Optical Modulator Asymmetric Lid Gaps Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical modulators face issues with poor welding between the case main body and the lid portion due to thermal expansion during seam welding, leading to insufficient airtight sealing and potential defects.
Innovation Solution
The optical modulator features a case with a rectangular parallelepiped shape, where the lid portion has a peripheral part with a thin thickness and a protruding part that protrudes inward. The distance between the inner peripheral side of the case main body and the outer edge of the protruding part is set such that the short-side side gap is larger than the long-side side gap, preventing the lid portion from getting on the case main body during thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the gap between the case main body and lid portion is made small to improve position adjustment accuracy, then positioning precision is improved, but thermal expansion during welding causes the lid to contact the case side wall leading to poor welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different gap distances at different locations of the lid portion. Specifically, the distance between the case main body and the lid portion is made larger at the long-side portions and smaller at the short-side portions. This local differentiation allows the long-side gaps to accommodate thermal expansion during welding while maintaining small gaps at short-sides for positioning accuracy, thereby resolving the contradiction between positioning precision and welding quality.
2Reliability
If seam welding is performed to achieve airtight sealing, then sealing reliability is improved, but thermal expansion during welding causes the lid portion to deform and contact the case side wall
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements asymmetric gap distances where the long-side gaps are larger than the short-side gaps. This local quality differentiation allows the lid portion to expand thermally during seam welding without contacting the case side walls, preventing deformation while maintaining airtight sealing through the welding process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly accounts for thermal expansion during welding by designing asymmetric gap distances. The larger gaps at the long-sides provide sufficient clearance for the lid portion to expand thermally during seam welding without deforming or contacting the case side walls, thereby maintaining both sealing reliability and shape integrity.
3Productivity
If the lid portion is made thin for productivity and cost reasons, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the lid becomes more susceptible to deformation during welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates local quality differences in the gap distances, with larger gaps at the long-sides and smaller gaps at the short-sides. This design compensates for the reduced structural stability of thin lid portions during welding by providing adequate thermal expansion clearance at the long-sides, allowing thin lids to be used without excessive deformation while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
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
This configuration effectively suppresses poor welding and ensures airtight sealing by maintaining the correct gap distances, even during thermal expansion, thereby preventing defects and ensuring reliable operation of the optical modulator.
Implementation Method 1
the lid portion extends because of the influence of thermal expansion due to welding on the long-side side
Data Source
AI summary
An optical modulator that suppresses poor welding between a case main body and a lid portion is provided. There is provided an optical modulator including: a case that is a rectangular parallelepiped and accommodates at least an optical waveguide element, in which the case includes a case main body 1 in which one surface of the rectangular parallelepiped forms an opening portion, and a lid portion 2 that has a rectangular shape and that closes the opening portion, the lid portion includes a peripheral part that has a thin thickness, and a protruding part 20 that is formed on the lid portion excluding the peripheral part and that protrudes toward an inside of the case, and when the lid portion is fitted into the case main body, a distance between an inner peripheral side of an end surface forming the opening portion of the case main body and an outer edge of the protruding part is set such that a distance d1 formed on a short-side side of the lid portion is larger than a distance d2 formed on a long-side side of the lid portion.