US 11,891,330 B2
Apparatus and methods for forming colored marks on an optical fiber using multiple ink streams
Aditya Kaimal, Wilmington, NC (US); Kelvin Nguyen, Fort Worth, TX (US); and Darren Andrew Stainer, Wrightsville Beach, NC (US)
Assigned to Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US)
Filed by CORNING INCORPORATED, Corning, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 31, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/139,083.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/956,913, filed on Jan. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0206694 A1, Jul. 8, 2021
Int. Cl. B41J 3/407 (2006.01); B41J 2/02 (2006.01); C03C 25/143 (2018.01); B41M 5/00 (2006.01); B41M 7/00 (2006.01); C03C 25/106 (2018.01); C03C 25/1065 (2018.01); G02B 6/44 (2006.01)
CPC C03C 25/143 (2013.01) [B41J 2/02 (2013.01); B41J 3/407 (2013.01); B41M 5/0088 (2013.01); B41M 7/0045 (2013.01); C03C 25/106 (2013.01); C03C 25/1065 (2013.01); G02B 6/4482 (2013.01); G02B 6/4486 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a color-coded mark on an optical fiber having an outer surface and a center line that defines an axial direction of the optical fiber, comprising:
forming two or more continuous ink streams that reside substantially in a row and in close proximity to one another, with at least first and second ones of the two or more continuous ink streams having first and second colors that are different from one another;
moving the optical fiber in a first direction over a fiber path that resides adjacent the two or more continuous ink streams, the moving optical fiber not intersecting the two or more continuous ink streams as the two or more continuous ink streams are flowing; and
causing the moving optical fiber to simultaneously intersect the first and second ones of the two or more continuous ink streams to respectively form first and second axially spaced apart marks on the outer surface of the optical fiber, the first and second axially spaced apart marks respectively having the first and second colors of the first and second continuous ink streams.
 
12. An optical fiber marking apparatus for marking an optical fiber having an outer surface, comprising relative to a fiber path:
a payout module and a take-up module respectively configured to pay out and take up the optical fiber while moving the optical fiber over the fiber path at a fiber speed;
a marking unit disposed downstream of the payout module at a marking location, the marking unit configured to form multiple continuous ink streams adjacent the fiber path, with first and second ones of the multiple continuous ink streams having different colors; and
a fiber positioning device operably disposed relative to the marking unit, the fiber positioning device adapted to intermittently adjust the position of the optical fiber from a non-marking position to a marking position at the marking location, the optical fiber not intersecting the first and second ones of the multiple continuous ink streams in the non-marking position as the first and second ones of the multiple continuous ink streams are flowing, the optical fiber intersecting the first and second ones of the multiple continuous ink streams in the marking position as the first and second ones of the multiple continuous ink streams are flowing.