Patent US2989052A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6595980B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4087266A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Optical fibre manufacture
Assignee: International Standard Electric Corp
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Filing: 1977-04-04
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Granted: 1978-05-02
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Expires: 1997-04-04
Abstract
Abstract A method is described of increasing the proportion of chemical vapor reaction deposited material to substrate material in a silica optical fiber preform. The deposited material is deposited upon the bore of a silica substrate tube whose bore is then collapsed to form the preform. The preform is then heated to cause some of the surface of the preform to be driven off by volatilization in order to increase the proportion of chemical vapor reaction deposited material to substrate material up to a predetermined value.
Inventors
- 👤 John Irven
- 👤 Andrew Peter Harrison
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 22:36
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/012; C03B37/014; C03B37/018; C03B37/01853; C03B37/01861; C03C; C03C13/00; C03C13/04; C03C13/045; C03C23/00; C03C25/00; C03C25/002; C03B2201/00; C03B2201/06; C03B2201/08; C03B2201/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of optical fiber preform manufacture for use in drawing an optical fiber having a predetermined ratio of core diameter to overall diameter including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube having a predetermined thickness with one or more core forming layers having a specified thickness to produce a structure which contitutes an optical waveguide preform when said bore has been collapsed having said specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said substrate material; heating said coated tube and collapsing its bore; and removing a predetermined amount of the outer surface portion of said structure by heating it to a temperature at which said predetermined amount of said substrate material is lost by volatilization, thereby increasing the ratio of said vapor reaction deposited core forming material to said substrate material in said fiber preform.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
146 words
A method of optical fiber preform manufacture for use in drawing an optical fiber having a predetermined ratio of core diameter to overall diameter including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube having a predetermined thickness with one or more core forming layers having a specified thickness to produce a structure which contitutes an optical waveguide preform when said bore has been collapsed having said specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said substrate material; heating said coated tube and collapsing its bore; and removing a predetermined amount of the outer surface portion of said structure by heating it to a temperature at which said predetermined amount of said substrate material is lost by volatilization, thereby increasing the ratio of said vapor reaction deposited core forming material to said substrate material in said fiber preform.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of preparing an optical fiber for a high numerical aperture optical fiber having a large core to cladding diameter ratio, said method including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube constituting a cladding layer having a pedetermined thickness with one or more core forming layers to produce a structure which constitutes an optical waveguide preform when its bore is collapsed having a specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said cladding material; heating the coated tube and collapsing its bore; removing a predetermined amount of the outer surface portion of said structure by heating it to a temperature at which said substrate cladding material is lost by volatilization thereby increasing the ratio of said vapor reaction deposited core forming material to said substrate cladding material; and drawing said preform into said optical fiber whereby said optical fiber has a predetermined ratio of core to cladding diameter.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of preparing an optical fiber for a high numerical aperture optical fiber having a large core to cladding diameter ratio, said method including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube constituting a cladding layer having a pedetermined thickness with one or more core forming layers to produce a structure which constitutes an optical waveguide preform when its bore is collapsed having a specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said cladding material; heating the coated tube and collapsing its bore; removing a predetermined amount of the outer surface portion of said structure by heating it to a temperature at which said substrate cladding material is lost by volatilization thereby increasing the ratio of said vapor reaction deposited core forming material to said substrate cladding material; and drawing said preform into said optical fiber whereby said optical fiber has a predetermined ratio of core to cladding diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein said structure is collapsed into a rod, and said rod is rotated about its axis during said substrate removal step of heating said rod to a temperature at which said substrate cladding material is removed by volatilization.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said heating of said rod utilizes a localized heating means traversed along said rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said heating of the rod is with an oxyhydrogen flame.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein during the collapsing step of said tube's bore, said tube is rotated about its axis.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of optical fiber preform manufacture for use in preparing an optical fiber preform suitable for drawing into an optical fiber having a predetermined ratio of core diameter to overall diameter including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube having a predetermined thickness with one or more layers of core forming material to produce a structure which constitutes an optical waveguide preform when its bore has been collapsed, said preform having a specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said substrate material; heating coated tube and collapsing its bore by traversing a localized hot zone along said tube; determining the amount of excess of said substrate material in proportion to said core material and the rate which said substrate material is removed by volatilization; removing the excess of said substrate material by traversing a localized hot zone along said structure and adjusting the rate of traversing of said hot zone and hence the amount of substrate material loss by volatilization; and controlling said adjustment of the rate of traverse of said hot zone by use of a feed-back loop controlled by an error signal derived from measuring the ratio of said core diameter to said preform diameter at the point of collapse of said tube.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
217 words
A method of optical fiber preform manufacture for use in preparing an optical fiber preform suitable for drawing into an optical fiber having a predetermined ratio of core diameter to overall diameter including the steps of: coating, by chemical vapor reaction, the bore of a silica substrate tube having a predetermined thickness with one or more layers of core forming material to produce a structure which constitutes an optical waveguide preform when its bore has been collapsed, said preform having a specified thickness of core material and an excess thickness of said substrate material; heating coated tube and collapsing its bore by traversing a localized hot zone along said tube; determining the amount of excess of said substrate material in proportion to said core material and the rate which said substrate material is removed by volatilization; removing the excess of said substrate material by traversing a localized hot zone along said structure and adjusting the rate of traversing of said hot zone and hence the amount of substrate material loss by volatilization; and controlling said adjustment of the rate of traverse of said hot zone by use of a feed-back loop controlled by an error signal derived from measuring the ratio of said core diameter to said preform diameter at the point of collapse of said tube.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the tube is rotated about its axis during the collapse of its bore.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein said heating is with an oxyhydrogen flame.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
Optical fiber preform made by the method claimed in claim 1.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
An optical fiber manufactured by the method set forth in claim 2.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-05-01 | 1981-10-31 | 1982-05-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-05-01 | 1985-10-31 | 1986-05-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-05-01 | 1989-10-31 | 1990-05-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |