公开(公告)号：US10479720B2

公开(公告)日：2019-11-19

申请号：US14338556

申请日：2014-07-23

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Steven Akin Dunwoody ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Pushkar Tandon

IPC: C03B37/025 ,  C03B37/027 ,  C03B37/023 ,  C03B37/03

Abstract: A method of making optical fibers that includes controlled cooling to produce fibers having a low concentration of non-bridging oxygen defects and low sensitivity to hydrogen. The method may include heating a fiber preform above its softening point, drawing a fiber from the heated preform and passing the fiber through two treatment stages. The fiber may enter the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1500° C. and 1700° C., may exit the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1200° C. and 1400° C., and may experience a cooling rate less than 5000° C./s in the first treatment stage. The fiber may enter the second treatment stage downstream from the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1200° C. and 1400° C., may exit the second treatment stage at a temperature between 1000° C. and 1150° C., and may experience a cooling rate between 5000° C./s and 12,000° C./s in the second treatment stage. The method may also include redirecting the fiber with a fluid bearing device or an air-turn device.

公开(公告)号：US20180208504A1

公开(公告)日：2018-07-26

申请号：US15868029

申请日：2018-01-11

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Sumitava De ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Douglas Gregg Neilson ,  Pushkar Tandon

IPC: C03C25/105 ,  C03C25/18

CPC classification number: C03C25/105 ,  C03C25/18

Abstract: An optical fiber coating apparatus that provides increased gyre stability and reduced gyre strength, thereby providing a more reliable coating application process during fiber drawing includes a cone-only coating die having a conical entrance portion with a tapered wall angled at a half angle α, wherein 2°≤α≤25°, and a cone height L1 less than 2.2 mm, and a cylindrical portion having an inner diameter of d2, wherein 0.1 mm≤d2≤0.5 mm and a cylindrical height of L2, wherein 0.05 mm≤L2≤1.25 mm; a guide die having an optical fiber exit, the guide die disposed adjacent the cone-only coating die such that a wetted length (L5) between the optical fiber exit of the guide die and the entrance of the cone-only coating die is from 1 mm to 5 mm; and a holder for holding the cone-only coating die and the guide die in a fixed relationship defining a coating chamber between the guide die and the cone-only coating die, the coating chamber having an inner radius L6 from the optical fiber axis to an inner wall of the holder that is from 3 mm to 10 mm.

公开(公告)号：US20180093915A1

公开(公告)日：2018-04-05

申请号：US15710074

申请日：2017-09-20

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Steven Akin Dunwoody ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Pushkar Tandon

IPC: C03B37/025

CPC classification number: C03B37/0253 ,  C03B37/02727 ,  C03B37/029 ,  C03B2205/42 ,  C03B2205/44

Abstract: Optical fibers having low fictive temperature and methods of making such fibers are described. Management of the cooling rate of an optical fiber during fiber draw permits control over the fictive temperature of the fiber. Non-monotonic cooling rates are shown to promote reductions in fiber fictive temperature. The non-monotonic cooling includes slower cooling rates in upstream portions of the process pathway and faster cooling rates in downstream portions of the process pathway. Reduction in fiber fictive temperature is achieved by controlling the ambient temperature of the fiber to slow the cooling rate of the fiber in upstream portions of the process pathway that correspond to the fiber temperature regime in which the fiber viscosity is sufficiently low to permit efficient structural relaxation. Increases in cooling rate in downstream portions of the process pathway permit adjustment of fiber temperature as needed to meet entrance temperature requirements of downstream processing units. Lower fiber fictive temperature and lower fiber attenuation are achieved at faster draw speeds through non-monotonic cooling of fiber temperature.

