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US 10,481,330 B2Granted
System and method providing partial vacuum operation of arc discharge for controlled heating
Assignee3SAE Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRobert G. Wiley, Brett Clark, John Lower, Jason Troyer, Clyde J. Troutman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical discharge, suitable for heating optical fibers for processing, is made in a controlled partial vacuum, such that saturation of available ionizable gas molecules is reached. The workpiece temperature is thereby made to be a stably controlled function of the absolute air pressure and is insensitive to other conditions. A system and method accomplishing the foregoing are provided.
Claims20
An optical fiber processing system, comprising:
- at least two electrodes;
- at least one fiber holder configured to hold a portion of at least one optical fiber between the at least two electrodes;
- an arc discharging unit configured to drive the at least two electrodes to generate a heat zone in a gap between the at least two electrodes and to ionize the gas within the heat zone to reach saturation for a chosen gas pressure;
- an enclosure enclosing the gap;
- and
- a vacuum generating venturi configured to control a gas pressure within the enclosure to control a temperature of the heat zone.
3 more elements
A method of processing an optical fiber, comprising:
- maintaining a portion of at least one optical fiber between at least two electrodes disposed within an enclosure;
- driving the at least two electrodes to generate a heat zone in a gap between the at least two electrodes, including ionizing the gas within the heat zone to reach saturation for a chosen gas pressure;
- and
- controlling a gas pressure within the enclosure to control a temperature of the heat zone.
1 more element
An optical fiber processing system, comprising:
- a heat source configured to generate a heat zone;
- at least one fiber holder configured to hold a portion of at least one optical fiber in the heat zone;
- a discharging unit configured to drive the heat source to ionize the gas within the heat zone to reach saturation for a chosen gas pressure;
- an enclosure enclosing the heat zone;
- and
- a vacuum generating venturi configured to control a gas pressure within the enclosure to control a temperature of the heat zone.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.