Laser bar clamp

Details Laser bar clamp Laser bar clamp

1999-09-01

2002-02-12

Edwards, Laura (Department: 1734)

Coating apparatus

Work holders, or handling devices

C118S503000, C269S008000, C269S246000, C269S247000, C269S903000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06346155

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a clamp, and in particular, a clamp for holding electrical components.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
During the production of electrical components, it is often necessary to hold the components during different stages of manufacture. For example, during the production of laser bars and laser chips (collectively laser components) it is often necessary to hold the laser components during a facet coating process. The facet coating process entails coating different portions of the laser components to modify the light output of the components.
One device which utilizes facet-coated laser components is the Optical Subassembly (OSA). The OSA includes an electrical circuit coupled to the laser component which causes the component to emit laser beams. The laser beams are directed toward a lens of the OSA which collimates the beams into an output beam or beams with a specified light output level. The facet coating of the different portions of the laser components serves to optimize the light output of the OSA.
Since laser components are extremely small, they are typically held in a clamp or other securing mechanism during the facet coating process. Traditional clamps hold approximately twenty-eight (28) laser components each. The laser components are loaded into the clamp with spacers placed therebetween. Once the clamp is loaded with laser components, it is placed into a facet coating machine where portions of the components are coated with a facet coating substance, such as a light-reflective substance.
FIGS. 1 and 2
show a conventional clamp
10
for use in a facet coating process. The clamp
10
includes a housing
20
into which a plurality of laser components
40
, in particular laser bars, are placed. The housing
20
includes a plurality of spacers
30
which are coupled to a spring-loaded mechanism (not shown) for holding the spacers together. The spacers
30
are disposed within a track
21
in the housing
20
, and are coupled to an end bar
31
, such that when the end bar is moved away from the spacers the spacers separate from one another. The spring-loaded mechanism causes the spacers
30
to come together again when the end bar
31
is released. The separation of spacers
30
from one another allows a user to insert laser components
40
into the housing
20
between the spacers. In particular, when the end bar
31
is retracted and the spacers
30
are separated from one another, a user may insert a laser component
40
so that upper
41
and lower
42
faces of the component are disposed against each of two spacers (see FIG.
2
). Once components
40
have been placed in all the spaces between spacers
30
, the end bar
31
is released and the spring-loaded mechanism retracts to tightly hold the components between the spacers.
FIG. 2
is a magnified view of the track
21
of the housing showing components
40
and spacers
30
placed therein. Note that a spacer
30
is disposed on either side of each component
40
to securely hold the component therebetween. The spacers
30
contact the upper
41
and lower
42
faces of the component
40
. The components includes test patterns
45
formed on the ends of the component. These test patterns
45
are areas of the laser component
40
which are not used, and thus they are eventually cut away in later stages of the manufacturing process.
In order to perform the facet-coating process, the clamp
10
is loaded with components
40
at the points between the spacers
30
as described above. The clamp
110
is then placed in a facet coating device where the exposed side faces of the components are coated with a facet-coating substance. Once the facet coating is completed, the clamp
10
is removed from the facet coating device, and the components are removed therefrom. In order to remove the components
40
, the end bar
31
is moved away from the spacers, thereby causing the spacers to separate from one another. Then, the facet-coated components
40
are removed from the clamp
10
by hand.
Since the spacers
30
essentially form a part of the housing
20
, they are reused each time each time a facet coating process is performed. Thus, the spacers often become worn or over-coated with a facet coating substance causing problems in subsequent processes. Additionally, the pressure of the spacers
30
against the upper and lower faces of the components
40
caused by the spring-loaded mechanism often causes cracking and chipping of the components.
Thus, there is currently a need for an improved clamp for laser components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is clamp for holding at least one electronic component. The clamp includes a first elongate member for contacting a first side of the electronic component(s) and a second elongate member for contacting a second opposing side of the electronic component(s). The first and second elongate members include first and second portions, respectively, for contacting and holding the electronic component(s).
The above and other features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3826483 (1974-07-01), Siegel
patent: 4877573 (1989-10-01), Nilsson
patent: 5820013 (1998-10-01), Ortiz
patent: 5983790 (1999-11-01), Switzer
patent: 6206352 (2001-03-01), Ishitani et al.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Laser bar clamp does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Laser bar clamp, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Laser bar clamp will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2968300