Other

At&t Technologies, Inc.

Western Electric Company, Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

At&t Bell Laboratories

Bell Telephone Laboratories

Charles R Fegley

Werner F Esseluhn

Joseph A Tamashasky

Bruce C Abraham

Ralph S Moyer

Jan Lipson

Thomas S Stakelon

Lorenz Regneth

Ghazi M Chaoui

Anderson F Johnson, Jr

Jerry C Hurst

Richard H Winings

Richard H Morrow

Arthur G Naylor

Charles L Davis

Clifford R Yeich, Jr

Frank Joseph Valentino

Jack H Moll, Jr

An optical package includes a two-piece fiber subassembly which allows for separate axial and radial alignment of the fiber to the active optical device. The subassembly consists of an inner ferrule encasing the fiber and an outer sleeve which holds the ferrule. The ferrule is moved axially within the sleeve to perfect the axial alignment of the fiber and the device. The sleeve includes a number of openings around its circumference to expose the ferrule. Once axial alignment is achieved, the outer sleeve is attached to the ferrule through these openings to fix the axial alignment.

Optical package with improved fiber alignment fixture

A method of achieving radial (x,y) alignment between an active device subassembly and an optical fiber subassembly of an optical package is disclosed. The method relies on the use of mating sections with essentially identical outer diameters. The subassemblies are brought into contact and are first joined at the two points where the edges of the piece parts coincide (flush points). It has been determined that by continuing the attachment process at symmetric locations about one of the flush points, minimal disturbance of throughput efficiency will be maintained. The optical throughput is continually monitored to determined at which particular flush point the attachment process should proceed. In particular, as soon as the throughput efficiency drops below a predetermined value, the attachment process is rotated to continue at the opposite flush point.

Achieving improved radial alignment in an optical package

A container (30) for enclosing an article (10) includes a base (32) having a bore (33) and a counterbore (34) for holding the article (10) such that a first, often delicate, portion protrudes from a first end of base (32). Base (32) has peripheral surfaces (37) primarily for engaging a cover (40) for closing container (30). The cover (40) has an interior cavity (42) and portions (53-55) which close over and limit air entrapped with the article (10). Cover (40) also has peripheral walls (48) containing fixed ends (49) and free ends (50) with internal surfaces (51) therebetween for engaging the base (32). The engagement surfaces (37 and 51) of the base (32) and cover (40), respectively, preferably have an interference fit. Also, the cover walls (48) are sufficiently long that the cover (40) substantially aligns to base (32) and stays clear of article (10) during closure. Accordingly, unwanted contact of cover (40) to the first portion of the article is avoided. The base (32) may also include engagement walls (63), channels (64) and a port (69). The walls (63) flex inwardly to accommmodate the interference fit between engagement surfaces (37 and 51) and flex outwardly to improve engagement when a pressure differential over walls (63 and 48) reaches a given value. Internal air is minimized because air is passed through the channels (64) and the port (69) during closure until the cover walls (48) seal port (69).

Container for and method of enclosing an article

At least one article such as a device (10) is reoriented to achieve uniform orientation of a plurality thereof. The devices (10) typically have a head (12) and a body portion (18) depending therefrom along a plane (26) dividing the head asymmetrically. A portion of head (12) has a fully developed shape typically seen along one side of a disc while another portion of head (12) has at least one segment omitted. A preferably air powered track (30) is utilized to guidably advance the devices (10) in a single file. The body portions (18) are disposed in track (30) with their respective dividing planes (26) lying substantially along a common plane passing through a longitudinal slot (50) in a feed section of track (30). A device (10) is assumed to have a desirable orientation when its flat (24) faces such as to the back of track (30) and an undesirable orientation when flat (24) faces oppositely such as to the front of track (30). A turning station (60) is disposed in track (30) and contains a special section (75), such station being adapted for: (1) guidably passing to a subsequent discharge section of track (30), devices (10) advanced into station (60) with the desirable orientation and blocking a device (10) advanced therein having the undesirable orientation; and (2) turning the station track (75) with the blocked device (10) sufficiently to engage the previously trailing end of station track (75) to the subsequent discharge track and discharging thereto the turned device (10) now having the desirable orientation.

