Abstract: A method of making articles from preformed materials includes placing a preformed material on a mold such that a non-quality region of the preformed material contacts the mold and a quality region of the preformed material is free of contact with the mold. A non-contact support is provided to the quality region to control sagging of the quality region. A reformable area of the preformed material is formed into a select shape by contacting the reformable area with a forming tool while restricting contact between the forming tool and the reformable area to the non-quality region. After the forming of the reformable area, an article is extracted from the quality region.

Abstract: The nozzle includes a nozzle body having a front end with a recess defining a recessed wall. The recess is elongate in a first direction. The recess receives a front-end section of a ferrule of a multi-fiber connector to define gap, wherein the front-end section has an elongate end face. The nozzle has first and second channels that are elongate in the first direction and have respective first and second front-end openings at the recessed wall. The first and second front-end openings are spaced apart in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A cleaning fluid flows from the first channel into the gap and then out the second channel, including over the ferrule end faces and end faces of optical fibers supported by the ferrule. A flow-disrupting feature on the recessed wall generates turbulent flow to enhance cleaning.

Abstract: A glass manufacturing apparatus may be configured to facilitate a process of separating a glass ribbon along a separation path extending across a width of the glass ribbon. In one example, the glass manufacturing apparatus comprises at least one anvil-side vacuum port defined by an elongated nose and an elongated anvil member. The anvil-side vacuum port is configured to remove glass debris during the process of separating the glass ribbon. In another example, the glass manufacturing apparatus comprises a scoring device and a score-side vacuum port configured to remove glass debris generated during the process of separating the glass ribbon.

Abstract: A cleaning nozzle includes an outer housing having a central axis and an inner surface that defines an outer housing interior. An inner housing resides within the outer housing interior along the central axis and has an inner surface that defines an inner flow channel. The inner flow channel supports flow of the cleaning fluid and has a converging taper and a flow disrupter element. The nozzle assembly may include an adapter that receives a front end of the nozzle and that also holds a ferrule that supports an optical fiber having an end face. The nozzle assembly allows the nozzle to direct a jet stream of cleaning fluid to the ferrule end face and the fiber end face. The flow disrupter causes the jet stream to have a time-varying direction that enhances the cleaning of the ferrule end face and the optical fiber end face.

Abstract: The cleaning nozzle is used for cleaning an optical fiber connector using a cleaning fluid. The optical fiber connector includes a connector housing. A ferrule is supported within the interior of the connector housing. The nozzle has inner and outer housing members that respectively define an inner channel and an outer channel. The inner channel is sized to accommodate a front-end section of the ferrule. The inner and outer channels are in fluid communication through the interior of the connector housing when the front-end section of the ferrule resides within the inner channel. The nozzle assembly includes the nozzle and the optical fiber connector. Methods of cleaning the interior of the optical fiber connector as well as the ferrule end face, the optical fiber end face and the ferrule outer surface are also disclosed.

Abstract: The cleaning nozzle is used for cleaning an optical fiber connector using a cleaning fluid. The optical fiber connector includes a connector housing. A ferrule is supported within the interior of the connector housing. The nozzle has inner and outer housing members that respectively define an inner channel and an outer channel. The inner channel is sized to accommodate a front-end section of the ferrule. The inner and outer channels are in fluid communication through the interior of the connector housing when the front-end section of the ferrule resides within the inner channel. The nozzle assembly includes the nozzle and the optical fiber connector. Methods of cleaning the interior of the optical fiber connector as well as the ferrule end face, the optical fiber end face and the ferrule outer surface are also disclosed.

Abstract: Heating apparatuses and methods for glass tubing manufacturing are disclosed. A heating apparatus for glass tubing manufacturing includes a bowl configured to receive molten glass and a plurality of heating elements thermally coupled to the bowl. The bowl has a bowl height and includes a tub portion configured to hold the molten glass, a bowl well extending beneath the tub portion, and an orifice at a distal end of the bowl well. The plurality of heating elements include a first heating element disposed at a first vertical location along the bowl height, a second heating element disposed at a second vertical location along the bowl height, wherein the first vertical location is vertically spaced apart from the second vertical location.

Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

Abstract: A method of making a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on top of a mold. A heat exchanger is arranged relative to the mold such that a heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger is in opposing relation to a back surface of the mold and separated from the back surface of the mold by a gap containing a layer of gas. The height of the gap is selected such that the dominant heat transfer between the heat exchange surface and the back surface of the mold is by conduction through the layer of gas. The glass sheet is heated and formed into a shaped glass article with the mold. The heat exchanger is operated to remove heat from at least part of the mold during at least one of heating the glass sheet, forming the shaped glass article, and cooling the shaped glass article.

