Optical Assembly Lens Positioning via Intermediary Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical assemblies with high-magnifying-power lenses or collimating lenses in optical communication systems face issues due to thermal expansion and humidity sensitivity, leading to positional deviations and assembly challenges, especially in small packages where lens manipulation is difficult.
Innovation Solution
An optical assembly design featuring a base plate, a light transmitting component, a lens component, a supporting member, and an auxiliary member, where the lens component is secured with a thin glue layer and adjusted using the auxiliary member to ensure precise positioning and stability, avoiding direct contact with the base plate to mitigate thermal and humidity-induced deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If epoxy resin is used to secure the high-magnifying-power lens or collimating lens on the TEC, then the lens can be fixed in position, but the high coefficient of thermal expansion and sensitivity to humidity cause significant positional deviation under temperature changes or humidity absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a supporting member as an intermediary structure between the base plate and the lens. The supporting member includes a bottom surface that bonds to the base plate and a side surface that connects to the auxiliary member, which holds the lens. This intermediary structure isolates the lens from direct contact with the base plate, reducing the impact of thermal expansion and humidity on lens position stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the lens mounting structure into separate functional components: a supporting member for structural support and positioning, and an auxiliary member for holding and adjusting the lens. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's properties, enabling the supporting member to provide stable mechanical support while the auxiliary member facilitates precise lens positioning with minimal thermal and humidity influence.
2Volume of moving object
If the lens size is reduced for small package applications, then the package size is reduced, but the cutting of the side during mass production leads to problematic angles that make the lens difficult to manipulate with gripping devices
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary member serves as an intermediary handling interface between the gripping device and the small lens. Instead of directly gripping the small lens with problematic angled sides, the gripping device manipulates the auxiliary member, which in turn positions the lens. This intermediary approach enables easy manipulation of the lens assembly without being constrained by the lens's difficult-to-grip geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the lens with the auxiliary member into a integrated lens assembly. The lens is positioned on the auxiliary member's side surface, creating a combined structure that is easier to handle than the lens alone. This merging allows the auxiliary member to provide mechanical advantages for gripping and positioning while maintaining the compact size required for small package applications.
3Manufacturing precision
If a thin glue layer is used to secure the lens component, then positional precision is improved, but the assembly process becomes more challenging requiring precise adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs adjustable supporting and auxiliary members that allow dynamic positioning of the lens during assembly. The supporting member provides stable mounting while the auxiliary member can be adjusted to achieve precise lens positioning. This dynamic adjustment capability enables the use of thin glue layers for high precision while maintaining ease of assembly through adjustable mechanisms rather than requiring perfectly pre-positioned components.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable auxiliary member system provides feedback-based positioning during assembly. The lens position can be adjusted and fine-tuned on the auxiliary member, allowing operators to achieve optimal positioning before final bonding. This feedback mechanism ensures high positioning precision with thin glue layers while maintaining assembly ease through iterative adjustment and verification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enhances the reliability and ease of assembly by allowing precise three-dimensional adjustment of the lens component, reducing positional deviations caused by temperature changes and humidity, and facilitating handling of small lenses with rough edges.
Implementation Method 1
The lens component is configured to focus and couple, or collimate, an optical signal transmitted from the light transmitting component
Implementation Method 2
securing the auxiliary member onto the base plate by means of a supporting member while preserving the relative positions of the auxiliary member and the light transmitting component
Data Source
AI summary
An optical assembly includes a base plate, a light transmitting component arranged on the base plate, a lens component arranged on the base plate along an optical path of light transmitted from the light transmitting component, a supporting member, and an auxiliary member. The supporting member includes a bottom surface that bonds to the base plate and a side surface that connects to the auxiliary member. The auxiliary member includes a side surface on which the lens component is disposed and a bonding surface that bonds to the side surface of the supporting member. The lens component is configured to focus and couple, or collimate, an optical signal transmitted from the light transmitting component. A bottom surface of the auxiliary member and a bottom surface of the lens component are both higher than the top surface of the base plate.