Orienting asymmetrically shaped articles

Individual ones of articles such as (LED) devices 10 are fed and positioned at one or more stations along a path traversed by the devices. A track 30 guidably advances the devices 10 in single file to and beyond stations 63 and 64 successively located along the path represented by a channel 35 in the track 30. An assembly 50 shuttles, transversely of the channel 35, a plurality of fingers 66-70 simultaneously from a working state to and from a transitory state with respect to devices 10 in channel 35. The fingers may be in the form of thin, upright blades 66-70 which are engaged to assembly 50 and extend substantially normally of and into channel 35 in response to the shuttling. An indexing blade 68 extends from the front of and into channel 35 when shuttling assembly 50 is in the working state to block a waiting file of devices 10. At stations 63 and 64, positioning blades 66 and 67, respectively, extend from the front of and into channel 35 when shuttling assembly 50 is in the working state to position respective devices 10 for treatment. At stations 63 and 64, detaining blades 69 and 70, respectively, extend from the back of and into channel 35 when shuttling assembly 50 is in the transitory state to block a respective device 10 from advancing beyond a respective station during the shuttling. The detaining blade 69 is spaced from the indexing blade 68 a distance suitable to cooperatively capture therebetween a device 10 from the waiting file during a shuttling cycle. Such device 10 is then released to blade 66 when shuttling assembly 50 is returned to the working state.

Feeding articles to successive stations for treatment

A workpiece such as a minute stud (34) is aligned to a small porcelain body (36) to form a guide (40) for processing lightwaves. Such alignment includes registering a target (30) of an avalanche photodiode in a chip (32) on the stud (34) to a fiber receiving bore (44) in the body (36). Radiation, preferably in the form of a beam of light, is directed to a first end of the bore (44). Some portion of the light is redirected sufficiently to pass longitudinally along the surfaces of the bore (44) and thereby project an image from a second end of the body (36). The image is advantageously in the form of a halo which is enlarged and displayed on a video monitor (100). The stud (34) is manipulated about the first end of the bore (44) by operating micropositioning fixtures (66 and 68). The target (30) in chip (32) reflects light sufficiently to cast a preferably dark image of the target ( 30) through the bore (44) and its image onto the video monitor (100). Such manipulation continues until a desired alignment is achieved and the stud (34) is bonded to the body (36) to form the guide (40).

Aligning a workpiece to a body

A workpiece such as a miniature stud (10) supports a chip (20) having a heat and light sensitive device therein. Such stud (10) is thermally bonded to an insulative body (12) to form a guide (14) for converting light to electrical pulses. A positive and a negative electrode (44 and 45), respectively, are each connected to a respective pole of a power supply for providing electrical current adequate for the bonding. A resistance heating element (42) conducts the current from electrode (44) at least partially along a path through the stud (10) to electrode (45). For stud (10), the path is selected preferably by providing a thru hole (90) in element (42) under the position occupied by the heat sensitive device when stud (10) is placed upon the element (42). The current concentrates in stud (10) along an annular ring (29) where heating is required sufficiently to thermally bond at least the ring (29) of the stud (10) to the body (12).

Bonding a workpiece to a body

A fluid dispensing anti-burglar device is disclosed in which a chemical irritant such as tear gas is discharged into the area to be protected when an intruder forces entry into the area to be protected with which the device is associated. The anti-burglar device employs electrical elements for causing the release of the irritant gas and includes provisions for resettable triggering and a switch to transfer power to an external alarm after releasing the chemical irritant.

Fluid dispensing anti-burglar device

First components such as lids (9) are assembled to second components such as electronic chip carriers (10). Each lid (9) has an external surface opposite a first mating face and each carrier (10) has a second mating face complementary with the first mating face of the lid (9). An assembly station contains a first frame (30) having first walls (31-35) for confining and first ledges (37-38) for supporting a lid (9). Frame (30) has an advantageous peripheral opening (39) suitable for passing therethrough portions of devices for transferring lids (9). Preferably such stations (25) are established in an array suitable for access by an array of lids (9) transferred by a first device (35). A first magazine (70) holds files of lids (9) with external surfaces of leading ones in an array for contact, pickup and transfer. The first device (55) has a plurality of fingers (62) with vacuum pickup portions (64) presenting an array of faces (66) to contact and pickup an array of lids (9) from the first magazine (70) and for releasably retaining the same. Device (55) is moved along a path to the first frame (30) and the fingers (62) pass therethrough in an inverted manner. Thus an array of lids (9) are transferred into the frames (30) in a preferably flat orientation with mating faces turned upward. An escapement (105) is then preferably actuated to permit a second magazine to guidably deliver an array of leading carriers (10), with mating faces downward upon the upturned lids (9).

