GB2235546A - Fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member - Google Patents
Fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2235546A GB2235546A GB8917869A GB8917869A GB2235546A GB 2235546 A GB2235546 A GB 2235546A GB 8917869 A GB8917869 A GB 8917869A GB 8917869 A GB8917869 A GB 8917869A GB 2235546 A GB2235546 A GB 2235546A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- article
- support member
- predetermined position
- side members
- fixing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4219—Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor
- G02B6/4236—Fixing or mounting methods of the aligned elements
- G02B6/4239—Adhesive bonding; Encapsulation with polymer material
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4249—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details comprising arrays of active devices and fibres
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
- G02B6/24—Coupling light guides
- G02B6/42—Coupling light guides with opto-electronic elements
- G02B6/4201—Packages, e.g. shape, construction, internal or external details
- G02B6/4219—Mechanical fixtures for holding or positioning the elements relative to each other in the couplings; Alignment methods for the elements, e.g. measuring or observing methods especially used therefor
- G02B6/422—Active alignment, i.e. moving the elements in response to the detected degree of coupling or position of the elements
- G02B6/4226—Positioning means for moving the elements into alignment, e.g. alignment screws, deformation of the mount
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Mounting And Adjusting Of Optical Elements (AREA)
- Optical Couplings Of Light Guides (AREA)
Abstract
A method of fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member, comprising using holding means, such as a vacuum chuck, to hold the article e.g. a fibre array, (10) in the predetermined position on the support (11), placing a plurality of side members (14) on said support (11), said side members (14) abutting opposite sides of said fibre array (10), fixing said side members (14) to the support (11) by applying glue (15) between the mating surfaces of said support and said side members, curing the glue, applying further glue between the abutting surfaces of the side members (14) and said fibre array (10) and curing the further glue, the article being held in the predetermined position by the vacuum chuck during application of glue to said mating and abutting surfaces. Usually the fibre array is aligned with an optoelectronic device before fixing. Alternatively, a lens may be the article which is fixed between a fibre array and an optoelectronic device. <IMAGE>
Description
FIXING AN ARTICLE ON A PREDETERMINED POSITION ON A
SUPPORT MEMBER
The invention relates to a method of fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member.
The fixing of one component in a predetermined position relative to another component requires that the components must be first accurately aligned and during fixing of said one component in the required aligned position on a support member, the one component must be maintained in its required alignment position within plus or minus two microns. Such a problem arises in aligning a fibre array relative to a multi-port optoelectronic device or in aligning a lens relative to a light emitting or receiving device.
Normally accurately machined base plates are used to set the height of one component relative to another component, and thereafter said one component is slid around to obtain the necessary horizontal alignment. It is possible to use elaborate laser welding techniques to fix the component. A known cheaper technique uses wedges (4) as shown in Figures 1 and 1A of the accompanying drawings to set the height of fibre array 3 relative to optoelectronic device 2. Once the height of the fibre array 3 is set, glue 5 is used to fix the fibre array 3 on the base plate 1. It is difficult to obtain accurate alignment in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 1A, because on curing the glue, it shrinks and misaligns the fibre array relative to the device 2.Further large volume of glue used in this prior art construction would distort the fibre array, when it shrinks on curing.
According the the invention there is provided a method of fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member, the method comprising using holding means to hold the article in the predetermined position on the support member, placing a plurality of side members on said support member, said side members abutting opposite sides of said article, fixing said side members to the support member by applying adhesive between the mating surfaces of said support member and said side members, curing the adhesive, applying further adhesive between the abutting surfaces of the side members and said article and curing the further adhesive, the article being held in the predetermined position by the holding means during application of adhesive to said mating and abutting surfaces.
The side member are only in physical contact with the sides of the article and are glued over the base area only. Any shrinkage of this adhesive layer on curing will slightly lower the side members, but will have no effect on the unattached article. Such the opposite
sides of the article have similar thin layers of adhesive to fix it to the
side members, the final shrinkage forces acting on the article and
caused by curing of further adhesive will be equal and opposite.
Since there will be no net force acting on the article, there will be no
associated movement of the article from the desired position.
Preferably said article is moved into said predetermined position by a vacuum chuck and held there by said chuck during
application of the adhesive. Preferably the article is moved into said
predetermined position relative to another article placed on said
support member.
Preferably the first mentioned article is a fibre array and said other article is an optoelectronic device.
The first mentioned article may be a lens which is placed in a predetermined position between a fibre array and optoelectronic device such as laser or the like.
The side member may be of rectangle or square configuration or may be a block of L-shaped cross-section. The first mentioned article may also be in the form of a block of rectangular or square shape.
The adhesive may be heat or photo setting glue or an ultraviolet curing glue.
The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 1A show the prior art construction;
Figure 2 shows a construction wherein an article is fixed in accordance with invention;
Figure 3 shows the cross-section or side view of the construction shown in Figure 2; and
Figure 4 shows a construction embodying the invention wherein a lens is fixed in a predetermined position between optoelectronic device and a fibre array.
