# US 2024/0201455 A1 · Lens unit, optical waveguide device, and optical transmission device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201455 A1 - Document ID: US20240201455A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/555,920 - Filed: 2021-09-30 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-09-30 - Assignees: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Sumitomo Osaka Cement Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Kei Katou; Hideki Ichimei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201455A1 ## CPC - G02B 6/4204: {the coupling comprising intermediate optical elements, e.g. lenses, holograms (encapsulated active devices H01S5/02208)} - G02B 6/30: for use between fibre and thin-film device - G02B 6/32: having lens focusing means {positioned between opposed fibre ends (with lens being an integral part of the single fibre end G02B6/262)} - G02B 6/42: Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements - G02B 6/4214: {the intermediate optical element having redirecting reflective means, e.g. mirrors, prisms for deflecting the radiation from horizontal to down- or upward direction toward a device (G02B6/4246 takes precedence)} - G02B 6/4244: {Mounting of the optical elements} - G02F 1/01: for the control of the intensity, phase, polarisation or colour (G02F1/29, G02F1/35 take precedence) - G02B 6/4206: {Optical features (G02B6/4207, G02B6/421 take precedence)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS ## Abstract Mechanical strength of a lens that optically couples an optical waveguide and an optical fiber provided on a substrate is improved. A lens unit that optically couples an optical waveguide provided on a substrate and an optical fiber has a lens portion and a holding portion that holds the lens portion, and the holding portion has a thick portion, along one side surface that is not a surface through which an optical axis passes, in which a thickness measured in a direction of the optical axis is larger than a thickness of an other portion of the holding portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A lens unit that optically couples an optical waveguide provided on a substrate and an optical fiber, the lens unit comprising: a lens portion; and a holding portion that holds the lens portion, wherein the holding portion has a thick portion, along one side surface that is not a surface through which an optical axis of the lens portion passes, in which a thickness of the holding portion measured in a direction of the optical axis is larger than a thickness of an other portion of the holding portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the lens portions disposed along one direction are provided, and the thick portion of the holding portion extends along a disposition direction of the lens portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion further has a thick portion, on an other side surface facing the one side surface with the lens portion interposed therebetween, in which a thickness measured in the direction of the optical axis is larger than a thickness of an other portion of the holding portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The lens unit according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the thick portion on the other side surface in the holding portion is thinner than the thickness of the thick portion on the one side surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the thick portion has an inclined portion whose thickness continuously decreases toward the lens portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) An optical waveguide device comprising: an optical waveguide element that has an optical waveguide provided on a substrate; a chassis that accommodates the optical waveguide element; an input optical fiber and an output optical fiber that propagate input light and output light of the optical waveguide element; and the lens unit according to claim 1 that is disposed between the optical waveguide element and the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical waveguide device according to claim 6, wherein the chassis includes a case, which is a hexahedron, whose one surface is open, and a cover that covers the open one surface of the case, and the lens unit is disposed such that the one side surface provided with the thick portion faces the open one surface of the case. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The optical waveguide device according to claim 7, wherein the optical waveguide element has, on one end surface of the substrate, a light input end of the optical waveguide that receives the input light and a light output end of the optical waveguide that outputs the output light, both the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber are fixed to one surface of the chassis, and the lens unit disposed between the optical waveguide element and the input optical fiber and the output optical fiber includes the number of the lens portions equal to a sum of the number of input light beams input to the optical waveguide element and the number of output light beams output from the optical waveguide element. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The optical waveguide device according to claim 7, wherein an optical assembly disposed between the optical waveguide element and the input optical fiber and/or the output optical fiber is provided, and the optical assembly and the thick portion on the one side surface of the lens unit have portions that overlap each other in a plan view of the case as viewed from the opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The optical waveguide device according to claim 6, wherein the optical waveguide element is an optical modulation element that modulates the input light from the input optical fiber and outputs the modulated light, and an electronic circuit that drives the optical waveguide element is provided inside the chassis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) An optical transmission device comprising: the optical waveguide device according to claim 6; and an electronic circuit that generates an electrical signal for causing the optical waveguide element to perform a modulation operation.