Coupler for an optical fibre with an opto-electronic element, in a hermetically sealed housing, and method of manufacturing it

Claim 1

An assembly comprising a hermetically sealed housing, containing an opto-electronic light source and a free end of an optical fibre extending to outside the housing and being optically coupled to the light source, the light source being fixed into a base section of the housing and the free end of the optical fibre being positioned opposite the light source in such a way that the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source and the axis of the core of the optical fibre essentially coincide, characterised in that a) the base section comprises a cylindrical first reference surface the axis of which coincides with the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source; b) an end section of the optical fibre located close to the free end is fixed in an envelope that comprises a cylindrical second reference surface, the axis of which coincides with the axis of the core of the optical fibre; c) a coupling element is present with two cavities positioned coaxially one behind the other and connected to each other, the diameter of the inscribed circle of the first cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the first reference surface and the diameter of the inscribed circle of the second cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the second reference surface; d) the base section and the envelope are fixed with their reference surfaces in the first and the second cavity, respectively, in such a way that the light source is optically coupled with the free end of the optical fibre.

Claim 7

A method for the manufacture of an assembly comprising a hermetically sealed housing, containing an opto-electronic light source and a free end of an optical fibre extending to outside the housing and being optically coupled to the light source, the light source being fixed in a base section of the housing and the free end of the optical fibre being positioned opposite the light source in such a way that the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source and the axis of the core of the fibre essentially coincide, after which the mutual positions of the light source and the fibre are fixed and the housing is hermetically sealed, characterised in that a) the base section, after the light source has been fixed in it, is provided with a cylindrical first reference surface, the axis of which coincides with the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source; b) an end section of the optical fibre located close to the free end is fixed in an envelope which is provided with a cylindrical second reference surface, the axis of which coincides with the axis of the core of the optical fibre; c) a coupling element with two cavities positioned coaxially one behind the other and connected to each other is manufactured, the diameter of the inscribed circle of the first cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the first reference surface and the diameter of the inscribed circle of the second cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the second reference surface; d) the reference surfaces of the base section and the envelope are placed in the first and the second cavity, respectively, in such a way that the light source is optically coupled to the free end of the fibre, after which the positions of the base section and the envelope in the coupling element are fixed and the formed assembly is hermetically sealed.

Claim 8

A method for the manufacture of an assembly comprising a hermetically sealed housing, containing an opto-electronic light source and a free end of an optical fibre extending to outside the housing and being optically coupled to the light source, the light source being fixed in a base section of the housing and the free end of the optical fibre being positioned opposite the light source in such a way that the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source and the axis of the core of the fibre essentially coincide, after which the mutual positions of the light source and the fibre are fixed and the housing is hermetically sealed, characterised in that a) the base section, after the light source has been fixed in it, is provided with a cylindrical first reference surface, the axis of which coincides with the axis of a light beam emitted by the light source; b) an end section of the optical fibre located close to the free end is fixed in an envelope which is provided with a cylindrical second reference surface, the axis of which coincides with the axis of the core of the optical fibre; c) a coupling element with two cavities positioned coaxially one behind the other and connected to each other is manufactured, the diameter of the inscribed circle of the first cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the first reference surface and the diameter of the inscribed circle of the second cavity being substantially the same as the diameter of the second reference surface; d) the reference surfaces of the base section and the envelope are placed in the first and the second cavity, respectively, in such a way that the light source is optically coupled to the free end of the fibre, after which the positions of the base section and the envelope in the coupling element are fixed and the formed assembly is hermetically sealed.