Optical coupling assembly

• US 20080019653A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Chien-Hua, Obert, Jeffrey S., Wu, Kuohua
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,303 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 385/133
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00

Abstract

An optical coupling assembly includes light transmitting or reflecting members fusion bonded to one another.

Claims

1. An optical coupling assembly comprising:

light transmitting or reflecting members having interfaces fusion bonded to one another.

2. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the interfaces are plasma bonded to one another.

3. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the members are reflective and are coupled to one another so as to integrate light.

4. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, further comprising a bonding material between the interfaces and fusion bonded to at least one of the interfaces.

5. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the members comprise transparent structures coated with one or more reflective materials.

6. The optical coupling assembly of claim 5, wherein the transparent structures comprise glass.

7. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the members are fusion bonded to one another to form a hollow light passage.

8. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein the members comprise solid transparent rods coated with one or more reflective materials.

9. The optical coupling assembly of claim 8, wherein each rod has at least two faces fusion bonded to an adjacent rod.

10. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, where the members are joined to one another to form a lenticular array.

11. The optical coupling assembly of claim 1, wherein one or more of the members are selected from a group of members consisting of lenses, prisms and gratings.

12. A method for forming an optical coupling assembly, the method comprising:

providing light reflecting or transmitting members having faces to be joined to one another;

a step for increasing bond surface energy of at least one of faces; and

joining the faces to fusion bond the faces to one another.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising applying a reflective coating to transparent members to form light transmitting or reflecting members.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the members comprise plates having a reflective coating and wherein the method further comprises:

cutting the fusion bonded plates into fusion bonded stacks of rods;

applying a reflective coating to exterior faces of the stacks;

fusion bonding the faces of the stacks to one another.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein fusion bonding the faces of the stacks to one another comprises:

plasma treating the faces of the stacks; and

joining the stacks along the faces of the stacks to plasma bond the stacks to one another.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

depositing a layer of bonding material on at least one of the interfaces; and

fusion bonding the material to at least one of the interfaces.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the bond surface energy is increased by plasma treating at least one of the interfaces.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising annealing the members while joined along the faces at a temperature of less than or equal to about 200 degrees Celsius.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising polishing the exterior faces of fusion bonded stacks.

13. A method for forming an optical coupling assembly, the method comprising:

increasing a bonding site density of at least one of interfaces of light transmitting or reflecting members; and

joining the members along the interfaces to fusion bond the members to one another.