Patents Examined by Steven S Lee
  • Patent number: 11970420
    Abstract: A molding device and a molding method for an optical fiber preform are provided. The molding device includes a rotating mechanism, an extrusion mechanism, and a cylinder mold that is of a cylindrical structure with two ends each having an opening. After a hollow cladding sleeve is obtained by rotating the cylinder mold through the rotating mechanism, a molten core glass is then reversely extruded into the cladding sleeve in the cylinder mold from bottom to top by the extrusion mechanism to prepare the optical fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CHINA JILIANG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shiqing Xu, Youjie Hua, Bingpeng Li, Ying Tian, Feifei Huang, Junjie Zhang, Muzhi Cai, Renguang Ye
  • Patent number: 11970418
    Abstract: Methods for producing glass articles from glass tube includes securing a glass tube in a holder of a converter; rotating the glass tube; and passing the glass tube through processing stations, which include at least a heating station and a forming station, to form one or more features at a working end of the glass tube. An active time is an amount of time the glass tube is engaged with a heating element or a forming tool while in a processing station, and an exposure index for the processing station is the rotational speed of the glass tube multiplied by a number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing station multiplied by the active time. An absolute difference between the exposure index and a nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, which reduces temperature and dimensional inhomogeneity around a circumference of the glass tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Olivier Fournel, Kevin Patrick McNelis
  • Patent number: 11964899
    Abstract: A method of making an optical fibre preform comprising providing a hollow outer tube of glass, providing a hollow primary capillary tube of glass with an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the outer tube, positioning the primary capillary tube inside the outer tube such that an outer surface of the primary capillary tube lies against an inner surface of the outer tube along a contact line parallel to the longitudinal axes of the primary capillary tube and the outer tube, and bonding the primary capillary tube into its position inside the outer tube by directing a laser beam onto a surface of the outer tube or the primary capillary at one or more locations aligned with the contact line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: University of Southampton
    Inventors: Natalie Wheeler, Peter Shardlow, Francesco Poletti
  • Patent number: 11952302
    Abstract: A process for the production of a fluorinated quartz glass including the steps of generating SiO2 particles in a synthesis burner; depositing the resulting SiO2 particles into a body; and vitrifying the resulting body, wherein a fluorinating agent having a boiling point greater than or equal to ?10° C. is supplied to the synthesis burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Stefan Ochs, Thomas Kayser, Martin Trommer, Andreas Langner, Sascha Pihan, Kay Schuster, Michael Hünermann
  • Patent number: 11932566
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing an optical element, where a blank of glass is heated and/or provided and, after heating and/or after being provided between a first mold (UF) and at least one second mold (OF), is press molded, for example on both sides, to form the optical element and is then sprayed with a surface treatment agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: DOCTER OPTICS SE
    Inventors: Annegret Diatta, Sven Fröhlich, Markus Winkler
  • Patent number: 11919794
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a tube of quartz glass by molding a hollow cylinder having a wall thickness of at least 20 mm, the cylinder is continuously fed under rotation about a rotational axis into a heating zone at a relative feed rate VC, softened and radially expanded under the effect of a gas pressure. A tube strand is continuously formed and is withdrawn at a withdrawal rate VT. In order to mold thick-walled initial hollow cylinders of quartz glass into tubes with larger diameter, the gas pressure is used as an actuating variable of a diameter regulation for the tube outer diameter or for a geometrical correlated parameter thereof, and in a pressure build-up phase the gas pressure is gradually increased from a lower initial value to a higher final value, and that the following applies to the ratio of VC and VT:VT=VC±0.2·VC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Söhn, Boris Gromann, Eduard Visnow
  • Patent number: 11897805
    Abstract: A forming apparatus includes a frame, an air grid system, and a forming system; the air grid system includes a plurality of upper air grids and a plurality of lower air grids; the upper air grids are mounted at an upper part of the frame through a lifting mechanism, and the lower air grids are mounted in the forming system at a lower part of the frame; a gradual transition section is arranged at an inlet side of the forming system to enable a glass pane to be gradually arched in a transverse direction, and the gradually arched glass pane is conveyed into the forming system; and the forming system includes two groups of longitudinal forming and arching mechanisms and a plurality of transverse forming and arching mechanisms arranged in a glass pane conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Luoyang Landglass Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yan Zhao
  • Patent number: 11884570
