Patents by Inventor Chunfeng Zhou
Chunfeng Zhou 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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Patent number: 11286195Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber is provided that includes the steps of flowing a first gas into an optical fiber draw furnace. The first gas is passed through a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which the optical fiber is drawn, passing the first gas through a muffle which defines a capture chamber. A portion of the first gas is removed through at least one reclaim port operatively coupled to the capture chamber. A second gas flows into a gas screen at a rate configured to substantially recover a pressure drop associated with removing the portion of the first gas.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Stephen Mitchell Carlton, John Michael Jewell, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Kochuparambil Deenamma Vargheese, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 11242278Abstract: An optical fiber draw furnace muffle includes a body portion defining a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis of the muffle. A tapered portion has an interior surface which defines a first curved portion with a first radius of curvature and a second curved portion with a second radius of curvature. At least one of the first and second radii of curvature has a radius greater than a radius of the cylindrical cavity.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Erling Richard Anderson, John Michael Jewell, Robert Walter Nason, Elias Panides, Xiaoyong Wang, Leo Young Zheng, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 11236007Abstract: A fiber draw furnace includes a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which an optical fiber is drawn. A lower extended muffle having a first end and a second end. A gas screen is coupled to the second end of the lower extended muffle configured to allow a gas to flow into the lower extended muffle. A reclaim cylinder is coupled to the lower extended muffle including an outer housing defining a reclaim chamber. A plurality of reclaim ports are tangentially coupled to the outer housing and an inner housing is positioned within the outer housing.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Yunfei Shao, Xiaoyong Wang, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20220009204Abstract: A laminated glass article has a first layer having a first ion exchange diffusivity, D0, and a second layer adjacent to the first layer and having a second ion exchange diffusivity, D1. D0/D1 is from about 1.2 to about 10, or D0/D1 is from about 0.05 to about 0.95. A method for manufacturing the laminated glass article includes forming a first layer having a first ion exchange diffusivity, D0, and forming a second layer adjacent to the first layer and having a second ion exchange diffusivity, D1. The laminated glass article can be strengthened by an ion exchange process to form a strengthened laminated glass article having a compressive stress layer with a depth of layer from about 8 ?m to about 100 ?m.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2021Publication date: January 13, 2022Inventors: Gaozhu Peng, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20210387894Abstract: A cooling device system for cooling optical fiber includes a plurality of bodies (202), each body having a top surface (210) and an opposing bottom surface (212); an opening (204) within each of the plurality of bodies extending from the top surface through the body to the bottom surface, wherein the opening is configured to pass an optical fiber (10) through the body; and one or more air outlets (208) within the body configured to direct air to contact the optical fiber as it passes through the opening, wherein the air flowing out of the one or more openings has an average velocity of about 20 m/s to about 350 m/s.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2021Publication date: December 16, 2021Inventors: Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, 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: 20210179477Abstract: A system for processing optical fiber includes a draw furnace, a fiber conveyance pathway extending between an upstream end positioned at the draw furnace and a downstream end positioned opposite the upstream end, where optical fiber is conveyed along the fiber conveyance pathway from the upstream end to the downstream end in a fiber conveyance direction, a muffle in communication with the draw furnace and positioned downstream of the draw furnace, a second cooling device annularly surrounding the fiber conveyance pathway downstream from the draw furnace, the second cooling device including one or more second cooling device heating elements and a first cooling device positioned between the draw furnace and the second cooling device, wherein the first cooling device directs a fluid to contact the optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2020Publication date: June 17, 2021Inventors: Steven Akin Dunwoody, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore, Jason Roy Pace, Christopher Scott Thomas, Bryan William Wakefield, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 11034134Abstract: A laminated glass article includes a glass core layer having a core modulus Ecore and a glass cladding layer adjacent to the core layer and having a cladding modulus Eclad. Eclad can be at least 5 GPa less than Ecore. A modulus ratio Ecore/Eclad can be at least 1.08. The cladding layer can have a compressive stress resulting from a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) contrast between the core layer and the cladding layer and/or subjecting the laminated glass article to an ion exchange treatment to form an ion exchanged region at an outer surface of the cladding layer.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2016Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATEDInventors: Jason Thomas Harris, Guangli Hu, Po-Jen Shih, Bin Zhang, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20210087099Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber preform includes the steps: igniting a burner having a fume tube assembly to produce a first spray size of silicon dioxide particles; depositing the silicon dioxide particles on a core cane to produce a soot blank; and adjusting an effective diameter of an aperture of the fume tube assembly to produce a second spray size of the silicon dioxide particles. The second spray size is larger than the first spray size.