Means Providing Orbiting Mold With Diverse Motion Patents (Class 65/311)
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Patent number: 5673353Abstract: A fiber preform structure, preferably of an optical glass for use in making fibers and lenses, constructed with a central core of a first material, a surrounding tube of a second material, and a deeply placed bonded layer integrally formed between the core and tube preferably by a heat driven interdiffusion of the first and second materials. The deeply placed interface layer of the resulting preform structure exhibits material characteristics related to the interdiffused material characteristics of the rod and tube materials. The interdiffusion is preferably performed while supporting the combined rod and tube structure. The preform is rotated during heating to maintain the geometric symmetry of the preform and of the interface layer. An encapsulating carrier is used to support the preform in all dimensions during heating.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: September 30, 1997Inventors: Robert M. Ward, David N. Pulsifer
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Patent number: 5333223Abstract: An injection molded plastic fiber alignment ferrule is provided with a polishing pedestal. The ferrule has an opening therethrough for receiving the end of a fiber, which extends beyond the pedestal. The fiber is cleaved and the end is severed. The ferrule is polished to remove the pedestal, resulting is a smoothly polished end surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 1993Date of Patent: July 26, 1994Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.Inventors: Philip W. Schofield, James W. McGinley
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Patent number: 5325230Abstract: The invention relates to lenses, prisms or other optical members which are subjected to high-power ultraviolet light having a wavelength of about 360 nm or less, or ionizing radiation, particularly optical members for use in laser exposure apparatus for lithography, and to blanks for such optical members. The homogeneity of the refractive index distribution and the resistance to optical deterioration when the optical members are exposed for a long period of time to short wavelength ultraviolet light from a laser beam are improved. The optical members are made of high-purity synthetic silica glass material containing at least about 50 wt. ppm of OH groups, and are doped with hydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 1991Date of Patent: June 28, 1994Assignees: Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd., Heraeus Quarzglas GmbHInventors: Shigeru Yamagata, Kyoichi Inaki, Toshikatu Matsuya, Ralf Takke, Stephan Thomas, Heinz Fabian
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Patent number: 5320658Abstract: There is provided a process of melt drawing an optical fiber from a preform therefor in which a heating furnace comprising a muffle tube inside thereof through which the optical fiber is passed is provided immediately below a melt drawing furnace to further draw the optical fiber while heated, and an interior of the muffle tube is kept in an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of an inert atmosphere, an atmosphere comprising oxygen gas and an atmosphere comprising hydrogen gas.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 1992Date of Patent: June 14, 1994Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yuichi Ohga, Shinji Ishikawa, Hiroo Kanamori, Ichiro Yoshimura, Horoshi Yokota
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Patent number: 5320660Abstract: An optical fibre is manufactured by stretching a rod-shaped initial preform, after which a cladding tube is melted on the initial preform and the final preform thus obtained is drawn into an optical fibre. A narrow and hot softening zone is used to stretch the initial preform, which softening zone is obtained, for example, by means of a plasma torch 2. By virtue thereof, the stretching process can be controlled in a rapid and simple manner.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1992Date of Patent: June 14, 1994Assignee: U.S. Philips CorporationInventors: Antonius H. E. Breuls, Andries H. Van Bergen, Henrikus L. M. Jansen
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Patent number: 5320659Abstract: A surface of an optical fiber is coated by a method for coating a surface of an optical fiber with carbon comprising steps of introducing an optical fiber in a reaction chamber in the same direction as the flow of a coating raw material comprising carbon, hydrogen and halogen atoms and depositing on the surface of the optical fiber a carbon layer formed from the raw material by chemical vapor deposition, whereby the coated optical fiber has improved initial tensile strength and absorbs less hydrogen.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1993Date of Patent: June 14, 1994Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Ishiguro, Masaharu Ooe, Kohei Kobayashi, Gotaro Tanaka, Minoru Watanabe
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Patent number: 5318432Abstract: An apparatus for forming a porous preform that is useable to an optical fiber by extruding a plastifiable material having silica powder as a main component thereof. The apparatus includes an extruding main body having a cylinder and a screw for extruding the plastifiable material from the cylinder and a material passage member connected to the cylinder so as to communicate therewith. The material passage member has a projection member which projects into the material passage member for preventing a lamination of the plastifiable material. The apparatus also includes a molding head connected to the material passage member so as to communicate therewith.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1992Date of Patent: June 7, 1994Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeshi Yagi, Tsuguo Satou, Yoshiaki Koinuma, Kazuaki Yoshida
