Optical breadboard and related structures

Abstract

Embodiments of an optical breadboard are disclosed. In one embodiment, the optical breadboard includes first sheet, a second sheet, and a core positioned between and bonded to the first sheet and the second sheet. The core includes a plurality of longitudinal members bonded together along their lengths. Each of the longitudinal members have an interior structure including a plurality of ribs, wherein each rib has a first longitudinal rib portion and a second longitudinal rib portion, wherein the second longitudinal rib portion is sized to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, so that the threaded holes are arranged in a two-dimensional grid. The longitudinal members may be formed from an extruded material, such as aluminum. The first sheet includes a plurality of passages sized to allow one or more fasteners to be inserted into the threaded holes in the core.

Description

Docket Number: 00763-WOOPTICAL BREADBOARD AND RELATED STRUCTURESCross-reference to Related Applications

[0001] The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63 / 699,180 - entitled “Optical Breadboard and Related Structures” filed on September 26, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.Background

[0002] Optical breadboards provide a portable platform with a grid of threaded mounting holes for building stand-alone optical assemblies and are used for a wide variety of applications that require a stable, stiff, and flat surface for building these optical assemblies. Optical breadboards are also used in a variety of optical instruments such as spectrometers, spectrographs, flow cytometers, and the like. End-use applications include interferometry and critical high-resolution experiments, electro-optical experiments & processes, industrial equipment platforms, less critical experiments, and classroom demonstrations and equipment setups.

[0003] While these prior art optical breadboards have proven useful in the past, a number of shortcomings have been identified. For example, prior art optical breadboards are often constructed of a top sheet (or “skin”) and a bottom sheet separated (or “skin”) by a fabricated honeycomb core. The top sheet is often made of stainless steel having threaded mounting holes formed therein. Stainless steels are difficult to machine, resulting in high costs for the creation of the grid of threaded mounting holes. In some cases, the honeycomb core is formed from a corrugated sheet metal glue-up, also resulting in high costs of manufacture. As such, prior art optical breadboards can be prohibitively expensive for some applications that don’t require the high-performance specifications of prior art optical breadboards. In light of the foregoing, there is an ongoing need for an optical breadboard that provides adequate performance at a lower cost.Summary

[0004] In some embodiments, the optical breadboard comprises a first sheet having a plurality of passages formed therein, a second sheet, and a core, wherein the core has a plurality of threaded holes formed therein. The passages formed inthe first sheet substantially align with the threaded holes formed in the core. The passages formed in the first sheet are configured to allow threaded fasteners to pass therethrough and engage the threaded holes. First and second end members are secured to respective ends of the core. The threaded holes formed in the core are arranged in a two-dimensional grid. In various embodiments, the core comprises a plurality of longitudinal members, each of the plurality of longitudinal members having a body with a first end and a second end, a first portion, a second portion opposing the first portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion opposing the third portion. Each of the plurality of longitudinal members further comprises an interior structure, the interior structure including a plurality of ribs, wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a first longitudinal rib portion and a second longitudinal rib portion, and the second longitudinal rib portion is configured to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the second longitudinal rib portion.

[0005] In various embodiments, the plurality of longitudinal members each include a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member. The first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member may have the same width or interior structure, or different widths and interior structure. In various embodiments, the plurality of longitudinal members may be formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, composite, and polymers. One or more vibration damping devices may be positioned within the core. A first series of ordinal markings may be positioned along a first perimeter portion of the top sheet proximate to respective passages along the first perimeter portion. A second series of ordinal markings may be positioned along a second perimeter portion of the top sheet proximate to respective passages along the second perimeter portion.

[0006] One or more alignment features may be formed on the body of the first longitudinal member or the second longitudinal member, wherein the alignment features are configured to facilitate alignment or assembly with other components of the breadboard. In various embodiments, the interior structures of the longitudinal members define one or more interior volumes. One or more fluid communication features may be formed in or positioned on the interior volumes, wherein the fluid communication features are configured to introduce gasses or other fluids and to extract debris or gasses therefrom. The fluid communication features may also beconfigured to allow routing of electrical conductors into or through the interior structures of the core.

