Having Gas Feeding Or Withdrawal Means Patents (Class 65/530)
  • Patent number: 12098884
    Abstract: A support tooling for porous preforms intended to be infiltrated by a molten metal includes a rack including two suspension bars each extending longitudinally along a first direction, the suspension bars being held spaced apart from one another along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a plurality or porous preform supports removably mounted on the suspension bars, each support including a first portion connected to one of the suspension bars by a connection sliding along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and a second portion extending from the first portion and including support elements which are able to hold a porous preform by point or linear contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN CERAMICS
    Inventors: Rémi Pierre Robert Bouvier, Charles Leleu, Gautier Mecuson
  • Patent number: 8567218
    Abstract: A burner for a vapour deposition process has a central nozzle for ejecting a glass precursor material, at least a crown of nozzles surrounding said central nozzle for ejecting a flame reactant, and a circular nozzle between said central nozzle and said crown of nozzles for ejecting an innershield gas, wherein the central nozzle has a concave shape in a cross section in the axial plane and, preferably, a symmetry about an axial plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi Energia S.r.l.
    Inventors: Carlo Cognolato, Francesco Mole′, Andrea Demergazzi, Franco Veronelli
  • Publication number: 20120318025
    Abstract: A device for contracting a hollow substrate tube made of quartz glass into an optical perform including a heat source movable relative to the longitudinal direction of the substrate tube and an insert tube positioned in the interior of the substrate tube, at one end thereof, provided with a central opening through which a gas is passed and supplied to the interior of the substrate tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: Draka Comteq B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Eugen Aldea
  • Publication number: 20110314874
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass perform, includes: a dummy tube section, a reservoir portion, and a cooling portion; and a glass tube section in which particles of an alkali metal compound or an alkaline earth metal compound which have flowed into the glass tube section from the dummy tube section are heated by a second heat source which performs traverse, and oxides of the particles being deposited on an inner wall and dispersed in the glass tube section. In the cooling portion of the dummy tube section, vapor of the alkali metal compound or the alkaline earth metal compound generated by heating of a first heat source is cooled and condensed by a dry gas flowing into the dummy tube section, and thereby the particles are generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventor: Takayuki KITAMURA
  • Patent number: 8079234
    Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a porous glass base material by depositing glass particles, which has a chamber having air inlets, and an air distribution container having air outlets from which clean air is supplied to the air inlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Makoto Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8069690
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a glass body that includes a multiplicity of constituents, at least one of which is a dopant (e.g., a rare-earth element) having a low vapor pressure (LVP) precursor comprises the steps of: (a) generating an aerosol from the LVP precursor; (b) separately generating vapors of the other constituents; (c) convecting the aerosol and vapors to deposition system including a substrate; and (d) forming at least one doped layer on a surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, the method also includes filtering the aerosol so as to remove aerosol particles outside of a particular range of sizes. Also described is a unique aerosol generator that is particularly useful in generating aerosols of rare-earth dopants. Particular embodiments directed to the fabrication of Yb-doped optical fibers are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: OFS Fitel, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Michael DeSantolo, Robert Scott Windeler
  • Patent number: 7866188
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for carrying out a PCVD deposition process, wherein one or more doped or undoped layers are coated onto the interior of a glass substrate tube, which apparatus comprises an applicator having an inner and an outer wall and a microwave guide which opens into the applicator, which applicator extends around a cylindrical axis and which is provided with a passage adjacent to the inner wall, through which the microwaves can exit, over which cylindrical axis the substrate tube can be positioned, and wherein at least one choke of annular shape having a length l and a width w is centred around the cylindrical axis within the applicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Draka Comteq, B.V.
