Abstract: A quartz glass tube as a semi-finished product for an optical component that has an inner bore extending along a tube center axis for the acceptance of a core rod and a tube wall limited by an inner casing surface and an outer casing surface is already known; within said tube wall an inner region made of a first quartz glass and an outer region made of a second quartz glass with a different index of refraction surrounding the inner region contact one another at a contact surface which runs around the center axis. In order to provide a quartz glass on this basis that facilitates the production of optical components for special applications such as laser-activated optical components in wand or fiber form, the invention states that the contact surface has a non-round course in the radial cross-section and the inner casing surface has a circular course.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve a generally known method for producing quartz glass doped with fluorine, wherein SiO2 particles are formed in the presence of fluorine by means of a plasma deposition process, deposited in layers on an outer envelope of a cylindrical quartz glass substrate body rotating about its longitudinal axis, and vitrified to form a layer of quartz glass with a fluorine content of at least 1.5 wt. %, in such a way that a quartz glass semifinished product with a high fluorine content, characterised by a high basic transmission in the UV wavelength range, is obtained. To this end, the substrate body has at least one reservoir layer of quartz glass at least in the region of the outer envelope thereof, having a minimum hydroxyl group content of 200 wt. ppm and/or a minimum hydrogen content of 1×1017 molecules/cm3, and the substrate body is either fully or partially removed following the deposition of the quartz glass layer doped with fluorine.

Abstract: A spindle drive for the height adjustment of an electrically adjustable steering column and the steering includes an adjustment spindle rotatably mounted in two bearings. The adjustment spindle includes two clamping elements, which have a centering cone on their sides facing one another, and the adjustment spindle is arranged in a tensioned manner on the two bearings by means of the clamping element, in that the clamping elements abut on the outer sides of the centering cones facing away from one other. The outer sides of the bearings are formed having a counter contour to the respectively abutting centering cone.

Abstract: In plasma deposition processes for producing an optical preform according to the POD method, a cladding glass layer composed of fluorine-doped quartz glass is produced by means of a plasma torch on a cylindrical substrate body composed of quartz glass, said substrate body rotating about the longitudinal axis thereof. In this case, the plasma torch performs a reversing relative movement between two turning points (A; B) along the substrate body. In order, proceeding therefrom, to achieve a high fluorine doping in conjunction with a dopant distribution that is as uniform as possible axially, the invention proposes that a heat element has a heating effect on the region of one turning point (A; B) when the plasma torch is situated in the region of the other turning point (B; A).

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma deposition process for producing an optical preform, which is characterized by a cladding glass layer having a non-round internal cross-section together with high fluorine doping and axially and radially specified dopant distribution, which in the simplest case is as uniform as possible. For this purpose, a two-stage method is proposed, wherein a substrate body having a non-round cross-section is first reshaped into a coated substrate body having a circular cross-section in that a POD filling layer made of quartz glass having the nominal fluorine concentration is deposited onto a present filling surface and rounded by grinding, and then in the second stage of the method a POD sheathing glass layer made of fluorine-doped quartz glass and having a circular-ring-shaped cross-section is deposited.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma deposition process for producing an optical preform, which is characterized by a cladding glass layer having a non-round internal cross-section together with high fluorine doping and axially and radially specified dopant distribution, which in the simplest case is as uniform as possible. For this purpose, a two-stage method is proposed, wherein a substrate body having a non-round cross-section is first reshaped into a coated substrate body having a circular cross-section in that a POD filling layer made of quartz glass having the nominal fluorine concentration is deposited onto a present filling surface and rounded by grinding, and then in the second stage of the method a POD sheathing glass layer made of fluorine-doped quartz glass and having a circular-ring-shaped cross-section is deposited.