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Patent number: 5318611Abstract: Low attenuation, low dispersion of optical waveguides are provided by a process initiating with axial deposition of a high velocity core soot stream impinging on a target at a high angle of incidence relative to the axis of rotation of the target. A core cylinder is built up axially by relative movement between the soot stream and target during deposition, the movement being non-constant in order to maintain a substantially constant diameter with a constant deposition rate. A cladding layer is then built up by deposition of soot radially on the core. Subsequent drying and sintering provides a vitreous preform which may be drawn directly into optical waveguides. Alternatively, the sintered product may be drawn down to smaller rods, which then are covered with further deposited soot cladding to a desired final thickness, and after further drying and sintering may be drawn to optical waveguides.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1992Date of Patent: June 7, 1994Assignee: Ensign-Bickford Optical Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Trevor Merritt
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Patent number: 5318610Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus comprising a pair of fiber holding portions and a fiber clamp disposed on each of the fiber holding portions for holding at least two optical fibers. A weight and pulley system is arranged wherein a first weight is coupled to each of the fiber holding portions to pull the fiber holding portions away from each other to apply tension to the optical fibers. A heating unit is disposed between the fiber holding portions and proximate to the optical fibers to heat the optical fibers. A second weight is coupled to either the fiber holding portions or the first weight and rests on a movable platform. As the movable platform descends in a vertical direction, the second weight applies additional force to the fiber holding portions and thus applies additional tension to the optical fibers.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1993Date of Patent: June 7, 1994Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumiden Opcom, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Takimoto, Hiroshi Suganuma, Kazuhiko Arimoto
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Patent number: 5316562Abstract: As an optical fiber (12) is being drawn, air (14) is directed at a portion of the fiber as a succession of air pulses, the pulses having a frequency near the natural frequency of the fiber portion. The frequency of the air pulses is then varied over a range of frequencies that includes the natural frequency of the fiber portion. When the air pulse frequency equals the natural frequency of the fiber portion, a resonance occurs which greatly amplifies the amplitude of the vibration of the fiber portion. The large deflection of the fiber that occurs at resonance is easy to detect, and the air pulse frequency which causes such maximum deflection is taken as being equal to the resonant frequency and therefore to the natural frequency of the fiber portion. Changes of the detected resonant frequency can be interpreted in a straightforward manner as changes in optical fiber tension which, in turn, are used to make compensatory changes of the temperature of the furnace (10).Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 1992Date of Patent: May 31, 1994Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: David H. Smithgall, Alan T. Woodward
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Patent number: 5314515Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a glass optical fiber drawn from a glass preform, prior to applying a protective coating to the fiber, wherein the fiber is transported through a cooling zone containing coolant consisting of a solid or liquid dispersion of a condensible gas, the gas being a chemical element or compound having a vapor pressure of at least 1 atmosphere at 25.degree. C. such that rapid coolant vaporization at ambient temperatures is insured, are provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1992Date of Patent: May 24, 1994Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventor: Michael B. Cain
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Patent number: 5314519Abstract: Short and long wavelength absorption losses contribute to loss at the operating wavelength of an optical fiber drawn from a preform. Excess losses over and above Rayleigh scattering losses have been attributed to conditions such as temperature and the speed during drawing. Typically, after optical fiber (21) is drawn from an optical preform in a furnace (23) wherein temperatures may be 2200.degree. C. or higher, the fiber is moved out of the furnace and immediately through ambient environment to other portions of a draw line such as, for example, measuring and coating apparatus. It has been found that these absorption losses may be reduced substantially by application of a magnetic field to the optical fiber after it has been drawn and prior to it being coated.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 1992Date of Patent: May 24, 1994Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventor: James R. Petisce