[0007] In other embodiments, the optical breadboard may comprise a first sheet having a plurality of passages formed therein, a second sheet, and a core having a first surface, a second surface, and at least one first longitudinal member and at least one second longitudinal member, wherein each of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member comprise an interior structure having a plurality of ribs, each of the plurality of ribs configured to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the one or more of the plurality of ribs. The first sheet is bonded to the first surface of the core and the second sheet is bonded to the second surface of the core. Each of the plurality of ribs has a first longitudinal rib portion and a second longitudinal rib portion, wherein the second longitudinal rib portion is configured to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the second longitudinal rib portion. The plurality of passages formed in the first sheet are sized to allow a threaded fastener to pass therethrough to engage a corresponding threaded hole.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] Various embodiments of improved optical breadboards will be explained in more detail by way of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0009] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of an example embodiment of an optical breadboard assembly.

[0010] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the top sheet used in the embodiment of the optical breadboard assembly shown in FIG. 1.

[0011] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an example embodiment of a core used in the embodiment of the optical breadboard assembly shown in FIG. 1.

[0012] FIG. 4 shows a section view of an example embodiment of a longitudinal member used in the core of the optical breadboard shown in FIG. 3.

[0013] FIG. 5 shows a section view of another example embodiment of a longitudinal member used in the core of the optical breadboard shown in FIG. 3.

[0014] FIG. 6 shows an exploded section view of the embodiment of the optical breadboard shown in FIG. 1 .Detailed Description

[0015] Example embodiments are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise expressly stated, in the drawings the sizes, positions, etc., of components, features, elements, etc., as well as any distances therebetween, are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated for clarity. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements throughout. Thus, the same or similar numbers may be described with reference to other drawings even if they are neither mentioned nor described in the corresponding drawing. Also, even elements that are not denoted by reference numbers may be described with reference to other drawings.

[0016] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, the terms “at least one”, “at least a”, and “one or more” may are intended to include both the singular and plural forms, depending on the context. It should be recognized that the terms “comprises” and / or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Unless indicated otherwise, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, one member could be termed a “first member” and similarly, another member could be termed a “second member”, or vice versa.

[0017] Unless indicated otherwise, spatially relative terms, such as “below,” “beneath,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper,” “opposing,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature, as illustrated in the FIGS. It should be recognized thatthe spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in addition to the orientation depicted in the FIGS. For example, if an object in the FIGS, is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. An object may be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may be interpreted accordingly. A set of reference axes (e.g., X, Y, Z), directions, or coordinates, and the rotation around them (e.g., 9X, 0Y, 0Z) may be included in the FIGS, for the purpose of orienting the reader to facilitate understanding of the FIGS, and the specification, and do not necessarily indicate that any particular feature or element is aligned with, or is orthogonal to, any other feature or element.

[0018] The paragraph numbers used herein are for organizational purposes only, and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described. It will be appreciated that many different forms, embodiments and combinations are possible without deviating from the spirit and teachings of this disclosure and so this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the example embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these examples and embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0019] Optical breadboards provide a portable platform with a mounting hole grid for building stand-alone optical assemblies or for extending the mounting area available on an optical table. Optical breadboards are designed and selected based on performance criteria such as the stiffness and vibration frequency response required for a particular application. Some optical breadboards include vibration damping features or mechanisms operative to damp vibrations from the structure they are mounted on, or from the equipment mounted on them. The embodiments described below are related to optical breadboards that have similar stiffness and vibration frequency response at a lower cost of manufacture relative to prior art optical breadboards.

