Photo-interrupter and method of manufacturing the same, and optical coupling apparatus and method of manufacturing the same

A method of manufacturing a photo-interrupter, comprising:

• forming a hoop shaped frame in which light emitting element side frames and light receiving element side frames are alternately arranged at an equal interval, the light emitting element side frames, on one hand, and the light receiving element side frames, on the other hand, having different shapes to each other;
• forming light emitting element units by mounting light emitting elements on the light emitting element side frames, connecting to each other and molding the light emitting elements, and forming light receiving element units by mounting light receiving elements on the light receiving element side frames, connecting to each other and molding the light receiving elements;
• separating the hoop shaped frame into a light emitting element side hoop shaped frame and a light receiving element side hoop shaped frame;
• disposing the light emitting element units of the light emitting element side hoop shaped frame and the light receiving element units of the light receiving element side hoop shaped frame to arrange the light emitting elements, on one hand, and the light emitting elements, on the other hand, with a predetermined gap therebetween, and molding the light emitting element units of the light emitting element side hoop shaped frame and the light emitting element units of the light receiving element side hoop shaped frame in one body;
• and
• separating the light emitting element side and light receiving element side hoop shaped frames into pieces each including one light emitting element unit and one light receiving element unit.

A photo-coupling apparatus comprising:

• a light emitting element;
• a first lead frame having a reflector portion, the light being emitting element mounted on and connected to the reflector portion of the first lead frame;
• a light receiving element;
• a second lead frame having a different shape from the first lead frame, the light receiving element being mounted on and connected to the second lead frame;
• a coupler which optically connect the light emitting element with the light receiving element;
• and
• a molding which seals the light emitting element and the light receiving element.

A method of manufacturing a photo-interrupter, comprising:

• forming a hoop shaped frame in which light emitting element side frames and light receiving element side frames are alternately arranged at an equal interval, the light emitting element side frames, on one hand, and the light receiving element side frames, on the other hand, having different shapes to each other;
• forming light emitting element units by mounting light emitting elements on the light emitting element side frames and connecting to each other;
• separating the hoop shaped frame into a light emitting element side hoop shaped frame and a light receiving element side hoop shaped frame;
• optically connecting the light emitting elements of the light emitting element side hoop shaped frame with the light receiving elements of the light receiving element side hoop shaped frame;
• molding the light emitting elements of the light emitting element side hoop shaped frame and the light emitting elements of the light receiving element side hoop shaped frame in one body;
• and
• separating the light emitting element side and light receiving element side hoop shaped frames into pieces each including one light emitting element and one light receiving element.