US 7,003,211 B2 · Optical system production system

Abstract

Mounting and alignment structures for optical components allow optical components to be connected to an optical bench and then subsequently aligned, i.e., either passively or actively, in a manufacturing or subsequent calibration or recalibration, alignment or realignment processes. The structures comprise quasi-extrusion portions. This portion is “quasi-extrusion” in the sense that it has a substantially constant cross section in a z-axis direction as would be yielded in an extrusion manufacturing process. The structures further comprise at least one base, having a laterally-extending base surface, and an optical component interface. At least one armature connects the optical component interface with the base. In the preferred embodiment, the base surface is securable to an optical bench.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An optical system production method, comprising

supplying optical benches from an optical bench supply;
supplying optical components from a component supply;
receiving optical components from the optical component supply and optical benches from the optical bench supply at a pick-and-place machine;
attaching the optical components to the optical benches with the pick-and-place machine;
characterizing positions of the optical components, which have been attached to the optical benches;
and
mechanically adjusting the relative positions of the optical components with an optical system aligner.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

10/824,855Filed 15 Apr 2004 · division

Priority

15 Nov 1999

Published

US 2004/0223721 A111 Nov 2004

Granted

21 Feb 2006

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

G02B 6/3656
Supporting carriers of a microbench type, i.e. with micromachined additional mechanical structures: the additional structures being…
G02B 6/32
Optical coupling means: having lens focusing means positioned between opposed fibre ends
G02B 6/4226
Active alignment, i.e. moving the elements in response to the detected degree of coupling or position of the elements: positioning means for…
G02B 6/4249
Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details: comprising arrays of active devices and fibres

Family

Application60/165,431Us provisional application · filed 15 Nov 1999

Application60/186,925Us provisional application · filed 3 Mar 2000

Application09/645,827Parent of this division · filed 25 Aug 2000

US 2004/0223721 A1Pre-grant publication · published 11 Nov 2004

US 7,003,211 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Optical system production system

Life of this patent

Optical system production system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11