Apparatus and method for drawing continuous fiber
AssigneeUniversity of Central Florida
InventorsNathaniel R. Quick, Aravinda Kar, Yonggang Li, Raymond R. McNeice
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Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for drawing continuous metallic wire having a first diameter to a metallic fiber having a reduced second diameter. A feed mechanism moves the wire at a first linear velocity. A laser beam heats a region of the wire to an elevated temperature. A draw mechanism draws the heated wire at a second and greater linear velocity for providing a drawn metallic fiber having the reduced second diameter.
Claims16
An apparatus for drawing a continuous wire having a first diameter to provide a fiber having a reduced second diameter, comprising:
- a chamber having an entry orifice and an exit orifice communicating with an interior region of said chamber;
- a feed mechanism and a draw mechanism located adjacent to said entry orifice and said exit orifice, respectively
- said feed mechanism for moving the continuous wire at a first linear velocity into said entry orifice of said chamber;
- a laser beam for heating a region of the continuous wire within the chamber;
- said draw mechanism for drawing the heated continuous wire at a second and higher linear velocity from said exit orifice of said chamber for providing a drawn fiber having a second diameter;
- and
- a fluid inlet port defined in said chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid atmosphere for enveloping said region of the continuous wire during said heating of the continuous wire and for exiting said entry orifice and said exit orifice for providing a entry fluid bearing for the continuous wire within said entry orifice and for providing a exit fluid bearing for the drawn metallic fiber within said exit orifice;
- and
- said pressurized fluid atmosphere cooling said drawn fiber within said chamber prior to exiting from said exit orifice of said chamber.
An apparatus for drawing a continuous wire having a first diameter to provide a fiber having a reduced second diameter of equal to or less than 100 micrometers, comprising:
- a chamber having an entry orifice and an exit orifice communicating with an interior region of said chamber;
- a feed mechanism and a draw mechanism located adjacent to said entry orifice and said exit orifice, respectively
- said feed mechanism for moving the continuous wire at a first linear velocity into said entry orifice of said chamber;
- a laser beam for heating a region of the continuous wire within the chamber;
- said draw mechanism for drawing the heated continuous wire at a second and higher linear velocity from said exit orifice of said chamber for providing a drawn fiber having a second diameter;
- and
- a gas inlet port defined in said chamber for receiving a pressurized gas atmosphere for enveloping said region of the continuous wire during said heating of the continuous wire and for exiting said entry orifice and said exit orifice for providing a gas bearing for the continuous wire within said entry orifice and for providing a gas bearing for the drawn fiber within said exit orifice;
- and
- said pressurized gas atmosphere cooling said drawn fiber within said chamber prior to exiting from said exit orifice of said chamber.
An apparatus for drawing a continuous metallic wire having a first diameter to provide a metallic fiber having a reduced second diameter, comprising:
- a chamber having an entry orifice including an entry groove communicating with an interior region of said chamber;
- said chamber having an exit orifice including an exit groove communicating with said interior region of said chamber;
- a feed mechanism for moving the continuous metallic wire at a first linear velocity through said entry groove and into said entry orifice of said chamber;
- a laser beam for heating a region of the continuous metallic wire within the chamber;
- a draw mechanism for drawing the heated continuous metallic wire at a second and greater linear velocity from said exit orifice of said chamber and through said exit groove for providing a metallic fiber having a second diameter;
- a fluid inlet port defined in said chamber for receiving a pressurized fluid atmosphere for enveloping the continuous metallic wire within said chamber;
- said pressurized fluid atmosphere exiting said entry groove and said exit groove for providing an entry fluid bearing for the continuous wire within said entry orifice and for providing a exit fluid bearing for the drawn metallic fiber within said exit orifice;
- said entry fluid bearing and said exit fluid bearing being the sole supports of said continuous wire and said drawn fiber between said entry orifice and said exit orifice;
- and
- said pressurized fluid atmosphere cooling said drawn fiber within said chamber and within said exit groove prior to exiting from said exit orifice of said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.