The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 29, 2023
Filed:
Jan. 17, 2020
Heraeus Quartz North America Llc, Buford, GA (US);
Heraeus Quarzglas Gmbh & Co. KG, Hanau, DE;
Oliver Ganz, Bruchköbel, DE;
Kenneth Robert Koch, Flowery Branch, GA (US);
Tim Alan Pontsler, Jefferson, GA (US);
HERAEUS QUARTZ NORTH AMERICA LLC, Buford, GA (US);
HERAEUS QUARZGLAS GMBH & CO. KG, Hanau, DE;
Abstract
An apparatus and related process for producing a high-strength weld between two glass components. Chucks clamp and move respective first ends of the glass components toward each other inside an enclosure, where the second ends are heated, softened, and welded together in a weld zone. The enclosure has layers of stacked quartz glass bricks and allows the weld zone to cool slowly and avoid stress. A propane quartz melting torch directs a flame inside the enclosure and toward the second ends as the glass components move toward each other. The flame softens the second ends and creates substantially smooth polished surfaces in the weld zone having an increased hydroxide content. At least 80% of the weld zone has a hydroxide content greater than about 10 ppm average in a 10 μm depth from the surface and the tensile strength of the weld zone is above about 10 MPa.