Laser housing having integral mounts and method of manufacturing same

A housing for a laser, wherein the housing is machined from a single piece of material, the housing comprising:

• a through-hole machined into the single piece material, wherein the through-hole is machined with high precision to a minimum alignment tolerance;
• a first cavity machined into the single piece of material so as to substantially intersect the through-hole, and adapted to facilitate inserting a first component into the through-hole,
• a second cavity machined into the single piece of material so as to substantially intersect the through-hole, and adapted to receive and retain a second component in close association with the through-hole;
• and
• at least one component mount substantially defined by the through-hole and the first cavity, wherein the component mount has a surface, there being a first internally-threaded securement hole machined into the surface for receiving an externally-threaded set screw for securing a component in the component mount, and a second securement hole providing a conduit for facilitating introduction of an adhesive between the component and the component mount to thereby further secure the component therein.

A method of creating a housing for a laser, wherein the housing is machined from a single piece of material, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) machining one or more through-holes into the single piece of material;
• (b) machining a first cavity and a second cavity into the single piece of material such that each of the first cavity and the second cavity substantially intersects at least one of the one or more through-holes and such that the first cavity cooperates with the at least one through-hole to define a component mount;
• (c) inserting a first component through the first cavity and into the component mount;
• (d) securing the first component in the component mount;
• (e) inserting a second component into the second cavity;
• and
• (f) securing the second component in the second cavity in close association with the at least one through-hole.

A method of creating a housing for a laser, wherein the housing is machined from a single piece of material, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) machining one or more through-holes into the single piece of material, wherein the one or more through-holes are machined with high precision to a minimum alignment tolerance;
• (b) machining a first cavity and a second cavity into the single piece of material such that each of the first cavity and the second cavity substantially intersects at least one of the one or more through-holes and such that the first cavity cooperates with the at least one through-hole to define a component mount;
• (c) machining an internally-threaded securement hole into a surface of the component mount;
• (d) machining a conduit securement hole into the surface of the component mount;
• (e) inserting a first component through the first cavity and into the component mount;
• (f) securing the first component in the component mounting by screwing an externally-threaded set screw into the internally-threaded securement hole to temporarily secure the first component, and injecting an adhesive into the second conduit securement hole to permanently secure the first component;
• (g) removing the set screw once the adhesive has cured;
• (h) inserting a second component into the second cavity;
• and
• (i) securing the second component in the second cavity in close association with the through-hole.

A method of creating a housing for a laser, wherein the housing is machined from a single piece of material, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) machining a first through-hole and a second through-hole into the single piece of material;
• (b) machining a first cavity in the form of a first hole in the single piece of material such that the first cavity substantially intersects both the first through-hole and the second through-hole;
• (c) machining a second cavity in the form of a second hole which is concentric with the first hole, such that the second cavity substantially intersects the second through-hole;
• (d) inserting and installing a first component in the first cavity;
• and
• (e) inserting and installing a second component in the second cavity.