Patents Represented by Attorney Kenneth McNeill Taylor
  • Patent number: 5142228
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for non-destructively monitoring the thickness and uniformity of electrically conductive coatings (12) that have been deposited upon optical waveguide fibers (10). The monitoring may be performed while coated fiber (22) is at rest or while it is in motion. Physical contact with fiber (22) is not required. Monitoring is accomplished by feeding coated fibers (22) through an inductive coil (24) while simultaneously measuring an electrical value that is dependent upon the electrical resistance of conductive coating (10) then passing through inductive coil (24). The electrical value measured for a given section of coated fiber (22) becomes indicative of the coating thickness and uniformity of the coating about optical waveguide fiber (10) by correlating the electrical value measured with previously measured electrical values generated by coated fibers having coatings of known thicknesses and having no bald spots or other non-uniformities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventor: Paul I. Kingsbury