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Patent number: 5314517Abstract: A method for drawing glass objects from glass feedstock, wherein a dimension of the glass object is measured on-line and controlled by a control structure which compensates for the deadtime between a change to the drawing speed and the measurement of the effect of that change to the measured dimension. The model which compensates for the deadtime is preferably nonlinear, and the control gains and model parameters are preferably continuously calculated during the drawing process. The invention is particularly applicable to drawing optical waveguide cane from optical waveguide preforms.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1992Date of Patent: May 24, 1994Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: David M. Koening, Peter J. Majestic, Richard O. Maschmeyer
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Patent number: 5314518Abstract: A glass preform for an optical fiber containing a dopant in a core portion at a high concentration is produced by providing a glass tube, forming a coating film of a sol-gel solution containing a dopant compound on an inner wall of the glass tube, vitrifying and collapsing the glass tube having the coating of the sol-gel solution to obtain a glass rod.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 1992Date of Patent: May 24, 1994Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Masumi Ito, Sumio Hoshino, Shinji Ishikawa
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Patent number: 5312468Abstract: The invention relates to optical fiber cleavage method making it possible to obtain an oblique optical fiber end face, consisting in holding a segment of optical fiber between two separated supports, in displacing one of said supports with respect to the other, and in causing the cleavage of the fibre in a break zone dictated by an onset of breakage made by means of a tool, such as a blade.The fiber (4) is held embedded in said supports (1, 2) without exerting any stress on it, in particular any traction or torsion, one of the supports (1) is displaced solely in translation along an axis perpendicular to the axis of the fiber (4) whilst holding the other support (2) fixed, and the onset of breakage is made either before, during, or after said displacement of the movable support.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1992Date of Patent: May 17, 1994Assignee: RadiallInventors: Huan B. Yin, Robert J. Ferina, Jr.
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Patent number: 5309540Abstract: The invention is a hollow fiber with, over the full length of the fiber and between each fiber channel (3, 4) and the core, at least one stress zone (5, 6) to create an anisotropic stress distribution which subjects the fiber core to a tensile stress. The cable design is advantageous in that it is possible to control the sign of the fiber intrinsic birefringence. The cable is thus advantageous for use as a pressure sensor or pressure transducer.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 1992Date of Patent: May 3, 1994Assignee: Thomson-CSFInventors: Marc Turpin, Marie-Noelle Charasse, Jean-Pierre Le Pesant
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Patent number: 5306323Abstract: The present invention provides a fiber coupler manufacturing apparatus comprising a pair of fiber holding portions and a fiber clamp disposed on each of the fiber holding portions for holding at least two optical fibers. A weight and pulley system is arranged wherein a first weight is coupled to each of the fiber holding portions to pull the fiber holding portions away from each other to apply tension to the optical fibers. A heating unit is disposed between the fiber holding portions and proximate to the optical fibers to heat the optical fibers. A second weight is coupled to either the fiber holding portions or the first weight and rests on a movable platform. As the movable platform descends in a vertical direction, the second weight applies additional force to the fiber holding portions and thus applies additional tension to the optical fibers.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1992Date of Patent: April 26, 1994Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumiden Opcom, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Takimoto, Hiroshi Suganuma, Kazuhiko Arimoto
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Patent number: 5304228Abstract: An apparatus for delivery of high intensity laser radiation of large spot size into arteries and a method for making same are disclosed. An optical radiating apparatus is formed on one end of a light-conducting optical fiber such that high intensity laser radiation leaves the optical radiation apparatus with a spot size that is expanded to a diameter significantly larger than the optical fiber diameter. The apparatus comprises a small diameter, flexible fiber which tapers to a large diameter, smooth, rounded ball tip. The taper allows the beam to expand to several millimeters in diameter and thereby ablate a large channel through an occluded artery. The smooth ball tip minimizes the chance of mechanical dissection or performation. The fiber material is continuous such that there are no optical interfaces.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 1992Date of Patent: April 19, 1994Inventor: Martin R. Prince
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Patent number: 5303318Abstract: A high-power acceptable optical fiber comprises a core and cladding provided on the outer peripheral surface of the core. The dopant concentrations in the core and cladding each change in the axial direction of the optical fiber. The core has a same relative refractive index profile in any cross section thereof taken in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction thereof. The relative refractive index profile is normalized by a maximum refractive index of the core.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 1992Date of Patent: April 12, 1994Assignee: Nippon Telegraph & Telephone CorporationInventors: Mitsuhiro Tateda, Masaharu Ohashi, Katsusuke Tajima, Kazuyuki Shiraki
