US 2025/0051225 A1 · OPTICAL FIBER MARKING ON THE DRAW

Abstract

An optical fiber draw system that prints one or more fiber identifiers on optical fibers is described. In one example, the optical fiber draw system includes a draw furnace, a coating device, a marking device, and a lighting device. The draw furnace generates a glass fiber from a glass preform and the coating device is configured to apply a curable coating composition to the glass fiber. The lighting device applies an ultraviolet or other curing light to form a coating from the curable coating composition. The application and curing of a curable coating composition can be completed one or more times to form one or more coatings on the glass fiber. The marking device applies a tracer marking fluid to a curable coating composition or coating and can be placed at one or more positions along the process pathway.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for forming an optical fiber, comprising:

a draw furnace configured to produce a glass fiber from a glass preform;
a first coating system configured to receive the glass fiber and to deliver a first curable coating composition to the glass fiber, the first curable coating composition surrounding the glass fiber;
a first lighting device configured to receive the glass fiber from the first coating system and to apply first light to the first curable coating composition, the first light curing the first curable coating composition to form a first coating on the glass fiber;
and
a marking device operably coupled to the first coating system or the first lighting device, the marking device configured to apply a tracer marking fluid to the first curable coating composition or the first coating, the tracer marking fluid comprising a coloring agent and a carrier liquid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical fiber marking on the draw

Life of this patent

Optical fiber marking on the draw

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20