Patents by Inventor James William Fleming
James William Fleming 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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Patent number: 10752402Abstract: A technique for containing a wet article includes a top section, a middle section removably attached to the top section, and a bottom section removably attached to the middle section. The top section includes a dispenser and an article holding region. The dispenser forms a normally-closed compartment for holding liquid and has a depressible top. The top section is configured, upon depression of the depressible top, to open a passageway between the dispenser and the article-holding region for allowing liquid to flow from the dispenser to the article-holding region. The middle section includes a funnel having a more open end facing the top section and a less open end facing the bottom section. The funnel is configured to conduct fluid released from the wet article from the top section to the bottom section.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: FAMILY INNOVATORS B&F, LLCInventors: Cynthia Ann Beauregard, Edward Joseph Beauregard, Craig Edward Beauregard, Bethany Marie Fleming, James William Fleming
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Patent number: 9944434Abstract: Techniques of transporting bath sponges involve holding a used bath sponge in a case that will carry and compress the used bath sponge. Such a case separates the soiled water and debris that is drained from the used bath sponge. The case is designed to facilitate the drainage of water and debris that have accumulated in the bath sponge after it is used. The action of compression of a bath sponge within this case will also help to maintain the original shape of the bath sponge. This case will keep all water and debris that has collected by the action of compression of the bath sponge contained in the lower sections of the case. In addition, when this case is stored in an upright position, the water and debris will not be able to flow back into the top section where the sponge is being stored.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: FAMILY INNOVATORS B&F, LLCInventors: Cynthia Ann Beauregard, Edward Joseph Beauregard, Craig Edward Beauregard, Bethany Marie Fleming, James William Fleming
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Patent number: 7946133Abstract: Methods for modifying preform core ovality during and subsequent to the formation of an optical fiber preform. After MCVD deposition forms the core rod, but prior to overcladding of the core rod, the code rod may be etched to change its ovality. In order to etch the core rod, the core rod may be mounted to lathe, rotated by at least two rotors, and subjected to a heat source. Additionally, one of the at least two rotors may be phase-shifted from another one of the at least two rotors after the core rod is mounted on the lathe.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2010Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.Inventors: James William Fleming, Siu-Ping Hong, Paul Francis Glodis, Thomas John Miller, Zhi Zhou, David Kalish, Shunhe Xiong
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Publication number: 20110056245Abstract: Methods for modifying preform core ovality during and subsequent to the formation of an optical fiber preform. After MCVD deposition forms the core rod, but prior to overcladding of the core rod, the code rod may be etched to change its ovality. In order to etch the core rod, the core rod may be mounted to lathe, rotated by at least two rotors, and subjected to a heat source. Additionally, one of the at least two rotors may be phase-shifted from another one of the at least two rotors after the core rod is mounted on the lathe.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: FITEL USA CORP.Inventors: James William Fleming, Siu-Ping Hong, Paul Francis Glodis, Thomas John Miller, Zhi Zhou, David Kalish, Shunhe Xiong
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Patent number: 7421174Abstract: A silicate optical fiber comprises a graded index silicate core co-doped with aluminum oxide, phosphorus oxide, germanium oxide and fluorine in unique compositions that we have discovered allow multimode, multi-wavelength operation without significant intermodal dispersion. Illustratively, the core comprises a multiplicity of compositions whose refractive indices are graded from a maximum at or near the center of the core to a minimum at the interface with the cladding. Each core composition resides within a sub-volume of a 5 dimensional phase space in which an optimum core profile shape is essentially constant over the wavelength range of operation of the fiber. For operation in the wavelength range of about 0.78 ?m to 1.55 ?m, each composition preferably comprises no more than approximately 6 mole % Al2O3, 9 mole % P2O5, 6 mole % GeO2, 6 mole % F, and 90-100 mole % SiO2.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2006Date of Patent: September 2, 2008Assignee: Furakawa Electric North America; Inc.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., George Edward Oulundsen, III
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Publication number: 20080050075Abstract: A silicate optical fiber comprises a graded index silicate core co-doped with aluminum oxide, phosphorus oxide, germanium oxide and fluorine in unique compositions that we have discovered allow multimode, multi-wavelength operation without significant intermodal dispersion. Illustratively, the core comprises a multiplicity of compositions whose refractive indices are graded from a maximum at or near the center of the core to a minimum at the interface with the cladding. Each core composition resides within a sub-volume of a 5 dimensional phase space in which an optimum core profile shape is essentially constant over the wavelength range of operation of the fiber. For operation in the wavelength range of about 0.78 ?m to 1.55 ?m, each composition preferably comprises no more than approximately 6 mole % Al2O3, 9 mole % P2O5, 6 mole % GeO2, 6 mole % F, and 90-100 mole % SiO2.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2006Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: James William Fleming, George Edward Oulundsen
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Publication number: 20040221617Abstract: Methods for modifying preform core ovality during and subsequent to the formation of an optical fiber preform. Prior to MCVD deposition on a starting tube, the outer diameter of the starting tube is altered by etching or a like process to modify its ovality. Additionally, after MCVD deposition forms the core rod, but prior to overcladding of the core rod, the code rod may be etched to change its ovality. Both methods may be used independently or in combination to modify the ovality and reduce PMD of optical fiber drawn from the core rod. An additional method includes etching the cladding material of a core rod having an oval or elliptical core such that the cladding material mirrors the shape of the oval core. During drawing, the perform created there from is placed under a surface tension, or pulled in a manner to generate a circular or near perfect circular optical fiber having desired ovality and low PMD.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2003Publication date: November 11, 2004Inventors: James William Fleming, Siu-Ping Hong, Paul Francis Glodis, Thomas John Miller, Zhi Zhou, David Kalish, Shunhe Xiong