公开(公告)号：US20170144930A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-25

申请号：US15354561

申请日：2016-11-17

Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED

Inventor： Robert Clark Moore

IPC: C03C25/10 ,  G02B6/02 ,  C03B37/02 ,  G02B6/44

CPC classification number: C03C25/106 ,  C03B37/032 ,  C03C25/1065 ,  C03C2218/32 ,  G02B6/02395

Abstract: An optical fiber production system is provided. The system includes a draw furnace from which an optical fiber is drawn along a first vertical pathway, at least one coating system where at least one coating is applied to the optical fiber and an irradiator in which the at least one coating is cured. The system also includes a fiber take-up system including a fiber storage spool, a whip shield that substantially surrounds the fiber storage spool and at least one light emitting diode (LED) positioned in the interior of the whip shield, wherein the at least one LED directs UV light to coated optical fiber in the fiber take-up system.

公开(公告)号：US09309143B2

公开(公告)日：2016-04-12

申请号：US14337364

申请日：2014-07-22

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Steven Akin Dunwoody ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Pushkar Tandon

IPC: G02B6/00 ,  C03B37/027 ,  C03B37/07 ,  C03B37/10 ,  G02B6/10 ,  C03B37/03 ,  G02B6/02

CPC classification number: C03B37/02718 ,  C03B37/02727 ,  C03B37/032 ,  C03B37/07 ,  C03B37/10 ,  C03B2205/55 ,  C03B2205/56 ,  G02B6/02 ,  G02B6/10 ,  Y02P40/57

Abstract: A method of making optical fibers that includes controlled cooling to produce fibers having a low concentration of non-bridging oxygen defects and low sensitivity to hydrogen. The method may include heating a fiber preform above its softening point, drawing a fiber from the heated preform and passing the fiber through two treatment stages. The fiber may enter the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1500° C. and 1700° C., may exit the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1200° C. and 1400° C., and may experience a cooling rate less than 5000° C./s in the first treatment stage. The fiber may enter the second treatment stage downstream from the first treatment stage at a temperature between 1200° C. and 1400° C., may exit the second treatment stage at a temperature between 1000° C. and 1150° C., and may experience a cooling rate between 5000° C./s and 12,000° C./s in the second treatment stage. The method may also include redirecting the fiber with a fluid bearing device or an air-turn device.

Abstract translation: 制造光纤的方法包括控制冷却以产生具有低浓度的非桥接氧缺陷和对氢的低敏感性的纤维。 该方法可以包括在其软化点之上加热纤维预制件，从加热的预成型件拉伸纤维并使纤维通过两个处理阶段。 纤维可以在1500℃和1700℃之间的温度下进入第一处理阶段，可以在1200℃和1400℃之间的温度下离开第一处理阶段，并且可能经历的冷却速率小于 在第一处理阶段为5000℃/秒。 纤维可以在1200℃和1400℃之间的温度下进入第一处理阶段下游的第二处理阶段，可以在1000℃和1150℃之间的温度下退出第二处理阶段，并且可以 在第二处理阶段经历5000°C /秒和12,000°C / s之间的冷却速度。 该方法还可以包括用流体轴承装置或空气转动装置重新定向纤维。

公开(公告)号：US11554979B2

公开(公告)日：2023-01-17

申请号：US17111168

申请日：2020-12-03

Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED

Inventor： Steven Akin Dunwoody ,  Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Jason Roy Pace ,  Christopher Scott Thomas ,  Bryan William Wakefield ,  Chunfeng Zhou

IPC: C03B37/027 ,  C03B37/029

Abstract: A system for processing optical fiber includes a draw furnace, a fiber conveyance pathway extending between an upstream end positioned at the draw furnace and a downstream end positioned opposite the upstream end, where optical fiber is conveyed along the fiber conveyance pathway from the upstream end to the downstream end in a fiber conveyance direction, a muffle in communication with the draw furnace and positioned downstream of the draw furnace, a second cooling device annularly surrounding the fiber conveyance pathway downstream from the draw furnace, the second cooling device including one or more second cooling device heating elements and a first cooling device positioned between the draw furnace and the second cooling device, wherein the first cooling device directs a fluid to contact the optical fiber.

