The Luminos Contact Sensing System facilitates the alignment of optical fibers by measuring contact force levels and allowing the determination of a zero-gap position.

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The system utilizes a load cell embedded in an optional utility plate, for use with the Luminos Inline Positioners or other devices. The work plate includes rigid stops that provide safe travel limits.

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In the utility plate a strain gauge mounted on a viscously damped flexure system provides a stable analog signal that connects to an external amplifier, and display module. The display module contains an amplifier, a 10 segment LED display, and a 9 input priority encoder, that provides a digital output from the 10 segment driver.

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The nominal stiffness of the sensor work plate is 8.9 grams per µm (micron), and the minimum step size is 2 grams of force, which corresponds to a motion of 0.225 um. The sensor can therefore detect an over-travel caused by a collision, to a resolution of about 0.2 micron, and is very accurate for referencing or measuring small fiber gaps.

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The dual range/sensitivity switch toggles the output between the 20 gram range at 2g/LED or the 100 gram range at 10g/LED segment. A front panel accessible potentiometer allows for zeroing the LED display and the digital output. The readout is linear and responds to changes of contact force, in either direction. It is customary to set the zero on either the second or third segment to retain a down side margin. The amplified analog signal is available in the 8-pin output connector along with a BCD format TTL output for use as source signals to other monitoring equipment. Integration into an automated system is possible by connecting these outputs directly to a PC's parallel port, or other interface module, ADC card etc.