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Patent number: 6553790Abstract: A silica-based core rod is traversed by a heat source along its longitudinal axis, to provide heated, softened regions. During the traverse, compressive or tensile movements are provided along the rod's longitudinal axis, these movements inducing, respectively, increases or decreases in the core diameter at the softened regions. By providing selective core diameter increases and/or decreases across the entire length of the core rod, a desired core diameter profile is attained. It is possible to attain a substantially uniform core diameter, or a varying core diameter profile that provides particular properties, such as systematically varying dispersion. In addition, due to the ability to increase core diameter and core rod diameter in a controlled manner, it is possible to make larger core rods, and in turn larger fiber preforms, than presently possible.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2000Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., George John Zydzik
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Patent number: 6446468Abstract: An improved technique for assembling and drawing fiber from preforms is provided. In one embodiment, the technique involves providing a core rod assembly comprising a core rod and a bushing attached at an end of the assembly. The core rod assembly is inserted into an unsintered overcladding tube, and secured to the tube such that the core rod assembly is suspended within. The overcladding tube and the core rod assembly are heated to sinter the overcladding tube and thereby form a preform assembly. During the heating step, the bushing comes into contact with the interior of the overcladding tube, and, because the bushing has a larger diameter than the core rod, an annular gap is maintained between the core rod assembly and the interior of the overcladding tube. It is then possible to attach a draw handle to the preform assembly, place the preform assembly into a draw tower, and draw fiber from the preform assembly by an overclad during draw technique.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., Sandeep Kakar, Richard M. Lum, Eric M. Monberg
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Patent number: 6305195Abstract: An improved process for fabricating a refractory dielectric article, in particular silica optical fiber, is provided. The fabrication process involves joining of two elongated bodies—typically silica preforms—end-to-end by use of an isothermal plasma torch technique. A long preform made in this manner allows drawing of optical fiber with less down-time and waste than current processes. The plasma torch technique also produces low perturbations within the resultant preform, thereby increasing the amount of usable fiber.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1999Date of Patent: October 23, 2001Assignee: Agere Systems Guardian Corp.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., George John Zydzik
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Patent number: 6041623Abstract: The smoothness of refractory dielectric bodies, particularly silica sol-gel bodies, is substantially improved by a relatively straightforward treatment. In particular, the surface of the body is treated with a plasma fireball, such as induced by a plasma torch. The treatment is able to reduce the roughness, as measured by RA, in overcladding tubes formed by a sol-gel process by at least a factor of 2, typically at least a factor of 5. It is also possible to improve the smoothness of silica tubes that are drawn from a billet. Typically, the process reduces the roughness of silica bodies to an RA of about 1 microinch or less.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 1998Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventor: James William Fleming, Jr.
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Patent number: 5979190Abstract: A refractory dielectric body is heated with a plasma fireball at conditions which do not result in substantial removal of a surface portion of the body, yet which are sufficient to reduce both surface and bulk impurities. Typically, the body is treated with the plasma in the absence of simultaneous deposition of material onto the body. Advantageously, an isothermal, oxygen or oxygen-containing plasma is utilized. The invention is useful for reducing chlorine impurities by at least about 30% to a depth of at least about 10 .mu.m, with accompanying reduction of hydroxyl impurities. The invention thus provides a useful method for reducing the concentration of impurities that contribute to imperfections during the process of drawing fiber from an optical fiber preform, without requiring substantial removal of the surface of the preform.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1998Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., Robert M. Pafchek
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Patent number: 5861047Abstract: A refractory dielectric body is heated with a plasma torch at conditions which do not result in substantial removal of a surface portion of the body, yet which are sufficient to reduce both surface and bulk impurities. Typically, the body is solid, e.g., a rod as opposed to a tube, and is treated with the plasma in the absence of simultaneous deposition of material onto the body. Advantageously, an isothermal plasma torch is utilized, and the torch advantageously produces an oxygen or oxygen-containing plasma. The invention is useful for reducing chlorine impurities by at least about 30% to a depth of at least about 10 .mu.m, with accompanying reduction of hydroxyl impurities. The invention thus provides a useful method for reducing the concentration of impurities that contribute to imperfections during the process of drawing fiber from an optical fiber preform, without requiring substantial removal of the surface of the preform.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1997Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: James William Fleming, Jr., Robert M. Pafchek
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Patent number: 5698124Abstract: A fiber drawing apparatus is provided with an improved fiber draw furnace wherein an inner zirconia tube is surrounded by a radially-spaced annular insulating region of magnesia within a silica beaker. While the magnesia has a melting point approximately the same as zirconia, the electrical conductivity of magnesia is substantially lower, enabling it to withstand higher RF power. Moreover magnesia is more soluble than zirconia in silica, reducing the likelihood of particulate contamination of the fiber.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1995Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Frank Vincent DiMarcello, James William Fleming, Jr., Arthur Clifford Hart, Jr., Richard Garner Huff, Karen S. Kranz
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Patent number: 5692087Abstract: An optical fiber formed from a glass preform substantially free of OH impurities is disclosed. The optical fiber is made to be free of OH impurities by a method having the steps of introducing a moving stream of vapor mixture including at least one compound glass-forming precursor together with an oxidizing medium into a tube, while generating a hydrogen-fee isothermal plasma on an outer surface of the tube to react the mixture and produce a glassy deposit on an inner surface of the tube. The glass preform is drawn to produce the optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1995Date of Patent: November 25, 1997Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventors: Fred Paul Partus, Gordon Albert Thomas, Robert Michael Atkins, James William Fleming, Jr.