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Patent number: 5298047Abstract: The presence of (typically unintended) birefringence in single mode optical fiber can severely limit the usefulness of the fiber for, e.g., high bit rate or analog optical fiber communication systems, due to the resulting polarization mode dispersion (PMD). It has now been discovered that PMD can be substantially reduced if, during drawing of the fiber, a torque is applied to the fiber such that a "spin" is impressed on the fiber. Desirably the torque is applied such that the spin impressed on the fiber does not have constant spatial frequency, e.g., has alternately clockwise and counterclockwise helicity. At least a portion of optical fiber according to the invention has a spin whose spatial frequency exceeds 4 spins/meter.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 1992Date of Patent: March 29, 1994Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Arthur C. Hart, Jr., Richard G. Huff, Kenneth L. Walker
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Patent number: 5291575Abstract: A method for manufacturing waveguide-type optical components featuring a lower propagation loss at low cost in which a lower clad section (2) made of silica glass is formed on a substrate (1), and an antistatic layer and a mask layer having a desired pattern are formed on the surface of the lower clad section (2) in the order they are listed. Then, an electron beam is irradiated from above the mask layer to produce a core (6) of the desired pattern in the lower clad section (2), the mask layer and the antistatic layer are removed to expose the surface of the lower clad section (2), and an upper clad section (7) having a lower refractive index than the core (6) is formed on the exposed surface of the lower clad section (2), thus producing an optical component. The surface of the whole optical component is at a distance from the core; therefore, the scattering loss caused by minute irregularities on the surface of the optical component is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 1992Date of Patent: March 1, 1994Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hisaharu Yanagawa, Ken Ueki
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Patent number: 5284502Abstract: An automatic, rotary, glass-making press comprises a base, a rotary table mounted for rotation on the base, and glass-forming mechanisms on the table and base, for formation of glass articles at work stations around the press. A rotator is mounted for rotation to the base, and a drive pin is mounted to the rotator. The drive pin is advanced and retracted into engagement and out of engagement with the table. A rotator drive drives the rotator in reciprocating rotation, and includes opposed hydraulic drive and cushion cylinders mounted between the base and the rotator. The drive cylinder advances the rotator; the cushion cylinder cushions the advance, and returns the rotator to starting position. The drive and cushion cylinders are trunnion mounted to the base, for arcuate motion of the rods of the cylinders during rotary motion of the rotator. A control co-ordinates the advance and retraction of the drive pin and the drive and return of the rotator, for incremental forward advances of the press rotary table.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1992Date of Patent: February 8, 1994Assignee: Lynch Machinery - Miller HydroInventors: Kenneth R. Hileman, Nile Limbaugh
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Patent number: 5279633Abstract: A convenient method of producing porous silica particles is disclosed. The particles produced by the method can have impurity levels in the parts-per-billion range, and can have substantially uniform size. The particles are advantageously used to produce silica-containing glass bodies such as optical fiber preforms, silica tubes, lenses, rods and the like. The method comprises forming a silica-containing sol in comminution device or forming such a sol and introducing it into a comminution device, causing a gel to form from the sol, and comminuting the gel in the comminution device such that substantially dry, porous particles result.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1990Date of Patent: January 18, 1994Inventor: James W. Fleming
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Patent number: 5269825Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation-resistant optical fiber includes steps of a) heating a bare optical fiber to remove residual hydrogen gas present in the bare optical fiber and b) forming a coating layer consisting of a substance which does not allow permeation of hydrogen gas on the surface of the bare optical fiber from which the residual hydrogen gas has been removed.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 1992Date of Patent: December 14, 1993Assignees: Fujikura, Ltd., Japan Atomic Energy Research InstituteInventors: Kazuo Sanada, Tsunemi Kakuta
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Patent number: 5267343Abstract: A process for producing an optical fiber having enhanced radiation resitance is provided, the process including maintaining an optical fiber within a hydrogen-containing atmosphere for sufficient time to yield a hydrogen-permeated optical fiber having an elevated internal hydrogen concentration, and irradiating the hydrogen-permeated optical fiber at a time while the optical fiber has an elevated internal hydrogen concentration with a source of ionizing radiation. The radiation source is typically a cobalt-60 source and the fiber is pre-irradiated with a dose level up to about 1000 kilorads of radiation.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1992Date of Patent: November 30, 1993Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of EnergyInventors: Peter B. Lyons, Larry D. Looney