Abstract: A quartz glass tube as a semi-finished product for an optical component that has an inner bore extending along a tube centre axis for the acceptance of a core rod and a tube wall limited by an inner casing surface and an outer casing surface is already known; within said tube wall an inner region made of a first quartz glass and an outer region made of a second quartz glass with a different index of refraction surrounding the inner region contact one another at a contact surface which runs around the centre axis. In order to provide a quartz glass on this basis that facilitates the production of optical components for special applications such as laser-activated optical components in wand or fibre form, the invention states that the contact surface has a non-round course in the radial cross-section and the inner casing surface has a circular course.

Abstract: A spindle drive for the height adjustment of an electrically adjustable steering column and the steering includes an adjustment spindle rotatably mounted in two bearings. The adjustment spindle includes two clamping elements, which have a centering cone on their sides facing one another, and the adjustment spindle is arranged in a tensioned manner on the two bearings by means of the clamping element, in that the clamping elements abut on the outer sides of the centering cones facing away from one other. The outer sides of the bearings are formed having a counter contour to the respectively abutting centering cone.

Abstract: In plasma deposition processes for producing an optical preform according to the POD method, a cladding glass layer composed of fluorine-doped quartz glass is produced by means of a plasma torch on a cylindrical substrate body composed of quartz glass, said substrate body rotating about the longitudinal axis thereof. In this case, the plasma torch performs a reversing relative movement between two turning points (A; B) along the substrate body. In order, proceeding therefrom, to achieve a high fluorine doping in conjunction with a dopant distribution that is as uniform as possible axially, the invention proposes that a heat element has a heating effect on the region of one turning point (A; B) when the plasma torch is situated in the region of the other turning point (B; A).

Abstract: A known refraction-sensitive optical fiber comprises a core zone with an index of refraction nK, a jacket zone surrounding the core zone, said jacket zone having an index of refraction nM, and an annular zone made of quartz glass doped with fluorine, said annular zone surrounding the jacket zone and having an index of refraction nF, where nF<nM<nK. With this as a starting point, an optical fiber is to be provided that is characterized by high refraction-sensitivity, good spliceability and compatibility, and a method is to be provided for cost-effective manufacture of such a fiber. With regard to the method, this object is accomplished according to the invention in that the quartz glass of the annular zone (21) is produced in a plasma deposition process on the outside in which an annular zonal layer made of the quartz glass doped with fluorine is produced on a substrate body (20), said layer having a layer thickness of at least 1 mm and an index of refraction nF<1.

Abstract: To improve a known method for making a quartz glass tube as a semifinished product for the manufacture of optical fibers, the tube comprising an inner fluorine-doped quartz glass layer and an outer quartz glass layer, so as to achieve inexpensive manufacture and improved dimensional stability of the quartz glass tube, it is suggested according to the invention that the quartz glass of the inner layer should be produced in a first plasma deposition process with formation of an inner layer having a wall thickness of at least 1.5 mm, with a fluorine content of at least 1.5% by wt. being set in the quartz glass, and that the quartz glass of the outer layer should be produced in a second plasma deposition process and deposited directly or indirectly on the inner layer with formation of a composite tube, and that the composite tube should be elongated into the quartz glass tube.

Abstract: Cylindrical optical components of quartz glass are known, which have an inner zone made of an inner zone glass, which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis and is surrounded by a jacket zone made of a jacket zone glass, the average wall thickness thereof varying at least over a part of its length in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the component. The aim of the invention is to provide a method that allows a simple and cost-effective production of such an optical component from quartz glass.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a blank mold from synthetic quartz glass by using a plasma-assisted deposition method, according to which a hydrogen-free media flow containing a glass starting material and a carrier gas is fed to a multi-nozzle deposition burner. The glass starting material is introduced into a plasma zone by the deposition burner and is oxidized therein while forming SiO2 particles, and the SiO2 particles are deposited on a deposition surface while being directly vitrified. In order to increase the deposition efficiency, the invention provides that the deposition burner (1) focuses the media flow toward the plasma zone (4) by. A multi-nozzle plasma burner, which is suited for carrying out the method and which is provided with a media nozzle for feeding a media flow to the plasma zone, is characterized in that the media nozzle (7) is designed so that it is focussed toward the plasma zone (4). The focussing is effected by a tapering (6) of the media nozzle (7).

