Optical Receptacle Pre-Aligned Surfaces for Adhesive Shrinkage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical modules using epoxy resin adhesive suffer from deformation of the lens array due to adhesive shrinkage, leading to improper optical connection between light emitting elements and optical fibers.
Innovation Solution
An optical receptacle with specifically arranged first, second, and third optical surfaces, designed to accommodate deformation during adhesive curing, ensuring proper optical connection by adjusting the distances and orientations of these surfaces before adhesive curing, allowing for efficient light transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If epoxy resin adhesive is used to fix the lens array to the substrate, then the lens array can be securely mounted, but the adhesive shrinkage during curing causes deformation of the lens array and reflecting mirror, leading to improper optical connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning the reflecting mirror and condenser lens at specific locations within the optical receptacle before adhesive curing occurs. The optical surfaces are arranged in advance to account for the deformation that will occur during adhesive curing, ensuring that after shrinkage, the components maintain proper optical alignment rather than becoming misaligned
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by designing the optical surface arrangement to counteract the harmful effect of adhesive shrinkage. The optical surfaces are positioned and oriented in advance to compensate for the deformation caused by epoxy resin curing, creating a pre-corrected configuration that maintains optical precision despite the subsequent shrinkage forces
2Ease of manufacture
If the lens array is fixed with adhesive before curing, then the optical module can be assembled, but the deformation during curing prevents proper light guidance from light emitting elements to optical fibers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent allows the lens array to be easily assembled with the substrate using adhesive, but performs preliminary action by pre-arranging the optical surfaces in specific positions and orientations before curing. This preliminary configuration ensures that even though the adhesive will cause deformation during curing, the optical connection reliability is maintained because the surfaces were positioned to account for this deformation
3Productivity
If conventional adhesive curing is used, then the optical module can be produced efficiently, but the lens array deformation causes light to not reach the optical fiber tip properly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains production efficiency by using conventional adhesive curing processes, but applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the optical surfaces in the optical receptacle at specific positions and orientations before curing. This preliminary arrangement ensures that the efficient curing process does not compromise optical precision, as the surfaces are already positioned to compensate for the deformation that will occur
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 optical receptacle effectively maintains optical connectivity between light emitting elements and optical transmission members even after adhesive curing, ensuring reliable light guidance to the optical fiber ends.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of first optical surfaces arranged correspondingly to the light emitting elements or the light receiving elements, the plurality of first optical surfaces each configured such that light emitted from a corresponding one of the light emitting elements is incident on the first optical surface
Implementation Method 2
a third optical surface configured to reflect the light incident on the first optical surface toward the second optical surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
The optical receptacle of the invention includes plural first optical surfaces allowing light emitted from plural light emitting elements to be incident thereon, plural second optical surfaces emitting the light incident on the first optical surfaces toward plural optical transmission members, and a third optical surface reflecting the light incident on the first optical surfaces toward the second optical surfaces. The distances between the center of the first optical surface and the light-emitting surface of the light emitting element and between the center of the second optical surface and the light-emitting surface of the light emitting element is longer toward the center from both ends of the row. The center-to-center distances of the first optical surfaces and of the second optical surfaces are shorter, respectively, than the distance between optical axes of light emitted from the light emitting elements and the center-to-center distance of light-receiving surfaces of optical transmission members.