Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an intermittently connected optical fiber ribbon that includes a plurality of optical fibers arranged side by side, and connection parts arranged intermittently and each connecting two adjacent optical fibers. The method involves: a step of applying, between the optical fibers, a UV-curable resin including a siloxane structure in its molecule; a step of removing a portion of the UV-curable resin applied between the optical fibers; and a step of irradiating the UV-curable resin between the optical fibers with UV rays and forming the connection parts.

A transfer printing apparatus includes a mold, a stamper, a pressing roller and a curing unit. The mold has a first surface with first and second concavities, the second concavity has first and second planes, the first plane is perpendicular to the first surface, and the second plane is inclined to the first surface. The stamper having a second surface is disposed in the first concavity. The first and second surfaces are coplanar, and the second surface has transfer printing microstructures. The first and second surfaces are suitable for coated an adhesive layer. The pressing roller presses a base film onto the adhesive layer, such that the adhesive layer is integrated with the base film. The curing unit cures the adhesive layer on the base film, such that a taper corresponding to the second concavity and optical microstructures corresponding to the transfer printing microstructures are formed on the adhesive layer.

A light guide bender (also referred to as an optical tube bender) is provided including an integrated bending mechanism that allows the surgical tube to be bent to the appropriate length (e.g., matching the retractor height). By bending the tube at an angle, potential obstruction caused by the optical fiber is reduced and the need to create various lengths of optical tubing is also eliminated. In one embodiment, the surgical tube may also include markings designating length of the surgical tube. For example, if 200 mm of surgical tubing is needed, then the marking for 200 mm can be located on the surgical tubing and the tubing can be bent at this location.

An optical fiber structure according to the present application includes a cylindrical resin body, and a plurality of circumferential arrays of optical fiber bare wires disposed within the resin body and extending along a longitudinal direction of the resin body. The resin body includes a linear slit provided at a location intermediate the length of the resin body. The linear slit extends from an outer surface to an inner bore of the resin body and extending substantially parallel to the bare wires.

The present invention provides a method for producing a light guide plate including a light-diffusing surface. The method includes (1) applying a protonic polar solvent to a surface of a polycarbonate substrate, and (2) heating the polycarbonate substrate in a water-containing environment to cause precipitation of bisphenol A particles each having a particle size of 10 μm or smaller on the surface of the polycarbonate substrate.

A multifunction lamp unit for a vehicle includes a housing, at least one light conductor with at least one illuminant provided by an LED on a printed circuit board, at least one light foil, and a clear lens. A method for manufacturing lamps for vehicles includes producing a housing, a light conductor, and a clear lens as one unit out of plastic in a 3-component injection procedure.

An optical element includes a light guide plate that has therein a light transmissive flat plate member on which a transflective layer is formed, and a layer of a light transmissive adhesive or a light transmissive resin layer that uniformly covers the light guide plate. The refractive index of the layer of the adhesive or the resin layer is set to a refractive index different from that of the light guide plate. A first surface of the layer of the adhesive or the resin layer that is on the light exit surface side of the light guide plate is kept parallel with a second surface of the layer of the adhesive or the resin layer that is on the opposite side to the light exit surface side of the light guide plate.

An injection mold and a device for preparation of a light guide plate are provided by embodiments of the present disclosure. An injection mold, comprising a male mold and a female mold which cooperate with each other to define collectively a molding cavity adapted for molding a sheet component therein; a blowing device is provided in the male mold and configured to blow out gas with a predetermined pressure towards a bottom surface of the sheet component molded in the molding cavity to overcome at least partially a vacuum adsorption force between the bottom surface of the sheet component and an internal bottom surface of the molding cavity such that the sheet component is separated from the male mold. Therefore, the sheet component can be demoulded successfully and prevented from a relatively large warping deformation during a demoulding process such that the quality thereof can be guaranteed.

A thermoplastic filament comprising multiple polymers of differing flow temperatures in a geometric arrangement is described. A method for producing such a filament is also described. Because of the difference in flow temperatures, there exists a temperature range at which one polymer is mechanically stable while the other is flowable. This property is extremely useful for creating thermoplastic monofilament feedstock for three-dimensionally printed parts, wherein the mechanically stable polymer enables geometric stability while the flowable polymer can fill gaps and provide strong bonding and homogenization between deposited material lines and layers. These multimaterial filaments can be produced via thermal drawing from a thermoplastic preform, which itself can be three-dimensionally printed. Furthermore, the preform can be printed with precisely controlled and complex geometries, enabling the creation of a filament or fiber with a wide range of applications. A method is also described for including an interior thread that adds structural reinforcement or functional properties, such as electrical conductivity or optical waveguiding, to the filament.

In accordance with a method of forming a waveguide in a polymer film disposed on a substrate, a plurality of regions on a polymer film are selectively exposed to a first dosage of radiation. The polymer film is formed from a material having a refractive index that decreases by exposure to the radiation and subsequent heating. At least one region of the polymer film that was not previously exposed to the radiation is selectively exposing to a second dosage of radiation. The second dosage of radiation is less than the first dosage of radiation. The polymer film is heated to complete curing of the polymer film.