Stabilized module

Details Stabilized module Stabilized module

1999-08-18

2001-06-19

Sanghavi, Hemang (Department: 2874)

Optical waveguides

With disengagable mechanical connector

Optical fiber to a nonfiber optical device connector

C385S088000, C385S089000, C385S091000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247852

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to maintaining alignment of devices which are subject to stresses and variations over time, and which are subject to initial manufacturing or assembly stresses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical manufacturing processes leave a mechanical module at, or close to, the elastic-plastic transition. In mechanical modules that involve laser beam and fiber optic alignment being close to the elastic-plastic transition results in positional change or creep over time. This is particularly true if there are changes in the applied stress (such as temperature change or mounting deformation).
Currently a heating or thermal cycle is used to reposition the elastic response region. This process has only one degree of freedom and cannot deal with x, y, z, &thgr;, or &phgr; (x, y, and z are variations in three dimensions, and &thgr;, or &phgr; are variations in rotational dimensions). This process also is time consuming and still leaves products near their elastic limits.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in one embodiment moves the elastic plastic transition points away from the desired equilibrium point. To achieve this mechanical deformation can be used. In addition a heat or thermal cycle may also be used.
The present invention in one embodiment includes a method comprising the step of obtaining a first sample wherein the first sample is a fiber optic apparatus having a light output. The method is further comprised of the step of checking the light output of the fiber optic apparatus. The fiber optic apparatus can then be subjected to a first force in a first dimension. The light output can be checked after the first force in the first dimension is applied. If the light output is not satisfactory, one or more further forces in the first dimension can be applied until the light output is satisfactory. If after applying one or more forces of somewhat lesser magnitude, the light output is still satisfactory, it indicates that the elastic transition points are far away from the equilibrium point in the first dimension. The method can be executed in one or more dimensions. Alternatively or additionally the method can be implemented so that one or more forces act in a plurality of dimensions.
The present invention in one embodiment includes a method comprising the steps of fixing a first device to a first housing using a first manufacturing process and fixing a second device to a first housing using a second manufacturing process. The first device can be a laser and the second device an optical fiber. After the first and second device have been fixed to the first housing, the first device lies at a first position relative to the second device. The first device, the second device, and the first housing comprise a first sample. The first sample can be flexed by an amount y
1
. The first sample is next subjected to a deterioration process such as baking. After the deterioration process it is determined whether the first device lies within a range of the first position relative to the second device. For a system comprised of a light source and an optic fiber this can be determined by examining the light output from the optical fiber.
The method may also comprise fixing a third device and a fourth device to a second housing using the same first and second manufacturing processes as for the first sample. The third and fourth devices may be the same type of devices as the first and second devices. The third device will lie at a second position relative to the fourth device in the completed second sample. The second sample can be flexed an amount y
2
which can be different from the amount y
1
. After flexing the second sample would be subjected to the deterioration process. The second position would be checked after the deterioration process to see if it lies within a range. This method can be repeated for any number of samples to determine the appropriate amount of flexing of a sample of a certain type needed to achieve the most reliable positioning results.
The deterioration process is designed to simulate the stress, wear, and tear that will be experiences by a sample during its lifetime. If the positioning of the first device with respect to the second device remains fairly constant after a deterioration process it means that the sample will be more reliable for a longer time period.
The flexing can be bending or twisting or any other manner of applying force to the sample. The force may be applied to the housing, or directly to the first or second devices. The process of determining an appropriate amount of flexing needed results in elimination of use of the deterioration process (such as baking) as a method of checking the stability of future samples. I.e. after the appropriate amount of flex is determined it can be applied to future samples to center their elastic range so that the samples are have more reliable positioning.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4471474 (1984-09-01), Fields
patent: 5572614 (1996-11-01), Lucas, Jr.
patent: 5963695 (1999-10-01), Joyce
“Alignment of Gaussian Beams”, W.B. Joyce and B.C. DeLoach, 12.1/84, pp. 4187-4196, Optical Society of America.
Patent Application “Method for Aligning the Optical Fiber and Laser of Fiber Optic Laser Modules”, by the Inventor W.B. Joyce 11-14 et al, Filed Nov. 24, 1998.

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