System and method for positioning an optical preform in a furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11513293-B2
Application number	US-202016777226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2020
Priority date	Jul 29, 2016
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A system for positioning an optical preform in a furnace is provided that includes an upper muffle and a downfeed handle assembly with a tube defining a first end and a second end, the second end extending into the upper muffle. A handle is disposed within the tube. A second end of the handle extends into the upper muffle and a seal assembly is positioned around both the tube and the handle. The first end of the handle extends through the seal assembly and a drive assembly is coupled with the downfeed handle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for positioning an optical preform in a furnace, comprising:
providing a chuck interface movably coupled with a drive assembly;
positioning the chuck interface within a seal assembly;
coupling a handle within the chuck interface, an optical fiber preform positioned on an opposite end of the handle from the chuck interface;
positioning the handle within a tube;
positioning the optical fiber preform within a furnace; and
moving the handle at least one of laterally and rotationally within the tube such that the optical fiber preform is moved at least one of laterally and rotationally within the furnace wherein the handle and the tube are configured to move vertically together.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the handle extends through the seal assembly.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the handle moves laterally within the tube and the lateral movement of the handle is independent of the tube.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the handle moves rotationally within the tube and the rotational movement of the handle is independent of the tube.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the chuck interface is coupled to a face seal within the seal assembly.

Assignees

• Corning Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Erling Richard
• Roberts Kenneth William

Classifications

• C03B37/02736

  Means for supporting, rotating or feeding the tubes, rods, fibres or filaments to be drawn, e.g. fibre draw towers, preform alignment, butt-joining preforms or dummy parts during feeding (uniting rods or tubes C03B23/207) · CPC title

• C03B37/01486

  Means for supporting, rotating or translating the preforms being formed, e.g. lathes (C03B37/01884 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C03B2205/80

  Means for sealing the preform entry or upper end of the furnace · CPC title

• G02B6/2835 Primary

  formed or shaped by thermal treatment, e.g. couplers · CPC title

• G02B6/40

  having fibre bundle mating means · CPC title