Assembling components such as lids to chip enclosures

Contact pads (18) of a device (12) are adapted for bonding components such as contacts of a circuit assembly thereto. At least two of the pads (18) are interconnected with a member (34) containing bonding material. Portions of the member (34) lying adjacent the pads (18) are then removed to form isolated bodies (42) containing bonding material on the pads (18). The member (37) may be of a composite structure containing bonding material associated with a hard element (61). The bodies (42) formed therefrom contain a hard element portion (62) having dimensions which remain substantially unchanged to define a desired minimum distance between respective pads (18) and contacts when they are bonded together.

Adapting contacts for connection thereto

A fluid dispensing anti-burglar device is disclosed in which a chemical irritant such as tear gas is discharged into the area to be protected when an intruder forces entry into the area to be protected with which the device is associated. The anti-burglar device employs electrical elements for causing the release of the irritant gas and includes provisions for time delayed release of the chemical irritant.

A fluid dispensing anti-burglar booby trap device is disclosed which discharges a fluid, containing a chemical such as tear gas, into an area to be protected when an intruder opens a window or door to enter an unauthorized area with which the device is associated. The anti-burglar booby trap device employs an actuating member for causing the discharge of a pressurized fluid container. The actuating member may be re-positioned to place the device in a safe, deactivated, inactuatable condition when desired.

Fluid dispensing anti-burglar booby trap device

An electroluminescent display device includes at least two conductive leads spaced from each other with a light-emitting element electrically coupled between such leads. A transparent, insulating base is formed about and between the leads. The base encapsulates both the leads and the light-emitting element. At least one lateral portion of each lead extends beyond the base and substantially conforms to the configuration of the base. In conforming such lateral portions, they are preferably wrapped around the base and fixed to it. These lateral portions are arranged so that light from the light-emitting element may pass axially through the base and out of its ends. In addition, light may pass laterally out of the base. The device may also be used for circuit protection purposes. To so use the device, a protective element is electrically coupled between the leads so that upon the occurrence of an overload condition in an external circuit coupled to the lateral portions, the protective element decouples the leads. Such decoupling results in the energization and illumination of the light-emitting element. The illumination indicates that an overload condition has occurred in the external circuit. The device may also be used simply for protection purposes. In this case a light-emitting element is not used. The device readily lends itself to fabrication in a lead-frame environment involving various metal forming steps, such as stamping, cutting, shaping, bending, and the like. These steps are used to form the leads and the lateral portions from a sheet of conductive material.

Electroluminescent display and circuit protective device and method of

In making electronic components, it is usually necessary to test and sort the components in accordance with their characteristics. In carrying out such operations, the components are guided along a first portion of a path tangential to a rotatable member having notches spaced in the periphery thereof. The rotatable member is moved to engage one notch with each component to support such component and to space it from the other components in accordance with the spacing of the notches. The rotatable member controllably moves the articles along a second portion of a path adjacent the first portion. The rotatable member is then stopped and the leads of each supported component are straightened. The components are then fed to another rotatable member and controllably moved to a testing facility. While the other rotatable member is stopped, the leads of each component are engaged by contacts of the testing facility to determine certain characteristics of each component. Finally, each component is sorted in accordance with its characteristics.

Methods of and apparatus for conveying, testing and sorting articles and

A fluid dispensing anti-burglar booby trap device is disclosed which discharges a fluid, containing a chemical such as tear gas, into an area to be protected when an intruder opens a window or door, by force if required, to enter a private or unauthorized area with which the device is associated. The anti-burglar booby trap device employs an actuating member for causing the discharge of a pressurized fluid container. The actuating member may be re-positioned to place the device in a safe, deactivated, non-actuatable condition when desired.

Growing community of inventors

Laureldale, PA, United States of America

Charles R Fegley