Patents by Inventor Aaron Ludwig Hodges
Aaron Ludwig Hodges 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: 20240418949Abstract: A fiber connector bulkhead adapter for coupling a fiber connector to bulkhead optics is configured to inhibit back reflections from damaging a laser system. The adapter includes a bore sized to receive a fiber ferrule of a fiber connector, a mounting base having a centrally located shroud, and an aperture between the end of the bore and the shroud.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2024Publication date: December 19, 2024Inventors: C. Geoffrey FANNING, Reese R. SIEGEL, Aaron Ludwig HODGES
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Patent number: 11858842Abstract: Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A. V. Kliner
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Patent number: 11025034Abstract: A laser cooling system includes a first tubing, a second tubing, and a cold plate assembly including a first channel to receive the first tubing and a second channel to receive the second tubing. A joint removably couples the first tubing to the second tubing and at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly over the first tubing or the second tubing. The inlet end of the first tubing receives a cooling fluid and an outlet end of the second tubing discharges the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid flows through the first tubing, the joint, and the second tubing to maintain uniform a temperature of the at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2017Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Rodney Mark Stephens
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Publication number: 20200354261Abstract: Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A.V. Kliner
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Patent number: 10784645Abstract: Some embodiments may include a fiber laser, comprising: a variably wound optical fiber, wherein the variably wound optical fiber includes: a first length arranged in a plurality of first loops with a first separation distance between successive ones of the first loops; and a second length arranged in a plurality of second loops with a second separation distance between successive ones of the second loops; wherein the first separation distance between successive ones of the first loops is greater than the second separation distance between successive ones of the second loops; and packaging to remove heat generated by the optical fiber of the fiber laser during operation of the fiber laser, wherein the variably wound optical fiber is fixably mounted to a surface of a heat conductor of the packaging.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: September 22, 2020Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Nicolas Meacham, Dahv Kliner, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
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Patent number: 10730785Abstract: Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A. V. Kliner
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Patent number: 10574020Abstract: A packaged fiber laser may include a wound fiber laser spiral including a metal ribbon having ends, surfaces, and edges; a fiber laser on a first one of the surfaces of the metal ribbon; and a metal sheet coupled to a first one of the edges of the metal ribbon or a second one of the surfaces of the metal ribbon. Packaging for a fiber laser may include a cooling plate coupled to a second one of the edges of the metal ribbon or the second surface of the metal ribbon, the cooling plate including: a casing including a cover, a bottom, and an outer sidewall; flow channels formed inside the casing, the flow channels defined by inner sidewalls of the cooling plate, wherein the cover is coupled to a top of the inner sidewalls to enclose the flow channel; and an inlet to deliver coolant to the flow channels.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2017Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
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Publication number: 20190280449Abstract: Some embodiments may include a fiber laser, comprising: a variably wound optical fiber, wherein the variably wound optical fiber includes: a first length arranged in a plurality of first loops with a first separation distance between successive ones of the first loops; and a second length arranged in a plurality of second loops with a second separation distance between successive ones of the second loops; wherein the first separation distance between successive ones of the first loops is greater than the second separation distance between successive ones of the second loops; and packaging to remove heat generated by the optical fiber of the fiber laser during operation of the fiber laser, wherein the variably wound optical fiber is fixably mounted to a surface of a heat conductor of the packaging.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2019Publication date: September 12, 2019Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Nicolas Meacham, Dahv Kliner, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
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Patent number: 10193295Abstract: A fiber laser system comprises a main body, wherein the main body includes one or more fiber laser system components and a first wall hingedly attached to the main body along a first edge, the first wall having a first wall open position and a first wall closed position and a plurality of feed fiber management and splicing components mounted to the first wall. Additionally and/or alternatively, the laser system may comprise a cooling plate hingedly attached to the main body, the cooling plate has a cooling plate open position and a cooling plate closed position. Additionally and/or alternatively, the laser system may include a fiber management tray hingedly mounted to the cooling plate, the fiber management tray having a fiber management tray open position and a fiber management tray closed position.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, C. Geoffrey Fanning, Christopher Luetjen
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Publication number: 20180215650Abstract: Fiber bending mechanisms vary beam characteristics by deflecting or bending one or more fibers, by urging portions of one or more fibers toward a fiber shaping surface having a selectable curvature, or by selecting a fiber length that is to be urged toward the fiber shaping surface. In some examples, a fiber is secured to a flexible plate to conform to a variable curvature of the flexible plate. In other examples, a variable length of a fiber is pulled or pushed toward a fiber shaping surface, and the length of the fiber or a curvature of the flexible plate provide modification of fiber beam characteristics.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A.V. Kliner
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Publication number: 20180175577Abstract: A packaged fiber laser may include a wound fiber laser spiral including a metal ribbon having ends, surfaces, and edges; a fiber laser on a first one of the surfaces of the metal ribbon; and a metal sheet coupled to a first one of the edges of the metal ribbon or a second one of the surfaces of the metal ribbon. Packaging for a fiber laser may include a cooling plate coupled to a second one of the edges of the metal ribbon or the second surface of the metal ribbon, the cooling plate including: a casing including a cover, a bottom, and an outer sidewall; flow channels formed inside the casing, the flow channels defined by inner sidewalls of the cooling plate, wherein the cover is coupled to a top of the inner sidewalls to enclose the flow channel; and an inlet to deliver coolant to the flow channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2017Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
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Publication number: 20180097333Abstract: A fiber laser system comprises a main body, wherein the main body includes one or more fiber laser system components and a first wall hingedly attached to the main body along a first edge, the first wall having a first wall open position and a first wall closed position and a plurality of feed fiber management and splicing components mounted to the first wall. Additionally and/or alternatively, the laser system may comprise a cooling plate hingedly attached to the main body, the cooling plate has a cooling plate open position and a cooling plate closed position. Additionally and/or alternatively, the laser system may include a fiber management tray hingedly mounted to the cooling plate, the fiber management tray having a fiber management tray open position and a fiber management tray closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2017Publication date: April 5, 2018Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, C. Geoffrey Fanning, Christopher Luetjen
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Publication number: 20180062347Abstract: A laser cooling system includes a first tubing, a second tubing, and a cold plate assembly including a first channel to receive the first tubing and a second channel to receive the second tubing. A joint removably couples the first tubing to the second tubing and at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly over the first tubing or the second tubing. The inlet end of the first tubing receives a cooling fluid and an outlet end of the second tubing discharges the cooling fluid after the cooling fluid flows through the first tubing, the joint, and the second tubing to maintain uniform a temperature of the at least one component mounted on the cold plate assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Rodney Mark Stephens