Abstract:
A device for optically coupling a fiber to a solid state laser is taught. Briefly stated, a fiber is held by a pedestal or holder and, after alignment between the fiber and the laser, the holder is attached to the same mounting platform upon which the laser is also mounted. The holding or attachment material exhibits the same thermal properties as the base material, thereby minimizing any thermal expansion or contraction which would cause misalignment between the fiber and the laser.
Abstract:
The invention provides an array ferrule for use in an optical array connector wherein a main body is profiled to have a fiber receiving cavity extending from a mating face to a rear end between a pair of side surfaces. At least one pin slot is precisely located with respect to the fiber receiving cavity and extends inward from a respective side surface. A plurality of channel plates are formed from the same tool to have a plurality of fiber receiving channels in at least one major surface thereof. Fibers are each positioned within respective fiber receiving channels of the channel plates and located within the fiber receiving cavity to form the array ferrule.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method of forming balls includes a metering device 2, a melting device 14 and a cooling device 20. The metering device 14 stamps a desired volume of solid material in the form of a slug 12 which passes through the melting device 14 where it is caused to levitate and transform state from a solid to a molten liquid. The molten liquid material 13 is released from the melting device 14 and descends through the cooling device 20 where it transforms state once again from a molten material to a solid material while maintaining a ball shape. A forming gas is passed over the molten material 13 in a direction opposite to the falling molten material 13. The balls 15 are finally cooled in a cooling bath 32.
Abstract:
A stamping and forming machine (10) is disclosed having a feed mechanism for incrementally feeding a strip of material (32) along a feed path and momentarily stopping the strip in proper position within tooling (20, 22) during the stamping and forming operation. The feed system includes a feed drum (36) and is arranged to move between a driving position where the feed drum (36) is in engagement with the strip of material (32) for effecting the movement thereof along the feed path and a remote position out of feeding engagement therewith. A misfeed detection and feed release mechanism is provided for moving the feed drum (36) from the driving position to the remote position upon detection of a misfeed where the strip of material (32) is displaced from the proper position. The feed drum (36) is spring loaded toward the remote position. A first sear (190) is in engagement with the feed drum so that it is held in the driving position against the urging of the spring (174). Second and third sears (216, 218) are coupled to the upper tooling module (22) and movable upon detection of a misfeed into moving engagement with the first sear (190) so that the feed drum (36) is quickly moved to its remote position.
Abstract:
Apparatus for accurately and automatically aligning a pair of optical fibers in abutting end-to-end relationship. The apparatus includes an optical fiber holder having an opening in substantially the exact center of one end thereof for supporting the end of an optical fiber therein. The holder comprises a one-piece, cylindrical-shaped housing having integral centering elements around the periphery thereof. The centering elements cooperate with the wall of a bore in a connector member within which the holder is adapted to be inserted to automatically center the housing within the bore, and hence, to automatically align the end of the optical fiber with the bore axis.When a second, similarly constructed holder supporting the end of a second optical fiber is also inserted into the bore of the connector member with their respective one ends in abutting end-to-end relationship, the ends of the two optical fibers will automatically be aligned with the bore axis and, hence, with each other. Preferably, the centering elements comprise a plurality of resilient housing segments positioned adjacent said one end of said housing and defined between the periphery of the housing and a plurality of non-diametrical slots extending across the end of the housing and axially into the housing. The invention further includes a method of manufacturing the housing to ensure that the opening in the end of the housing will be in substantially the exact center thereof.
Abstract:
A miniature circuit board edge connector assembly includes an insulative housing 2, electrical spring blades 12A in the housing, conductor portions 12B pivotally interlocked with the spring blades 12A and pivotally impinged against corresponding conductive post portions 11, a cam 30 resiliently flexes the spring blades 12A, causing the conductor portions to pivot and engage circuit conductors 37 of a circuit board 38, and to provide circuit paths, from the circuit conductors 37 to the post portions 11, that are shorter than the lengths of the spring blades 12A.
Abstract:
A lead frame and chip carrier housing are disclosed which can be used in packaging integrated circuit chips of a range of sizes and requiring varying numbers of leads in the lead frame. The lead frame comprises a centrally located square support portion having simple leads extending from its side edges and having composite leads extending from its corners. Each of the composite leads comprises a trunk lead and branch leads which extend from the side edges of the trunk lead. A relatively small integrated circuit chip can be used with the lead frame by removing only the support portion, locating the chip adjacent to the opening and connecting the simple leads only to the terminal areas of the chip. The lead frame can be used with larger chips having greater numbers of terminal pads by removing the support portion, removing inner end portions of the simple leads, and removing inner end portions of the composite leads so that some or all of the branch leads become available for establishing electrical connections to the chip. The chip carrier housing comprises an open frame member of insulating material molded onto intermediate portions of all of the leads. The inner ends of the leads are imbedded in a thin web which extends from the molded frame inwardly towards the center of the lead frame. Portions of this web are removed when the central opening is formed in the lead frame for the chip.
Abstract:
The array ferrule of the present invention has a main body having a fiber receiving cavity which extends therethrough from a mating face to a rear end. A pair of pin slots is formed in opposing side walls of the main body being precisely located with respect to the fiber receiving cavity. In communication with each pin slot is a retention member slot for receiving a pin retention member. A plurality of fibers is precisely positioned within the fiber receiving cavity and an encapsulant substantially surrounds the fibers to substantially fill the fiber receiving cavity. A method of making the array ferrule begins with providing a ferrule blank having a pair of preformed slots extending inward from the opposing side walls. The blank is precisely aligned on a mandrel which is placed within the fiber receiving cavity. Pin slots are broached in each side surface in the area of the preformed slots to form the ferrule main body. The ferrule main body is then positioned within a ferrule receiving opening of a central fixture such that locating pins of the central fixture are positioned within the pin slots. The fiber receiving cavity is then populated with a plurality of optical fibers which are accurately located using a plurality of combs over the ends of the optical fibers which protrude from the mating face. Finally, the fiber receiving cavity is filled with an encapsulant.
Abstract:
This invention provides a method of forming a mold (20) including the steps of segmenting a surface to be molded into discrete adjacent linear sections, forming a profile of each section on an edge of a planar material to define a plurality of blades (30, 40, 50), and; stacking each blade (30, 40, 50) such that their profiled mold edges (34, 44, 54) together form the surface to be molded. The blades (30, 40, 50) are secured in a mold body (20) and selected ones of the blades (30, 40, 50) may be articulated to eject the molded article from the mold (20).
Abstract:
An electrical connector 10 having a configurable ground plane 60 is provided. The connector 10 features an insulative housing 20 having an upright section 30 and a board receiving section 28. The board receiving section has open top and bottom outer surfaces 29, 27 for allowing insertion of contacts 50, 52 into contact receiving passages 34, 32. The ground plane 60 is disposed over the top set of contacts 50 and is profiled to engage selected ones of the contacts 50 in the upright section of the passages 34. The ground plane 60 is configurable in that it can be easily adapted to achieve various signal to ground contact ratios by locating contacts 92, 94 at selected positions on fingers 88 which extend into the upright section of the passages 34.