EP0163457A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Manufacturing optical fibre
Assignee: Nortel Networks Ltd
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Filing: 1985-05-17
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-05-17
Abstract
Abstract On line coating of optical fibre (20) adopts silicon nitride or oxynitride to provide an hermetic seal using chemical vapour deposition. Non-contacting gas seals (3, 4) at the top and bottom of the reaction chamber are so constructed that fibre vibration is avoided, (6) surface flaws are minimised and the coating minimises stress corrosion.
Inventors
- 👤 John Farth Lamb
- 👤 Terence Michael Mchugh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:53
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C25/00; C03C25/10; C03C25/12; C03C25/22; C03C25/223; C03C25/226
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of manufacturing an optical fibre comprising drawing the fibre through an on-line process chamber to physically and/or chemically change the surface of the fibre within the chamber, characterised by sealing the atmosphere within the chamber (5) at least at one end of the chamber by a seal (3) into which a sealing gas (N 2 ) is introduced and so controlled as to prevent the process gases (14,15) escaping from the chamber (5) without the fibre (20) touching the walls of the seal (3) and without vibrating the fibre (20).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of manufacturing an optical fibre comprising drawing the fibre through an on-line process chamber to physically and/or chemically change the surface of the fibre within the chamber, characterised by sealing the atmosphere within the chamber (5) at least at one end of the chamber by a seal (3) into which a sealing gas (N 2 ) is introduced and so controlled as to prevent the process gases (14,15) escaping from the chamber (5) without the fibre (20) touching the walls of the seal (3) and without vibrating the fibre (20).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that silicon mitride is formed on the surface of the fibre by chemical vapour deposition within the reaction chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that silicon oxynitride is formed on the surface of the fibre by chemical vapour deposition within the reaction chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the seal (3,4) is formed by a pair of venturi-effect airmoving devices (28,29) mounted back to back and working in opposition to one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the sealing gas is nitrogen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the fibre (20) has a temperature which falls below a temperature required for said processing, and wherein the fibre is pre-heated (3) towards said required temperature prior to entering the processing chamber (5).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for manufacturing an optical fibre comprising a process chamber through which the fibre can be drawn, an inlet for introducing reaction gases into the process chamber, characterised by a seal (3,4) for sealing between the fibre (20) and the entrance (13) to or exit (12) from the chamber (5),the seal (3,4) comprising means (31,31A) for introducing a sealing.gas into the seal (3,4) and means (33A,34A) for so controlling the gas to prevent the process gases escaping from the chamber (5) without the fibre (20) touching the walls of the seal and without vibrating the fibre (20).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for manufacturing an optical fibre comprising a process chamber through which the fibre can be drawn, an inlet for introducing reaction gases into the process chamber, characterised by a seal (3,4) for sealing between the fibre (20) and the entrance (13) to or exit (12) from the chamber (5),the seal (3,4) comprising means (31,31A) for introducing a sealing.gas into the seal (3,4) and means (33A,34A) for so controlling the gas to prevent the process gases escaping from the chamber (5) without the fibre (20) touching the walls of the seal and without vibrating the fibre (20).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
A non-contacting seal for the entrance or exit of an on-line fibre processing chamber, said seal comprising a structure having a processing through-hole for the fibre, characterised by a first gas jet (35) directed in one axial direction along the hole, and a second gas jet directed in the opposite axial direction along the hole and away from the first jet to provide a dead sealing zone (30) between the jets without vibrating the fibre.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
A non-contacting seal for the entrance or exit of an on-line fibre processing chamber, said seal comprising a structure having a processing through-hole for the fibre, characterised by a first gas jet (35) directed in one axial direction along the hole, and a second gas jet directed in the opposite axial direction along the hole and away from the first jet to provide a dead sealing zone (30) between the jets without vibrating the fibre.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
An optical fibre provided with a surface treatment by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 or by apparatus as claimed in claim 7.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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