Abstract: The laser welding device includes a laser transmission window and a gas injection nozzle. The gas injection nozzle includes an optical path hole and an injection unit that injects an inert gas for shielding metal vapor into the optical path hole toward an irradiation direction side and an optical axis side of a laser beam.

Abstract: A laser welding device includes a chamber which has an internal space in which a workpiece is disposed, a laser beam irradiation unit which irradiates the workpiece with a laser beam to weld the workpiece, a vacuum pump which suctions air in the chamber to decrease a pressure in the chamber, a laser transmission window through which the laser beam emitted from the laser beam irradiation unit is transmitted, and a shutter which is disposed on the chamber side with respect to the laser transmission window and closed when the pressure in the chamber is returned to the atmospheric pressure after laser welding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to a device for producing vacuum tubes for solar thermal installations, wherein the vacuum tube comprises an outer tube and an inner tube arranged within the outer tube, and the gap between the outer tube and the inner tube is sealed with respect to the exterior and evacuated. An outer tube (4) is coated in a first vacuum unit (1) and an inner tube (5) is coated in a second vacuum unit (2). The coated outer tube (4) and the coated inner tube (5) are assembled in a third vacuum unit (3) and fused together at the ends. The third vacuum unit is connected to the first vacuum unit (1) and to the second vacuum unit (2), such that the outer tube (4) and the inner tube (5) are not exposed to the atmosphere throughout the entire production of the vacuum tubes.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a method of remotely managing a vessel forming production line, the method comprising communicating from a remote data processing resource a plurality of consumer or event data to a controller, the controller controls a plurality of vessel forming stations having a plurality of shape forming operations and a plurality of non-shape forming operations, configuring each of the plurality of shape forming operations and the plurality of non-shape forming operations based in part on the plurality of consumer or event data to manufacture the shaped vessel, and manufacturing the shaped vessel. Other embodiments include completing a sales transaction resulting in generation of the plurality of consumer or event data, generating the plurality of consumer or event data based in part on the current status of an event, and decorating the shaped vessel based in part on the plurality of consumer or event data.

Abstract: A process including holding sensor chip; holding glass tube surrounding the outer periphery of the side surface of sensor chip; applying a wind pressure to the side surface of glass tube from the outside of glass tube and melting glass tube to be glass-welded to the side surface of sensor chip. Thereby, the outer periphery of sensor chip can be surrounded by a highly hydrophilic glass tube. Thus, a cell electrophysiological sensor with high measurement accuracy can be produced.

Abstract: A method of secondarily welding one end of a shroud glass tube covering an arc tube body having a discharge emitting portion, having the other end welded primarily to one of the arc tube body ends, to the other end side of the arc tube body, while discharging air from, and introducing an inactive gas into, the tube through the opening end of the glass tube to hold a negative pressure. Heating and melting from a side is carried out. The opening end of the glass tube is connected to a piping passage component for discharging air and introducing an inactive gas through a rotatable magnetic fluid seal unit. Secondary welding is carried out with the rotation of the glass tube around an axis. The glass tube rotated with respect to secondary side heater is uniformly heated, molten and softened circumferentially, and welded along the arc tube body outer periphery.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus consistent with the present invention use a beam of laser energy to concentrically form an optical preform from two or more concentric glass objects, such as two glass tubes or a hollow glass tube and a solid glass rod. The glass objects are placed in a concentric configuration where the outer object has an inner surface that is placed proximate to an outer surface of the inner object. Once these are assembled, a beam of laser energy is generated, positioned, and applied to a starting point in the gap defined by the inner surface and the outer surface. Once the laser beam is applied and is reflecting down into the gap, the beam of laser energy is moved relative to the starting point as the beam is concurrently applied. This heats the inner surface and outer surface so that the two objects can be joined to form the optical preform. In another aspect of the invention, a coating layer is disposed within the gap and can be heated by the laser as it is applied within the gap.

Abstract: A method for molding a chalcogenide glass lens includes providing a mold. A preformed lens of chalcogenide glass is placed within the mold. The lens has a top surface and a bottom surface. An amount of chalcogenide glass is deposited within the mold and on the top surface of the preformed lens. The mold is heated, such that the chalcogenide glass on the top surface of the preformed lens softens, melts, and bonds to the top surface of the preformed lens. A lens surface is formed in the melted chalcogenide glass to form a molded lens which is bonded to the top surface of the preformed lens. The molded lens and preformed lens assembly is then removed from the mold.

