METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MARRING FIBER OPTIC SUBSTRATES
A method of marring a fiber optic substrate by directing a water jet abrasive slurry at the substrate while causing relative movement between an elongate support for the substrate and the water jet abrasive slurry to produce a marring pattern on the substrate. The pressure of the water jet abrasive slurry and/or the rate of relative movement between the elongate support and the water jet abrasive slurry may be varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
1 . A method of marring a fiber optic substrate comprising the steps of supporting a length of the substrate on an elongate support, and directing a water jet abrasive slurry at the substrate while causing relative movement between the elongate support and the water jet abrasive slurry to produce a marring pattern on the substrate.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure of the water jet abrasive slurry is varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the rate of relative movement between the elongate support and the water jet abrasive slurry is varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the elongate support is caused to move at a variable speed lengthwise relative to the water jet abrasive slurry to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the water jet abrasive slurry is caused to move at a variable speed lengthwise relative to the elongate support to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the elongate support is vertically oriented and the water jet abrasive slurry is directed horizontally at the substrate to facilitate runoff of the abrasive slurry from the substrate.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein one or more nozzles are used to direct the water jet abrasive slurry at the substrate.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more nozzles are intermittently operated during relative movement between the elongate support and the one or more nozzles lengthwise of the elongate support to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein the rate of relative movement between the elongate support and the one or more nozzles is varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
10 . The method of claim 7 wherein the elongate support is caused to move at a variable speed lengthwise relative to the one or more nozzles to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
11 . The method of claim 7 wherein the one or more nozzles are caused to move at a variable speed lengthwise relative to the elongate support to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
12 . A method of marring a fiber optic substrate comprising the steps of supporting a length of the substrate on an elongate support, and directing a water jet at the substrate while causing relative movement between the elongate support and the water jet to produce a marring pattern on the substrate.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the water jet contains an abrasive.
14 . The method of claim 12 wherein the pressure of the water jet is varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.
15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the rate of relative movement between the elongate support and the water jet is varied to produce a variable marring pattern on the substrate.