Method and apparatus for making fibers for sectioned arrays

Abstract

A method and apparatus for making a fiber, especially a fiber adapted for use in a sectioned array, are provided according to the invention. The method includes a step of supplying a composition into a mold or tubing wherein the composition solidifies in the mold or tubing. The method further includes a step of allowing the composition to solidify and form the fiber. The method further includes a step of placing a predetermined elongation force onto an end of the fiber, the predetermined elongation force causing an elongation and reduction in cross-section of the fiber and causing a separation of the fiber from an interior surface of the mold or tubing. The method further includes a step of substantially maintaining the predetermined elongation force to propagate the separation through the mold or tubing until the fiber is completely separated from the interior surface of the mold or tubing.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for removing an elastic temporarily deformable fiber from a mold, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a composition into a mold;    allowing said composition to solidify in said mold and form said fiber;    placing a predetermined elongation force onto an end of said fiber, said predetermined elongation force causing an elongation and reduction in cross-section of said fiber and causing a separation of said fiber from an interior surface of said mold; and    substantially maintaining said predetermined elongation force to propagate said separation through said mold until said fiber is completely separated from said interior surface of said mold.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said composition is a polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said supplying and placing steps are performed by a plunger apparatus communicating with said mold.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition includes a binding agent.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition includes non-polymer reinforcing elements.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is a reversible polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said mold is tubing.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said mold comprises fluorocarbon tubing.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said mold comprises polyethylene tubing.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said tubing comprises polypropylene tubing.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a gelling material.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a coagulating material.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises polymethacrylate, polymethylmethacrylate or polyglycolmethacrylate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of slitting said mold.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of slitting said mold in at least two substantially opposite circumferential positions.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of cutting said end of said fiber to expose said end, said cutting occurring prior to placing said predetermined force onto said fiber.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by injecting said composition into said mold.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is supplied into said tubing by aspirating said composition into said tubing under a vacuum.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said aspirating occurs by capillary action.  
     
     
         20 . A method for making a fiber, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a composition into a mold;    allowing said composition to solidify in said mold and form said fiber;    exposing an end of said fiber;    placing a predetermined elongation force onto said end of said fiber, said predetermined elongation force causing an elongation and reduction in cross-section of said fiber and causing a separation of said fiber from an interior surface of said mold;    slitting said mold; and    substantially maintaining said predetermined elongation force to propagate said separation through said mold until said fiber is completely separated from said interior surface of said mold.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said composition is a polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition includes a binding agent.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition includes non-polymer reinforcing elements.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition is a reversible polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said mold is tubing.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said tubing comprises fluorocarbon tubing.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said tubing comprises polyethylene tubing.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein said tubing comprises polypropylene tubing.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition comprises a gelling material.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition comprises a coagulating material.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition comprises polymethacrylate, polymethylmethacrylate or polyglycolmethacrylate.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein two substantially opposite sides of said mold are slit.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said slitting is performed by feeding said mold and said fiber through a knife block containing at least one knife.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said slitting is performed in a region of said mold where said fiber has separated from said mold.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by injecting said composition into said mold.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by aspirating said composition into said mold under a vacuum.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said aspirating is by capillary action.  
     
     
         38 . A method for making a fiber, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a composition into a mold using a plunger apparatus communicating with said mold;    allowing said composition to solidify and form said fiber in said mold and to solidify in said plunger apparatus;    placing a predetermined elongation force onto an end of said fiber using said plunger apparatus, said predetermined elongation force causing an elongation and reduction in cross-section of said fiber and causing a separation of said fiber from an interior surface of said mold; and    substantially maintaining said predetermined elongation force to propagate said separation through said mold until said fiber is completely separated from said interior surface of said mold.    
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said composition is a polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition includes a binding agent.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition includes non-polymer reinforcing elements.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition is a reversible polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said mold is tubing.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said tubing comprises fluorocarbon tubing.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said tubing comprises polyethylene tubing.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein said tubing comprises polypropylene tubing.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition comprises a gelling material.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition comprises a coagulating material.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition comprises polymethacrylate, polymethylmethacrylate or polyglycolmethacrylate.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of slitting said mold.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising the step of slitting said mold in at least two substantially opposite circumferential positions.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by injecting said composition into said mold.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by aspirating said composition into said mold under a vacuum.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53  wherein said aspirating is by capillary action.  
     
     
         55 . A method for making a fiber and a sectioned array, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a composition into a mold;    allowing said composition to solidify in said mold and form said fiber;    placing a predetermined elongation force onto an end of said fiber, said predetermined elongation force causing an elongation and reduction in cross-section of said fiber and causing a separation of said fiber from an interior surface of said mold;    substantially maintaining said predetermined elongation force to propagate said separation through said mold until said fiber is completely separated from said interior surface of said mold;    substantially aligning a plurality of fibers into a bundle;    affixing fibers of said bundle;    sectioning said bundle; and    affixing a section piece to a substrate to form said sectioned array.    
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55  wherein said composition is a polymerizable composition.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said supplying and placing steps are performed by a plunger apparatus communicating with said mold.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of slitting said mold.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said affixing comprises casting said bundle in a hardenable material.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said affixing comprises bonding said fibers with an adhesive.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said affixing comprises heating said bundle until said fibers bond.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said affixing comprises encasing said bundle.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by injecting said composition into said mold.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said composition is supplied into said mold by aspirating said composition into said mold under a vacuum.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64  wherein said aspiration occurs by capillary action.  
     
     
         66 . A sectioned array produced by the method of  claim 55 .  
     
     
         67 . A fiber made by the method of  claim 20 .  
     
     
         68 . A bundle of fibers comprising fibers of  claim 67 .  
     
     
         69 . A fiber made by the method of  claim 38 .  
     
     
         70 . A bundle of fibers comprising fibers of  claim 69 .  
     
     
         71 . An apparatus for making a fiber, comprising: 
 a knife block having a passage therethrough of a size to accommodate a tubing having a fiber therein;    at least one knife adjustably held in said knife block and positionable so that said at least one knife slits said tubing when said tubing is fed through said knife block; and    a tensioning device capable of gripping said fiber and placing a predetermined elongation force on said fiber;    wherein said predetermined elongation force propagates an elongation and reduction in cross-section of said fiber in said tubing and causes a separation of said fiber from an interior surface of said tubing, and said predetermined elongation force also pulls said tubing and said fiber through said knife block, where said tubing is slit.    
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , further comprising one or more rollers that guide said fiber after said separation.  
     
     
         73 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , further comprising one or more fluorocarbon-coated rollers that guide said fiber after said separation.  
     
     
         74 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said tensioning device comprises a pair of jaws capable of gripping and pulling said fiber.  
     
     
         75 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said tubing and said fiber are fed into said knife block from a supply reel.  
     
     
         76 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said tensioning device comprises a take-up reel.  
     
     
         77 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said fiber is accumulated on a take-up reel.  
     
     
         78 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein slit tubing is accumulated on at least one pick-up reel.  
     
     
         79 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said knife block further comprises a pair of knife block halves capable of being fastened together, with each knife block half including a portion of said passage and at least one knife cutout to accommodate said at least one knife.  
     
     
         80 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein a cut depth of said at least one knife is adjustable.  
     
     
         81 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said knife block includes at least one rotatable cut depth adjuster including an offset lobe, and said at least one rotatable cut depth adjuster adjusts a cut depth when rotated in contact with said at least one knife.  
     
     
         82 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said at least one knife comprises a single-edge razor blade.  
     
     
         83 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein said knife block includes two knives positioned to slit substantially opposite sides of said tubing.