Optical: systems and elements – Lens – With support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-29
2001-11-06
Sugarman, Scott J. (Department: 2873)
Optical: systems and elements
Lens
With support
C359S811000, C385S015000, C385S051000, C385S136000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06313959
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mounting an optical element. More specifically, the invention provides a support structure for utilization when mounting the optical element on a mounting plate.
Currently, it is possible to mount standardized, commercially available optical elements to a mounting plate. These optical elements may be, for example, wave length division multiplexers (WDM) or couplers that are mounted to the mounting plate and then installed in a larger optical unit, such as a repeater. When utilizing these standardized, commercially available optical elements, the mounting plate and the optical element may not optimally mate. If the optical element and the mounting plate do not mate properly, it is possible that the optical element could be deleteriously impacted. For example, the optical element could loosen from the mounting plate and thus possibly become damaged as a result.
FIG. 1
illustrates a known optical element
100
that is to be mounted to a mounting plate
200
, which is illustrated in FIG.
2
. Optical element
100
could be any of a variety of elements, one of which may be the wave length division multiplexer mentioned above available, for example from Corning. Optical element
100
includes an input fiber
10
and an output fiber
20
for carrying optical signals through optical element
100
. Optical element
100
includes a casing
101
, within which is contained the optical component, e.g., the WDM mentioned above. Casing
101
has four mounting tabs, namely tabs
102
,
104
,
106
, and
108
, which define apertures
102
A,
104
A,
106
A, and
108
A, respectively. The mounting tabs receive connection hardware therethrough to mount optical element
100
to mounting plate
200
.
FIG. 2
illustrates a known mounting plate
200
. Mounting plate
200
also includes four mounting tabs
202
,
204
,
206
, and
208
. The mounting tabs on mounting plate
200
align with the mounting tabs on optical element
100
when optical element
100
is positioned onto mounting plate
200
for mounting of the optical element to the mounting plate. Mounting tabs
202
,
204
,
206
, and
208
each include a threaded insert
202
A,
204
A,
206
A, and
208
A, respectively, within them. The threaded inserts are positioned within the apertures defined by the mounting tabs and may be retained within the mounting tabs by utilizing an adhesive.
FIGS. 3 and 4
illustrate a prior art arrangement for mounting optical element
100
to mounting plate
200
. As can be seen, optical element
100
is positioned and aligned on mounting plate
200
such that mounting tabs
102
,
104
,
106
, and
108
of optical element
100
align with mounting tabs
202
,
204
,
206
, and
208
of mounting plate
200
, respectively. Mounting hardware, e.g., a screw, is received within the aligned mounting tabs to secure optical element
100
to mounting plate
200
. As such, screw
302
is received within tabs
102
and
202
, screw
304
is received within tabs
104
and
204
, screw
306
within tabs
106
and
206
, and screw
308
within tabs
108
and
208
. A threaded end of each screw threadedly engages with the threaded insert included in each mounting tab in mounting plate
200
to secure optical element
100
to mounting plate
200
.
However, at least one drawback exists with the currently known method for mounting optical element
100
to mounting plate
200
. Whereas
FIG. 5
illustrates the arrangement of one mounting tab of optical element
100
and one mounting tab of mounting plate
200
, all of the mounting tabs of optical element
100
and mounting plate
200
are similarly configured, as described above, and thus the same drawback discussed below is associated with each set of mounting tabs. As can be seen in
FIG. 5
, mounting tab
104
of optical element
100
includes an inner taper
104
B. As screw
304
is threaded into threaded insert
204
A of mounting tab
204
on mounting plate
200
, threaded insert
204
A is susceptible to being pulled out of mounting tab
204
in reaction to the downward threading of screw
304
into threaded insert
204
A. If threaded insert
204
A is pulled out of tab
204
, threaded insert
204
A would tend to move upward in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG.
5
. This upward movement of threaded insert
204
A could result in the threaded insert applying pressure upward against the tapered walls
104
B of tab
104
of optical element
100
. This upward force could result in cracking and splitting of the mounting tabs and casing of the optical element, thus rendering the optical element useless since it can no longer be secured to the mounting plate.
One reason that the mounting tabs of the casing of the optical element may be formed with the tapered inner surface is to assist in the manufacturing of the casing. When these casings are formed in a mold, the tapered surface in the mounting tab allows the finished molded part to be more easily removed from the mold. The tapered surface within the tab provides for less friction and adhesion between the mold structure and the finished molded part when the finished part is removed from the mold. If the mounting tab aperture was formed as a cylindrical bore by providing a cylindrical pin-type structure in the mold this could result in problems when removing the finished part from the mold due to the increased frictional forces between the casing and the mold which would result when removing the casing from the mold.
Therefore, the casings are likely to be continued to be manufactured with inner tapered surfaces in the mounting tabs and it would be desirable to provide an improved apparatus and method for mounting the optical element onto a mounting plate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method for mounting an optical element onto a mounting plate is provided. In one embodiment of the present invention, a mounting support structure is provided that defines a plurality of apertures therein. The mounting support structure is positioned between the optical element and the mounting plate with the apertures of the mounting support structure aligning with apertures defined by the optical element and the mounting plate. Connection hardware is inserted through the aligned apertures to secure the optical element, the mounting support structure, and the mounting plate together.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4732451 (1988-03-01), Furuta et al.
patent: 4824197 (1989-04-01), Patterson
patent: 5880894 (1999-03-01), Blakley
Keat John W.
Rotella Vincent F.
Seyrafi Saeed
Sugarman Scott J.
TyCom (US) Inc.
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for mounting an optical element does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for mounting an optical element, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for mounting an optical element will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2607679