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US 2022/0212978 A1Published application
System and method for manufacturing optical fiber
AssigneeMade In Space, Inc.
InventorsJan Clawson, Robert White, Nate Pickslay, Michael Snyder, Geoffrey York Powers, Noah Paul-Gin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber including a diameter sensor to determine a diameter of pulled optical fiber, a cooling system to cool the optical fiber once it is pulled from a furnace, a coating system to apply a coating to the optical fiber once it has cooled and an ultra-violet lamp to cure the coating.
Claims20
A method for precoating a preform for drawing optical fiber, the method comprising:
- applying a gas within a vacuum chamber housing the preform to clean the preform;
- measuring, by at least one sensor, parts per million (PPM) of a water moisture level within the vacuum chamber;
- removing water from the vacuum chamber by at least a molecular sieve and a filter membrane to maintain water moisture level at a given range, the at least molecular sieve and filter are within the vacuum chamber;
- apply, by a coating system, a coating to a surface of the preform while the PPM of water moisture level remains within the given range within the vacuum chamber;
- and
- curing the coating within the vacuum chamber with an ultraviolet light emitted from an ultraviolet lamp.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- applying a gas to form a dry environment within a sealed housing of a vacuum chamber, the vacuum chamber including a preform holder to hold a preform from which an optical fiber is pulled;
- measuring, by at least one sensor, a parts per million (PPM) of water moisture level within the vacuum chamber;
- controlling, by an environmental control unit providing a closed system within the vacuum chamber, to maintain the dry environment in the vacuum chamber;
- removing water from the vacuum chamber by at least a molecular sieve and a filter membrane to maintain water moisture level at a given range;
- coating, by a coating system, to a surface of the fiber pulled from the preform while the PPM of water moisture level remains within the given range;
- and
- curing the coating.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.