Patents by Inventor Bruce Warren Reding
Bruce Warren Reding has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20230295031Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass ribbon can comprise flowing a glass-forming ribbon along a travel path. The glass-forming ribbon can comprise a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface. A thickness can be defined between the first major surface and the second major surface. The method can comprise heating the first major surface of the glass-forming ribbon at a target location of the travel path while the glass-forming ribbon is travelling along the travel path. The heating can increase a temperature of the glass-forming ribbon at the target location to a heating depth of about 250 micrometers or less from the first major surface. The method can comprise cooling the glass-forming ribbon into the glass ribbon. Prior to the heating, the glass-forming ribbon at the target location can comprise an average viscosity in a range from about 1,000 Pascal-seconds to about 1011 Pascal-seconds.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2021Publication date: September 21, 2023Inventors: Jeffrey Robert Amadon, Jean-Marc Martin Gerard Jouanno, Xinghua Li, Bruce Warren Reding, William Anthony Whedon, Rui Zhang, Peng Zhao
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Publication number: 20230234879Abstract: A system for processing an optical fiber includes: a draw furnace, said draw furnace containing an optical fiber preform; a bare optical fiber drawn from said optical fiber preform, said bare optical fiber extending from said draw furnace along a process pathway; and a slow cooling device operatively coupled to and downstream from said draw furnace, said slow cooling device exposing said bare optical fiber to a slow cooling device process temperature in the range from 1000° C. to 1400° C., wherein the bare optical fiber passes through the slow cooling device at least two times.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2023Publication date: July 27, 2023Inventors: Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Publication number: 20230132984Abstract: Optical fiber draw production systems, pressure devices, and methods of fabrication of optical fiber are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of forming an optical fiber includes heating a preform to draw the optical fiber through a draw furnace, and passing the optical fiber through a pressure device while the optical fiber is still forming, wherein a pressure within the pressure device is greater than an atmospheric pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon, Kevin Lee Wasson
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Patent number: 11618709Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2021Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 11577985Abstract: A system for processing an optical fiber includes: a draw furnace, the draw furnace containing an optical fiber preform; a bare optical fiber drawn from the optical fiber preform, the bare optical fiber extending from the draw furnace along a process pathway; and a slow cooling device operatively coupled to and downstream from the draw furnace, the slow cooling device exposing the bare optical fiber to a slow cooling device process temperature in the range form 1000° C. to 1400° C., wherein the bare optical fiber passes through the slow cooling device at least two times.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATEDInventors: Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Patent number: 11390555Abstract: A system and method for processing an optical fiber includes a treatment device disposed downstream of a furnace and including a treating zone. The treating zone includes a fiber inlet and fiber outlet and is configured to cool the optical fiber at a reduced pressure below ambient pressure and at a slow cooling rate less than an ambient cooling rate. A nozzle assembly is disposed at one or more of the fiber inlet, the fiber outlet, upstream of the treating zone, and downstream of the treating zone. The nozzle assembly includes multiple baffle plates defining a number of nozzle chambers, each nozzle chamber having a nozzle chamber pressure, wherein each baffle plate includes an orifice having a predetermined effective orifice diameter through which the optical fiber passes. Each nozzle chamber is configured to sequentially change a nozzle chamber pressure between the reduced pressure and ambient pressure.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20210340052Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 11097976Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20210253469Abstract: A system for processing an optical fiber includes: a draw furnace, said draw furnace containing an optical fiber preform; a bare optical fiber drawn from said optical fiber preform, said bare optical fiber extending from said draw furnace along a process pathway; and a slow cooling device operatively coupled to and downstream from said draw furnace, said slow cooling device exposing said bare optical fiber to a slow cooling device process temperature in the range from 1000° C. to 1400° C., wherein the bare optical fiber passes through the slow cooling device at least two times.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Publication number: 20200385302Abstract: A system and method for processing an optical fiber includes a treatment device disposed downstream of a furnace and including a treating zone. The treating zone includes a fiber inlet and fiber outlet and is configured to cool the optical fiber at a reduced pressure below ambient pressure and at a slow cooling rate less than an ambient cooling rate. A nozzle assembly is disposed at one or more of the fiber inlet, the fiber outlet, upstream of the treating zone, and downstream of the treating zone. The nozzle assembly includes multiple baffle plates defining a number of nozzle chambers, each nozzle chamber having a nozzle chamber pressure, wherein each baffle plate includes an orifice having a predetermined effective orifice diameter through which the optical fiber passes. Each nozzle chamber is configured to sequentially change a nozzle chamber pressure between the reduced pressure and ambient pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 10773990Abstract: An optical fiber production system is provided which includes a slow-cooling device and a purge device positioned above the slow-cooling device. The purge device includes a tube defining an inlet. An optical fiber extends through the slow-cooling device and the purge device. The purge device is configured to inject a purge gas through the inlet and against the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2017Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: John Michael Jewell, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Walter Nason, Bruce Warren Reding, Edward Barry Richter, Daniel Paul Veber, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 10696580Abstract: An optical fiber with low fictive temperature along with a system and method for making the optical fiber are provided. The system includes a reheating stage that heats the fiber along the process pathway to a temperature sufficient to lower the fictive temperature of the fiber by relaxing the glass structure and/or driving the glass toward a more nearly equilibrium state. The fiber is drawn from a preform, conveyed along a process pathway, cooled and subsequently reheated to increase the time of exposure of the fiber to temperatures conducive to lowering the fictive temperature of the fiber. The process pathway may include multiple reheating stages as well as one or more fiber-turning devices.