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Patent number: 5261938Abstract: A process for producing a rod glass having a refractive index distribution, which includes pressing a glass at a temperature below the glass transition temperature to form a glass having a density increased towards the surface layer thereof, or alternatively includes heating a glass at a temperature around the transition temperature at the lowest to prepare glass having a uniformly enhanced density and heating the treated glass under a pressure lower than the applied pressure at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the glass to prepare a glass having a density increased towards the central portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1992Date of Patent: November 16, 1993Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Naoyuki Kitamura, Kenichi Kinugawa, Jun Matsuoka, Kohei Fukumi, Isao Kondoh, Saburo Kose, Hiroshi Yamashita, Makoto Kinoshita
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Patent number: 5256178Abstract: A method for manufacturing optical fibers from halide glass is provided. The method includes the steps of drawing a glass mass into a fiber in a dry gas atmosphere which contains a drying agent. In a further step of the process, an OH band which may still be present can be reduced by treating the fiber with a gaseous drying agent.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1993Date of Patent: October 26, 1993Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hartmut Schneider, Armin Staudt
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Patent number: 5256177Abstract: The invention concerns a method and apparatus for producing a carbon coated optical fiber. An optical fiber is drawn through a reactor tube. Reactant gas is flowed into the tube and onto the fiber where it reacts to form a carbon coating on the fiber. The reactant gas and reaction products are flowed in the direction of movement of the fiber and out of an end of the tube and into a receiving chamber having a diameter larger than that of the reaction tube. The reactant gas continues to react as it flows through the tube and after it exits the tube. At least some of the reaction product deposit on the surface of the receiving chamber where it has no adverse effect on the draw process.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 1992Date of Patent: October 26, 1993Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventors: Randy L. Bennett, Dale R. Powers
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Patent number: 5254508Abstract: A sol-gel process for forming a germania-doped silica glass rod that is suitable for use as a preform in the manufacture of high numerical aperture optical fibers. The sol is produced by mixing together prescribed quantities of alkoxides including tetraethyl orthosilicate and tetraethyl orthogermanate, deionized water, ethanol and a precipitation catalyst such as hydrofluoric acid. Premature precipitation of germania is avoided by adding ethanol and deionized water to an alkoxide solution at a controlled, drop-wise rate and by then similarly adding the catalyst at a controlled, drop-wise rate. After drying the resulting gel, sintering is performed by chlorinating the dry gel to remove residual hydroxyl groups, then oxygenating the chlorinated gel to remove the chlorine, and finally heating the oxygenated gel in helium to a temperature of about 1300.degree. C. Chlorinating and oxygenating the gel for extended time durations, and maintaining the gel above 1200.degree. C.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1991Date of Patent: October 19, 1993Assignee: Yazaki CorporationInventors: Fikret Kirkbir, Satyabrata Raychaudhuri
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Patent number: 5254148Abstract: A method of manufacturing distributed index optical elements is disclosed. The method comprises a step of preparing silica sol including at least one of metal dopants, a step of dipping, after subjecting the silica sol to a gelling treatment, the silica gel in an elute into which a part of metal constituents other than silicon including in the gel is selectively eluted, and a step of drying and sintering the silica gel.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 1993Date of Patent: October 19, 1993Assignee: Olympus Optical Company LimitedInventors: Minoru Inami, Satoshi Noda, Morinao Fukuoka, Yuko Kurasawa
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Patent number: 5250096Abstract: Relatively large bodies of low-alkali silicate and other glass can be prepared conveniently by a particulate sol-gel process. The glass comprises at least 85 mole % SiO.sub.2, 1-12 mole % oxide of one or more of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ti and Zr, 0-6 mole % of oxide of Al, and optionally at most 2.5 mole % of oxide of elements other than Si, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ti, Zr and Al. The process comprises forming particles from a first sol that comprises Si and one or more of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Ti and Zr, and optionally additionally comprises Al. The process further comprises forming a second sol by dispersing the particles in an aqueous liquid, gelling the second sol, and heat treating the resulting gel body such that the glass results.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1992Date of Patent: October 5, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Allan J. Bruce, Eliezer M. Rabinovich
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Patent number: 5247147Abstract: Apparatus for heating a silica optical fiber in a fiber-drawing installation. The apparatus is disposed at the outlet of a fiber-drawing oven to raise the optical fiber to a temperature greater than 1000.degree. C. The apparatus is constituted by a microwave generator coupled to a resonant cavity formed by a helically-wound metal wire helix fixed at opposite ends to two short circuit metal plates respectively, with the optical fiber running substantially along the axis of the helix and the helix concentric about the running fiber.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1992Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Assignee: Alcatel N.V.Inventors: Jean-Yves Boniort, Claude Brehm, Georges Roussy
