Optical fiber gripping and positioning apparatus
US5506928A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 30, 1995 |
| Grant date | Apr 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 30, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B6/3612
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The apparatus uses a gripper mounted on a moveable arm to pick up an optical fiber at a pickup location, with the free end of the optical fiber extending from the gripper. The arm is moved to position the free end generally in the region of the target location, but slightly displaced therefrom. An image of the region of the target location is obtained from a camera directed to receive the image, where the region is backlit by diffused light from a light source. Where the target is a component on a translucent substrate, the substrate may act as the diffuser for the light source. The image from the camera is analyzed to determine the position of the free end in relation to the target location, and the arm is moved to accurately position the free end at the target location based on the determination of relative positions. The gripper has a downwardly-opening inverted V-shaped groove running longitudinally, to which a vacuum is supplied.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.