Tapered furnace muffles
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsErling Richard Anderson, John Michael Jewell, Robert Walter Nason, Elias Panides, Xiaoyong Wang, Leo Young Zheng, Chunfeng Zhou
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Abstract
An optical fiber draw furnace muffle includes a body portion defining a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis of the muffle. A tapered portion has an interior surface which defines a first curved portion with a first radius of curvature and a second curved portion with a second radius of curvature. At least one of the first and second radii of curvature has a radius greater than a radius of the cylindrical cavity.
Claims20
An optical fiber draw furnace muffle, comprising:
- a body portion defining a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis of the muffle;
- and
- a tapered portion having an interior surface defining a first curved portion with a first radius of curvature and a second curved portion with a second radius of curvature, wherein at least one of the first and second radii of curvature has a radius greater than a radius of the cylindrical cavity.
An optical fiber draw furnace muffle, comprising:
- a body portion defining a substantially cylindrical cavity extending along a centerline axis of the muffle;
- and
- a tapered portion having an interior surface defining a curved portion having a radius of curvature of from about 10 cm to about 100 cm, the tapered portion defining an insert recess configured to receive a muffle insert, wherein at least one of the muffle and the muffle insert comprise graphite.
An optical fiber production system, comprising:
- an optical fiber preform comprising glass;
- a heater;
- a muffle comprising:
- a body portion positioned around the preform, wherein the heater is positioned proximate the body portion and configured to heat the preform therein;
- and
- a tapered portion having an interior surface defining a first curved portion having a first radius of curvature and a second curved portion having a second radius of curvature, wherein at least one of the first and second radii of curvature is from about 10 cm to about 100 cm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.