    Inventors: Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas Van Stralen, Rob Hubertus Matheus Deckers
  • Patent number: 7866189
    Abstract: A dehydration-sintering furnace for dehydrating and/or sintering an optical fiber preform for use in production of an optical fiber includes a muffle for accommodating the optical fiber preform, a heater for heating the muffle, and a pressure fluctuation absorbing apparatus connected to the muffle. Since the pressure fluctuation absorbing apparatus is thermally insulated from a room temperature atmosphere or heated, vapor produced in a dehydration-sintering process is prevented from condensing (liquefying) in a pressure fluctuation absorbing apparatus, thereby preventing reduced dehydration effectiveness in the muffle and reduced quality of the optical fiber preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Fujikura Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Saitou, Naritoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7823418
    Abstract: A glass base material manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a glass base material comprising: a plurality burners, arranged in a row at a predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of a starting base material of the glass base material, for forming a deposit, which is a base material of the glass base material by depositing glass soot on the starting base material while moving reciprocatory over a section of the entire length of the starting base material along the longitudinal direction of the starting base material; a plurality of flow rate regulators, at least one of which is connected to the plurality of burners, respectively, for regulating a flow rate of raw material gas of the glass soot, which is supplied to the plurality of burners; and a control unit connected to each of the plurality of flow rate regulators for controlling individually the plurality of flow rate regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadakatsu Shimada, Yuuji Tobisaka, Kazuhisa Hatayama, Hideo Hirasawa
  • Publication number: 20100154479
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for manufacturing an optical preform. The method includes supplying dopant-containing glass-forming gases to the interior of a hollow glass substrate tube. Furthermore, the supply flow of dopant-containing glass-forming gases includes a main gas flow and one or more secondary gas flows. The secondary gas flows are divided into subflows, which are supplied to the interior of the hollow glass substrate tube together with the main gas flow. The method further includes effecting deposition of glass layers on the interior surface of the hollow glass substrate tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: DRAKA COMTEQ B.V.
    Inventors: Igor Milicevic, Mattheus Jacobus Nicolaas van Stralen, Johannes Antoon Hartsuiker, Roland Gerhardres Jacobus Maria Heuvelmans
  • Publication number: 20090145169
    Abstract: A furnace for drawing an optical fiber includes a body having an upper and lower openings for supplying a preform and discharging a drawn optical fiber, a heating unit installed in the body for receiving and melting the preform, an atmosphere blocking tube installed to the lower opening for discharging the drawn optical fiber and blocking the optical fiber from the atmosphere, an upper introduction port formed at an upper portion of the body for introducing an inert gas toward the preform and partially discharged outside through a gap between the preform and the upper opening, a central and lower introduction ports formed at central and lower portions for introducing an inert gas into the body, a first flow guiding means for guiding the inert gas introduced through the central introduction port upward and then flowed down along a surface of the preform, and a second flow guiding means for guiding the inert gas introduced through the lower introduction port upward and then discharged outside through the atmosp
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: LG Cable
    Inventors: Sang-Joon Bae, Young-II Kwon, Joon-Keun Lee, Chul-Min Kim, Myung-Ho Jang
  • Publication number: 20090100876
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical fiber base material includes: forming a porous glass base material by depositing glass particles; providing a synthetic quartz glass vessel at least partly made of quartz glass which contains aluminum equal to or less than 0.01 ppm; introducing dehydration reaction gas and inert gas into the vessel; heating a portion made of quartz glass which contains aluminum equal to or less than 0.01 ppm in the vessel that contains the dehydration reaction gas and the inert gas; and inserting the porous glass base material into the heated vessel to dehydrate and sinter the porous glass base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Applicant: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dai Inoue, Hiroyuki Koide, Takaaki Nagao
  • Patent number: 7415844
    Abstract: A device for manufacturing a preform of glass material for optical fibres. A chemical deposition chamber, at least one burner mobile along a direction Z and adapted to deposit a chemical substance on at least an elongated element positioned along an axis Z-Z, at least one suction element mobile along the direction Z for collecting exhaust chemical substances, a collector tube associated with the at least one suction element and adapted to discharge the exhaust chemical substances outside the chemical deposition chamber through an exhaust opening formed on a wall of the chamber, and a coupling device between the collector tube and the wall at the exhaust opening, allowing sliding of the collector along the direction Z and along a direction X towards/away from the axis z-z.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Prysmian Cavi e Sistemi Energia S.R.L.
    Inventors: Giacomo Stefano Roba, Franco Veronelli
  • Patent number: 7391946
    Abstract: Disclosed is a low-attenuation single-mode optical fiber having a photoconductive core and a clad, which shows very low OH concentration in MFD (Mode Field Diameter) region. The optical fiber includes a core positioned at its center for photoconduction, and a dehydrated clad and a base clad which are coated on the clad in order. The dehydrated clad has a substantially identical refractive index to the base clad. A refractive index of the core is greater than those of the dehydrated clad and the base clad. The dehydrated clad has a relatively lower OH concentration than the base clad. The region composed of the core and the dehydrated clad has an MFD region at which OH concentration is less than 0.8 ppb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: LS Cable Ltd.
