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US 2007/0177842 A1Published application
Method and apparatus for aligning optical components
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorStephan Clark
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses are provided for aligning two optical components. Two optical components are aligned by stacking a first, a second, and a third transparent optical element between two optical components. The optical components are adjusted in the x, y, and z-axes, and rotations about the x, y, and z-axes.
Claims20
A method for aligning a first optical component to a second optical component comprising:
- slidably positioning a first optical element relative to the first optical component in an x-axis and a y-axis;
- slidably positioning a second optical element relative to the first optical element for aligning in a z-axis;
- and
- slidably positioning a third optical element relative to the second optical element for rotatably aligning around the x-axis, the y-axis and the z-axis, wherein the second optical component is mounted to the third optical element.
1 more element
An apparatus comprising:
- a first optical element;
- a second optical element coupled to the first optical element;
- a third optical element coupled to the second optical element;
- wherein one coupled pair of optical elements is configured to allow the relative positioning of the first optical element to the third optical element in an x-axis, a y-axis, and a z-axis and the other coupled pair of optical elements is configured to allow the relative positioning of the first optical element to the third optical element rotatably about the x-axis, the y axis and the z-axis;
- and
- wherein the first, second, and third optical elements are substantially transparent.
3 more elements
An optical assembly comprising:
- a transparent first wedge with a first and a second surface;
- a transparent second wedge with a first and a second surface, wherein the first surface has a spherical recession with a radius;
- a transparent partial sphere including a substantially planar first surface and a spherical second surface, wherein the spherical second surface has substantially the same radius as the spherical recession in the first surface of the second wedge;
- and
- wherein the first surface of the first wedge is coupled to the second surface of the second wedge, and the second surface of the partial sphere is coupled to the spherical recession in the first surface of the second wedge.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.