Method and furnace for drawing optical fibers
US5637130A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 13, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jun 10, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC03B2205/92
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A furnace and method for drawing an optical fiber is provided. The furnace included a furnace core chamber in which a preform is inserted into the chamber through the upper end thereof and a drawn optical fiber is pulled out of the chamber through an opening positioned at the lower end thereof. The furnace also includes a gas-supply means for introducing an inert gas into the furnace core chamber to thus establish an inert gas atmosphere within the chamber, and a heater for heating the preform so that the lower part of the preform is molten and drawn into the optical fiber, which is positioned around the outer periphery of the furnace core chamber. The furnace further includes an inner furnace core tube, which is positioned within the furnace core chamber and which has a cylindrical part whose lower part is communicated to the opening of the furnace core chamber and a funnel-like part which is positioned on the upper end of the cylindrical part. The funnel-like part has a diameter gradually and upwardly increased so as to surround the lower portion of the molten portion of the preform.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.