    Inventors: Chan-Joo Lee, Ki-Wan Jang, Young-Beom Seo
  • Publication number: 20070137257
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a glass body that includes a multiplicity of constituents, at least one of which is a dopant (e.g., a rare-earth element) having a low vapor pressure (LVP) precursor comprises the steps of: (a) generating an aerosol from the LVP precursor; (b) separately generating vapors of the other constituents; (c) convecting the aerosol and vapors to deposition system including a substrate; and (d) forming at least one doped layer on a surface of the substrate. In one embodiment, the method also includes filtering the aerosol so as to remove aerosol particles outside of a particular range of sizes. Also described is a unique aerosol generator that is particularly useful in generating aerosols of rare-earth dopants. Particular embodiments directed to the fabrication of Yb-doped optical fibers are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Inventors: Anthony Michael DeSantolo, Robert Scott Windeler
  • Patent number: 7213416
    Abstract: A glass base material manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a glass base material comprising: a plurality burners, arranged in a row at a predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of a starting base material of the glass base material, for forming a deposit, which is a base material of the glass base material by depositing glass soot on the starting base material while moving reciprocatory over a section of the entire length of the starting base material along the longitudinal direction of the starting base material; a plurality of flow rate regulators, at least one of which is connected to the plurality of burners, respectively, for regulating a flow rate of raw material gas of the glass soot, which is supplied to the plurality of burners; and a control unit connected to each of the plurality of flow rate regulators for controlling individually the plurality of flow rate regulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadakatsu Shimada, Yuuji Tobisaka, Kazuhisa Hatayama, Hideo Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 7137279
    Abstract: A cap assembly for collecting cooling gas from a coolant chamber tube is disclosed. The cap assembly having connecting means and outlet means extending from its side walls being generally shaped and sized for detachable mounting on the body of the cooling gas chamber tube. The cap assembly is also employed in a hot optical fiber process which is being cooled by helium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: The BOC Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaping Lu, Arthur I. Shirley, Neeraj Saxena, Paul A. Propsner, Lip Yee Lee
  • Patent number: 7080528
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a highly uniform low cost production worthy solution for manufacturing low propagation loss optical waveguides on a substrate. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of forming a PSG optical waveguide on an undercladding layer of a substrate that includes forming at least one silicate glass optical core on said undercladding layer using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process including a silicon source gas, an oxygen source gas, and a phosphorus source gas, wherein the oxygen source gas and silicon source gas have a ratio of oxygen atoms to silicon atoms greater than 20:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hichem M'Saad, Anchuan Wang, Sang Ahn
  • Patent number: 7046886
    Abstract: A system and method in accordance with the present invention applies short bursts of a high temperature fluid to a hydrogen-loaded fiber to relocate the hydrogen within the fiber in the proximity of the fiber's core—to achieve a fiber having significantly improved photosensitivity. A stronger fiber grating is realized when the fiber is subsequently exposed to ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: 3SAE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Wiley
  • Patent number: 6945079
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for drawing an optical fiber for controlling polarization mode dispersion. A furnace is provided for uniformly heating an optical fiber preform in the drawing system mounted to an optical fiber draw tower. The furnace comprises: (a) a main body; (b) a sub-body placed coaxially with the main body and having a diameter smaller than that of the main body; and (c) an upper gas feeding section over the main body, wherein the upper gas feeding section includes a first hollow rotary body having at least one slit in the inner surface thereof along the longitudinal direction of an optical fiber and at least one opening extended in the direction of the center, whereby a gas artificially/periodically creates non-contact polarization to the optical fiber by the first hollow rotary body. Effective non-contact control can be carried out about polarization mode dispersion of the optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung-Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-Koog Oh, Jin-Han Kim
  • Patent number: 6941773
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an optical fiber soot, which comprises a core partition having an opening portion at core burner side provided on a periphery of a core burner, in a reactor of the apparatus to be used in a conventional VAD method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Wada, Kiyoshi Arima, Masahide Kuwabara, Sadayuki Toda
  • Patent number: 6901775
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a uniform coating thickness along an axial direction within an internal portion of a substrate tube is disclosed. A gas delivery unit is configured to coat the internal portion of the substrate tube. The gas delivery unit includes an insert. At least one of an inner diameter of the insert, a length of the insert, a gap between the insert and the substrate tube, and a flow of the gas mixture delivered to the substrate tube is configured to provide the uniform coating thickness along the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe J. de Sandro, Keith L. House, Joohyun Koh, Prantik Mazumder
  • Patent number: 6857293
    Abstract: An apparatus that exposes only a selected portion of a length of optical fiber to a hydrogen atmosphere loading process. The apparatus includes a loading chamber that encloses at least the selected portion of the optical fiber and contains a hydrogen hydrogen atmosphere. At least one heating element regionally heats the hydrogen atmosphere surrounding the selected portion. The heating element may heat the hydrogen atmosphere to a temperature of at least 250° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: James B. Carpenter, John P. Stedman, James R. Bylander, Gordon Wiegand, Nicholas A. Stacey, Anthony W. Gatica, Dale E. Elder, James F. Brennan, III
  • Publication number: 20040244428
    Abstract: A device for manufacturing a preform of glass material for optical fibres. A chemical deposition chamber, at least one burner mobile along a direction Z and adapted to deposit a chemical substance on at least an elongated element positioned along an axis Z-Z, at least one suction element mobile along the direction Z for collecting exhaust chemical substances, a collector tube associated with the at least one suction element and adapted to discharge the exhaust chemical substances outside the chemical deposition chamber through an exhaust opening formed on a wall of the chamber, and a coupling device between the collector tube and the wall at the exhaust opening, allowing sliding of the collector along the direction Z and along a direction X towards/away from the axis z-z.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Inventors: Giacomo Stefano Roba, Franco Veronelli
  • Publication number: 20040187525
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a soot particle and apparatus for making such soot particle. Preferably the method of making the soot particle is substantially free of the step of combusting a fuel and substantially free of the step of forming a plasma. Preferably, the apparatus is devoid of a heating element associated with both combustion and formation of a plasma. A preferred technique for at least one heating step for forming the soot particle is induction heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Calvin T. Coffey, Amy L. Rovelstad
  • Patent number: 6748768
    Abstract: A method for doping silica soot with fluorine during laydown, including providing a bait rod, and providing a burner, wherein the burner emits a reactant flame. The method also including providing at least one first gas-feed separate from the burner, wherein the gas-feed supplies a first jet of fluorine-based gases, and depositing a layer of silica soot on the bait rod by vaporizing a silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner. The method further including supplying the first jet of fluorine-based gases to the silica soot deposited on to the bait rod via the first gas-feed subsequent to vaporizing at least a portion of the silica producing gas within the reactant flame of the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael J. Lehman, Vaidyanathan Srikant, Jeffery S. Stone
  • Patent number: 6735986
    Abstract: A method for fusing an optical fiber preform comprises fusing the preform while blowing an oxidative gas against the preform to be fused from upper and lower directions of a fusing burner unit. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a plurality of nozzles for preventing deposition of silica cloud, which are each set at an angle, &thgr;, of blowing the oxidative gas relative to the preform being drawn such 20°≦&thgr;≦60°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Suzuki, Hideo Hirasawa, Tadakatsu Shimada
  • Publication number: 20040055336
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a container filled with a gas containing hydrogen, and an optical element of silica glass which is accommodated in the container. The optical element is subjected to a heat treatment in a hydrogen atmosphere before being accommodated in the container. Within the container, the hydrogen concentration of the gas containing hydrogen is set to be less than 4% by volume, and the hydrogen having a partial pressure of in the range of 0.01 to 500 kgf/cm2 (0.98 to 49,000 kPa). By maintaining the optical element in an ambient containing hydrogen, defects in the silica glass are minimized even when high energy light such as ultraviolet light is emitted over a long period. Therefore, an increase in transmission loss and optical distortions in the silica glass are prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Applicant: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Nakatate, Takashi Tsumanuma
  • Patent number: 6672112
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass base material, which is a base material of an optical fiber, comprising: a base rod, around and along which said glass base material is formed; a burner that hydrolyzes and accumulates a gas material, which is a base material of said glass base material, around and along said base rod; a first burner-moving-unit that moves said burner in a direction parallel with a longitudinal direction of said base rod; and a second burner-moving-unit that moves said first burner-moving-unit in a same moving direction of said first burner-moving-unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co.
    Inventors: Yuuji Tobisaka, Tadakatsu Shimada, Hiroshi Machida, Masataka Watanabe, Hiroshi Tsumura, Hideo Hirasawa
  • Publication number: 20030217569
    Abstract: A preform for a low loss fiber optic cable and method and apparatus for fabricating such a preform is provided. The method includes providing AlCl3 and CVD precursors and locally doping CaCl3. Alkali and/or alkaline earth fluxing agents can be introduced. The alkali and/or alkaline earths are doped along with the aluminum into the silica glass core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Publication date: November 27, 2003
    Inventors: George H. Sigel, Daniel S. Homa
  • Publication number: 20030115911
    Abstract: An apparatus that exposes only a selected portion of a length of optical fiber to a hydrogen atmosphere loading process. The apparatus includes a loading chamber that encloses at least the selected portion of the optical fiber and contains a hydrogen hydrogen atmosphere. At least one heating element regionally heats the hydrogen atmosphere surrounding the selected portion. The heating element may heat the hydrogen atmosphere to a temperature of at least 250° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: James B. Carpenter, John P. Stedman, James R. Bylander, Gordon Wiegand, Nicholas A. Stacey, Anthony W. Gatica, Dale E. Elder, James F. Brennan
  • Publication number: 20030115909
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of PCVD methods of making an optical fiber and apparatuses for use in PCVD methods. The disclosed methods and apparatuses improve the PCVD process by enhancing the efficiency of the deposition process. The use of the disclosed methods and apparatuses, individually or in combination thereof, will result in at least reducing the time necessary to deposit a predetermined amount of glass on a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventors: Keith L. House, Samir Khanna, Barton G. Lane, Prantik Mazumder
  • Publication number: 20030074927
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a dual-type system for producing optical fibers. According to this system, a draw tower is partitioned into a first spinning chamber and a second spinning chamber by a central partition frame. A preform feed unit, a furnace, a spinning nozzle and a diameter gauge are installed on each of the first and second spinning chambers in order to spin an optical fiber. Two coating units are installed at the lowest unit of the draw tower at positions corresponding to the first and second spinning chambers and used for coating the surfaces of the optical fibers spun and drawn through the first and second spinning chambers. Two ducts each having a filter are installed on a side of each unit of the draw tower at positions corresponding to the first and second spinning chambers for supplying fresh air to the optical fibers so as to prevent the optical fibers from absorbing foreign substances in addition to cooling the optical fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Youn-Ho Kuk, Tae-Youn Ko
  • Patent number: 6543257
    Abstract: A porous optical fiber preform dehydration and sintering apparatus capable of improving the sealing performance between an upper lid and an elevating shaft and between the upper lid and a furnace tube or a furnace body, wherein an upper opening of a furnace tube for accommodating a porous optical fiber preform is shut by the upper lid, a preform holder is provided at the bottom end of an elevating shaft passing through the upper lid to be freely elevated therethrough, the porous optical fiber preform in the furnace tube is heated by a heater provided around the outer circumference of the furnace tube, the upper lid is formed by a metal, the preform holder is formed by a quartz glass or a ceramic, a corrosion-resistant layer is provided on an inner surface of the upper lid, a seal member made of rubber or resin is provided in an elevating shaft passage of the upper lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Koaizawa, Nobuaki Orita, Junichi Takeda, Satoshi Sugiyama, Yoshiyuki Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 6532776
    Abstract: A method for fusing an optical fiber preform comprises fusing the preform while blowing an oxidative gas against the preform to be fused from upper and lower directions of a fusing burner unit. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a plurality of nozzles for preventing deposition of silica cloud, which are each set at an angle, &thgr;, of blowing the oxidative gas relative to the preform being drawn such 20°≦&thgr;≦60°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Suzuki, Hideo Hirasawa, Tadakatsu Shimada
  • Publication number: 20030029204
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for fabricating a glass preform used in the manufacture of optical waveguides. The method utilizes a gas phase hydrolysis of a silica precursor without using a carrier gas. The flow of the reactants in the reaction chamber is confined and deposited on the target preform by careful control of the thermal profile in the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: GIACOMO STEFANO ROBA, MONZA, MARCO ARIMONDI, DONATA PICCOLO, SABRINA FOGLIANI, SEGRATE
  • Patent number: 6510711
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and method for sintering an over-jacketing tube in the zone sintering phase of an optical fiber preform fabrication process using a sol-gel process. The sintering apparatus includes: a processing tube; a gel tube assembly connected to a top rotation cap positioned at the top opening of the processing tube and being rotated at a predetermined rate, a ceramic pin extending downwardly from the center axis of the rotation cap, and a gel tube suspended from the bottom of the ceramic pin and suspended along the same axle of the processing tube; and a movable furnace initially positioned at the bottom of the processing tube and translating in a vertical direction along the processing tube for thermally treating the gel tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventors: Young-Sik Yoon, Young-Min Baik
  • Patent number: 6460379
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, a preform from which fiber optics are drawn is fabricated by supplying reactants and gas vapors to the preform and by using two opposing forces to control the movement of a heat source supplying heat to the preform. The two forces function to reduce any hesitation or backlash in the movement of the heat source along predetermined portions of the preform to enable uniform layers to be formed within the preform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Fitel USA Corp.
