Optical component manufacturing apparatus and method, and optical component lens assembling apparatus

A method of manufacturing an optical component by using a first optical member and a second optical member, comprising the steps of:

• grasping the first optical member by a first grasping device;
• grasping the second optical member by a second grasping device that can be driven;
• driving the second grasping device to move the second optical member to an adhesive supply device to apply an adhesive to the second optical member;
• driving the second grasping device to move the second optical member, to which the adhesive has been applied, to a position of the first optical member;
• placing the second optical member on the first optical member;
• detecting the state of the optical axes of the first optical member and the second optical member;
• aligning the optical axes of the first optical member and the second optical member with each other according to a result detection of the state of the optical axes;
• hardening the adhesive applied to the second optical member, whose optical axis has been aligned;
• and
• releasing the second optical member and causing the second grasping device to retreat.

An apparatus for assembling a lens of an optical component having at least one optical fiber, a fiber block for fixing the optical fiber in position, and a cylindrical lens to be fixed to the fiber block with its optical axis aligned with that of the optical fiber, wherein the cylindrical lens is fixed, the apparatus comprising:

• a fiber block device fixing in position the fiber block on which the optical fiber is provided;
• a lens grasping device grasping an outer peripheral side surface of the cylindrical lens supplied to a lens supply position;
• an adhesive applying device applying an adhesive to one end surface of the cylindrical lens;
• a lens moving device placing one end surface of the cylindrical lens, to which the adhesive has been applied, at a predetermined position of the fiber block;
• and
• an optical axes alignment state detecting device detecting the optical axis alignment state of the optical fiber and the cylindrical lens.