Patents by Inventor Kirk Patton Bumgarner
Kirk Patton Bumgarner 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: 20240150217Abstract: A lathe system for producing an optical fiber preform, the lathe system including a rotating bait rod, a burner box configured to deposit silica-containing soot on the rotating bait rod, a hood configured to direct airflow within the lathe system through an exhaust, and a perforated floor configured to expel air within the lathe system as a plurality of air jets from a bottom portion of the lathe system to a top portion of the lathe system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2023Publication date: May 9, 2024Inventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Stephen Mitchell Carlton, Elena Alekseevna Chizhova-Notkina, Robert James Davis, Nikolay Anatolyevich Panin, Bradley Kent Shepard
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Patent number: 11242215Abstract: The apparatus and methods disclosed herein are directed to detecting the presence of a whipping tail when using a fiber winding system to wind a fiber onto a rotating spool. The fiber is guided onto the rotating spool through a containment region between the spool and a whip shield to create the wound fiber. The whipping tail outwardly extends from the wound fiber and periodically or quasi-periodically passes through a light beam to create a series intensity dips in the light beam, thereby forming a modulated light beam. The modulated light beam is converted into a digital electrical signal made up of electrical pulses having a timing defined by the intensity dips. The measured timing of the electrical pulses is compared to an estimated timing based on the rotating spool to ascertain the presence of a whipping tail.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2020Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, James Robert Lechleider, Dustin Michael Skinner, William Joseph Stokes
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Patent number: 10968070Abstract: An apparatus for tensioning and threading an optical fiber includes a first roller, a second roller, a belt that wraps around the first and second rollers, and a third roller. The belt may be in direct physical contact with the first and second rollers. The third roller may be movable between an engaged and a disengaged configuration relative to the belt. Alternatively, the first roller, second roller, and belt may be movable between the engaged and the disengaged configuration relative to the third roller. Actuation from the disengaged to the engaged configuration captures an optical fiber between the third roller and the belt.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2018Date of Patent: April 6, 2021Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Bret Cooper Faler, Jason Thomas Fralin, Kelvin Nguyen, Ashley Danielle Perritt
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Publication number: 20200283258Abstract: The apparatus and methods disclosed herein are directed to detecting the presence of a whipping tail when using a fiber winding system to wind a fiber onto a rotating spool. The fiber is guided onto the rotating spool through a containment region between the spool and a whip shield to create the wound fiber. The whipping tail outwardly extends from the wound fiber and periodically or quasi-periodically passes through a light beam to create a series intensity dips in the light beam, thereby forming a modulated light beam. The modulated light beam is converted into a digital electrical signal made up of electrical pulses having a timing defined by the intensity dips. The measured timing of the electrical pulses is compared to an estimated timing based on the rotating spool to ascertain the presence of a whipping tail.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, James Robert Lechleider, Dustin Michael Skinner, William Joseph Stokes
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Publication number: 20190193982Abstract: An apparatus for tensioning and threading an optical fiber includes a first roller, a second roller, a belt that wraps around the first and second rollers, and a third roller. The belt may be in direct physical contact with the first and second rollers. The third roller may be movable between an engaged and a disengaged configuration relative to the belt. Alternatively, the first roller, second roller, and belt may be movable between the engaged and the disengaged configuration relative to the third roller. Actuation from the disengaged to the engaged configuration captures an optical fiber between the third roller and the belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2018Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Bret Cooper Faler, Jason Thomas Fralin, Kelvin Nguyen, Ashley Danielle Perritt
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Patent number: 10031045Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for screen testing an optical fiber includes a fiber conveyance pathway, a capstan having an outer circumference and a fiber contact region extending around the outer circumference, the fiber contact region having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to about 40 Shore A, where the capstan is positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber engages with the fiber contact region, and a pinch belt positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that the fiber conveyance pathway extends between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region, where the pinch belt is engagable with the fiber contact region such that, when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber is impinged between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Michael Terry Murphy, Bruce Warren Reding
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Publication number: 20170131177Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for screen testing an optical fiber includes a fiber conveyance pathway, a capstan having an outer circumference and a fiber contact region extending around the outer circumference, the fiber contact region having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to about 40 Shore A, where the capstan is positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber engages with the fiber contact region, and a pinch belt positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that the fiber conveyance pathway extends between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region, where the pinch belt is engagable with the fiber contact region such that, when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber is impinged between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2017Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Michael Terry Murphy, Bruce Warren Reding