    Inventors: Ivan Pawlenko, Peter Michael Mueller
  • Publication number: 20020108403
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method and apparatus for making optical fiber preforms and optical fiber. The method includes the steps of positioning an overclad tube around a preform core rod, heating the overclad tube along the length thereof in the presence of a pressure gradient to collapse onto the preform core to form the overclad optical fiber preform, and adjusting the radial size of a heated portion of the preform core rod and/or the overclad tube to actively match the radial dimensions of the preform core rod along the length thereof with corresponding portions of the overclad tube. The active matching reduces variations in the physical dimensions of the preform core rod and/or the overclad tube, which improves transmission and other performance characteristics of fiber drawn from the created preform, e.g., by maintaining a relatively constant D/d ratio of the preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2001
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventors: Xiaoyuan Dong, Siu-Ping Hong
  • Patent number: 6408653
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for manufacturing an optical fiber preform by modified chemical vapor deposition (MDVD). The apparatus includes a heating device for heating a rotating substrate tube while moving in a predetermined direction, wherein the heating unit has a first heating unit located at the front with respect to the moving direction, for heating the substrate tube with a relatively low flame pressure, and a second heating unit located at the rear of the first heating means with respect to the moving direction, for heating the substrate tube with a relatively high flame pressure. The first and second heating units are selectively used for deposition and collapsing, such that the duration and temperature of collapsing can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-koog Oh, Man-seok Seo, Mun-hyun Do, Jin-seong Yang
  • Patent number: 6381990
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sealing the top of an optical waveguide draw furnace is disclosed. The apparatus includes an assembly constructed and arranged to removably cover the top of the draw furnace while mating with the downfeed handle. The apparatus includes an elongated sleeve having a base and a sealing mechanism positioned on the sleeve at a location remote from the base. The sleeve defines a chamber for receiving the downfeed handle, and the sealing mechanism is arranged with respect to the sleeve to mate with the downfeed handle received in the chamber. In one aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes an inert gas purge for providing an inert atmosphere within the chamber. A method of sealing the top of an optical waveguide draw furnace is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Steven Craig Ball, John Morris Barnard, Sr., James Alan Snipes
  • Publication number: 20020050153
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus consistent with the present invention apply one or more laser beams to a glass object, such as a tube. The beams may have differing wavelengths, energy levels, and/or focal length characteristics. As the beam (single or multiple) penetrates the glass tube, it creates a channel. The beam is provided through the channel to a starting point on a region of the glass tube, usually the region below an inside diameter surface of the tube. In one embodiment, the beam is used to selectively heat a reactant gas within the tube to deposit a coating/dopant layer on the inside diameter surface. In another embodiment, the coating layer is already present and the beam selectively heats the layer causing thermal diffusion of the coating material into the glass tube at the region being heated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2001
    Publication date: May 2, 2002
    Inventors: Peter Schultz, Dmitri Nikitin, Thomas Michel, Vladimire Borissovskii
  • Patent number: 6363746
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing the glass soot used in the formation of optical fiber includes a burner with an internal atomizer. The atomizer includes an outer tube having a nozzle at an end thereof, and an inner tube located within the outer tube and having a closed end restricting fluid flow therethrough and defining a cylindrical sidewall having radially extending apertures spaced there along. The outer tube receives the glass-forming mixture in liquid form and the inner tube receives an atomizing gas which flows through the apertures in the sidewall of the inner tube and atomizes the glass-forming mixture as the glass-forming mixture travels through the outer tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Huailiang Wei, Lisa A. Moore, Jeffery L. Blackwell, Daniel W. Hawtof
  • Patent number: 6363754
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing optical fibers includes an external circular tube into which reactant gases are introduced from an entrance at one end thereof. An internal circular tube is inserted into the external circular tube through an exit at the other end of the external circular tube. The internal circular tube has a bore to which gas jets are supplied. Jet holes are formed to lead to the bore on the outer circumferential surface in the vicinity of the front end of the internal circular tube. The jet holes are for radially jetting the gas jets. An auxiliary jet hole is formed at the front end of the internal circular to tube to lead to the bore. The auxiliary jet hole is for jetting the gas jets frontward. A torch is installed to reciprocate along the axial direction of the external circular tube, for heating the external circular tube to induce a chemical reaction of the reactant gases to thus generate particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventors: Mansoo Choi, Dong-geun Lee
  • Patent number: 6338259
    Abstract: An apparatus and process for cooling a quartz tube used in fabrication of an optical fiber preform by modified chemical vapor deposition. The apparatus has a nozzle ring supplied with a coolant. The nozzle ring has at least two vent sections that are be separatable for detaching the quartz tube from a lathe during processing, and a plurality of vents formed along the inside of the two vent sections for ejecting the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: SamSung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin-Seong Yang
  • Patent number: 6148641
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing dried, chopped strands from a supply of continuous fiber strands by the direct deposition of wet, chopped strands ejected from a chopping assembly into a drying chamber is disclosed. A transition chute is interposed between the chopping assembly and the drying chamber to guide the chopped strands to pass directly into the drying chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: John R. Blough, Jerry B. Noftsger, Ronald L. Hawkins
  • Patent number: 6029476
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing optical fibers provided with hermetic coatings, wherein the bare fiber made from a heated preform advances through a stream of reactive gaseous medium which flows at a constant speed in the direction of advance of the fiber, which is then accelerated, and which is finally removed remote from the fiber by a stream of inert gas flowing in the opposite direction from the direction of the stream of reactive gaseous medium. Application is to manufacturing optical fibers for telecommunications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Alcatel
    Inventors: Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois Bourhis, Jean-Pierre Bloas, Patrick Mac Kenzie, Max Matau
  • Patent number: 5942020
    Abstract: The invention provides a device for blocking the ingress of air on the surface of a moving member such as an optical fiber. The blocking of air is achieved by the establishment of a low pressure zone at the entry point of the fiber, the lower pressure zone being created by the injection of an inert gas in a direction opposite the direction of travel of the fiber. The invention is particularly useful in preventing the ingress of air into a UV curing apparatus for curing the ink on an optical fiber. There is also provided a method for reducing such ingress of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Tensor Machinery Limited
    Inventor: John T. Marcelissen
  • Patent number: 5843202
    Abstract: Energy efficient apparatus for forming migration free glass fiber packages composed of fibers bearing substantially uniform coatings of size composition. Heated air from around the fiber forming bushing is drawn into a chamber through which the glass fibers pass to cause the water or solvent in the applied size to be evaporated. The flow of heated air through the chamber is regulated so as to obtain substantially uniform size application to the fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin C. Flautt, Thomas O. Matteson, Leonard J. Adzima
  • Patent number: 5843231
    Abstract: A bubble stripping and coating apparatus for stripping entrained gas from the surface of a fiber, then coating the fiber with a coating material having a bubble stripping and coater body and a die assembly. The bubble stripping and coater body has a bubble stripping gas entrance for providing a bubble stripping argon gas to a bubble stripping gas chamber for stripping entrained gas from the fiber and having a die assembly bore. The die assembly is arranged in the die assembly bore, and has a guide die having a lower guide die opening with a diameter of less than 0.016 inches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Alcatel Telecommunications Cable
    Inventors: Robert A. Spencer, David C. Lam, Duane A. Felton