Corning Incorporated

Edison Nation, LLC

Loopa, LLC

Bradley Kent Shepard

David Andrew Tucker

Bruce Warren Reding

Andrey V Filippov

James Henry Faler

Raymond D Groh

Eric Wade Thornton

Joseph Leroy Morse

Ian Anthony Smith

Steven Bruce Dawes

John Christopher Thomas

Steven Joseph Gregorski

Hazel Benton Matthews, Iii

Nikolay Anatolyevich Panin

Kenneth Spencer Morgan

Richard Alan Quinn

Randy Allan Binko

Hazel B Matthews

Hazel B Iii Matthews

A system and methods are described herein for preheating a preform in a preheater furnace and then transferring the preheated preform to a consolidation furnace for chemical treatment and sintering the preform into a clear glass which can be drawn into optical fiber. In addition, the preheater furnace is described herein which is configured to heat the preform per a predetermined heat-profile until the preform is uniformly heated to a temperature above 1000° C.

System and methods for processing an optical fiber preform

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber, the method including drawing a bare optical fiber from an optical fiber preform along a draw pathway. The method further includes during the drawing step, moving a first fluid bearing from a first position to a second position, the first position being removed from the draw pathway and the second position being disposed in the draw pathway such that the movement of the first fluid bearing to the second position causes at least a first portion of the draw pathway to change direction.

Translating fluid bearings during an optical fiber draw process

A system and methods are described herein for preheating a preform in a preheater furnace and then transferring the preheated preform to a consolidation furnace for chemical treatment and sintering the preform into a clear glass which can be drawn into optical fiber. In addition, the preheater furnace is described herein which is configured to heat the preform per a predetermined heat-profile until the preform is uniformly heated to a temperature above 1000&#xb0; C.

Apparatuses and methods for processing optical fiber preforms are disclosed. According to one aspect, an apparatus generally includes a furnace body and a muffle disposed within the furnace body. A space between the muffle and the furnace body defines a first interior volume. The muffle defines a second interior volume sealed from the first interior volume. An annulus gas is supplied to the first interior volume and a process gas is supplied to the second interior volume. A differential pressure gauge is coupled to the interior volumes. A flow controller is coupled to at least one of the gas sources and to the differential pressure gauge. The flow controller receives a differential pressure signal from the differential pressure gauge and adjusts a flow of a gas such that the pressure differential between the first interior volume and the second interior volume is minimized.

Apparatuses and methods for processing optical fiber preforms

A method for producing a coated optical fiber may include drawing an optical fiber from a draw furnace along a first vertical pathway. The optical fiber may then be routed through at least one fluid bearing thereby redirecting the optical fiber along a second vertical pathway. Thereafter, a thermoplastic coating may be applied to the optical fiber with a thermoplastic coating system. The optical fiber may then be wound onto a fiber storage spool with a fiber take-up system. The fiber take-up system may be space apart from the thermoplastic coating system such that the thermoplastic coating may be cooled before the optical fiber is wound onto the fiber storage spool.

Methods and systems for producing thermoplastic coated optical fibers

Methods for producing a coated optical fiber may include drawing an optical fiber from a draw furnace along a first pathway and redirecting the optical fiber along a second, different pathway which is non-parallel with the first pathway. The optical fiber may be coated as it travels along the second pathway.

Methods and systems for producing a coated optical fibers

A method for forming an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a glass supply and treating the fiber by maintaining the optical fiber in a treatment zone wherein the fiber is cooled at a specified cooling rate. The optical fiber treatment reduces the tendency of the optical fiber to increase in attenuation due to Rayleigh scattering, and/or over time following formation of the optical fiber due to heat aging. Methods for producing optical fibers along nonlinear paths incorporating fluid bearings are also provided thereby allowing for increased vertical space for the fiber treatment zone.

Fiber air turn for low attenuation fiber

A method for producing an optical fiber that includes a method for producing an optical fiber, said method comprising: (i) drawing a bare optical fiber from a preform along a first pathway at a rate of at least 10 m/sec; (ii) contacting said bare optical fiber with a region of fluid in a fluid bearing and redirecting said bare optical fiber along a second pathway as said bare optical fiber is drawn across said region of fluid cushion; (iii) coating the bare optical fiber; and (iv) irradiating said coated fiber in at least one irradiation zone to at least partially cure said coating, while subjecting the optical fiber to UV light.

Fiber cure with extended irradiators

A container includes a bowl having a bowl interior space for holding solid material and a bowl opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl from an exterior of the bowl. The container also includes a bowl support having a bowl support interior space within which the bowl is located and a bowl support opening for accessing the interior space of the bowl support from an exterior of the container. The bowl is biased toward an upright orientation of the bowl independent of the rotational orientation of the bowl support. The bowl support opening overlies the bowl opening when both the bowl and the bowl support are in respective upright orientations, and the bowl support covers the bowl openings when the bowl support is tilted.

Spill-proof container

A spill-proof container is constructed of a bowl with an access opening for holding particulate material that is freely rotatable within the chamber of a bowl support having an access opening. The access openings of the bowl and support are aligned when the bowl and support are both in their upright orientation. When the support is tipped, the bowl, which is heavier at its bottom, remains upright. As a result, the chamber access opening rotates out of alignment with the bowl access opening, which is then covered with a part of the chamber wall.

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Wilmington, NC, United States of America

Bradley Kent Shepard