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EP0484035A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for modifying the transverse cross section of a body

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1991-10-22
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2011-10-22
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Abstract

Abstract The transverse cross section of a body (20) is modified by the steps of: a) determining the extent to which the body (20) has material in excess of a desired shape at a plurality of points, b) exposing the body (20) to a local heat source (10) having a temperature sufficiently high to remove material from the surface of the body (20), and c) moving the surface of the body (20) in relation to the source (10) at a speed which decreases in regions where the body (20) has material in excess of the desired shape so as to remove more material from such regions than from other regions. In a preferred embodiment, the body (20) is an optical fiber preform (20), the local heat source (10) is the fireball (12) of a plasma torch (10), and the body (20) is moved relative to the torch (10) by rotating the preform (20) at a controllable angular velocity while the torch (10) is translated along the length of the preform (20).

Inventors

  • 👤 James William Fleming, Jr.
  • 👤 Adolph Henry Moesle, Jr.
  • 👤 Fred Paul Partus

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 12:43
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/012; C03B37/01205; C03B37/01225; C03B37/01228; C03B23/00; C03B23/04; C03B23/043; C03B23/057; C03B29/00; C03B29/02; C03B37/01257; C03B37/014; C03B37/01446; C03B37/01466; C03B37/0148; C03B37/018; C03B37/01861; C03B37/01884; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P40/00; Y02P40/50; Y02P40/57; Y10; Y10T; Y10T82/00; Y10T82/10; Y10T82/25; Y10T82/2502

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 122 words
A method for modifying the transverse cross section of a body of material comprising the steps of: a) determining for each of a plurality of regions on the lateral surface of said body the extent to which said body has material in excess of a desired shape at said regions, CHARACTERISED BY b) exposing the body to a local heat source having a temperature sufficiently high to remove material from the surface of said body; and c) moving the body surface in relation to the source at a speed which decreases in regions where the body has material in excess of a desired shape so as to remove more material from such regions of excess than from other regions on said body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 1, CHARACTERISED IN THAT the determination of material in excess of a desired shape comprises measuring the radial extent of said body at a plurality of different locations and interpolating the radial extent of said body at unmeasured locations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said local heat source is a plasma torch for generating a plasma fireball.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 33 words
The method of claim 1, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said body is moved in relation to source by rotating said body about a longitudinally extending axis while displacing said torch parallel to said axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 4, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said body is rotated about said axis at a variable rotational speed constrained to a constant period of time for each rotation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 4, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said torch is displaced parallel to said axis at a constant speed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 1, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said body comprises refractory material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 1, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said body comprises an optical fiber preform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 101 words
Apparatus for modifying the transverse cross section of a body comprising: a) lathe means for rotating said body about a longitudinally extending axis at a controllable rotational speed: CHARACTERISED BY b) a local heat source for generating sufficient heat to remove material from said body; c) displacement means for moving said local heat source parallel to said axis adjacent to said body; d) control means for controlling said rotational speed of said lathe means so that the speed of the body surface in relation to the torch decreases in regions where the body has material in excess of a desired shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, CHARACTERISED IN THAT said local heat source is a plasma torch for generating a plasma fireball.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

FR2589461A1 Cited
EP0432791A1 Cited
EP0439918A1 Cited
EP0440130A1 Cited

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