Figure 2 shows a construction embodying the invention wherein a fibre array 10 and optoelectronic device 13 are placed on a support member 11. The fibre array 10 is moved into a predetermined position relative to the device 13 by a vacuum chuck 12. When the fibre is moved into the predetermined position, a plurality of side members or side cheeks 14 are placed on the support member 11 on opposite sides of the fibre array 10. The side members are in physical contact with the fibre array and two side members abut one side of the fibre array and two side members abut the opposite side of the fibre array 10 As shown in Figure 3, a thin layer of glue 15 is applied between the base areas of the side members and the mating surface area of the support member 11. Thereafter the glue layer 15 is cured.Any shrinkage of the thin glue layer 15 on curing will slightly lower the support member, but will have no effect on the fibre array 11. After the glue layer 15 is cured further thin layers of glue 16 are applied between the abutting surface areas of the fibre array and the side members 14. The layers 16 of glue are then cured. Since the opposite sides of the array 10 have similar thin layers 16 of glue, the shrinkage force on the array 10 as shown in Figure 3 will be equal and opposite. Accordingly there will be no net force acting on the array 10 and there will be no movement of the array from the predetermined position.
Figure 4 shows a lens 21 mounted on a block 22 which is accurately positioned between an optoelectronic device 23 and a fibre array 24. The block 22, the device 23 and the array 24 are placed on a support member (not shown). In this larger construction
L-shaped side members 25 are used. The side members 25 are fixed to the support member and the block 22 in the same manner as described above with reference to the construction shown in Figures 2 and 3.
Claims (8)
1. A method of fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member, the method comprising using holding means to hold the article in the predemined position on the support member, placing a plurality of side members on said support member, said side members abutting opposite sides of said article, fixing said side members to the support member by applying adhesive between the mating surfaces of said support member and said side members, curing the adhesive, applying further adhesive between the abutting surfaces of the side members and said article and curing the further adhesive, the article being held in the predetermined position by the holding means during application of adhesive to said mating and abutting surfaces.
2. A method according to claim 1, where in said holding means is a vacuum chuck, the article being moved to said predetermined position by said vacuum chuck.
3. A method according to claim 1 and 2, wherein said article is moved into said predetermined position relative to another article placed on the support member.
4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said first mentioned article is a fibre array and said other article is optoelectronic device.
5. A method according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said article is a lens placed in a predetermined position between a fibre array and optoelectronic device.
6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adhesive is heat or photo setting glue or an ultra violet curing glue.
7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of said side members is a block of square or rectangular shape or a block having L-shaped cross section and wherein said first mentioned article is in the form of a block of rectangular or square shape.
8. A method of fixing an article in a predetermined position on a support member, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8917869A GB2235546B (en) | 1989-08-04 | 1989-08-04 | Fixing an article on a predetermined position on a support member |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8917869A GB2235546B (en) | 1989-08-04 | 1989-08-04 | Fixing an article on a predetermined position on a support member |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8917869D0 GB8917869D0 (en) | 1989-09-20 |
| GB2235546A true GB2235546A (en) | 1991-03-06 |
| GB2235546B GB2235546B (en) | 1993-05-12 |
Family
ID=10661173
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8917869A Expired - Fee Related GB2235546B (en) | 1989-08-04 | 1989-08-04 | Fixing an article on a predetermined position on a support member |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2235546B (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0532015A2 (en) * | 1991-09-13 | 1993-03-17 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Method of establishing soldered connections |
| WO2001011404A1 (en) * | 1999-08-05 | 2001-02-15 | Aligned Technologies Incorporated | Jig for the batch production of optical communication apparatuses, and method using the same |
| EP1210622A2 (en) * | 1999-07-09 | 2002-06-05 | Chiaro Networks Ltd. | Integrated optics beam deflectors |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2022280A (en) * | 1978-01-28 | 1979-12-12 | Plessey Co Ltd | Improvements in or relating to sealing optical fibres into packages. |
-
1989
- 1989-08-04 GB GB8917869A patent/GB2235546B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2022280A (en) * | 1978-01-28 | 1979-12-12 | Plessey Co Ltd | Improvements in or relating to sealing optical fibres into packages. |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0532015A2 (en) * | 1991-09-13 | 1993-03-17 | Gte Laboratories Incorporated | Method of establishing soldered connections |
| EP0532015A3 (en) * | 1991-09-13 | 1993-12-01 | Gte Laboratories Inc | Method of establishing soldered connections |
| EP1210622A2 (en) * | 1999-07-09 | 2002-06-05 | Chiaro Networks Ltd. | Integrated optics beam deflectors |
| EP1210622A4 (en) * | 1999-07-09 | 2008-03-19 | Chiaro Networks Ltd | Integrated optics beam deflectors |
| WO2001011404A1 (en) * | 1999-08-05 | 2001-02-15 | Aligned Technologies Incorporated | Jig for the batch production of optical communication apparatuses, and method using the same |
| US6453096B1 (en) | 1999-08-05 | 2002-09-17 | Aligned Technologies Incorporated | Jig for the batch production of optical communication apparatuses, and method using the same |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2235546B (en) | 1993-05-12 |
| GB8917869D0 (en) | 1989-09-20 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 730A | Proceeding under section 30 patents act 1977 | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19950804 |