US 11,808,999 B2
Elastic averaging coupling
Robert Ryan Vallance, Newbury Park, CA (US); Yang Chen, Thousand Oaks, CA (US); and Tewodros Mengesha, Camarillo, CA (US)
Assigned to Senko Advanced Components, Inc., Hudson, MA (US)
Filed by Senko Advanced Components, Inc., Hudson, MA (US)
Filed on Nov. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/985,815.
Application 17/985,815 is a continuation of application No. 17/167,068, filed on Feb. 3, 2021, granted, now 11,500,166.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/969,536, filed on Feb. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0076055 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G02B 6/42 (2006.01); G02B 6/30 (2006.01)
CPC G02B 6/423 (2013.01) [G02B 6/30 (2013.01); G02B 6/4214 (2013.01); G02B 6/4243 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A passive optical alignment coupling, comprising:
an optical connector comprising a first body transmitting an optical signal, wherein the first body defines a first base having a first, planar, surface defined with a first two-dimensional planar array of alignment features integrally defined on the first surface of the first base,
a foundation comprising a second body providing an alignment reference to the optical connector, wherein the second body defines a second base having a second, planar, surface defined with a second two-dimensional planar array of alignment features integrally defined on the second surface of the second base,
wherein one of the first array of alignment features and the second array of alignment features comprises a first network of orthogonally intersecting longitudinal grooves, and another one of the first array of alignment features and the second array of alignment features comprises a second network of longitudinal cylindrical protrusions each having a longitudinal axis parallel to corresponding one of the first surface of the first base or the second surface of the second base,
wherein the second network of cylindrical protrusions are received in the first network of grooves, with protrusion surfaces of the cylindrical protrusions in contact with groove surfaces of the grooves, and
wherein the optical connector is removably attachable to the foundation to define a demountable coupling, with the first array of alignment features against the second array of alignment features to define an elastic averaging coupling, thereby aligning the optical connector to the foundation.