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Publication number: 20190359517Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2019Publication date: November 28, 2019Inventors: Yacob Mesfin Argaw, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20190256400Abstract: An optical fiber with low attenuation is provided. The fiber is produced under conditions that reduce fictive temperature. Processing includes maintaining the fiber at temperatures at or near the glass transition temperature (Tg) for an extended period of time. For silica-based fibers, the preferred temperatures are temperatures between 1000° C. and 1700° C. The extended residence times are achieved in a continuous fiber manufacturing process by increasing the path length of the fiber through a processing region maintained at temperatures between 1000° C. and 1700° C. The increased path length is achieved by including one or more fluid bearing devices in the processing region. The extended residence time in the processing region allows the structure of the glass fiber to relax more completely and to more closely approach the equilibrium state. The more relaxed glass structure leads to a lower fictive temperature and provides fibers with lower attenuation.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2019Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Patent number: 10322963Abstract: An optical fiber with low attenuation is provided. The fiber is produced under conditions that reduce fictive temperature. Processing includes maintaining the fiber at temperatures at or near the glass transition temperature (Tg) for an extended period of time. For silica-based fibers, the preferred temperatures are temperatures between 1000° C. and 1700° C. The extended residence times are achieved in a continuous fiber manufacturing process by increasing the path length of the fiber through a processing region maintained at temperatures between 1000° C. and 1700° C. The increased path length is achieved by including one or more fluid bearing devices in the processing region. The extended residence time in the processing region allows the structure of the glass fiber to relax more completely and to more closely approach the equilibrium state. The more relaxed glass structure leads to a lower fictive temperature and provides fibers with lower attenuation.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Publication number: 20190092678Abstract: An optical fiber with low fictive temperature along with a system and method for making the optical fiber are provided. The system includes a reheating stage that heats the fiber along the process pathway to a temperature sufficient to lower the fictive temperature of the fiber by relaxing the glass structure and/or driving the glass toward a more nearly equilibrium state. The fiber is drawn from a preform, conveyed along a process pathway, cooled and subsequently reheated to increase the time of exposure of the fiber to temperatures conducive to lowering the fictive temperature of the fiber. The process pathway may include multiple reheating stages as well as one or more fiber-turning devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2018Publication date: March 28, 2019Inventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Patent number: 10221089Abstract: An optical fiber with low fictive temperature along with a system and method for making the optical fiber are provided. The system includes a reheating stage that heats the fiber along the process pathway to a temperature sufficient to lower the fictive temperature of the fiber by relaxing the glass structure and/or driving the glass toward a more nearly equilibrium state. The fiber is drawn from a preform, conveyed along a process pathway, cooled and subsequently reheated to increase the time of exposure of the fiber to temperatures conducive to lowering the fictive temperature of the fiber. The process pathway may include multiple reheating stages as well as one or more fiber-turning devices.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Dana Craig Bookbinder, Ming-Jun Li, Bruce Warren Reding, Pushkar Tandon
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Publication number: 20190055153Abstract: A fluid bearing for directing optical fibers during manufacturing is presented. The fluid bearing provides a flow of fluid to levitate and direct an optical fiber along a process pathway. The optical fiber is situated in a fiber slot and subjected to an upward force from fluid flowing from an inner radial position of the fiber slot past the optical fiber to an outer radial position of the fiber slot. The levitating force of fluid acting on the optical fiber is described by a convex force curve, according to which the upward levitating force on the optical fiber increases as the optical fiber moves deeper in the slot. Better stability in the positioning of the optical fiber in the fiber slot is achieved and contact of the optical fiber with solid surfaces of the fluid bearing is avoided. Various fluid bearing structures for achieving a convex force curve are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Robert Clark Moore, Bruce Warren Reding
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Patent number: 10031045Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for screen testing an optical fiber includes a fiber conveyance pathway, a capstan having an outer circumference and a fiber contact region extending around the outer circumference, the fiber contact region having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to about 40 Shore A, where the capstan is positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber engages with the fiber contact region, and a pinch belt positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that the fiber conveyance pathway extends between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region, where the pinch belt is engagable with the fiber contact region such that, when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber is impinged between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Michael Terry Murphy, Bruce Warren Reding
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Publication number: 20180111871Abstract: An optical fiber production system is provided which includes a slow-cooling device and a purge device positioned above the slow-cooling device. The purge device includes a tube defining an inlet. An optical fiber extends through the slow-cooling device and the purge device. The purge device is configured to inject a purge gas through the inlet and against the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2017Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: John Michael Jewell, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Walter Nason, Bruce Warren Reding, Edward Barry Richter, Daniel Paul Veber, Chunfeng Zhou