[0020] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of an optical breadboard assembly 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the optical breadboard assembly 10(also referred to herein as the “breadboard 10”) includes a first (or “top”) sheet 100 having a perimeter 104, and a second (or “bottom”) sheet 200 separated by a core 300. In this embodiment, the top sheet 100 and the bottom sheet 200 are secured to the core 300 with one or more bonding agents or adhesives (not shown). Optional end members 600 may be secured to the core 300 and the top or bottom sheets 100, 200 to increase the stiffness of the breadboard 10. The top sheet 100 includes a two-dimensional grid 110 of passages 108 (shown in FIG. 2) formed therein. A corresponding two-dimensional grid 305 of threaded holes are formed in the core 300, so that when the top sheet 100 is secured to the core 300, each of the threaded holes in the two-dimensional grid 305 is accessible through a corresponding passage 108. The threaded holes are configured to receive threaded fasteners (not shown) used to secure various components or devices to the breadboard 10. The breadboard 10 may include one or more gripping features (not shown) attached to one or more of the surfaces of the breadboard 10 to facilitate installation of the breadboard 10 into a variety of equipment. The breadboard 10 may also include one or more mounting features (not shown) attached to or integrated therein to facilitate installation into other equipment or systems. The exterior dimensions of the breadboard 10 and / or any mounting features may be configured or selected to allow the breadboard 10 to be a “drop-in replacement” into existing systems or equipment.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the top sheet 100. The top sheet 100 includes a top surface 102, a perimeter 104 having a first perimeter portion 112 and a second perimeter portion 114, and a bottom surface 106. A plurality of passages 108 are formed in the top sheet 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of passages 108 are arranged in a two-dimensional grid 110. The top sheet 100 may be formed of a variety of materials. In one embodiment, the top sheet is formed from stainless steel (also referred to herein as “corrosion- resistant” steel). The corrosion-resistant steel may be ferromagnetic or not. Ferromagnetic corrosion-resistant steel alloys include, without limitation, 400 series alloys (e.g., 409, 41 OS), 600 series alloys (e.g., 600, 625), and precipitation- hardened alloys (e.g., 15-5, 17-4, 17-7, 18-8). Non-ferromagnetic corrosion-resistant steel alloys include, without limitation, 300 series alloys (e.g., 304, 304, 316 and the like). Nickel-based super alloys (e.g., Inconel, Kovar, and Invar) may also be used. In other embodiments, the top sheet 100 may be made of composite materialsincluding, without limitation, carbon fiber, fiber-reinforced plastic, or phenolic composites. In other embodiments, the top sheet 100 may be made of a wide variety of polymers or fiber-reinforced polymers. The material for the top sheet 100 may be selected for its thermal expansion properties (such as the coefficient of thermal expansion, or CTE) in order to avoid deformation or warping of the breadboard 10 due to changes in temperature. In some embodiments, the material for the bottom sheet may be selected to match (or substantially match) the CTE of the top sheet. In other embodiments, the CTE of the top sheet does not match the CTE of the bottom sheet.

[0022] Though not shown, the perimeter 104 of top sheet 100 may include a plurality of ordinal markings formed on the top surface 102 and arranged along two or more portions of the perimeter 104, wherein each of the ordinal markings are positioned proximate or relative to one of the passages 108 along the perimeter 104. For example, in one embodiment, a first series of ordinal markings may be positioned proximate to passages 108 along the first perimeter portion 112, and a second series of ordinal markings may be positioned proximate to the passages 108 along the second perimeter portion 114. The ordinal markings may be used to provide a sort of “address” for each of the passages 108 (and corresponding threaded holes in the core 300) in the two-dimensional grid 110. For example, in one embodiment, the first series of ordinal markings located proximate to the passages 108 along the first perimeter portion 112 may be numbers in numerical order (e.g., 1 , 2, 3, 4, and so on). The second series of ordinal markings located proximate to the passages 108 along the second perimeter portion 114 may be letters in alphabetical order (A, B, C, D, and so on). When configured as such, each of the passages (and corresponding threaded holes) in the two-dimensional grid 110 has an “ordinal address” (e.g., 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, and so on). The ordinal addresses may be used to easily locate a desired position to mount various components or devices (optical mounts, optics, motion stages, instruments, etc.) on the optical breadboard 10.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows an example embodiment of the core 300. In this embodiment, the core 300 is constructed of a plurality of longitudinal members secured to each other. The longitudinal members may be secured at their ends or along their lengths. In this embodiment, the core 300 is constructed from longitudinal members 400 and 500, with the longitudinal member 400 being wider than the longitudinal member500. In other embodiments, the longitudinal members may have a variety of widths, depending on the particular specifications or performance requirements of the optical breadboard 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 are secured to each other along the length of their edges by a bonding agent or adhesive 320. When constructed as such, the core 300 has a top surface 302, a bottom surface 306, a first end 308, and a second end 310.