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Patent number: 5244846Abstract: An optical functioning glass for enabling optical amplification at 1.3-.mu.m wavelength band or increasing efficiency of the amplification is disclosed. The optical functioning glass contains Nd.sup.3+ as an active material and uranium, both of which are doped in a multi-component function glass serving as a host glass. Since uranium is doped in the optical functioning glass, light emission of Nd.sup.3+ in the 1.06-.mu.m wavelength band can be absorbed by uranium. A decrease in efficiency of induced emission in a 1.3-.mu.m wavelength band can be prevented, and an optical functioning glass suitable for optical amplification in the 1.3-.mu.m wavelength band can be obtained. When a fiber is formed using the optical functioning glass as a core, a low-threshold, high-gain fiber amplifier, fiber laser, and the like can be obtained.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 1992Date of Patent: September 14, 1993Assignees: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.Inventors: Masashi Onishi, Koji Nakazato, Hiroo Kanamori, Minoru Watanabe, Yoshiaki Miyajima
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Patent number: 5244485Abstract: The method of manufacturing a silica glass preform comprises the steps of inserting a rod-like member mainly containing a ductile material, into a forming space of a mold, charging the remaining space of the forming space with a forming material containing silica glass powder or doped silica glass powder, compressing the mold charged with the forming material from outside such as to form a porous glass body of the forming material around the rod-like member, removing the rod-like member from the porous glass body, inserting a glass rod into the hole formed after removal of the rod-like member, purifying said porous glass body in which the glass rod is inserted, and consolidating said porous glass body purified in the above purifying step.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 1992Date of Patent: September 14, 1993Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Hihara, Masato Oku, Takeshi Yagi, Noritsugu Enomoto, Tsuguo Sato, Kazuaki Yoshida, Takayuki Morikawa
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Patent number: 5242478Abstract: An optical waveguide forming process is disclosed which enables glass waveguides to be deposited on metalized substrates without substantial degradation of the wiring of the substrate. The process involves the use of carbon material to protect the metal wiring on or embedded in the substrate during the consolidation phase of the waveguide formation. The carbon plate reacts readily with oxygen impurities to control the oxygen partial Pressure during the consolidation phase.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1991Date of Patent: September 7, 1993Assignee: Photonic Integration Research, Inc.Inventor: C. Jacob Sun
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Patent number: 5242477Abstract: An optical fiber (24), destined to receive a hermetic coating (32), is moved through a hermetic coating apparatus (30) wherein the fiber, entering the hermetic coating apparatus as a predetermined temperature, is caused to be engaged by a reactive gas. The reactive gas, reacting with the heated fiber, is effective to cause a layer of a hermetic material to be deposited adjacent to the outer surface of the fiber. A cross-flow purge gas is effective to prevent a resultant accumulation of a soot comprising reactive components of the reactive gas adjacent to portions of the hermetic coating apparatus which become heated by the fiber. Failure to prevent the accumulation of the soot may lead to fiber abrasions and reduced fiber strength.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 1992Date of Patent: September 7, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Don R. Edmonston, Richard G. Huff
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Patent number: 5242476Abstract: For the production of glass fiber optical waveguides with increased tensile strength, these are drawn from a glass preform with a single-layer or multi-layer of additional sheathing of a glass material, with the material of at least the outermost layer in each case having a lower coefficient of thermal expansion as compared with the layer located underneath it or with the material of the preform. During the drawing process, the fiber is drawn from the preform in the cold state with increased tensile force of 70 to 200 cN.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 1992Date of Patent: September 7, 1993Assignee: Kabelmetal Electro GmbHInventors: Ulrich Bartel, Bernd Lange
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Patent number: 5240488Abstract: Lowered cost fabrication including preparation of large bodies of void-free, high-silica glass, depends upon gellation of an aqueous sol of colloidal silica particles, followed by drying and firing of such gel. Freedom from cracks in the dried gel is the consequence of included polymeric material which wets the particles. The polymeric material is removed by thermal decomposition attended upon temperature attained in firing.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1992Date of Patent: August 31, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Edwin A. Chandross, Debra A. Fleming, David W. Johnson, Jr., John B. MacChesney, Frederick W. Walz, Jr.
