Optical fibre alignment mechanism
AssigneeIntense Limited
InventorAdrian Kendall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An alignment and fixing apparatus for positioning and securing an optical fibre (11) in alignment with an optical source (9), in which the optical fibre (11) is coupled, at two longitudinally separated points along the fibre (11), to respective ones of a pair of cantilever arms. Lateral movement of one of the cantilever arms induces a smaller lateral movement of the other cantilever arm, thereby enabling precision lateral displacement of an end of the fibre (11) proximal to the optical source (9).
Claims41
An apparatus for aligning and fixing an optical fibre relative to an optical source, comprising:
- first and second fixing brackets, each fixing bracket including:
- a support member for attachment to a substrate;
- first and second cantilever arms extending from the support member in opposing directions, each cantilever arm including fibre engagement means for engaging with the optical fibre;
- the apparatus further comprising a substrate including support means for receiving the support members so as to dispose the first and second fixing brackets such that the fibre engagement means of the first fixing bracket oppose the fibre engagement means of the second fixing bracket, for receiving and supporting an optical fibre therebetween at two longitudinal positions of the optical fibre.
An Apparatus for supporting and aligning an optical fibre relative to an optical source comprising:
- a fixing bracket, the fixing bracket including:
- a support member for attachment to a substrate;
- and
- a first relatively long cantilever arm and a second relatively short cantilever arm extending from the support member in opposing directions, each cantilever arm including fibre engagement means for engaging with the optical fibre at different longitudinal positions of the fibre.
A method for aligning and fixing an optical fibre relative to an optical source comprising the steps of:
- positioning first and second fixing brackets on a substrate such that first and second fibre engagement means of the first fixing bracket oppose first and second fibre engagement means of the second fixing bracket;
- positioning an optical fibre intermediate the first and second fixing brackets for support therebetween at two longitudinal positions of the fibre;
- securing the first and second fixing brackets to the optical fibre at the points of contact of the fibre engagement means to the fibre;
- and
- adjusting the fibre alignment relative to the optical source.
A method of supporting an optical fibre and aligning the optical fibre to an optical source, comprising the steps of:
- coupling the optical fibre, at two longitudinally separated positions thereof, respectively to fibre engagement means on each of a first relatively long cantilever arm and a second relatively short cantilever arm of a fixing bracket;
- distorting the first cantilever arm and thereby generating a resultant distortion in the second cantilever arm, thereby adjusting the alignment of the fibre relative to the optical source.
41-42. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.