Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US6044663?ie=ISO-8859-1
Timestamp: 2014-12-26 18:34:06
Document Index: 130080582

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2818550', 'Application No. 0242579', 'Application No. 52', 'Application No. 58', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'Application No. 2818550', 'Application No. 0242579', 'Application No. 52', 'Application No. 58']

Patent US6044663 - Impregnated vitreous (glassy) carbon graphite liner and heating element for ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe present invention provides an improvement to a fiber optic draw furnace for drawing an optical fiber from a preform. The fiber optic draw furnace has a heating element having a shape for enclosing and heating the preform, and has a graphite liner having a corresponding shape to the shape of the heating...http://www.google.com/patents/US6044663?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US6044663 - Impregnated vitreous (glassy) carbon graphite liner and heating element for a fiber optic draw furnaceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS6044663 APublication typeGrantApplication numberUS 09/047,865Publication dateApr 4, 2000Filing dateMar 25, 1998Priority dateMar 27, 1997Fee statusPaidAlso published asDE69800554D1, EP0867412A1, EP0867412B1, EP0867413A1, EP0867414A1, US6257023Publication number047865, 09047865, US 6044663 A, US 6044663A, US-A-6044663, US6044663 A, US6044663AInventorsDaniel D. Uhm, Robert A. SpencerOriginal AssigneeAlcatelExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (54), Non-Patent Citations (24), Referenced by (2), Classifications (18), Legal Events (5) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetImpregnated vitreous (glassy) carbon graphite liner and heating element for a fiber optic draw furnaceUS 6044663 AAbstract The present invention provides an improvement to a fiber optic draw furnace for drawing an optical fiber from a preform. The fiber optic draw furnace has a heating element having a shape for enclosing and heating the preform, and has a graphite liner having a corresponding shape to the shape of the heating element for providing a barrier between the heating element and the preform. In the fiber optic draw furnace, either the graphite liner is a high density extruded graphite liner that is impregnated with vitreous carbon completely through its entire graphite liner matrix, or the heating element is a high density extruded graphite heating element that is impregnated with vitreous carbon completely through its entire graphite heating element matrix, or both.
We claim: 1. A fiber optic draw furnace (10) for drawing an optical fiber (F) from a preform (P), having a heating element (22) having a shape for enclosing and heating the preform (P), and having a graphite liner (12) having a corresponding shape to the shape of the heating element (22) for providing a barrier between the heating element (22) and the preform (P),wherein either the graphite liner (12) is a high density extruded graphite liner (12) that is impregnated with vitreous carbon completely through its entire graphite liner matrix, or the heating element (22) is a high density extruded graphite heating element (22) that is impregnated with vitreous carbon completely through its entire graphite heating element matrix, or both; and wherein the fiber optic draw furnace (10) further comprises:an outer furnace shell (20); a bottom insulation plate (24) having a titanium carbide coating and being arranged in the outer furnace shell (20); a rigid bottom insulation ring (14) made of rigidified high purity graphite felt having a reflective coating (14a) and being arranged between the bottom insulation plate (24) and the outer furnace shell (20); an inner cylinder plate (26) having a titanium carbide coating and being arranged around the heating element (22) and resting on the bottom insulation plate (24); a rigid insulation insert (16) made of rigidified high purity graphite felt having a reflective coating (16a) being arranged around the inner cylinder (26) and resting on the bottom insulation plate (24); and a rigid insulation canister (18) made of rigidified high purity graphite felt having a reflective coating (18a) and being arranged between the rigid insulation insert (16) and the outer furnace shell (20). 2. A fiber optic draw furnace (10) according to claim 1, wherein the graphite liner (12) is cylindrical.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improvement to a fiber optic draw furnace for drawing an optical fiber from a preform. The fiber optic draw furnace has a heating element having a shape for enclosing and heating the preform, and has a graphite liner having a corresponding shape to the shape of the heating element for providing a barrier between the heating element and the preform.
BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION Fiber Optic Draw Furnace 10 FIG. 1 shows part of a graphite resistance fiber draw furnace generally indicated as 10 for drawing an optical fiber (F) from a preform (P). The graphite resistance fiber draw furnace 10 includes a graphite liner 12, a bottom insulation ring 14, an insulation insert 16, an insulation canister 18, a furnace shell 20, a heating element 22, a bottom graphite insulation plate 24, an inner graphite cylinder 26, a power head 28, a top plate assembly 30 and a bottom plate assembly 32.
The Two-Piece, TiC Coated, Barrier Plate 24, 26 In FIG. 1, the fiber optic draw furnace 10 has a new two-piece barrier including 24, 26 that consists of the bottom graphite insulation plate 24 and the inner graphite cylinder 26. The two-piece barrier 24, 26 is arranged between the heating element 22 and the insulation pieces 14, 16, 18. The inner graphite cylinder 26 is coated on the inner diameter with titanium carbide (TiC).
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Sep. 26, 1983.* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS6658897Mar 26, 2002Dec 9, 2003AlcatelOptical fiber draw furnace having a SiC or Silicon Nitride tubeEP1489052A2 *Jun 1, 2004Dec 22, 2004Photonium OYFurnace having thermal insulation for drawing optical fibres from a preform* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification65/374.1, 65/374.13, 423/445.00R, 65/374.15International ClassificationC03B37/027, F27B1/14, G02B6/00, H05B3/62, C03B37/029, H05B3/03Cooperative ClassificationC03B2205/63, C03B37/029, C03B2205/70, H05B3/62, H05B3/03European ClassificationC03B37/029, H05B3/62, H05B3/03Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 20, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 12Sep 24, 2007FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 8Sep 19, 2003FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Jul 12, 1999ASAssignmentOwner name: ALCATEL, FRANCEFree format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:ALCATEL ALSTHOM COMPAGNIE GENERALE D ELECTRICITE;REEL/FRAME:010070/0287Effective date: 19980914Mar 25, 1998ASAssignmentOwner name: ALCATEL ALSTHOM COMPAGNIE GENERALE D ELECTRICITE,Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:SPENCER, ROBERT A.;REEL/FRAME:009096/0972Effective date: 19980313Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:UHM, DANIEL D.;REEL/FRAME:009110/0910RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google