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns to a process for manufacturing an optical element from glass, wherein a blank of glass is tempered, for example in such a way that the blank is cooler in its interior than on its exterior, wherein the tempered blank between a first mold and a second mold, which are moved towards one another to form a closed cavity, is press-molded, for example on both sides, to form the optical element, wherein the first mold and/or the second mold comprises an escape cavity slide which is compressed by the formation of a closed cavity by means of the first mold and the second mold as a function of the volume of the blank, so that, during press-molding, an additional edge which is dependent on the volume of the blank is formed with the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DOCTER OPTICS SE
    Inventors: Alexander Kuppe, Annegret Diatta
  • Patent number: 11858843
    Abstract: A device for annealing glass panes includes rollers for transporting the glass panes and two sets of slit-shaped nozzles, which run parallel to the axes of the rollers and from which cooling air can be directed onto both sides of the glass panes. In the device, cooling air acts as effectively as possible on the two surfaces of the glass pane, and anisotropies and stresses within the glass are reduced. This can be achieved by each nozzle being formed as a continuous flow channel, which extends over the width of the glass panes and on both parallel running sides of which partitions are arranged, for the forming of a flow pocket assigned to this flow channel. The cooling air that comes back from the glass panes is returned between this flow channel and the associated partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: sedak GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Fritz Schlögl, Alexander Dechand
  • Patent number: 11851360
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for controlling a glass sheet heating furnace using information describing a glass load including a plurality of glass sheets. The method includes transporting the glass sheets toward a heating furnace, before thermal treatment, photographing the glass load by a camera to obtain a camera image, sending first information of the camera image to a computer, on the basis of which the computer determines a first value of a dimension of the glass load and selects a value of at least one adjustment parameter of the heating furnace on the basis of the first value before the glass load has been transferred into the heating furnace, and reading second information by a line scanner, which is sent to the computer, on the basis of which the computer determines a second value of the dimension of the glass load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: GLASTON FINLAND OY
    Inventor: Miikael Leskinen
  • Patent number: 11851359
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for reshaping a rotating glass intermediate, in particular a glass tube, comprising at least one shaping roller, which is translationally displaceable into a shape-rolling contact with the glass intermediate for shaping, and comprising at least one linear motor for the translational positioning of the at least one shaping roller in such a way that the shaping roller directly follows a translational positioning movement of the translator of the linear motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignees: Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH, Gerresheimer Bünde GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Acker, Richard Kiener, Vladislav Löpp
  • Patent number: 11851361
    Abstract: A method is provided for scoring glasses. The method includes the steps of generating a deep crack in the glass along an intended separation line by exerting pressure onto the glass surface using a rigid scoring tool, wherein the scoring tool, by being pressed against the glass surface and due to the advancement force while introducing the deep crack generates a zone of elastic strain in the glass in a direction along the glass surface and perpendicular to the separation line, which extends in an arc in the plane defined by the separation line perpendicular to the glass surface such that one leg of the arc is located close to the contact point of the scoring tool on the glass surface and another leg is located inside the glass. The arc being open towards the advancement/advancement direction of the scoring tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: SCHOTT AG
    Inventors: Markus Heiss-Chouquet, Matthias Jotz, Clemens Ottermann
  • Patent number: 11835397
    Abstract: Test dummy for detecting at least one process variable in the manufacture of glassware of identical or similar design along a production line, comprising a base body which is adapted to the shape and/or dimension of the glassware in such a manner that it can pass through the production line instead of a glassware, at least one sensor system mounted on the base body for detecting the at least one process variable on the base body, and at least one transmission apparatus mounted on the base body for transmitting the at least one detected process variable to a digital receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Kiener, Andreas Sajons
  • Patent number: 11827554
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing glassware, in particular rotationally symmetrical glassware, such as a glass syringe, a glass carpule, a glass vial or a glass ampule, wherein the method comprises the steps of rotating a glass intermediate, in particular a glass tube, with a receptacle rotational speed about a receptacle rotational axis, rotating at least one forming roller with a roller rotational speed about a roller rotational axis, and displacing the at least one forming roller and the glass intermediate for shaping in a forming roller contact, from which the receptacle rotational axis is spaced in a radial direction about an intermediate radius and from which the roller rotational axis is spaced in a radial direction about a roller radius, wherein the ratio of the roller rotational speed to the receptacle rotational speed during the method is controlled as a function of the ratio of intermediate radius to roller radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignees: Gerresheimer Regensburg GmbH, Gerresheimer Bünde GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Acker, Richard Kiener, Vladislav Löpp
