Optical device module

Details Optical device module Optical device module

2000-12-15

2002-12-10

Ullah, Akm E. (Department: 2874)

Optical waveguides

With disengagable mechanical connector

Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector

C385S089000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06491447

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical device module in which a light emitting device which emits light from its surface substantially at right angles thereto, such as a laser diode, or a light receiving device which receives light substantially at right angles to its surface, such as a photo diode (which elements will hereinafter be generically referred to as an optical semiconductor device) and the optical path of an optical waveguide member such as an optical fiber or optical waveguide board, i.e. the core of the optical fiber or the optical waveguide of the optical waveguide board, are interconnected by an optical path bent substantially at right angles.
FIG. 9
is a diagrammatic showing of a conventional optical device module of this kind proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 08-21930. Reference numeral
12
denotes a photo detector disposed in a casing
11
,
13
a window made in the top panel of the casing
11
,
14
a condenser lens fitted in the window
13
,
15
an optical fiber disposed on the top of the casing
11
, and
16
a reflecting surface formed by cutting one end face of the optical fiber
15
at an angle of about 45 degrees. Light propagated through the optical fiber
15
is bent at right angles by the reflecting surface
16
and gathered by the condenser lens
14
for incidence on the photo detector
12
as indicated by the broken line. In
FIG. 3
of the above-mentioned official gazette there is also proposed such a construction as depicted in
FIG. 10
in which the end face of the optical fiber
15
is perpendicular to its axis and the end face abutted against a prism
17
so that the light from the optical fiber
15
is bent at right angles by the prism
17
as indicated by the broken line.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Gazette No. 10-160959 there is proposed a conventional optical device module of this kind. As depicted in
FIGS. 11 and 12
, a frame-like guide block
21
with a rectangular opening has formed integrally therewith a guide prism
22
, an optical fiber is disposed in each recess
23
of the guide block
21
with the end face of the optical fiber
15
abutted against the guide prism
22
, and a light receiving device
24
is fitted in the frame of the guide block
21
. Light from the optical fiber
15
is bent by the guide prism
22
for incidence on the light receiving device
24
.
However, the prior art example of
FIG. 9
suffers much difficulty in aligning the point of incidence on the reflecting surface
16
of the optical fiber
15
, the axis of the lens
13
and the light-receiving center of the photo detector
12
; hence, it is not easy to launch the light from the optical fiber
15
into the photo detector
12
with high efficiency. In the example of
FIG. 10
, too, it is very difficult to align the reflecting-point of the prism
17
, the axis of the lens and the light-receiving center of the photo detector.
In the example of
FIGS. 11 and 12
, the abutment of the end face of the optical fiber
15
against one side of the guide prism
22
ensures accurate positioning, but the light receiving device
24
needs to be fitted snugly in the frame of the guide block
21
. To meet this requirement, it is necessary that the inside dimensions of the frame of the guide block
21
and/or outside dimensions of the light receiving device
24
be adjusted for each optical device module. Hence, the illustrated structure lacks general versatility. Moreover, the light receiving device
24
, once fitted in the frame of the guide block
21
, is fixed and its position cannot be adjusted so that its light receiving surface is placed at a correct position.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical device module free from the above-mentioned defects of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided an optical device module comprising:
an optical waveguide member having at least one optical path, the optical waveguide member having a light emitting or receiving surface substantially at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the at least one optical path;
a transparent structure having a first side which supports one end portion of the optical waveguide member and a second side opposite the first side;
an optical semiconductor device disposed opposite said second side of the transparent structure and having a light emitting or receiving surface substantially at right angles to the second side of the transparent structure;
a plurality of positioning marks placed in the second side of the transparent structure for positioning the optical semiconductor device and the transparent structure relative to each other in a plane parallel with the second side of the transparent structure;
optical semiconductor device support means for supporting the optical semiconductor device on the second side of the transparent structure; and
a prismatic protrusion formed integrally with the transparent structure on the first side thereof;
wherein the prismatic protrusion has a positioning surface which extends substantially at right angles to the first side of said transparent structure for abutment with one end face of the optical waveguide member to position the optical waveguide member and a reflecting surface which crosses an extension of the at least one optical path of the optical waveguie member abutted against the positioning surface and slopes with respect to the first side of the transparent structure to form between the end face of the optical path and the optical semiconductor device a bent optical route passing through the transparent structure.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4732446 (1988-03-01), Gipson et al.
patent: 5073003 (1991-12-01), Clark
patent: 5764832 (1998-06-01), Tabuchi
patent: 5898803 (1999-04-01), Mueller-Fiedler et al.
patent: 5987202 (1999-11-01), Gruenwald et al.
patent: 6198864 (2001-03-01), Lemoff et al.
patent: 01305789 (1989-11-01), None
patent: 07099339 (1995-11-01), None

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