Abstract: A housing is provided for maintaining a planar lightguide circuit at a temperature within a predetermined temperature range independent of ambient temperature. The housing includes a planar heating arrangement supporting and in thermal contact with the planar lightguide circuit. Also included is a frame assembly having a first surface on which the planar heating arrangement is fixed. The frame assembly has at least one opening through which extends at least one optical fiber coupled to the planar lightguide circuit. An overmold, which is molded around the frame assembly, includes at least one strain relief member through which the optical fiber extends.

Abstract: A housing is provided for maintaining a planar lightguide circuit at a temperature within a predetermined temperature range independent of ambient temperature. The housing includes a planar heating arrangement supporting and in thermal contact with the planar lightguide circuit. Also included is a frame assembly having a first surface on which the planar heating arrangement is fixed. The frame assembly has at least one opening through which extends at least one optical fiber coupled to the planar lightguide circuit. An overmold, which is molded around the frame assembly, includes at least one strain relief member through which the optical fiber extends.

Abstract: In order to coat successive increments of length of an elongated strand material such as an optical fiber (22), for example, with a marking material, for example, a liquid coating material (40) is circulated through an input section (85) into an inner chamber (71) of a housing (62) and outwardly through an output section (87) to be returned to a reservoir (39). Elongated strand material is advanced through an entry portion into and through the inner chamber wherein it is contacted by the liquid coating material being circulated therethrough. Afterwards, each successive increment of length is advanced through an exit die (73) which causes the liquid coating material to be formed into a layer of predetermined thickness on the elongated strand material.

Abstract: An advancing optical fiber (22) is marked with a plurality of spaced indicia along its longitudinal axis. The indicia are applied by an applicator wheel (56) in the form of a disc which is mounted for rotation about an axis which is transverse to the path of travel of the optical fiber. The wheel has a plurality of marking teeth (70-70) arranged about its periphery with each tooth provided with a groove (72) for receiving increments of length of the optical fiber as it is moved rotatably. As the wheel is turned, each tooth in seriatim compresses a porous, resilient pad (80) which is disposed to one side of the wheel in a chamber through which the optical fiber is advanced to cause ink from the pad to be received in the groove of each tooth. Further rotation of the wheel causes ink to be transferred from each groove to the moving fiber. The pad is supplied with ink through a tube by a peristaltic pump (90).