公开(公告)号：US11198636B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-14

申请号：US16298532

申请日：2019-03-11

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Erling Richard Anderson ,  Tammy M Hoffmann ,  John Michael Jewell ,  Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias ,  Robert Clark Moore

IPC: C03B37/029

Abstract: A furnace system includes a muffle defining a furnace cavity. A lower heater is coupled to the muffle and is configured to create a hot zone within the furnace cavity having a temperature of about 1900° C. or greater. An upper muffle extension is positioned above the muffle and defines a handle cavity. A downfeed handle is positioned within the handle cavity such that a gap is defined between an outer surface of the downfeed handle and an inner surface of the upper muffle extension. An upper heater is thermally coupled to the upper muffle extension and configured to heat the gap. A gas screen is positioned in the upper muffle extension and is configured to inject a process gas into the handle cavity.

公开(公告)号：US20210355018A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-18

申请号：US17319811

申请日：2021-05-13

Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED

Inventor： Erling Richard Anderson ,  Tammy Michelle Hoffmann ,  Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Christopher Scott Thomas

IPC: C03B37/029

Abstract: An optical fiber forming apparatus comprises: a draw furnace comprising: (i) a muffle with an inner surface, (ii) an axial opening below the muffle, the inner surface of the muffle defining a passageway extending through the axial opening, and (iii) an upper inlet into the passageway; and a tube that extends into the passageway of the draw furnace above the axial opening, the tube having (i) an outer surface and the inner surface of the muffle surrounds the outer surface of the tube with a space separating the outer surface of the tube from the inner surface of the muffle, (ii) an inner surface that defines a second passageway extending through the tube, (iii) an inlet into the second passageway of the tube, (iii) an outlet out of the second passageway of the tube.

公开(公告)号：US11097976B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-24

申请号：US16418075

申请日：2019-05-21

Applicant: CORNING INCORPORATED

Inventor： Yacob Mesfin Argaw ,  Nikolaos Pantelis Kladias ,  Robert Clark Moore ,  Bruce Warren Reding ,  Chunfeng Zhou

IPC: C03B37/027

Abstract: A method of processing an optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a heated glass source, reheating the optical fiber, and cooling the optical fiber under vacuum at a cooling rate less than the cooling rate of the optical fiber in air at 25° C. and 1 atm. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum is conducted after reheating the optical fiber. Cooling the optical fiber under vacuum reduces the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber, which may enable further relaxation of the glass and reduction in the fictive temperature of the optical fiber. A system for processing an optical fiber includes a furnace containing a fiber preform, a first positioner, a reheating device, and a treatment device downstream of the reheating device, the treatment device operable to cool the optical fiber under vacuum to reduce the rate of heat transfer from the optical fiber.

公开(公告)号：US10888894B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-12

申请号：US15950243

申请日：2018-04-11

Applicant: Corning Incorporated

Inventor： Robert Clark Moore ,  Douglas Gregg Neilson ,  Johnnie Edward Watson

IPC: B05D1/18 ,  B05D3/06 ,  G02B6/02 ,  B05C11/10 ,  B05C3/12 ,  C03C25/106 ,  C03C25/1065 ,  C03C25/18 ,  C03C25/12 ,  B05C3/172 ,  B05C3/00 ,  B05D7/20

Abstract: A method of applying a coating liquid to an optical fiber is described. An optical fiber is drawn through a guide die into a pressurized coating chamber and through the pressurized coating chamber to a sizing die. The pressurized coating chamber contains a coating liquid. The method includes directing coating liquid in a direction transverse to the processing pathway of the optical fiber in the pressurized coating chamber. The transverse flow of coating liquid counteracts detrimental effects associated with gyres that form in the pressurized coating chamber during the draw process. Benefits of the transverse flow include removal of bubbles, reduction in the temperature of the gyre, improved wetting, homogenization of the properties of the coating liquid in the pressurized coating chamber, and stabilization of the meniscus.