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US5439495A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solution doping of sol gel bodies to make graded index glass articles

Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1993-09-10
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Granted: 1995-08-08
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Expires: 2013-09-10
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Abstract

Abstract A method for manufacturing a glass is provided, comprising converting a porous body to a multi-component glass, wherein a porous body containing at least one metal component in the form of a metal salt is immersed in a solution containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt and an alkylammonium salt to precipitate the metal salt as microcrystals in the pore. Also, a method for manufacturing a glass for use as a gradient index optical element is provided, comprising converting a porous body to a multi-component glass, wherein a porous body containing at least one metal component in the form of a metal salt is immersed in a solution containing a salt of a metal component different from the above-mentioned at least one component and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid and a salt to provide the metal components with concentration distributions. In these methods, not only the metal salt present in dissolved form in the pores of the porous body can be fixed to the pores with certainty, but also it is feasible to individually control the behaviors of a plurality of metal salts in the porous body.

Inventors

  • 👤 Hisashi Koike
  • 👤 Morinao Fukuoka
  • 👤 Yuko Kurasawa
  • 👤 Minoru Inami
  • 👤 Masayuki Yamane

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 22:29
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03C; C03C1/00; C03C1/006; C03B; C03B19/00; C03B19/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S501/00; Y10S501/90; Y10S501/901

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim 84 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element by converting a porous body into a multi-component glass element, comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having one metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt and an alkylammonium salt to precipitate the metal salt as microcrystals in the pores of the porous body; and drying and sintering the porous body to obtain a glass element.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 84 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element by converting a porous body into a multi-component glass element, comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having one metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt and an alkylammonium salt to precipitate the metal salt as microcrystals in the pores of the porous body; and drying and sintering the porous body to obtain a glass element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 1; wherein the compound has the same anion as that of said metal salt contained in the porous body.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 123 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element for use as a gradient index optical element, by converting a porous body into a multi-component glass, comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having a first metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing a salt having a second metal component which is different from the first metal component and one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid and a salt including a cation having no influence on refractive index of a final glass element to provide the porous body with a concentration distribution; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a multi-component glass element useful as a gradient index optical element.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 123 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element for use as a gradient index optical element, by converting a porous body into a multi-component glass, comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having a first metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing a salt having a second metal component which is different from the first metal component and one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid and a salt including a cation having no influence on refractive index of a final glass element to provide the porous body with a concentration distribution; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a multi-component glass element useful as a gradient index optical element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method for manufacturing a glass component according to claim 3; wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt, an alkylammonium salt and an aluminum salt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 4; wherein the compound has the same anion as that of the metal salt contained in the porous body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 5; wherein all of the metal salt contained in the porous body, the compound and the salt having the second metal component have the same anion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 66 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 6; wherein the compound has an anion selected from the group consisting of a formate ion, an acetate ion, a propionate ion, a citrate ion, a malate ion, a maleate ion, an oxalate ion, a lactate ion, a chloride ion, a nitrate ion, a sulfate ion, a carbonate ion, a phosphate ion and a borate ion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 7; wherein the concentration of the said compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 6; wherein the concentration of the compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 66 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 5; wherein the compound has an anion selected from the group consisting of a formate ion, an acetate ion, a propionate ion, a citrate ion, a malate ion, a maleate ion, an oxalate ion, a lactate ion, a chloride ion, a nitrate ion, a sulfate ion, a carbonate ion, a phosphate ion and a borate ion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 10; wherein the concentration of the compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 5; wherein the concentration of compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 73 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, and 4; wherein the compound has an anion selected from the group consisting of a formate ion, an acetate ion, a propionate ion, a citrate ion, a malate ion, a maleate ion, an oxalate ion, a lactate ion, a chloride ion, a nitrate ion, a sulfate ion, a carbonate ion, a phosphate ion and a borate ion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 13; wherein the concentration of the compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 31 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 4; wherein the concentration of the compound in the solution is varied with time.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 82 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having a metal component; immersing the porous body containing the metal component in an immersion solution containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt and an alkylammonium salt effective to precipitate the metal salt in the pores of the porous body; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a glass element.
Claim 19
Independent Claim 82 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a metal salt having a metal component; immersing the porous body containing the metal component in an immersion solution containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt and an alkylammonium salt effective to precipitate the metal salt in the pores of the porous body; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a glass element.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 16; wherein the at least one compound in the immersion solution produces the same anion as that produced by the metal salt contained in the porous body.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 16; wherein the at least one compound in the immersion solution produces the same cation as that produced by the metal salt contained in the porous body.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 119 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a first metal salt having a first metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing a second metal salt having a second metal component which is different from the first metal component and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid and a salt, the at least one compound producing a cation having no influence on the optical properties of the glass element and effective to provide the porous body with a desired concentration distribution; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a multi-component glass element useful as a gradient index optical element.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 119 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element comprising the steps of: providing a porous body containing a first metal salt having a first metal component; immersing the porous body in a solution containing a second metal salt having a second metal component which is different from the first metal component and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an acid and a salt, the at least one compound producing a cation having no influence on the optical properties of the glass element and effective to provide the porous body with a desired concentration distribution; drying the porous body; and sintering the porous body to obtain a multi-component glass element useful as a gradient index optical element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 19; wherein the at least one compound is selected from the group consisting of an acid, an ammonium salt, an alkylammonium salt and an aluminum salt.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 33 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 19; wherein the at least one compound produces the same anion as that produced by the metal salt contained in the porous body.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 37 words
A method for manufacturing a glass element according to claim 19; wherein each of the first metal salt contained in the porous body, the at least one compound and the second metal salt produce the same anion.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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EP0129625A1 Cited
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US5069700A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-08-07 1999-02-06 1999-08-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-08-07 2003-02-06 2003-08-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-08-07 2007-02-06 2007-08-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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