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).

  • Patent number: 11858842
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A. V. Kliner
  • Patent number: 11025034
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Rodney Mark Stephens
  • Publication number: 20200354261
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A.V. Kliner
  • Patent number: 10784645
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Nicolas Meacham, Dahv Kliner, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
  • Patent number: 10730785
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A. V. Kliner
  • Patent number: 10574020
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20190280449
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 12, 2019
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Nicolas Meacham, Dahv Kliner, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
  • Patent number: 10193295
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, C. Geoffrey Fanning, Christopher Luetjen
  • Publication number: 20180215650
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Brown, Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Dahv A.V. Kliner
  • Publication number: 20180175577
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Mitchell Ryan Reynolds
  • Publication number: 20180097333
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: nLIGHT, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, C. Geoffrey Fanning, Christopher Luetjen
  • Publication number: 20180062347
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: NLIGHT, INC.
    Inventors: Aaron Ludwig Hodges, Rodney Mark Stephens