Optical fiber and lens assembly having a movable lens and a fixed optical fiber

• US 5,638,472 A
• Filed: 08/18/1995
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thorlabs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Optics For Research, Inc.
• Inventors: Van Delden, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG NHAT
• Application Number:
  US08/516,897
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 385/25, 385/33, 385/34, 385/35, 385/93, 385/15, 385/136, 385/137, 385/74, 385/119
• US Class Current: 385/33
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/023 permitting adjustment

Abstract

An optical fiber and lens assembly which comprises a housing, an optical fiber, means for rendering the optical fiber immobile within the housing, a lens, and means for moving the lens within the housing. Such an optical fiber and lens assembly enables one to provide controlled movement of the lens, independently of the optical fiber, in response to changes in the focal length of the lens, the wavelength of light, and intended usages of the light.

Claims

1. An optical fiber and lens assembly comprising:

a housing;

an optical fiber;

means for rendering said optical fiber immobile within said housing;

lens means mounted within the housing immediately opposite the end of the optical fiber in the housing;

means for moving the said lens means within said housing toward and away from the optical fiber;

means for tilting said lens means within said housing about an axis normal to the axis of the housing in planes normal to the axis of said optical fiber;

coupling means on the end of the optical fiber in the housing;

optical fiber receptacle means fixed within said housing having an internal passage to receive the coupling means on the end of the optical fiber;

the coupling means engaged within the internal passage in the receptacle means to render said optical fiber immobile within said receptacle means and said housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for rendering said optical fiber immobile within said housing further comprises a clamping means attached to and surrounding said receptacle means, said clamping means holding said receptacle means within said housing.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said means for moving said lens within said housing comprises:

a lens holding means containing said lens, said lens holding means being contained within said housing;

a reference plate adjacent said lens holding means, whereby said lens holding means is disposed between said optical fiber and said plate means;

means for moving said lens holding means along a first axis whereby said lens holding means is moved toward or away from said optical fiber, said means for moving said lens holding means toward or away from said optical fiber comprising at least one screw inserted through said housing and into said reference plate; and

means for moving said lens holding means along at least one of a second axis and a third axis, said second axis and said third axis lying in a plane disposed at an angle to said first axis, said means for moving said lens holding means along said at least one of said second axis and said third axis comprising at least one screw inserted through said housing and contacting said lens holding means.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for moving said lens within said housing further comprises a magnet contained within said lens holding means, said magnet being disposed between said lens and said plate, and wherein said magnet is contiguous with said plate, and wherein said plate is formed from a magnetic material.

5. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said first axis comprises three screws inserted through three openings in said housing, and into three openings in said reference plate, and wherein said three screws are spaced circumferentially in said housing and in said reference plate, and each screw is equidistant from the other two screws.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said first axis further comprises at least one spring plunger inserted through said housing and contacting said plate.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said first axis further comprises three spring plunger means inserted through three threaded openings in said housing, and wherein said three spring plunger means are spaced circumferentially in said housing, and each spring plunger is equidistant from the other two spring plungers.

8. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for moving said lens within said housing further comprises at least one leaf spring means attached to said housing and biased against said lens holding means.

9. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said second axis comprises at least two screws inserted through said housing and contacting said lens holding means.

10. An optical fiber and lens assembly comprising:

a housing;

an optical fiber defining a first optical axis;

means for rendering said optical fiber immobile within said housing;

a lens disposed on said first optical axis; and

means for selectively radially, axially, and rotationally moving said lens within said housing relative to said first optical axis, said means for moving said lens within said housing comprising;

lens holding means containing said lens, said lens holding means being contained within said housing;

a reference plate adjacent said lens holding means whereby said lens holding means is disposed between said optical fiber and said plate;

means for moving said lens holding means along said first optical axis whereby said lens holding means is moved toward or away from said optical fiber; and

means for moving said lens holding means along at least one of a second axis and a third axis, said second axis lying in a plane disposed at an angle to said first axis and said third axis, said means for moving said lens holding means along said at least one of said second axis and said third axis comprising means coupled to said housing adjustably contacting said lens holding means.

11. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens within said housing further comprises a magnet contained within said lens holding means, said magnet being disposed between said lens and said plate, and wherein said magnet is contiguous with said plate, and wherein said plate is formed from a magnetic material.

12. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said optical first axis comprises a plurality of screws inserted through a corresponding plurality of openings in said housing, and into a corresponding plurality of openings in said reference plate and wherein said screws are spaced equidistant from one another circumferentially in said housing.

13. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said optical first axis further comprises at least one spring plunger inserted through said housing and contacting said plate.

14. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said optical first axis comprises three spring plunger means inserted through three corresponding threaded openings in said housing, and wherein said three spring plunger means are spaced equidistant from one another circumferentially in said housing.

15. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens within said housing further comprises at least one leaf spring means attached to said housing and biased against said lens holding means.

16. The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means for moving said lens holding means along said second axis comprises at least two screws inserted through said housing and contacting said lens holding means.