  • Patent number: 11802069
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses and methods for processing a glass ribbon (22). A glass ribbon is supplied to an upstream side of a conveying apparatus (32) comprising a conveyor device and a pulling device (72). The conveyor device establishes a primary plane of travel (P) from the upstream side to a downstream side. The pulling device (72) is located at the downstream side and applies a pulling force on the glass ribbon (22) to convey the glass ribbon along a travel path that includes first, second and third bends (100, 102, 104), and into the primary plane of travel from a location downstream of the third bend and to the pulling device (72). At least one of the first, second, and third bends imparts a stress into a surface of the glass ribbon to flatten the glass ribbon. A viscosity of the glass ribbon at the third bend is greater than a viscosity of the glass ribbon at the first bend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: CORNING INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Jeffery Robert Amadon, Antoine Gaston Denis Bisson, Norman Bradley Dunning, Romain Jeanson, Rohit Rai, Seung Hee Won
  • Patent number: 11795097
    Abstract: A method of producing an optical fiber preform includes a silica glass body forming step of forming a silica glass body to be at least a portion of a core portion. The method includes an alkali-metal-doped silica glass body forming step of forming an alkali-metal-doped silica glass body doped with an alkali metal around the silica glass body such that the alkali-metal-doped silica glass body contacts the silica glass body. The method further includes a diffusing step of diffusing the alkali metal from the alkali-metal-doped silica glass body to the silica glass body by a heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keiichi Aiso, Tomohiro Gonda
  • Patent number: 11787723
    Abstract: A system for use in a glass drawing process includes: a tensioning element; a refractory tube having a tubular element and a surface element, the refractory tube being configured so molten glass runs onto a contact surface area of the refractory tube during a glass drawing process, the contact surface area of the refractory tube being allocated at least in part on the surface element, the surface element covering at least one surface of an end section of the tubular element, and the surface element projects at least in part over the end section of the tubular element, at least one portion of the part of the surface element projecting over the end section of the tubular element being connected at least in part to the tensioning element; and a carrier that carries the refractory tube and is connected with the refractory tube in a non-rotating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Münch, Roland Fuchs, Gregor Rösel
  • Patent number: 11787727
    Abstract: The fabrication of sleeveless canes utilizes a preform with an array of glass canes in the preform. At least one tube-sleeve encircles the array of glass canes and is secured to the array of glass canes. The array of glass canes is moved into a furnace wherein the array of glass canes is heated. The furnace is maintained at a furnace temperature within the range of 2000° C. to 1700° C. and the array of glass canes is drawn from the furnace. The drawing of the array of glass canes both scales down the glass canes and elongates the glass canes. Maintaining the furnace at a furnace temperature within the range of 2000° C. to 1700° C. assures that the array of glass canes and the glass canes maintain their original shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Derrek Reginald Drachenberg, Michael J. Messerly, Paul H. Pax, John B. Tassano, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11773015
    Abstract: An apparatus for continuous electro-thermal poling of glass or glass ceramic material, includes a lower support conveying and contacting electrode structure, an upper contacting electrode structure positioned above the lower support structure, and one or more DC bias voltage sources connected to one or both of the upper contacting structure and the lower support structure. A process for continuous electro-thermal poling of glass or glass ceramic sheets or substrates includes heating the sheet or substrate, feeding the sheet or substrate continuously or continually, while applying a DC voltage bias, and cooling the sheet or substrate to within 0-30° C. of ambient temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher William Drewnowski, Michael Thomas Gallagher, Charles Thomas McLaren, Nicholas James Smith, Nicholas Ryan Wheeler, Thomas Michael Zajicek
  • Patent number: 11760678
    Abstract: Methods for reducing the oxygen concentration in an enclosure including a platinum-containing vessel through which molten glass is flowing are disclosed. The methods include injecting hydrogen gas into an oxygen-containing atmosphere flowing between the enclosure and a reaction chamber. The atmosphere is heated with a heating element in the reaction chamber, whereupon oxygen in the oxygen-containing atmosphere reacts with the hydrogen. In other embodiments, the hydrogen gas and oxygen-containing atmosphere can be exposed to a catalyst comprising platinum positioned in the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael James Buchholz, Megan Aurora DeLamielleure, George Kristian Schwenke