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Patent number: 5236481Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a doped glass article. Heated glass particles are deposited on a mandrel where they adhere together to form a porous glass preform having interconnective pores. The mandrel is removed to form a tubular preform having an axial aperture. The preform is suspended in a consolidation furnace by a gas conducting handle having a dopant containing chamber. As the handle and preform are heated, there is flowed through the chamber a gas that reacts with the heated dopant to form a reactant gas that flows into the aperture and into pores, whereby a dopant is incorporated into the porous glass preform. The doped preform is heat treated to consolidate it into an elongated non-porous glass body containing the dopant. The glass body can be provided with cladding glass and drawn into an optical fiber.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 1992Date of Patent: August 17, 1993Assignee: Corning IncorporatedInventor: George E. Berkey
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Patent number: 5236483Abstract: A method for preparing a silica glass article of improved purity is provided. The article is prepared by a sol-gel method and is then heat treated to a selected temperature between about 1500.degree. and 2200.degree. C. and maintained at the selected temperature for a predetermined period of time sufficient to remove silica crystals, inclusions, microcracks and bubbles. The resulting silica glass articles have improved purity and can be used as photomask substrates or as preforms for optical fibers.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1992Date of Patent: August 17, 1993Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Satoru Miyashita, Sadao Kanbe, Motoyuki Toki, Tetsuhiko Takeuchi, Hirohito Kitabayashi
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Patent number: 5236482Abstract: A glass preform for use in the fabrication of an optical fiber having a reduced transmission loss is produced by synthesizing a soot preform by a vapor synthesis method and consolidating the soot preform in an electric furnace to obtain a glass preform, wherein an intermediate body consisting of a core portion and an inner part of a cladding portion is consolidated under atmospheric pressure and an outer part of the cladding portion which surrounds a periphery of the intermediated body is consolidated under reduced pressure or in vacuo.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 1992Date of Patent: August 17, 1993Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Toshio Danzuka, Masumi Ito, Tatsuhiko Saito, Ichiro Tsuchiya
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Patent number: 5235659Abstract: Unexpectedly large normalized refractive index changes (.DELTA.>10.sup.-5, but possibly even larger than 10.sup.-3) can be obtained in SiO.sub.2 -based optical waveguides (fiber or planar waveguides) by a treatment that comprises exposing at least a portion of the waveguide at a temperature of at most 250.degree. C. to H.sub.2 (partial pressure greater than 1 atmosphere), and irradiating at least a part of the exposed portion with actinic (typically UV) radiation.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1992Date of Patent: August 10, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: Robert M. Atkins, Paul J. Lemaire, Victor Mizrahi, Kenneth L. Walker
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Patent number: 5228893Abstract: As an optical fiber (12) is being drawn, air (14) is directed at a portion of the fiber as a succession of air pulses, the pulses having a frequency near the natural frequency of the fiber portion. The frequency of the air pulses is then varied over a range of frequencies that includes the natural frequency of the fiber portion. When the air pulse frequency equals the natural frequency of the fiber portion, a resonance occurs which greatly amplifies the amplitude of the vibration of the fiber portion. The large deflection of the fiber that occurs at resonance is easy to detect, and the air pulse frequency which causes such maximum deflection is taken as being equal to the resonant frequency and therefore to the natural frequency of the fiber portion. Changes of the detected resonant frequency can be interpreted in a straightforward manner as changes in optical fiber tension which, in turn, are used to make compensatory changes of the temperature of the furnace (10).Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 1991Date of Patent: July 20, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: David H. Smithgall, Alan T. Woodward
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Patent number: 5226940Abstract: A process for producing optical fibers of high tensile strength, wherein the fiber is pulled from a glass mass of halide glass and includes surrounding the fiber and mass with a dry gas atmosphere containing a drying agent which reacts with moisture and this dry gas atmosphere includes fluorine-containing agents, in particular NF.sub.3, as the drying agent.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1992Date of Patent: July 13, 1993Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Hartmut Schneider, Armin Staudt
