an article mounted on the support means therebetween and means for displacing the clamping member between the open and closed positions; a material container assembly including a support means mountable on the support means of the base assembly, a container mounted on and pivotally connected to the support means of the material container assembly and engageable by the clamping arm member of the base member when the support means of the material container assembly is mounted on the support means of the base assembly; and means operatively interconnecting the clamping arm member of the base assembly and the container of the material container assembly when the material container assembly is mounted on the base assembly for effecting

Abstract: A distal intravascular filter is disclosed for filtering blood flow therethrough and entrapping and retaining embolic debris. The intravascular filter including a small diameter hollow guide wire or tube capable of percutaneous placement of the distal end thereof beyond a carotid stenosis. The distal portion of the tube includes a filter mounted thereon. The filter is deployable from a tightly closed configuration to an open circumference for blocking the unfiltered flow of blood beyond the carotid stenosis. The filter is deployable between open and closed positions by manipulation of an actuating wire extending from the filter and out the proximal end of the tube.

Abstract: A fiber laser 26 including a rare-earth doped fiber laser cavity 32 delimited by a pair of reflective elements 28,30, such as Bragg gratings, is tuned by compressing the cavity 32 and the gratings 28,30. Because an optical fiber is a much stronger under compression than in tension, the laser 26 is tunable over a much broader range than conventional tension/stretching techniques.

Abstract: An optical waveguide laser arrangement includes a solid optical waveguide having a waveguiding portion that extends along an axis between two spaced regions of the optical waveguide and is of a material capable of emitting stimulated light upon excitation by pumping light that is launched into the optical waveguide for axial propagation through the axially spaced regions of the optical waveguide. Two reflectors are provided, each being disposed at one of the axially spaced regions of the optical waveguide to delimit a laser resonator. At least one of the reflectors is constituted by a Bragg grating consisting of a multitude of axially consecutive periodic perturbations in the refractive index of the respective one of the axially spaced regions that cumulatively reflect the stimulated light at a reflectivity that decreases for adjacent longitudinal modes of the stimulated light with increasing deviation from a central wavelength.