Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand in which a glass fiber strand is formed by bundling a plurality of glass fiber filaments comprising molten glass drawn out from a nozzle, wherein said method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand is capable of detecting breakage of the glass fiber filaments in a more reliable manner. This method comprises: an image capturing step (STEP-1) for generating a plurality of items of image data by continuously capturing images of a plurality of glass fiber filaments f; an image processing step (STEP-2) for extracting, from the image data, a high luminance object 100 having a luminance of a prescribed value or more; and a breakage detection step (STEP-3) for detecting that a glass fiber filament f has broken on the basis of the results of the image processing in the image processing step. In the breakage detection step, the presence of a change in the position of a high luminance object 100 is detected on the basis of the plurality of items of the image data, and it is determined that the glass fiber filament f has broken when a change in the position of a high luminance object 100 is detected.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand in which a glass fiber strand is formed by bundling a plurality of glass fiber filaments comprising molten glass drawn out from a nozzle, wherein said method for manufacturing a glass fiber strand is capable of detecting breakage of the glass fiber filaments in a more reliable manner. This method comprises: an image capturing step (STEP-1) for generating a plurality of items of image data by continuously capturing images of a plurality of glass fiber filaments f; an image processing step (STEP-2) for extracting, from the image data, a high luminance object 100 having a luminance of a prescribed value or more; and a breakage detection step (STEP-3) for detecting that a glass fiber filament f has broken on the basis of the results of the image processing in the image processing step. In the breakage detection step, the presence of a change in the position of a high luminance object 100 is detected on the basis of the plurality of items of the image data, and it is determined that the glass fiber filament f has broken when a change in the position of a high luminance object 100 is detected.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

A converter plate includes an array of optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other. The optical fibers have optical properties selected to convert light from a light-emitting diode entering the optical fibers from one end of the array of optical fibers to light of a different wavelength exiting the fibers from another end of the array of optical fibers. The optical properties of some of the optical fibers differ from the optical properties of others of the optical fibers such that the light exiting the some of the optical fibers has a wavelength different from that of the light exiting the others of the optical fibers. The converter plate is manufactured by providing the optical fibers and combining the optical fibers into a bundle, the optical fibers being arranged axially parallel to each other. The bundle of optical fibers is drawn to attenuate the bundle of fibers into a secondary fiber having a reduced cross section. The secondary fiber is wafered into a converter plate that includes an array of the optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other.

A converter plate includes an array of optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other. The optical fibers have optical properties selected to convert light from a light-emitting diode entering the optical fibers from one end of the array of optical fibers to light of a different wavelength exiting the fibers from another end of the array of optical fibers. The optical properties of some of the optical fibers differ from the optical properties of others of the optical fibers such that the light exiting the some of the optical fibers has a wavelength different from that of the light exiting the others of the optical fibers. The converter plate is manufactured by providing the optical fibers and combining the optical fibers into a bundle, the optical fibers being arranged axially parallel to each other. The bundle of optical fibers is drawn to attenuate the bundle of fibers into a secondary fiber having a reduced cross section. The secondary fiber is wafered into a converter plate that includes an array of the optical fibers arranged axially parallel to each other.

A method of forming an imaging fibre apparatus comprises arranging rods to form a plurality of stacks each comprising a respective plurality of rods, wherein: for each stack, the respective plurality of rods comprises rods having different core sizes, the rods of different core sizes being arranged in a selected arrangement, and the rods of different core sizes being arranged such that each stack has a respective selected shape; wherein the selected shape or shapes are such that the stacks stack together in a desired arrangement; the method further comprising: drawing each of the plurality of stacks; stacking together the plurality of drawn stacks together in the desired arrangement to form a further stack;drawing the further stack; and using the drawn further stack to form an imaging fibre apparatus, wherein the selected arrangement of the rods in each stack and the selected shape or shapes of the stacks are such that the further stack comprises a repeating pattern of rods of different core sizes.

A method of forming an imaging fibre apparatus comprises arranging rods to form a plurality of stacks each comprising a respective plurality of rods, wherein: for each stack, the respective plurality of rods comprises rods having different core sizes, the rods of different core sizes being arranged in a selected arrangement, and the rods of different core sizes being arranged such that each stack has a respective selected shape; wherein the selected shape or shapes are such that the stacks stack together in a desired arrangement; the method further comprising: drawing each of the plurality of stacks; stacking together the plurality of drawn stacks together in the desired arrangement to form a further stack;drawing the further stack; and using the drawn further stack to form an imaging fibre apparatus, wherein the selected arrangement of the rods in each stack and the selected shape or shapes of the stacks are such that the further stack comprises a repeating pattern of rods of different core sizes.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.

Provided is a system for and a method of processing an optical fiber, such as tapering an optical fiber. The method includes receiving fiber parameters defining characteristics of an optical fiber, modeling an idealized fiber based on the fiber parameters to establish modeled data, and establishing processing parameters. A processing operation is performed on the optical fiber according to the processing parameters to produce a resultant fiber. Aspects of the resultant fiber are measured to establish measured data. The measured data and the modeled data are normalized to a common axis and a difference between the two is determined. The processing parameters are adjusted based on the differences.