Apparatus of making collimators for precise alignment of optical paths without need for adjusting positions or angles to compensate for offsets or deviations during optical device assembly

An apparatus for making a collimator having a lens centered about a collimator axis and enclosed by an outer sleeve, for precise alignment of an optical path emanating from the collimator to obviate need for adjusting the collimator to compensate for a translational offset or an angular deviation of the optical path with respect to the collimator axis when the collimator is assembled to an optical device, the apparatus comprising:

• a light source connected to the collimator to provide a light spot along the optical path;
• a light sensor movably positioned to detect the light spot at a first longitudinal position and at a second longitudinal position;
• a processor connected to the light sensor to record a first center position of the light spot at the first longitudinal position on a transverse planar coordinate and a second center position of the light spot at the second longitudinal position on the transverse planar coordinate, the processor capable of determining the translational offset and the angular deviation of the optical path based upon the first and second longitudinal positions of the light sensor and the first and second center positions of the light spot on the transverse planar coordinate;
• a bearing capable of rotating about a stable bearing axis;
• a cutter connected to the bearing;
• and
• an adjustable support for holding the collimator and moving the collimator translationally and angularly to align the optical path with the stable axis based upon the translational offset and the angular deviation determined by the processor, to allow the cutter to remove a portion of the outer sleeve to form an outer cylindrical surface that is concentric with the optical path.

An apparatus for making a collimator having a lens centered about a collimator axis and enclosed by an outer sleeve, for precise alignment of an optical path emanating from the collimator to obviate need for adjusting the collimator to compensate for a translational offset or an angular deviation of the optical path with respect to the collimator axis, the apparatus comprising:

• a light source connected to the collimator to provide a light spot along the optical path;
• at least one light sensor positioned to detect the light spot at a first longitudinal position and at a second longitudinal position;
• a display connected to said at least one light sensor to display a first center position of the light spot at the first longitudinal position on a transverse planar coordinate and a second center position of the light spot at the second longitudinal position on the transverse planar coordinate;
• a cutter rotatable about a stable axis;
• and
• an adjustable support for holding the collimator and moving the collimator translationally and angularly to align the optical path with the stable axis based upon the first and second center positions of the light spot on the display, to allow the cutter to remove a portion of the outer sleeve to form an outer cylindrical surface that is centered about an axis which coincides with the optical path.

An apparatus for making a collimator having a lens centered about a collimator axis and enclosed by an outer sleeve, for precise alignment of an optical path emanating from the collimator to obviate need for adjusting the collimator to compensate for a translational offset or an angular deviation of the optical path with respect to the collimator axis, the apparatus comprising:

• a light source connected to the collimator to produce an output light beam;
• at least one reflector positioned to reflect the output light beam onto first and second reflected output optical paths;
• first and second light sensors positioned to detect first and second light spots on the first and second reflected output optical paths, respectively;
• a display connected to the light sensors to display the first light spot detected by the first light sensor and the second light spot detected by the second light sensor on a transverse planar coordinate;
• a cutter rotatable about a stable axis;
• and
• an adjustable support for holding the collimator and moving the collimator translationally and angularly to align the output light beam with the stable axis based upon positions of the first and second light spots on the display, to allow the cutter to remove a portion of the outer sleeve to form an outer cylindrical surface that is centered about an axis which coincides with the optical path.