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:
Feb. 15, 2000
Filed:
Sep. 17, 1998
Jerry L Hepburn, Corning, NY (US);
Franziska L Lorey, Corning, NY (US);
David A Pastel, Horseheads, NY (US);
Robert S Wagner, Corning, NY (US);
Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for detecting air/cladding and core/cladding interfaces of blanks (13) used to produce optical waveguide fibers are provided. A beam of coherent light (30) is scanning across the blank (13) and spatial light intensity patterns produced thereby (FIG. 5) are detected and analyzed. Air/cladding interfaces correspond to a decrease in the width of a unimodal spatial light intensity pattern as the beam moves towards the center of the blank (FIGS. 5A and 5B). Core/cladding interfaces correspond to the onset of an at least bimodal spatial light intensity pattern as the beam moves towards the center of the blank (FIGS. 5D and 5E). By rotating the blank and repeating the measurement process at two or more angular positions, concentricity and ellipticity values for a blank can be determined.