[0024] The end members 600 may be to each of the ends 308, 310 of the core 300. In the illustrated embodiment, the end member 600 includes a body 602 with end portions 604 formed thereon, wherein the end portions 604 are secured to the core 300 at the edges of the longitudinal members 500 with a plurality of fasteners 606 or a bonding agent (not shown). In other embodiments, the end portions 604 may be welded to the edges of the longitudinal members 500. In other embodiments, the end members 600 may be secured to the first end 308 and the second end 310 of the core 300 by fasteners (not shown) or a bonding agent such an adhesive. In still other embodiments, the end members 600 may be secured to the first end 308 and the second end 310 of the core 300 by welding. The end members 600 may be formed from any of a variety of materials chosen for their mechanical properties in order to contribute to the stiffness or strength of the core 300 and the breadboard 10. In some embodiments, the core 300 may include a lateral stiffening member (not shown) such as a bolt or rod that extends from one edge of the core 300 through the other edge, generally through each of the longitudinal members 400 and 500.

[0025] In the illustrated embodiment, each of the longitudinal members 400, 500 have a plurality of threaded holes (described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5) formed therein. In the illustrated embodiment, when the longitudinal members 400 and 500 are secured to each other, their threaded holes constitute the two-dimensional grid 305 (also described above) of threaded holes 304 formed in the top surface 302. The two-dimensional grid 305 of threaded holes 304 may have a regular spacing (e.g., 1 inch, 2 inches, 25 millimeters, 50 millimeters, etc.) or an irregular spacing.

[0026] Because flatness is an important mechanical characteristic of the breadboard 10, after the core 300 is fabricated by bonding the longitudinal members 400, 500 together, a secondary operation (e.g., flycutting, grinding, etc.) may be performed on the top surface 302 (and, optionally, the bottom surface 306) to ensurethe flatness of the top sheet 100 after it is bonded to the top surface 302 of the core 300 (resulting in precise flatness of the breadboard 10). The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 shows the core 300 fabricated from multiple longitudinal members 400 and 500. In other embodiments, the core 300 may be formed from a single longitudinal member (e.g., a single aluminum extrusion), or any number of longitudinal members having varying widths, heights, or other dimensions.

[0027] In some embodiments, a variety of fluid communication features or devices (e.g., channels, conduits, passages, plenums, or tubes) may be formed or positioned in the core 300. These fluid communication features or devices may be configured to introduce purge gases, cooling gases or fluids, and extract or remove debris, purge gases, or waste gases. The fluid communication devices features or devices may also be used to route electrical conductors into or through various parts of the core 300.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a section of an embodiment of the longitudinal member 400. In the illustrated embodiment, the longitudinal member 400 has a body 402 with a width 403 and a height 405, a first portion 404 having an exterior surface 412, a second portion 406 having an exterior surface 414, a third portion 408 having an exterior surface 416, and a fourth portion 410 having an exterior surface 418. The width 403 and the height 405 may be chosen in order to meet the mechanical specifications or requirements (e.g., stiffness, weight, etc.) of the breadboard 10. In some embodiments, the longitudinal member 400 may be formed from an extruded material such as aluminum. The longitudinal member 400 also includes an interior structure 420. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior structure 420 includes a plurality of vertical members or ribs 422, with each rib 422 having a first rib portion 424 and a second rib portion 426 formed therein. In this embodiment, the second rib portion 426 includes a portion of the first portion 404 and is thicker than the first rib portion 424 so that a plurality of threaded holes 428 can be formed therein along the length of the longitudinal member 400. In other embodiments, the vertical structures or ribs 422 may have a constant width. In various embodiments, the threaded holes 428 may have threads according to metric or imperial thread standards. In addition, in other embodiments, threaded inserts (e.g., made from a material harder than the material of the longitudinal member 400) may be installed in the threaded holes to increase the strength of the threads and the working lifetime of the breadboard 10. Insome embodiments, an additional second rib portion (not shown) may be formed in one or more of the ribs 422 including the second portion 406. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior structure 420 includes interior volumes 430 located between each of the ribs 422. In some embodiments, the interior volumes 430 are in fluid communication with each other. In other embodiments, the interior volumes 430 are not in fluid communication with each other. The interior volumes 430 may be in fluid communication with the ambient environment, or may be sealed off from the ambient environment by the addition of the end member 600 when assembled as part of the core 300. The thicknesses, height, and / or detailed configuration of the portions 404, 406, 408, 410, and the portions 424, 426 of the interior structure 420 may be chosen so that the longitudinal member 400 has a particular area moment of inertia (“I”) or a particular polar moment of inertia or torsion constant (“J”) for desired bending stiffness or torsional stiffness, respectively. In other embodiments, the interior structure 420 may include a plurality of horizontal members (not shown) that extend between each of the vertical ribs 422 in order to increase the bending stiffness or torsional stiffness of the longitudinal member 400. In some embodiments, the body 402 of the longitudinal member 400 may include one or more alignment features (e.g., slots, grooves, dovetails, and the like) formed in or on one or more of the portions 404, 406, 408, 410, or the interior structure 420 to facilitate assembly with other components of the breadboard 10, such as the longitudinal member 500 described below. In some embodiments, a variety of fluid communication features or devices (such as those described above with respect to the core 300) may be formed or positioned in the longitudinal member 400.

