Fiber optic coupling assembly and apparatus and method for making same
First Claim
1. A fiber optic assembly, comprising:
- a wall comprised of a first piece surrounded by a second piece, the first and the second pieces being materials of different hardness and defining a slot at least in part in the less hard of the first and second pieces; and
a plurality of optical elements captured in the slot by a coined edge of the less hard of the first and second pieces.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly for coupling light between a fiber optic cable connector and optoelectronic devices in an optoelectronic transceiver and method of fabricating the same. An Electric Discharge Machining process shapes and precisely dimensions several slots and alignment holes in a bulkhead. Several very small spherical refractive lenses are picked up and placed into each slot by a vacuum tool. Since the intake cavity at the working end of the vacuum tool has the same width and length as does each of the slots, the spherical lenses are placed in the slots precisely as picked up in the intake cavity. The spherical lenses are then secured in the slots by a coining process, which involves a force applied to a soft metal portion of the bulkhead. Under the action of the applied force, the soft metal around the spherical lenses deforms, thus embedding the spherical lenses in the slots. The bulkhead is the part of the transceiver, into one side of which the fiber optical cable plugs, while the other side is aligned to the laser diodes and the photodetectors of the transceiver.
8 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A fiber optic assembly, comprising:
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a wall comprised of a first piece surrounded by a second piece, the first and the second pieces being materials of different hardness and defining a slot at least in part in the less hard of the first and second pieces; and
a plurality of optical elements captured in the slot by a coined edge of the less hard of the first and second pieces. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An optoelectronic transceiver comprising:
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a base;
a first module mounted on the base and carrying at least one optoelectronic device;
a second module mounted on the base adjacent the first module and being adapted to connect to a fiber optic cable connector, the second module including a wall comprised of an inner piece and an outer piece, being of materials of different hardness and defining a slot at least in part in the less hard of the two pieces; and
a plurality of optical elements captured in the slot by a coined edge of the less hard of the two pieces.
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20. A method of making an optical assembly, comprising the acts of:
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providing a first piece defining an opening;
providing a second piece and fitting the second piece in the opening, wherein the first piece and second piece are of different hardness, and wherein a slot is defined at least in part in the less hard of the two pieces after they are fitted together; and
securing a plurality of optical elements in the slot by coining the less hard of the two pieces. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for handling a plurality of spherical elements comprising:
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a member defining a bore, wherein the bore is in fluid communication with a vacuum pump;
an intake cavity of the member at the terminus of the bore, wherein the intake cavity is configured to receive the plurality of the spherical elements arranged linearly therein; and
a peripheral hole defined in the member, wherein the peripheral hole is in fluid communication with the bore and the ambient. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of handling a plurality of elements, each element being less than 1000 μ
- m in diameter, comprising the acts of;
providing a vacuum;
picking up the elements in a linear arrangement with the vacuum;
aligning the picked up elements with a slot defined in a workpiece; and
releasing the elements into the slot by reducing the vacuum. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
- m in diameter, comprising the acts of;
Specification