Abstract: Mold assemblies for forming shaped glass articles are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a mold assembly may include a mold body including a mold cavity, a support base, and a plenum body extending between the mold body and the support base. When the mold assembly is heated to an average temperature of greater than or equal to about 650° C. by an overhead heating source, the temperature at the center of the mold cavity may be less than at the perimeter of the mold cavity. The difference between the temperature at the center of the mold cavity and the temperature at the perimeter of the mold cavity may be at least about 12° C.

Abstract: A glass sheet is placed on a mold and heated to a first temperature. The glass sheet is then formed into a glass article having a three-dimensional shape using the mold. An isothermal heat transfer device comprising at least one heat pipe is provided in thermal contact with the mold. With the glass article on the mold and the isothermal heat transfer device in thermal contact with the mold, the glass article, mold, and isothermal heat transfer device are transported along a thermally-graded channel to cool the glass article to a second temperature. During the transporting, the isothermal heat transfer device transfers heat from a relatively hot region of the mold to a relatively cold region of the mold.

Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

Abstract: Mold assemblies for forming shaped glass articles are disclosed herein. According to one embodiment, a mold assembly may include a mold body including a mold cavity, a support base, and a plenum body extending between the mold body and the support base. When the mold assembly is heated to an average temperature of greater than or equal to about 650° C. by an overhead heating source, the temperature at the center of the mold cavity may be less than at the perimeter of the mold cavity. The difference between the temperature at the center of the mold cavity and the temperature at the perimeter of the mold cavity may be at least about 12° C.

Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

Abstract: A method of making a shaped glass article includes placing a glass sheet on top of a mold. A heat exchanger is arranged relative to the mold such that a heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger is in opposing relation to a back surface of the mold and separated from the back surface of the mold by a gap containing a layer of gas. The height of the gap is selected such that the dominant heat transfer between the heat exchange surface and the back surface of the mold is by conduction through the layer of gas. The glass sheet is heated and formed into a shaped glass article with the mold. The heat exchanger is operated to remove heat from at least part of the mold during at least one of heating the glass sheet, forming the shaped glass article, and cooling the shaped glass article.

Abstract: A process using a three-piece mold for making a three-dimensionally shaped glass article having a flat area and a curved/bend area is disclosed. The process includes placing a glass sheet on a mold having a shaping surface with a desired surface profile for the shaped glass article including a flat area and a bend area, moving a flat area plunger toward the glass sheet to compress the glass sheet, heating a portion of the glass sheet corresponding to an area above the bend area of the mold to a temperature above a forming temperature, and moving a bend area plunger toward the heated glass sheet to compress the heated glass sheet. A temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the bend area of the mold is higher than a temperature of the glass sheet in the area above the flat area of the mold when compressing the heated glass sheet with the bend area plunger.

Abstract: Provided are vacuum transport systems, methods of making them and methods of transporting one or more objects. In accordance with various embodiments, there is a vacuum transport system including a vacuum plenum and one or more transport members configured to rotate around the vacuum plenum and wherein at least one of the one or more transport members can include a substrate, the substrate including a plurality of holes extending from a first side proximate to the vacuum plenum to a second side proximate to an object, wherein a surface of the second side comprises a textured surface having an average roughness Ra of about 2 ?m to about 100 ?m.

Abstract: A glass sheet is placed on a mold and heated to a first temperature. The glass sheet is then formed into a glass article having a three-dimensional shape using the mold. An isothermal heat transfer device comprising at least one heat pipe is provided in thermal contact with the mold. With the glass article on the mold and the isothermal heat transfer device in thermal contact with the mold, the glass article, mold, and isothermal heat transfer device are transported along a thermally-graded channel to cool the glass article to a second temperature. During the transporting, the isothermal heat transfer device transfers heat from a relatively hot region of the mold to a relatively cold region of the mold.

Abstract: A glass sheet is placed on a mold and heated to a first temperature. The glass sheet is then formed into a glass article having a three-dimensional shape using the mold. An isothermal heat transfer device comprising at least one heat pipe is provided in thermal contact with the mold. With the glass article on the mold and the isothermal heat transfer device in thermal contact with the mold, the glass article, mold, and isothermal heat transfer device are transported along a thermally-graded channel to cool the glass article to a second temperature. During the transporting, the isothermal heat transfer device transfers heat from a relatively hot region of the mold to a relatively cold region of the mold.

Abstract: Provided are media vacuum transport systems including media vacuum transport members, methods of making media vacuum transport members, and method of transporting media. In accordance with various embodiments, there is a media vacuum transport system including a vacuum plenum one or more transport members configured to rotate around the vacuum plenum and wherein at least one of the one or more transport members can include a substrate, the substrate comprising a plurality of holes extending from a first side proximate to the vacuum plenum to a second side proximate to the media, and a top coat layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the top coat layer can include a plurality of particles dispersed in a resin to provide an average surface roughness Ra of about 2 ?m to about 100 ?m.