[0029] FIG. 5 shows a section of an embodiment of the longitudinal member 500. The longitudinal member 500 has a body 502 with a width 503 and a height 505, a first portion 504 having an exterior surface 512, a second portion 506 having and exterior surface 514, a third portion 508 having an exterior surface 516, and a fourth portion 510 having an exterior surface 518. The width 503 and the height 505 may be chosen in order to meet the mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness, weight, etc.) requirements of the breadboard 10. The longitudinal member 500 also includes an interior structure 520. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior structure 520 includes a plurality of vertical members or ribs 522, each rib 522 having a first rib portion 524 and a second rib portion 526. In this embodiment, the second rib portion526 includes the first portion 504 and is thicker than the first rib portion 524 and is sized so that a plurality of threaded holes 528 can be formed therein along the length of the longitudinal member 500. In other embodiments, the vertical structures or ribs 522 may have a constant width. In the illustrated embodiment, one of the second rib portions 526 is formed at the corner of the cross-section where the first portion 504 and the second portion 510 intersect. This configuration allows the threaded holes 528 to be formed near the exterior surface 518 so that the longitudinal member 500 can be used as the “edge” of the core 300. The threaded holes 528 may have threads according to metric or imperial thread standards. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior structure 520 includes interior volumes 540 located between each of the ribs 522. In the illustrated embodiment, one or more threaded passages 530 may be formed in the fourth member 510, wherein the threaded passages 530 are configured to receive the fasteners 606 of the end member 600 to secure the end member 600 to the core 300. The threaded passages 530 may also be formed in the first portion 504, the second portion 506, or the third portion 508. In some embodiments, the interior volumes 540 may be in fluid communication with each other. In other embodiments, the interior volumes 540 may not be in fluid communication with each other. The interior volumes 540 may be in fluid communication with the ambient environment, or may be sealed off from the ambient environment by the addition of the end member 600 when assembled as part of the core 300.

[0030] Similar to the longitudinal member 400, the thicknesses, height, and / or detailed configuration of the portions 504, 506, 508 and 510 and the parts of the interior structure 520 may be chosen so that the longitudinal member 500 has particular area moment of inertia (“I”) or polar moment of inertia or torsion constant (“J”) for desired bending stiffness or torsional stiffness, respectively. In other embodiments, the interior structure 520 may include a plurality of horizontal members (not shown) that extend between the vertical ribs 522 in order to increase the bending stiffness or torsional stiffness of the longitudinal member 500. Though not shown, in some embodiments, the body 502 of the longitudinal member 500 may include one or more alignment features (e.g., slots, grooves, dovetails, and the like) formed in or on one or more of the portions 504, 506, 508, 510, or the interior structure 520 to facilitate assembly with other components of the core 300, such asthe longitudinal member 400, or with other components of the breadboard 10 such as the top sheet 100, the bottom sheet 200 or the end members 600. In some embodiments, a variety of fluid communication features or devices (such as those described above with respect to the core 300) may be formed or positioned in the longitudinal member 500.