Abstract: The method of making a glass diffusion cell which utilizes taking of an inner glass tube and forming an enlarged annular flange at one end of this tube and in the sidewall of this tube forming a refilling port and a sampling port. This inner glass tube is then located within an outer glass tube with the end of this outer glass tube that is located directly adjacent the enlarged annular flange being sealed to the inner glass tube. The sidewall of the outer glass tube is then spot heated which permits a refilling tube to be connected to the refilling port and a sampling tube to be connected to the sampling port establishing a fluid interconnection with the interior of the inner glass tube. Inlet and outlet tubes are connected to the sidewall of the outer glass tube which fluidly connect with the annular chamber located between the inner glass tube and the outer glass tube. The bottom wall of both the inner glass tube and the outer glass tube are then sealed.

Abstract: An apparatus for fushion splicing optical fiber with three pairs at clamps; the outermost pair of clamps has one rotatable clamp mechanism that is manually operated and a second rotatable clamp mechanism that is operated by a motor. A rapid fine adjustment of the alignment of the polarization maintaining optical fibers can be made.

Abstract: An apparatus for fusion splicing optical fibers has one rotatable clamp mechanism that is manually operated and a second rotatable clamp mechanism that is operated by a motor. A three position stopper functions in the first position as a stopper against the optical fibers when the optical fibers are moved toward each other and in the second position as a mirror for reflecting an image of respective end faces of the optical fibers. A rapid fine adjustment of the alignment of the polarization maintaining optical fibers can be made.

Abstract: An apparatus for fusion splicing optical fibers has one rotatable clamp mechanism that is manually operated, a second rotatable clamp mechanism that is operated by a motor and a twist preventing means removably coupled to the apparatus with an arm member. A rapid fine adjustment of the alignment of the polarization maintaining optical fibers can be made.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fluoride glass fiber preform are disclosed which preclude the step of pouring a glass melt into a mold from a crucible, and hence permit the fabrication of a long, homogeneous fluoride glass fiber preform free from foreign substances and air bubbles leading to scattering and which also allow ease in the fabrication of a preform having an elliptic core portion for drawing a polarized wave retaining fiber.

Abstract: A method is described for continuously producing very small diameter metal wire from molten material, comprising at least one heating stage for heating in a first predetermined position a glass tube in which a wire of metal material is disposed, these being fed in the direction of their longitudinal axis in such a manner as to cause said glass to soften to a required viscosity and said material to melt in order to form a wire, and a cooling stage for cooling, in a second predetermined position, said wire on which a required traction is exerted; the method is characterised in that said second predetermined position, in which said wire cooling stage is carried out, is located, with respect to said first position, at such a location along the wire axis that solidification of said material takes place in a section situated not before the limiting section at which the reduction in cross-section of said wire terminates, the quantity of heat removed during said cooling stage being sufficiently high to prevent soften

Abstract: Inner and outer blow-moulded glass bulbs, each open at one end thereof, are positioned one inside another on an apparatus having a chuck means which holds the bulbs in a spaced apart relation. The apparatus includes pivotally moveable gripping means which engage outer surface edges of the outer bulb along the open end thereof and positively hold such surface edges against an adjacent support surface while deformation heat and force are applied to the outer bulb surfaces above such edges to selectively compress or stretch such outer bulb surfaces toward the adjacent inner bulb surfaces. Thereafter, the surfaces of the inner and outer bulbs which are in contact with one another are fused together and the open ends of the respective bulbs are sealed to one another to define a container mouth.

Abstract: A vacuum insulated container is constituted by a double-walled receptacle wherein the space between the walls is substantially evacuated to provide vacuum insulation. The outer wall is provided with an opening therein which is used during manufacture to provide access to the space between the walls so that the space may be evacuated. A stopper- or plug-like portion fills the opening after the container has been evacuated and is permanently joined or bonded to the surfaces of the opening thereby providing a sealing to maintain the vacuum in the space between the walls.