Patents by Inventor Tammy M Hoffmann

Tammy M Hoffmann 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).

  • Method and apparatus for suppressing flow instabilities in an optical fiber draw system
    Patent number: 11198636
    Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Erling Richard Anderson, Tammy M Hoffmann, John Michael Jewell, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPRESSING FLOW INSTABILITIES IN AN OPTICAL FIBER DRAW SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20190292090
    Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Inventors: Erling Richard Anderson, Tammy M Hoffmann, John Michael Jewell, Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias, Robert Clark Moore