Apparatus and method for holding optical fiber and fiber arrays via vacuum for fiber alignment and attaching
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorsAmos M. Smith, Erin C. Sheridan, Andrew Brownell, Nicholas Barton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and method for performing fiber optic alignment and attachment of an industry standard single fiber optic cable or fiber array to the facet of an optical chip. The proposed invention provides a means to gently hold and release a single fiber or fiber array while maintaining tolerance restrictions created by the presence of neighboring fibers or chip carriers via an inverted vacuum system.
Claims23
An apparatus for aligning optical fiber for fixation, comprising:
- a main body having an inner chamber;
- an armature having a first end, a second end, and an inner channel pneumatically connecting said first end to said second end,
- said first end of said armature being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said inner chamber;
- a fiber-holding head having a plurality of vacuum pores;
- said fiber-holding head being mechanically attached to said second end of said armature so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said plurality of vacuum pores;
- a vacuum attachment having an orifice;
- said vacuum attachment being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said orifice to said plurality of vacuum pores via said inner chamber and said inner channel;
- and
- a contour formed in said fiber-holding head coincident with said plurality of vacuum pores;
- said contour having a lengthwise orientation in alignment with said armature.
An apparatus for aligning a plurality of optical fibers for fixation, comprising:
- a main body having an inner chamber;
- a plurality of armatures having a first end, a second end, and an inner channel pneumatically connecting said first end to said second end,
- said first end of each of said plurality of armatures being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said inner chamber;
- a plurality of fiber-holding heads each having a second plurality of vacuum pores:
- each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads being mechanically attached to said second end of each of said plurality of armatures so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said second plurality of vacuum pores:
- a vacuum attachment having an orifice:
- said vacuum attachment being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said orifice to said second plurality of vacuum pores in each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads via said inner chamber and said inner channel;
- and
- a contour formed in each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads coincident with said second plurality of vacuum pores:
- said contour having a lengthwise orientation in alignment with said armature.
A method for aligning optical fiber for fixation, comprising the steps of:
- applying a source of vacuum to a manifold, where
- said manifold comprises a vacuum input and a vacuum output, and where an inner chamber and inner channel connect said vacuum input to said vacuum output;
- said vacuum output comprises a surface contour in alignment with and matching the shape of an optical fiber;
- and
- said surface contour comprises a plurality of vacuum pores therethrough;
- applying a vacuum to said vacuum input so as to create a vacuum at said vacuum pores;
- momentarily securing said optical fiber to said surface contour, through the force of said vacuum, for the duration of the application of said vacuum to said vacuum input;
- maintaining alignment of said optical fiber while secured to said surface contour in a position to facilitate fixation of said optical fiber;
- and
- removing said applied vacuum from said vacuum input upon fixation of said optical fiber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.