[0031] In the illustrated embodiments, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 are formed from aluminum extrusions. The aluminum used for the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be selected from a wide variety of aluminum alloys, including, without limitation, 1100 series, 2000 series (e.g., 2024-T3), 3000 series (e.g., 3003), 6000 series (e.g., 6061), 5000 series (e.g., 5052), or 7000 series (e.g., 7075) alloys. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any of a wide variety of aluminum alloys may be used. In other embodiments, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be formed from composite materials such as carbon fiber, fiber-reinforced plastics, or phenolic composites. In other embodiments, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be made of any of a wide variety of polymers. The materials of the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be selected for their thermal expansion properties (specifically their coefficient of thermal expansion, or CTE). In some embodiments, the material for the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be selected to match (or substantially match) the CTE of the top sheet 100 or the bottom sheet 200. In other embodiments, the CTE of the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be selected to not match the CTE of the top sheet 100 or the bottom sheet 200.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows an exploded section partial assembly drawing of an example embodiment of the breadboard 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the breadboard 10 includes the top sheet 100, the bottom sheet 200, and the core 300 described above. In the illustrated embodiment, the core 300 includes the longitudinal members 400 and 500 secured to each other along their edge surfaces with a bonding agent or adhesive 320. In another embodiment, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be secured to each other by spot welds. In another embodiment, the longitudinal members 400 and 500 may be secured to each other by a continuous weld at each end of the longitudinal members 400 and 500 in addition to any spot welds or bonding agents used. The bottom surface 106 of the top sheet 100 is secured to the top surface 302 of the core 300 with a bonding agent or adhesive 700. The top surface 202 of the bottom sheet 200 is secured to the bottom surface 306 of the core300 with a bonding agent or adhesive 800. The types (e.g., epoxy, cyanoacrylate) or specific formulations of the bonding agents or adhesives 320, 700, and 800 may be selected based on a variety of their characteristics or physical properties. The top sheet 100 is secured to the core 300 so that each of the passages 108 of the two- dimensional grid of passages 110 substantially align with each of the threaded holes of the two-dimensional grid 305 of threaded holes 304 (the threaded holes 428 and 528 of the longitudinal members 400 and 500) of the core 300. In other embodiments, the threaded holes 304 may be drilled and tapped in the core 300 after the top sheet 100 is secured to the core 300. The embodiment shown in FIG. 6 shows the core 300 having one longitudinal member 400 and one longitudinal member 500. In other embodiments, the core 300 may be made from any number or combination of the longitudinal members 400, 500. In still other embodiments, the core 300 may be formed from longitudinal members other than the longitudinal members 400, 500 (e.g., having similar structures but with different widths, heights, configurations, or other properties).

[0033] In various embodiments, the breadboard 10 may include one or more vibration damping or isolation devices (not shown) positioned within the interior volumes 430 and 540 of the longitudinal members 400 and 500, respectively. In other embodiments, such vibration damping or isolation devices may be placed in mechanical contact with the top sheet 100 or the bottom sheet 200 after they are secured to the core 300.

[0034] The foregoing is illustrative of embodiments and examples of the invention and is not to be construed as limiting thereof. Although a few specific embodiments and examples have been described with reference to the drawings, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications to the disclosed embodiments and examples, as well as other embodiments, are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications to the subject matter described herein are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. For example, skilled persons will appreciate that the subject matter of any sentence, paragraph, example or embodiment can be combined with subject matter of some or all of the other sentences, paragraphs, examples or embodiments, except where such combinations are mutually exclusive. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, bedetermined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included therein.