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Inventors: James Henry Faler, Dale Robert Powers, Fei Xia, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 10882777Abstract: A method of forming an optical fiber preform includes the steps: igniting a burner having a fume tube assembly to produce a first spray size of silicon dioxide particles; depositing the silicon dioxide particles on a core cane to produce a soot blank; and adjusting an effective diameter of an aperture of the fume tube assembly to produce a second spray size of the silicon dioxide particles. The second spray size is larger than the first spray size.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: James Henry Faler, Dale Robert Powers, Fei Xia, Chunfeng Zhou
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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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Publication number: 20200148579Abstract: A method of producing bi-modal particles includes the steps of igniting a first precursor gas using a primary burner thereby producing a first plurality of particles of a first size, fluidly transporting the first plurality of particles down a particle tube, igniting a second precursor gas using a secondary burner thereby producing a second plurality of particles of a second size, flowing the second plurality of particles into the first plurality of particles, and capturing the first and second plurality of particles.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2020Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Laura Beth Cook, Curtis Robert Fekety, Yunfeng Gu, Dale Robert Powers, Christopher Scott Thomas, Srinivas Vemury, Fei Xia, Chunfeng Zhou
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Patent number: 10562804Abstract: A method of producing bi-modal particles includes the steps of igniting a first precursor gas using a primary burner thereby producing a first plurality of particles of a first size, fluidly transporting the first plurality of particles down a particle tube, igniting a second precursor gas using a secondary burner thereby producing a second plurality of particles of a second size, flowing the second plurality of particles into the first plurality of particles, and capturing the first and second plurality of particles.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Laura Beth Cook, Curtis Robert Fekety, Yunfeng Gu, Dale Robert Powers, Christopher Scott Thomas, Srinivas Vemury, Fei Xia, Chunfeng Zhou
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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: 20190352225Abstract: Laminated glass-based articles and methods of manufacture are disclosed. A glass-based article includes a glass-based substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface defining a substrate thickness (t) in a range of about 0.1 millimeters to 3 millimeters, the glass-based substrate having a compressive region having a first compressive stress CS maximum at the first surface of the glass-based article extending to a depth of compression (DOC) and second local CS maximum at a depth of at least 25 ?m from the first surface, wherein the glass-based substrate comprises a glass-based core substrate having a first side and a second side, the glass-based core substrate sandwiched between a glass-based first cladding substrate and a glass-based second cladding substrate, the first cladding substrate and second cladding substrate directly bonded to the first side and the second cladding substrate directly bonded to the second side.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2018Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: Jason Thomas Harris, Vijay Subramanian, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20190284085Abstract: A fiber draw furnace includes a heated section configured to contain and heat a glass source from which an optical fiber is drawn. A lower extended muffle having a first end and a second end. A gas screen is coupled to the second end of the lower extended muffle configured to allow a gas to flow into the lower extended muffle. A reclaim cylinder is coupled to the lower extended muffle including an outer housing defining a reclaim chamber. A plurality of reclaim ports are tangentially coupled to the outer housing and an inner housing is positioned within the outer housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Yunfei Shao, Xiaoyong Wang, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20190284084Abstract: An optical fiber draw furnace muffle includes a body portion defining a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis of the muffle. A tapered portion has an interior surface which defines a first curved portion with a first radius of curvature and a second curved portion with a second radius of curvature. At least one of the first and second radii of curvature has a radius greater than a radius of the cylindrical cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Erling Richard Anderson, John Michael Jewell, Robert Walter Nason, Elias Panides, Xiaoyong Wang, Leo Young Zheng, Chunfeng Zhou
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Publication number: 20190284081Abstract: A glass tube manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing glass tubing includes a glass delivery tank with molten glass. The glass delivery tank has a bottom opening. A bell has an upper portion with an outer diameter located at the bottom opening. A heating apparatus is at least partially disposed around the bell. The heating apparatus includes a heating portion and a muffle portion located below the heating portion. A lower extended muffle structure extends downwardly from the muffle portion. The lower extended muffle structure extending about a periphery of the glass tubing to manage convective airflow therethrough.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2017Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATEDInventors: Adam Charles Berkey, Eliot Geathers, Daniel Warren Hawtof, Douglas Edward McElheny, Jiandong Meng, Elias Panides, Gaozhu Peng, Randy Lee Rhoads, Yuriy Yurkovskyy, Chunfeng Zhou