Optical waveguides – Accessories – External retainer/clamp
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-18
2004-08-24
Prasad, Chandrika (Department: 2839)
Optical waveguides
Accessories
External retainer/clamp
C385S147000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06782183
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a fiber array module and, more particularly, to an efficient method for fabricating a fiber array module, which is practical for making fiber array modules rapidly.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, optical fibers are intensively used as signal transmission media in optical communication. By matching with the development of high-channel-counts-plane-wave-guides and that of dense-wavelength-DeMux/Mutiplexer-DWDM, the communication through optical fibers can meet the demand for transmitting high-volume-data in high speed in internet communication and broadband communication. In most cases, plane-wave-guides of high channel counts containing at least a fiber array are commonly used or sandwiched between related photoelectric components for transmitting signals between those photoelectric components. A conventional fiber array module generally comprises a fiber array substrate having a plurality of V-grooves for receiving and holding optical fibers and keeping loaded optical fibers in accurate aligned positions. Due to thin thickness, it is difficult to mount and to align optical fibers into the V-grooves of the fiber array substrate. Although various measures are developed and adapted for aligning and mounting optical fibers on the V-grooves of a fiber array substrate, the most commonly employed measure is to load the optical fibers on the V-grooves manually. However, this manual loading method is inaccurate, time-consuming and expensive because more employers and much time are required to load optical fibers in the V-grooves of a fiber array substrate.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a fiber array module fabrication method and apparatus that eliminates the aforesaid drawback.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the main object of the present invention to provide a method for fabricating a fiber array module to simplify the assembling steps, to locating or positioning the optical fibers on said base block accurately, repeatedly and efficiently, and to save the time for assembling.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fiber array module fabrication apparatus, which enables simplify the assembling steps, to locating or positioning the optical fibers on said base block accurately, repeatedly and efficiently, and to save the time for assembling optical fiber array substrate
To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the method for fabricating a fiber array module comprises the steps of: providing at least one optical fiber ribbon, at least one fiber array substrate having a plurality of fixing grooves, and a device having at least two holder bases with at least one locating groove and aligning grooves, wherein at least one longitudinally extended fixing groove of said fiber array substrate is coated with solders or binders for locating said optical fibers, said locating groove of said holder bases is functioned for locating said optical fiber ribbon, and said aligning grooves is functioned for aligning said optical fibers extended from said ribbon; putting at least one fiber ribbon in said locating groove of said two holder bases, putting said at least one fiber array substrate in between said holder bases, keeping optical fibers of said optical fiber ribbon in the aligning grooves of said holder bases and the fixing grooves of said fiber array substrate; curing said binders or melting said solders through radiation or heat to fasten said optical fibers on said fiber array substrate; and cutting off said optical fibers from said fiber array substrate and then removing fiber array substrate with the secured optical fibers from said two holder bases.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for fabricating a fiber array module by combining at least one optical fiber ribbon, a fiber array substrate, and a fiber array cover plate, wherein the surface of said optical fibers of said optical fiber ribbon or the surface of said fiber array substrate is coated with a layer of binders or solders, comprises: at least two holder bases having locating grooves and a plurality of longitudinally extended locating grooves, wherein said locating grooves are adapted for holding said optical fiber ribbon and for sandwiching said fiber array substrate therebetween, said locating grooves are adapted for aligning said optical fibers extended from said optical fiber ribbon with respective grooves of said fiber array substrate; and a heater or a light adapted to cure said binders or to melt said solders to fix said optical fibers of said optical fiber ribbon to said fiber array substrate and said fiber array cover plate.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for fabricating a fiber array module by combining at least one optical fiber ribbon, a fiber array substrate, and a fiber array cover plate, wherein the surface of said optical fibers of said optical fiber ribbon or the surface of said fiber array substrate is coated with a layer of binders or solders, comprises: at least two holder bases having locating grooves and a plurality of longitudinally extended aligning grooves, wherein said locating grooves are adapted for holding said optical fiber ribbon and for sandwiching said fiber array substrate therebetween, said aligning grooves are adapted for aligning said optical fibers extended from said optical fiber ribbon with respective fixing grooves of said fiber array substrate; and a heater or a light adapted for curing said binders or to melting said solders to fix or to fasten said optical fibers of said optical fiber ribbon to said fiber array substrate and said fiber array cover plate.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5205032 (1993-04-01), Kuroda et al.
patent: 6215944 (2001-04-01), Ota et al.
patent: 6628854 (2003-09-01), Koh et al.
patent: 2003/0011055 (2003-01-01), Nakajima
patent: 2003/0072538 (2003-04-01), Jin et al.
Cheng Kun-Hsien
Chiang Chung-I
Huang Huei-Pin
King Hong-Jueng
Wang Ming-Jen
Alliance Fiber Optics Products
Bacon & Thomas PLLC
Prasad Chandrika
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