Claims

ClaimsWhat is claimed is:

1. An optical breadboard, comprising: a first sheet having a plurality of passages formed therein; a second sheet; a core having first surface, a second surface, a first end and a second end, wherein the core has a plurality of threaded holes formed therein; a first end member secured to the first end of the core; and a second end member secured to the second end of the core, wherein the first sheet is bonded to the first surface of the core with at least one bonding agent, and wherein the second sheet is bonded to the second surface of the core with at least one bonding agent.

2. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein: the plurality of passages formed in the first sheet are arranged in a first two- dimensional grid; and the plurality of threaded holes formed in the core are arranged in a second two-dimensional grid.

3. The optical breadboard of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of passages formed in the first sheet substantially align with corresponding threaded holes formed in the core.

4. The optical breadboard of claim 2, wherein the first two-dimensional grid of passages substantially align with the second two-dimensional grid of threaded holes.

5. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises: a plurality of longitudinal members, each of the plurality of longitudinal members having a body with a first end and a second end, a first portion, a second portion opposing the first portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion opposing the third portion, wherein each of the plurality of longitudinal members further comprises an interior structure, the interior structure including a plurality of ribs extending from thefirst portion to the second portion, wherein each of the plurality of ribs has a first longitudinal rib portion and a second longitudinal rib portion, and the second longitudinal rib portion is configured to have the plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the second longitudinal rib portion.

6. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal members include a first longitudinal member and a second longitudinal member.

7. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of longitudinal members have substantially the same width.

8. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of longitudinal members have different widths.

9. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of longitudinal members are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, carbon fiber, composite, and polymer.

10. The optical breadboard of claim 1 , further comprising one or more vibration damping devices positioned within the core.11 . The optical breadboard of claim 1 , further comprising a first series of ordinal markings positioned along a first perimeter portion of the top sheet proximate to respective passages along the first perimeter portion.

12. The optical breadboard of claim 10, further comprising a second series of ordinal markings positioned along a second perimeter portion proximate to respective passages along the second perimeter portion.

13. The optical breadboard of claim 6, further comprising one or more alignment features formed on the body of the first longitudinal member or the second longitudinal member, wherein the one or more alignment features are configured to facilitate alignment or assembly with other components of the breadboard.

14. The optical breadboard of claim 6, further comprising one or more interior volumes formed within the interior structure of at least one of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.

15. The optical breadboard of claim 14, further comprising one or more fluid communication features formed in or positioned on within one or more of the one or more interior volumes, wherein the one or more fluid communication features are configured to introduce gasses or other fluids and to extract debris or gasses therefrom.

16. The optical breadboard of claim 14, wherein the one or more fluid communication features are configured to allow routing of electrical conductors into or through the core.

17. The optical breadboard of claim 14, wherein one or more of the one or more interior volumes are in fluid communication with each other.

18. The optical breadboard of claim 5, wherein the plurality of longitudinal members are bonded to each other with a bonding agent.

19. The optical breadboard of claim 5, wherein the plurality of longitudinal members are welded to each other.

20. The optical breadboard of claim 6, wherein the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member have different interior structures.21 . The optical breadboard of claim 6, wherein the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member have the same structure.

22. An optical breadboard, comprising: a first sheet having a plurality of passages formed therein; a second sheet; and a core having a first surface, and a second surface, at least one first longitudinal member and at least one second longitudinal member, wherein the at least one of the first longitudinal member and the at least one second longitudinal member comprise an interior structure having a plurality of ribs, each of the plurality of ribs configured to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the one or more of the plurality of ribs,wherein the first sheet is bonded to the first surface of the core with at least one bonding agent, and wherein the second sheet is bonded to the second surface of the core with at least one bonding agent.

23. The optical breadboard of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of ribs has a first longitudinal rib portion and a second longitudinal rib portion, and the second longitudinal rib portion is configured to have a plurality of threaded holes formed therein, the plurality of threaded holes being arranged along a length of the second longitudinal rib portion.

24. The optical breadboard of claim 22, wherein at least one of the plurality of passages formed in the first sheet are sized to allow a threaded fastener to pass therethrough to engage a corresponding threaded hole.

25. The optical breadboard of claim 22, wherein at least one of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member are formed from extruded aluminum.

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