Monolithic Metal-Foam Enclosure for Stable Optoelectronic Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for housing optoelectronic devices require complex and costly enclosures with numerous parts, leading to increased production time, weight, and susceptibility to misalignment during shipping and handling.
Innovation Solution
A monolithic enclosure made from metal foam or carbon-based materials, featuring integrated pockets for components, channels for electrical connections, optical paths, and coolant flow, which eliminates the need for complex housings and supports precise alignment of optical components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional complex enclosures with numerous parts are used to house optoelectronic devices, then the devices can be housed and supported, but the production time increases, weight increases, and susceptibility to misalignment during shipping and handling increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (enclosure, mounting structure, alignment features, cooling channels, electrical connections) into a single monolithic integrated enclosure. This eliminates the need for numerous separate parts and assemblies, directly reducing part count while maintaining housing and support functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic integrated enclosure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it houses optoelectronic components, provides precise alignment features, conducts thermal management, and establishes electrical connections. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate specialized components for each function.
2Reliability
If traditional complex enclosures with numerous parts are used, then components can be housed, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining alignment features, housing structures, and functional channels into a single monolithic component manufactured as one piece, the patent eliminates multiple assembly steps and reduces production costs while maintaining precise alignment capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs advanced manufacturing parameters and materials (such as metal foam or carbon-based materials with specific structural properties) that enable the production of complex monolithic structures with integrated features, reducing overall manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Reliability
If traditional enclosures are used, then components can be housed, but the weight of the enclosure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes porous materials such as metal foam or carbon-based materials with controlled porosity. These materials provide structural stability and strength while significantly reducing weight compared to solid traditional enclosure materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic integrated enclosure is constructed from composite materials that combine strength and stability properties with reduced density, achieving structural stability while minimizing weight.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for a monolithic enclosure preferably made out of metal foam for integrating any type of optoelectronic device. Only the essential elements of the optoelectronic components of the device are needed and are directly fastened into the respective pockets/cavities of the enclosure. The instant enclosure also has channels that carry electrical/electronic connections between the components, channels that allow light to travel between the components and channels that carry a coolant to/from the heated components. Preferably, the instant enclosure is 3D-printed. The present design affords better business economics by greatly reducing the required inventory of parts, complexity of design and costs compared to prevailing techniques. It also accrues many desirable technical properties to the optoelectronic device including higher optical reliability, robustness, better heat absorption and light weight among others.