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:
Sep. 09, 1997
Filed:
Sep. 12, 1995
Klaus Ruppert, Maintal, DE;
Uwe Christiansen, Gelnhausen, DE;
Michael Hunermann, Alzenau, DE;
Klaus Dittmer, Gelnhausen, DE;
Anton Steinkohl, Grundau, DE;
Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH, Hanau, DE;
Abstract
A hollow cylinder is held in a vertical orientation and sent continuously through a heating zone for sintering. In a first phase of the sintering operation, the hollow cylinder stands on a support while the upper end (12) of the cylinder is being sintered. In a second phase the cylinder hangs from a hanging element while its lower end (10) is sintered. A vertical rod is fixed to the base on which the lower end is supported, and extends through the hollow cylinder. A retaining ring is fixed inside the upper end of the hollow cylinder. During the first phase, the upper end vitrifies and contracts so that the retaining ring engages the vertical rod. Longitudinal contraction causes the lower end to lift off the base so that the cylinder is suspended during the second phase.