Optics: measuring and testing – Lens or reflective image former testing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-14
2003-11-11
Stafira, Michael P. (Department: 2877)
Optics: measuring and testing
Lens or reflective image former testing
Reexamination Certificate
active
06646730
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-7992, filed Feb. 14, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an apparatus for inspecting a collimator.
2. Description of the Related Art
A collimator is an optical communication device collimating a ray emitted from a light source. The collimator is used as a component in equipment such as optical communication equipment, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, etc., which may need parallel light.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a collimator
10
is generally comprised of a pigtail
12
and a GRIN lens
14
which are coaxially arranged, a glass tube
15
accommodating and supporting the pigtail
12
and the GRIN lens
14
, and a metal sleeve
16
protecting the glass tube
15
.
The pigtail
12
is made of glass, and a fiber
13
forming a path of an incident ray is connected therethrough from one end part thereof. On another end part of the pigtail
12
is formed an inclined part
12
a
, having a predetermined inclination angle.
Further, the GRIN lens
14
is provided with an inclined part
14
a
on one end thereof in correspondence with the inclined part
12
a
of the pigtail
12
.
To manufacture the collimator
10
having the above configuration, the GRIN lens
14
is first inserted into the glass tube
15
, and fastened therein. The end part of the GRIN lens
14
, which is formed with the inclined part
14
a
, is located inside the glass tube
15
, and another end part thereof protrudes out of the glass tube
15
by a predetermined length.
After the GRIN lens
14
is accommodated in and supported by one side of the glass tube
15
, the pigtail
12
is inserted in another side of the glass tube
15
. The end part of the pigtail
12
which is formed with the inclined part
12
a
is accommodated inside the glass tube
15
, mating with the inclined part
14
a
of the GRIN lens
14
, which is accommodated inside the glass tube
15
.
At this time, the inclined part
12
a
of the pigtail
12
is aligned so as to obtain desired optical properties, and then the pigtail
12
is fastened inside the glass tube
15
.
Thereafter, the glass tube
15
accommodating and supporting the GRIN lens
14
and the pigtail
12
is inserted into a metal sleeve
16
, and then the glass tube
15
is fastened onto the metal sleeve
16
by applying an epoxy resin
17
to one end of the metal sleeve
16
, so as to complete the collimator
10
.
However, there has not been proposed an apparatus for inspecting the collimator
10
.
Therefore, the length of the protruding part of the GRIN lens
14
, the amount and shape of an epoxy resin
17
, etc., have been inspected with the naked eye. Further, to inspect the angle alignment, the spot alignment, etc. between the GRIN lens
14
and the pigtail
12
is not possible, thereby decreasing the reliability of the collimator
10
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an apparatus for inspecting a collimator effectively is provided, thereby increasing the reliability of the collimator.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
This and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by an apparatus for inspecting a collimator including a pigtail to which a fiber is connected to transmit an optical signal, a GRIN lens coaxially arranged with the pigtail, a glass tube accommodating and supporting the pigtail and the GRIN lens, and a metal sleeve protecting the glass tube, comprising an inspection table; a grip part provided on the inspection table, and gripping the collimator to be inspected; a first camera provided over the grip part having an axis perpendicular to a length of the collimator, and photographing the collimator along the length of the collimator; a second camera arranged coaxially with the collimator on the inspection table, and photographing the collimator perpendicular to an axis of the collimator; and a displaying part connected to the first camera and the second camera, and displaying pictures transmitted from the first camera and the second camera.
One end of the glass tube and one end of the metal sleeve may be fastened to each other with an epoxy resin, and the picture photographed by the first camera and displayed on the displaying part may show at least one of a length of the GRIN lens, and an amount and a shape of the epoxy resin.
The picture photographed by the second camera and displayed on the displaying part may show an angle alignment between the GRIN lens and the pigtail.
The apparatus may further comprise a light source connected to the fiber and emitting an optical signal to a fiber; and an optical signal sensor arranged coaxially with the collimator on the inspection table, and receiving the optical signal from the light source through the collimator.
The optical signal sensor may be connected to the displaying part, and a picture photographed by the optical signal sensor and displayed on the displaying part may show a spot alignment between the GRIN lens and the pigtail.
The apparatus may further comprise a sliding block slidably supporting the optical signal sensor and the second camera; a driving part slidably moving a sliding block so that the optical signal sensor and the second camera alternately aligned with an axis of the collimator; and a rail provided on the inspection table and guiding a movement of the sliding block.
The apparatus may further comprise a control part controlling the first camera and the second camera, the displaying part, the light source, the optical signal sensor, and a driving part.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5004346 (1991-04-01), Kühel
patent: 5163107 (1992-11-01), Garriss
patent: 5299272 (1994-03-01), Buchin
patent: 5841591 (1998-11-01), Zhu et al.
Hwang Myeon-soon
Kim Byung-gon
Kim Myoung-woon
Lee Suk-chan
Sun Hong-suk
Staas & Halsey , LLP
Stafira Michael P.
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