| US 7,382,954 B1 | ||
| Methods for passive micrometer-range alignment of components using removable reference structures | ||
| Roger F. Dangel, Zug (Switzerland); and Tobias P. Lamprecht, Berneck (Switzerland) | ||
| Assigned to International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. (US) | ||
| Filed on Oct. 26, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/925,416. | ||
| Int. Cl. G02B 6/26 (2006.01); G02B 6/36 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 385—52 [385/78; 385/88; 385/89] | 3 Claims |
| 1. A method for passive alignment of adapters, enabling high-precision connection between components on a rigid or flexible
substrate as part of a printed circuit board (PCB), comprising:
positioning removable alignment structures having alignment holes in an alignment area on a substrate, wherein the alignment
structures are in accordance with a patterned layer;
placing an adapter on the substrate in the alignment area such that the adapter is aligned with the alignment holes of the
alignment structures, wherein the adapter comprises adapter mating pins or holes and adapter alignment pins;
inserting the adapter alignment pins into the alignment holes of the alignment structures;
fixing a ferrule having holes or pins on the substrate in the alignment area, wherein the ferrule is aligned such that the
adapter mating pins or holes mate with the ferrule holes or pins, respectively;
removing the adapter from the alignment structures; and
removing the alignment structures from the substrate.
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