Apparatus and method for holding optical fiber and fiber arrays via vacuum for fiber alignment and attaching

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12523822-B2
Application number	US-202318453442-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2023
Priority date	Aug 22, 2023
Publication date	Jan 13, 2026
Grant date	Jan 13, 2026

Abstract

System and method for performing fiber optic alignment and attachment of an industry standard single fiber optic cable or fiber array to the facet of an optical chip. The proposed invention provides a means to gently hold and release a single fiber or fiber array while maintaining tolerance restrictions created by the presence of neighboring fibers or chip carriers via an inverted vacuum system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for aligning optical fiber for fixation, comprising:
a main body having an inner chamber; an armature having a first end, a second end, and an inner channel pneumatically connecting said first end to said second end,
said first end of said armature being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said inner chamber;
a fiber-holding head having a plurality of vacuum pores;
said fiber-holding head being mechanically attached to said second end of said armature so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said plurality of vacuum pores;
a vacuum attachment having an orifice;
said vacuum attachment being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said orifice to said plurality of vacuum pores via said inner chamber and said inner channel; and
a contour formed in said fiber-holding head coincident with said plurality of vacuum pores;
said contour having a lengthwise orientation in alignment with said armature.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a baseplate onto which said main body is attached.

3 . The baseplate of claim 2 , further comprising relief groove to permit optical fiber to pass under said baseplate.

4 . The baseplate of claim 2 , further comprising through holes to permit mounting said baseplate to a positioning system.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said vacuum attachment is a vacuum barb.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said contour comprises an arc with a radius matching a radius of an optical fiber to be affixed.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said contour of said fiber-holding head comprises a surface profile matching a surface profile of an optical fiber array to be affixed.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein said plurality of vacuum pores are arranged in rows and columns so as to form an array of vacuum pores.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising a single optical fiber adapter, said adapter further comprising:
a mating surface having a profile matching said contour;
said mating surface further comprising plugs that removably interlock with and pneumatically block a subset of said array of vacuum pores so as to removably attach said adapter to said fiber-holding head;
a fiber-holding surface having a lengthwise orientation in alignment with said armature and having a plurality of secondary vacuum pores therethrough; and an internal vacuum chamber which pneumatically connects said plurality of secondary vacuum pores to an unblocked subset of said array of vacuum pores.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said fiber-holding surface comprises an arc with a radius matching a radius of an optical fiber to be affixed.

11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , being fabricated by 3D printing.

12 . An apparatus for aligning a plurality of optical fibers for fixation, comprising:
a main body having an inner chamber; a plurality of armatures having a first end, a second end, and an inner channel pneumatically connecting said first end to said second end,
said first end of each of said plurality of armatures being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said inner chamber;
a plurality of fiber-holding heads each having a second plurality of vacuum pores:
each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads being mechanically attached to said second end of each of said plurality of armatures so as to pneumatically connect said inner channel to said second plurality of vacuum pores:
a vacuum attachment having an orifice:
said vacuum attachment being mechanically attached to said main body so as to pneumatically connect said orifice to said second plurality of vacuum pores in each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads via said inner chamber and said inner channel; and
a contour formed in each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads coincident with said second plurality of vacuum pores:
said contour having a lengthwise orientation in alignment with said armature.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of said plurality of fiber-holding heads are shaped so as to eliminate mutual interference therebetween in the fixation of a like plurality of optical fibers.

14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a baseplate onto which said main body is attached.

15 . The baseplate of claim 14 , further comprising relief groove to permit optical fiber to pass under said baseplate.

16 . The baseplate of claim 8 , further comprising through holes to permit mounting said baseplate to a positioning system.

17 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said vacuum attachment is a vacuum barb.

18 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said contour comprises an arc with a radius matching a radius of an optical fiber to be affixed.

19 . The apparatus of claim 12 , being fabricated by 3D printing.

20 . A method for aligning optical fiber for fixation, comprising the steps of:
applying a source of vacuum to a manifold, where
said manifold comprises a vacuum input and a vacuum output, and where an inner chamber and inner channel connect said vacuum input to said vacuum output;
said vacuum output comprises a surface contour in alignment with and matching the shape of an optical fiber; and
said surface contour comprises a plurality of vacuum pores therethrough;
applying a vacuum to said vacuum input so as to create a vacuum at said vacuum pores; momentarily securing said optical fiber to said surface contour, through the force of said vacuum, for the duration of the application of said vacuum to said vacuum input; maintaining alignment of said optical fiber while secured to said surface contour in a position to facilitate fixation of said optical fiber; and removing said applied vacuum from said vacuum input upon fixation of said optical fiber.

21 . The method of claim 20 , where said contour is an arc having a radius substantially equivalent to a cross sectional radius of said optical fiber.

22 . The method of claim 20 , where said manifold further comprises a base having a mounting flange with an underside groove.

23 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising the step of routing said optical fiber through said underside groove so as to maintain alignment with said contour.

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force
• Us Air Force

Inventors

• Smith Amos M
• Sheridan Erin C
• Brownell Andrew
• Barton Nicholas

Classifications

• G02B6/362 Primary

  Vacuum holders for optical elements · CPC title

• G02B6/3806

  Semi-permanent connections, i.e. wherein the mechanical means keeping the fibres aligned allow for removal of the fibres (dismountable connectors G02B6/3807) · CPC title

• G02B6/3825

  with an intermediate part, e.g. adapter, receptacle, linking two plugs · CPC title

• G02B6/3843

  with auxiliary facilities for movably aligning or adjusting the fibre within its ferrule, e.g. measuring position or eccentricity (testing the alignment of axes, including eccentricity, G01B11/27) · CPC title

• G02B6/3858 Primary

  Clamping, i.e. with only elastic deformation · CPC title