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Patent number: 5222180Abstract: An optical fiber bundle 10 is disclosed including a plurality of polymer optical fibers 12 disposed within a rigid sleeve 14. The fibers have been drawn to a draw ratio of at least 1:1.5 prior to placing them within the sleeve, whereupon the structure 13 is heated to induce elastic relaxation of the fibers which contract in length and expand in girth. The expansion within the rigid sleeve results in a close-packed geometry.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 1992Date of Patent: June 22, 1993Assignee: Hoechst Celanese Corp.Inventors: James E. Kuder, Douglas P. Karim, Martin Schorning
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Patent number: 5221306Abstract: The transverse cross section of a body is modified by the steps of: a) determining the extent to which the body has material in excess of a desired shape at a plurality of points, b) exposing the body to a local heat source having a temperature sufficiently high to remove material from the surface of the body, and c) moving the surface of the body in relation to the source at a speed which decreases in regions where the body has material in excess of the desired shape so as to remove more material from such regions than from other regions. In a preferred embodiment, the body is an optical fiber preform, the local heat source is the fireball of a plasma torch, and the body is moved relative to the torch by rotating the preform at a controllable angular velocity while the torch is translated along the length of the preform.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 1990Date of Patent: June 22, 1993Assignee: AT&T Bell LaboratoriesInventors: James W. Fleming, Jr., Adolph H. Moesle, Jr., Fred P. Partus
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Patent number: 5221307Abstract: A preform for a polarization retaining optical fiber is produced by making at least two bores symmetrically around a center axis of a preform comprising a core part and a cladding part which surrounds the core part, decreasing a diameter of one end of each bore, or connecting a glass tube to one end of the preform, the glass tube having a part with a smaller inner diameter near its end which is connected to the preform, inserting a first glass rod, a stressing member and a second glass rod in this order from the other end of each bore or from an end of each bore which is remote from the connected glass tube, contacting the first glass rod to the diameter-decreased end of each bore or to the part with a smaller inner diameter of the glass tube, and heating and fusing the second glass rod to the preform.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 1992Date of Patent: June 22, 1993Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Takagi, Hiroshi Suganuma, Hiroo Kanamori
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Patent number: 5217516Abstract: A refractive index profile in a glass article is easily controlled by heating a solid or hollow cylindrical glass soot preform in an atmosphere comprising a fluorine-containing compound under such conditions that a partial pressure of the fluorine-containing compound is changed as the heating proceeds so as to control a fluorine concentration in a radial direction of the optical glass article.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 1991Date of Patent: June 8, 1993Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Ishiguro, Hiroo Kanamori, Akira Urano, Michihisa Kyoto
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Patent number: H1259Abstract: A process for producing long length fluoride glass preforms, by producing a fluoride glass rod of core glass, overcoating the core glass rod with fluoride cladding glass to form a core/clad unit, and overcoating the core/clad unit with an oxide glass overclad.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 1990Date of Patent: December 7, 1993Inventors: Ishwar D. Aggarwal, Daniel Brower, Grant Lu
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Patent number: H1268Abstract: A technique and apparatus for detecting the internal rotation of the principal axes in the fabrication of birefringent fibers is based upon a new method for producing and interpreting the interference fringe pattern backscattered power from a birefringent fiber side-illuminated with a laser light source to determine the internal orientation of the strain-inducing axes. An apparatus employing this technique for controlling internal rotation of the principal axes provides for adjustment of the orientation of at least one of the traction surfaces pulling the fiber during drawing fabrication to maintain parallel alignment of the planes of rotation of the surfaces to reduce the fiber rotation-inducing motion which leads to internal rotation of the fiber's principal axes.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 1992Date of Patent: December 7, 1993Inventors: Charles G. Askins, Michael J. Marrone