Patent US4388094A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4388094A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for producing tubular glass article
Assignee: Corning Glass Works
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Filing: 1981-12-21
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Granted: 1983-06-14
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Expires: 2001-12-21
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed are a method and apparatus for forming a continuous length of glass article. A coating of glass particles is deposited on a mandrel having a thermal coefficient of expansion much greater than that of the glass particles. The mandrel is allowed to cool, thereby causing it to shrink and separate from the coating. The coating is indexed a discrete longitudinal distance along the mandrel, thereby uncovering a region of the mandrel. Another coating of glass particles is deposited on the uncovered region of the mandrel and over a portion of the previously applied coating. The steps of separating or freeing the coating from the mandrel, longitudinally indexing the coating with respect to the mandrel and depositing another coating are repeated. Thus, each step of indexing longitudinally translates an incremental length of a porous body from the end of the mandrel.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry L. Carpenter
- 👤 Thomas G. Parham
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:34
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B19/00; C03B19/14; C03B19/1484; C03B19/1492; C03B19/1415; C03B19/1469; C03B37/00; C03B37/01; C03B37/012; C03B37/014; C03B37/01466; C03B37/01473; C03B37/01486; C03B37/01493; C03B2207/00; C03B2207/50; C03B2207/60; C03B2207/66
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of forming a continuous length of article comprising the steps of providing a mandrel, applying particulate material to at least a portion of the exterior surface of said mandrel to form a first coating thereon, there being no relative longitudinal movement between said coating and said mandrel during the step of applying particulate material to said mandrel, freeing said coating from said mandrel, indexing said coating a discrete longitudinal distance with respect to the surface of said mandrel to expose a region of said mandrel which had previously been covered with particulate material, depositing another coating of particulate material by applying particulate material onto said exposed region of said mandrel while the longitudinal position of said mandrel remains stationary with respect to said coating and by applying particulate material over at least a portion of the previously applied coating, and repeating the steps of freeing, indexing and depositing, whereby each step of indexing longitudinally translates an incremental length of a porous body from the end of said mandrel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
170 words
A method of forming a continuous length of article comprising the steps of providing a mandrel, applying particulate material to at least a portion of the exterior surface of said mandrel to form a first coating thereon, there being no relative longitudinal movement between said coating and said mandrel during the step of applying particulate material to said mandrel, freeing said coating from said mandrel, indexing said coating a discrete longitudinal distance with respect to the surface of said mandrel to expose a region of said mandrel which had previously been covered with particulate material, depositing another coating of particulate material by applying particulate material onto said exposed region of said mandrel while the longitudinal position of said mandrel remains stationary with respect to said coating and by applying particulate material over at least a portion of the previously applied coating, and repeating the steps of freeing, indexing and depositing, whereby each step of indexing longitudinally translates an incremental length of a porous body from the end of said mandrel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of applying and depositing are performed by directing at least one burner-produced stream of particulate material toward said mandrel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of heating the body so formed to consolidate said particulate material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of applying at least one additional coating of particulate material on a portion of said porous body separated from said another coating.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the compositions of said another coating of particulate material and said additional coating of glassy particulate material are the same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the compositions of the coating of particulate material are such that the refractive index of the inner portion of said body is greater than that of the outer portion of said body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of heating the body so formed to consolidate said particulate material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of heating the preform body to the drawing temperature of the material thereof, and drawing said preform into an optical fiber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of rotating said starting member while said particulate material is being applied.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the step of applying particulate material comprises applying material having a density greater than 0.4 gr/cc.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for forming a continuous length of article comprising an elongated mandrel, means for applying particulate material to the exterior surface of said mandrel, means for reciprocatingly moving said means for applying along at least a portion of the length of said mandrel to form a hollow porous article, and means for indexing said article in a stop-and-go fashion with respect to said mandrel, whereby said article remains in a longitudinally fixed position with respect to said mandrel between brief periods during which said article is longitudinally moved to its next position with respect to said mandrel.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
98 words
An apparatus for forming a continuous length of article comprising an elongated mandrel, means for applying particulate material to the exterior surface of said mandrel, means for reciprocatingly moving said means for applying along at least a portion of the length of said mandrel to form a hollow porous article, and means for indexing said article in a stop-and-go fashion with respect to said mandrel, whereby said article remains in a longitudinally fixed position with respect to said mandrel between brief periods during which said article is longitudinally moved to its next position with respect to said mandrel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for applying particulate material is at least one burner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising at least one additional burner longitudinally separated from said at least one burner for depositing particulate material onto the coating formed by said at least one burner.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said mandrel comprises a conically tapered section and a cylindrical section, the narrow end of said conical section being connected to said cylindrical section.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising means for heating the porous article to a temperature sufficient to consolidate said particulate material.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising means for heating the porous article to the drawing temperature of the material thereof, and means for drawing said porous article into an optical fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising means for cooling said mandrel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the thermal coefficient of expansion of said mandrel is greater than 1.5 times that of the particulate material which is to be applied thereto.
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) | 1986-06-13 | 1986-12-13 | 1987-06-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-06-13 | 1990-12-13 | 1991-06-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-06-13 | 1994-12-13 | 1995-06-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |