Patent ID: 7322122

Claim:
An apparatus for curing a coated fiber, comprising: a first coating curing stage which partially cures a first layer of a coating of a fiber passing through said first coating curing stage; a second coating curing stage located on line and downstream of said first coating curing stage to further cure said first layer of said coating after said fiber exits said first coating curing stage, wherein the first and second coating curing stages are spaced apart such that the time it takes for said fiber to pass from an exit of said first coating curing stage to an entrance of said second coating curing stage is at least 40 msec; a coater located downstream of said second coating curing stage to provide a second coating layer onto said fiber, a third coating curing stage which partially cures said second coating layer; and a fourth coating curing stage, located on-line and downstream of said third coating curing stage which further cures said second coating layer after said fiber exits said third coating curing stage, wherein said third and fourth coating curing stages are spaced apart such that the time it takes for said fiber to pass from an exit of said third coating curing stage to an entrance of said fourth coating curing stage is at least 40 msec.