Patent ID: 9540272
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: C03B,F23D,Y02P

Claim:
1. A method of making a preform for an optical fiber, including the steps of: operating a burner assembly to produce a flame, wherein the burner assembly includes a burner face disposed on a first surface of a burner support and wherein the flame extends generally perpendicularly from the first surface; guiding the flame with a burner shield, wherein the burner shield includes a generally cylindrical first wall which is disposed radially outwardly from the burner face, wherein the generally cylindrical first wall includes an interior surface surrounding the flame and extends from a base end to a shield face, wherein the generally cylindrical first wall has a first thickness adjacent to the base end and a second thickness adjacent to the shield face, and wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness; wherein the burner shield is at least partially supported by a shield support post having an outer face, and wherein the outer face of the shield support post is recessed from the shield face; supplying precursors for the production of a soot material to the flame; reacting the precursors in the flame to form the soot material; and depositing the formed soot material onto a rotating bait rod, wherein the rotating bait rod is positioned generally perpendicularly to the flame.