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Patent number: 9574969Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for screen testing an optical fiber includes a fiber conveyance pathway, a capstan having an outer circumference and a fiber contact region extending around the outer circumference, the fiber contact region having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to about 40 Shore A, where the capstan is positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber engages with the fiber contact region, and a pinch belt positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that the fiber conveyance pathway extends between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region, where the pinch belt is engageable with the fiber contact region such that, when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber is impinged between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Michael Terry Murphy, Bruce Warren Reding
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Publication number: 20150323434Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for screen testing an optical fiber includes a fiber conveyance pathway, a capstan having an outer circumference and a fiber contact region extending around the outer circumference, the fiber contact region having a durometer hardness of less than or equal to about 40 Shore A, where the capstan is positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber engages with the fiber contact region, and a pinch belt positioned adjacent to the fiber conveyance pathway such that the fiber conveyance pathway extends between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region, where the pinch belt is engagable with the fiber contact region such that, when the optical fiber is directed over the fiber conveyance pathway, the optical fiber is impinged between the pinch belt and the fiber contact region.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Michael Terry Murphy, Bruce Warren Reding
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Patent number: 8689636Abstract: A method and device for continuously testing the tensile strength of an optical fiber, wherein the incoming optical fiber is wrapped at least partially around a payout capstan, to an intermediate payout pulley, at least partially around the intermediate payout pulley, and back to the payout capstan. The optical fiber is then wound from the payout capstan to a tensile testing measurement component, and then to an uptake capstan. The optical fiber is wrapped at least partially around the uptake capstan, to an intermediate uptake pulley, at least partially around the intermediate uptake pulley, and back to the uptake capstan. The payout capstan and uptake capstan are operated at a desired rotational speed to continuously advance the optical fiber for tensile strength testing.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: David Andrew Bednarczyk, Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Bruce Warren Reding
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Publication number: 20130255397Abstract: A method and device for continuously testing the tensile strength of an optical fiber, wherein the incoming optical fiber is wrapped at least partially around a payout capstan, to an intermediate payout pulley, at least partially around the intermediate payout pulley, and back to the payout capstan. The optical fiber is then wound from the payout capstan to a tensile testing measurement component, and then to an uptake capstan. The optical fiber is wrapped at least partially around the uptake capstan, to an intermediate uptake pulley, at least partially around the intermediate uptake pulley, and back to the uptake capstan. The payout capstan and uptake capstan are operated at a desired rotational speed to continuously advance the optical fiber for tensile strength testing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Inventors: David Andrew Bednarczyk, Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Aditya Kaimal, Bruce Warren Reding
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Patent number: 6027062Abstract: An apparatus for threading a fiber that is being continuously supplied by a supplying device for winding on a spool, includes a collecting device, adjacent to the supplying device, that collects the fiber by urging the fiber from the supplying device into the collecting device to provide a tension in the fiber between the supplying device and the collecting device, a positioning device that engages the fiber, between the supplying device and the collecting device, with an engaging portion that allows the fiber to be continuously collected in the collecting device and that moves from a position adjacent to the supplying device and the collecting device to a position adjacent to the spool to move the fiber to at least one threading position, and a threading device that automatically threads the fiber at the at least one threading position onto the spool.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1998Date of Patent: February 22, 2000Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Christopher John Bacon, Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Paul Andrew Chludzinski, Duane Edward Hoke, Ronald Lee Kimball, Kenneth William Roberts
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Patent number: D437207Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1999Date of Patent: February 6, 2001Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Daniel C. Fuccella, Michael T. Murphy
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Patent number: D462605Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1999Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Daniel C. Fuccella, Michael T. Murphy
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Patent number: D499006Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 1999Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Kirk Patton Bumgarner, Daniel C. Fuccella, Michael T. Murphy