Abstract: A steering column arrangement for motor vehicles with a vehicle-side console, on which an outer tube of a steering column carrying a steering shaft is attached in a releasable manner by means of a clamping device. The clamping device comprises at least one clamping wedge arrangement by which an increased holding force of the clamping device can be achieved during an axial displacement of the outer tube caused by an accident.

Abstract: Cylindrical optical components of quartz glass are known, which have an inner zone made of an inner zone glass, which extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis and is surrounded by a jacket zone made of a jacket zone glass, the average pt wall thickness thereof varying at least over a part of its length in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the component. The aim of the invention is to provide a method that allows a simple and cost-effective production of such an optical component from quartz glass.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve a generally known method for producing quartz glass doped with fluorine, wherein SiO2 particles are formed in the presence of fluorine by means of a plasma deposition process, deposited in layers on an outer envelope of a cylindrical quartz glass substrate body rotating about its longitudinal axis, and vitrified to form a layer of quartz glass with a fluorine content of at least 1.5 wt. %, in such a way that a quartz glass semifinished product with a high fluorine content, characterised by a high basic transmission in the UV wavelength range, is obtained. To this end, the substrate body has at least one reservoir layer of quartz glass at least in the region of the outer envelope thereof, having a minimum hydroxyl group content of 200 wt. ppm and/or a minimum hydrogen content of 1×1017 molecules/cm3, and the substrate body is either fully or partially removed following the deposition of the quartz glass layer doped with fluorine.

Abstract: A known refraction-sensitive optical fiber comprises a core zone with an index of refraction nK, a jacket zone surrounding the core zone, said jacket zone having an index of refraction nM, and an annular zone made of quartz glass doped with fluorine, said annular zone surrounding the jacket zone and having an index of refraction NF, where nF<nM<nK. With this as a starting point, an optical fiber is to be provided that is characterized by high refraction-sensitivity, good spliceability and compatibility, and a method is to be provided for cost-effective manufacture of such a fiber. With regard to the method, this object is accomplished according to the invention in that the quartz glass of the annular zone (21) is produced in a plasma deposition process on the outside in which an annular zonal layer made of the quartz glass doped with fluorine is produced on a substrate body (20), said layer having a layer thickness of at least 1 mm and an index of refraction nF<1.

Abstract: A steering column arrangement for motor vehicles with a vehicle-side console, on which an outer tube of a steering column carrying a steering shaft is attached in a releasable manner by means of a clamping device. The clamping device comprises at least one clamping wedge arrangement by which an increased holding force of the clamping device can be achieved during an axial displacement of the outer tube caused by an accident.

Abstract: In a known method for the production of a blank mold for optical fibers, a fluorine-doped SiO2 enveloping glass is produced on a core glass cylinder that rotates about its longitudinal axis, wherein a silicon-containing starting substance is fed to a plasma burner, said substance is then oxidized in a plasma flame assigned to the plasma burner to obtain SiO2 particles, the SiO2 particles are deposited by layers on the enveloping surface of the cylinder of the core glass cylinder in the presence of fluorine and sintered into the enveloping glass. The invention aims at providing an economical method, which builds upon the above-mentioned method, in order to produce a blank mold from which optical multi-mode fibers (52) can be obtained.

Abstract: In a known method for the production of a blank mold for optical fibers, a fluorine-doped SiO2 enveloping glass is produced on a core glass cylinder that rotates about its longitudinal axis, wherein a silicon-containing starting substance is fed to a plasma burner, said substance is then oxidized in a plasma flame assigned to the plasma burner to obtain SiO2 particles, the SiO2 particles are deposited by layers on the enveloping surface of the cylinder of the core glass cylinder in the presence of fluorine and sintered into the enveloping glass. The invention aims at providing an economical method, which builds upon the above-mentioned method, in order to produce a blank mold from which optical multi-mode fibers (52) can be obtained.