Apparatus and method for manufacturing an optical fiber using non-contact pneumatic levitation
OwnerPawar Gopal, Balamurugan Karunanidhy +2inventors
InventorsPawar Gopal, Balamurugan Karunanidhy, Pranjal Mishra, Sudhakar Reddy
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides an apparatus to levitate an optical fiber having a tubular block defined by a central cavity and a plurality of slit walls. In particular, the tubular block has a reservoir that is adapted to store a fluid at a positive pressure. Each slit wall of the plurality of slit walls comprises one or more side slits and the plurality of slit walls defines a bottom slit such that the one or more side slits and the bottom slit provide one or more paths between the reservoir and the central cavity.
Claims20
An apparatus (100) to levitate an optical fiber (136), the apparatus (100) comprising:
- a tubular block (102) defined by a central cavity (112) and a plurality of slit walls (106a, 106b), wherein the tubular block (102) comprises a reservoir (108) that is adapted to store a fluid (120) at a positive pressure;
- and
- wherein each slit wall of the plurality of slit walls (106a, 106b) comprises one or more side slits (116) and the plurality of slit walls (106a, 106b) defines a bottom slit (122) such that the one or more side slits (116a, 116b) and the bottom slit (122) provide one or more paths between the reservoir (108) and the central cavity (112).
A method to levitate an optical fiber (136), the method comprising:
- creating a containment zone (114) for the optical fiber (136) in an apparatus (100) to levitate the optical fiber (136) to facilitate cooling of the optical fiber (136), wherein, for creating the containment zone (114), the method comprising:
- directing, a fluid (120) at a controlled mass flow rate to at least one slit of the one or more side slits (116) and the bottom slit (122) directly at the optical fiber (136) and at least one slit of the one or more side slits (116) and the bottom slit (122) not directing the fluid (120) at a controlled mass flow rate directly on the optical fiber (136);
- and
- directing, the fluid (120) at the controlled mass flow rate to a first side of the optical fiber (136) through at least one slit of the one or more side slits (116) and the bottom slit (122) and directing the fluid (120) at the controlled mass flow rate to a second side of the optical fiber (136) through at least one remaining slit of the one or more side slits (116) and the bottom slit (122);
- and
- pulling the optical fiber (136) through the containment zone (114) in a non-contact manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.