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Patent number: 5672192Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an optical fiber is made by the steps of providing an optical fiber preform having a longitudinal axis, rotating the preform about the axis, directing onto the preform a plasma torch which is reciprocated over a limited region parallel to the axis to define a heated region, and drawing a fiber from the heated region. Apparatus for making optical fiber comprises a rotatable mount for securing one end of a preform and rotating it about a vertical axis, a plasma torch for heating a drawing region on the preform, a positioning stage for moving the torch parallel to the vertical axis in a reciprocating manner, and a fiber drawing apparatus for drawing a fiber from the heated region of the preform.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 1996Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.Inventor: James William Fleming, Jr.
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Patent number: 4033667Abstract: A multimode optical fiber waveguide with graded refractive index for lessening modal dispersion depends upon simultaneous grading of both P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3 within an otherwise generally unmodified silica glass. P.sub.2 O.sub.5 is at a maximum in the axial core region, while B.sub.2 O.sub.3 is generally the only modifier in the peripheral core region. The defined profile, which depends critically upon P.sub.2 O.sub.5 content in the axial composition and somewhat less critically upon the B.sub.2 O.sub.3 peripheral composition content, is near optimum from the standpoint of mode dispersion and remains so for the entire useful range of carrier wavelength (generally defined as from 0.5 to 1.1 .mu.m). Numerical aperture for fibers of the invention are typically at a level of 0.3.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 1975Date of Patent: July 5, 1977Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, IncorporatedInventor: James William Fleming, Jr.
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Patent number: 4011006Abstract: High silica content optical glasses, containing more volatile oxides such as GeO.sub.2 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3, are produced by plasma fusion of powders without inordinately high loss of the more volatile constituents. The powders are produced by a process including the heat treatment of intimately mixed materials, which include the glass forming constituents. Small quantities of GeO.sub.2 are included in borosilicate glass to suppress bubble formation. Pairs of glass compositions have been found, with sufficient index of refraction difference to produce guidance in optical transmission lines, while possessing sufficient thermal expansion match to reduce stresses in the line.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1975Date of Patent: March 8, 1977Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, IncorporatedInventors: James William Fleming, Jr., Raymond Edward Jaeger, Thomas John Miller
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Patent number: 3989350Abstract: A multimode optical fiber waveguide with graded refractive index for lessening modal dispersion with the gradient produced at least in part by radially decreasing boron oxide content outwardly from the core center within a high silica glass core minimizes modal dispersion by use of a non-parabolic grading function. The optimum gradient for a simple binary borosilicate system for a wavelength of from approximately 0.5 to 1.1 micrometers corresponds with .alpha. = 1.77 .+-. 10 percent in the equation n = n.sub.1 [1-2.DELTA.(r/a).sup..alpha.].sup.1/2, in which n.sub.1 is the axial core index r is the distance from the fiber axis, a is the core radius, .DELTA. is the relative index difference between core center and cladding and .alpha. is a power law exponent which characterizes the profile.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 1975Date of Patent: November 2, 1976Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, IncorporatedInventors: Leonard George Cohen, James William Fleming, Jr., William George French
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Patent number: 3954431Abstract: High silica content optical glasses, containing more volatile oxides such as GeO.sub.2 and B.sub.2 O.sub.3, are produced by plasma fusion of powders without inordinately high loss of the more volatile constituents. The powders are produced by a process including the heat treatment of intimately mixed materials, which include the glass forming constituents. Small quantities of GeO.sub.2 are included in borosilicate glass to suppress bubble formation. Pairs of glass compositions have been found, with sufficient index of refraction difference to produce guidance in optical transmission lines, while possessing sufficient thermal expansion match to reduce stresses in the line.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 1974Date of Patent: May 4, 1976Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, IncorporatedInventors: James William Fleming, Jr., Raymond Edward Jaeger, Thomas John Miller