Abstract: Fiberizing bushings for fiberizing molten materials including molten glass are heated by applying a voltage drop across the bushings wherein molten material flows through an array of hollow tips attached to, or integral with, a tip plate having orifices therein that generally align with channels through the hollow tips to form fibers. The uniformity of the diameter of the fibers produced is much improved by using tips of different lengths and/or tips having channels of differing ID's to compensate for unequal electrical heating and/or cooling effects of drawn-in ambient air that cools the tips on the extreme outer periphery and/or cooling or heating effects of external supports or cooling members running through the array of tips that cools or heats adjacent tips more than the interior tips.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bushing (10) having a glass outlet portion (18) in which two nozzle holes (12) of substantially flat shape are arranged, and permitting molten glass to be drawn out of the nozzle holes (12), and the bushing is provided with a concomitant flow guide (20) for guiding a concomitant flow made with drawing of the molten glass out of the nozzle holes (12), to between the nozzle holes (12).

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric is constructed of a highly flat glass fiber which is a glass fiber whose section is flat and has a flatness ratio of 2.0 to 10 and which has such a section that the packing fraction is at least 85%, preferably at least 90%. In this nonwoven fabric, the glass fiber section has a shape near rectangle, and hence, the glass fibers can be arranged very densely to form a thin nonwoven fabric having a high bulk density, and when it is used as a laminate material, the glass fiber content can be increased and the surface smoothness can simultaneously be enhanced and can be used appropriately as a reinforcing material for a printed wiring board. Moreover, the above flat glass fiber can be produced by use of, for example, a nozzle having such a shape that one side of the major axis walls of a nozzle chip having a flat nozzle hole is partly notched.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric is constructed of a highly flat glass fiber which is a glass fiber whose section is flat and has a flatness ratio of 2.0 to 10 and which has such a section that the packing fraction is at least 85%, preferably at least 90%. In this nonwoven fabric, the glass fiber section has a shape near rectangle, and hence, the glass fibers can be arranged very densely to form a thin nonwoven fabric having a high bulk density, and when it is used as a laminate material, the glass fiber content can be increased and the surface smoothness can simultaneously be enhanced and can be used appropriately as a reinforcing material for a printed wiring board. Moreover, the above flat glass fiber can be produced by use of, for example, a nozzle having such a shape that one side of the major axis walls of a nozzle chip having a flat nozzle hole is partly notched.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making an optical fiber and an optical fiber made in accordance with the inventive method. The method includes the step of drawing an optical fiber from a multiple crucible apparatus, wherein one of the crucibles of the apparatus has a non-symmetrical orifice (not shown). The inventive fiber has at least a core and cladding. At least one section of the inventive fiber includes an orientation element.

Abstract: A nonwoven fabric is constructed of a highly flat glass fiber which is a glass fiber whose section is flat and has a flatness ratio of 2.0 to 10 and which has such a section that the packing fraction is at least 85%, preferably at least 90%. In this nonwoven fabric, the glass fiber section has a shape near rectangle, and hence, the glass fibers can be arranged very densely to form a thin nonwoven fabric having a high bulk density, and when it is used as a laminate material, the glass fiber content can be increased and the surface smoothness can simultaneously be enhanced and can be used appropriately as a reinforcing material for a printed wiring board. Moreover, the above flat glass fiber can be produced by use of, for example, a nozzle having such a shape that one side of the major axis walls of a nozzle chip having a flat nozzle hole is partly notched.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bushing (10) having a glass outlet portion (18) in which two nozzle holes (12) of substantially flat shape are arranged, and permitting molten glass to be drawn out of the nozzle holes (12), and the bushing is provided with a concomitant flow guide (20) for guiding a concomitant flow made with drawing of the molten glass out of the nozzle holes (12), to between the nozzle holes (12).

Abstract: A spinner is adapted to be fixed at one end of a rotatable shaft in a fiberizer, the spinner including a radial wall extending radially out from the shaft and having an upper surface, a dam separating the upper surface into an inner portion and an outer portion, a lower surface, at least one first flow hole connecting the upper surface to the lower surface, and at least one second flow hole connecting the inner portion and the outer portion of said upper surface, and an outer peripheral wall connected to the radial wall and having a plurality of orifices therethrough.

Abstract: A bushing base plate comprised of a bushing base raw plate containing a circular or irregular aperture having inner surfaces and inner diameters; and a hollow tube having outer surfaces and out diameters which is inserted into the aperture and bonded thereto by thermal diffusion. Prior to insertion of the tube in the aperture, the outer diameters are greater than the inner diameters, thereby producing a pressing force between the outer surfaces of the tube and the inner surfaces of the aperture.

Abstract: A spinner is adapted to be fixed at one end of a rotatable shaft in a fiberizer, the spinner including a radial wall extending radially out from the shaft and having an upper surface, a dam separating the upper surface into an inner portion and an outer portion, a lower surface, at least one first flow hole connecting the upper surface to the lower surface, and at least one second flow hole connecting the inner portion and the outer portion of said upper surface, and an outer peripheral wall connected to the radial wall and having a plurality of orifices therethrough.

Abstract: Apparatus for making dual-component thermoplastic fibers, such as glass fibers, comprises a spinner having an orificed peripheral wall for centrifuging fibers from thermoplastic material, the spinner having vertically aligned compartments with first and second thermoplastic materials in alternate compartments, and a series of elongated orifices in the peripheral wall in communication with each of two adjacent compartments to enable centrifuging of both the first and second thermoplastic materials from a single orifice.

Abstract: The invention provides a nozzle tip for manufacturing a glass fiber having a deformed cross-section which is of a large deformation ratio in the cross-section. A plurality of projected edges are provided to extend downwardly from the distal end of a nozzle tip at its outer periphery. Molten glass coming out of an orifice is separated at an outlet of the orifice into a flow descending from the orifice center and flows descending along inner walls of the projected edges, and the flow descending from the orifice center is attracted toward the flows descending along the inner walls of the projected edges. As a result, a glass fiber having a deformed cross-section is produced which is protruding in its portions corresponding to the projected edges. The cross-section of the glass fiber produced by using the present nozzle tip has a deformation ratio not less than 2.3.