Importance

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Abstract

A removable light source is provided for use with the optical coupling system. The light source is mounted to a removable assembly for slidable insertion into, and removed from, a housing containing the optical coupling system. The removable assembly includes positioning elements for maintaining precise alignment of the light source with optical components mounted within the housing. In one embodiment described herein, precise alignment is achieved by employing six mounting pads on outside surfaces of a base of the removable assembly. Three of the mounting pads are aligned along a first plane. Two are aligned along a second plane perpendicular to the first. The remaining pad is aligned along a third plane perpendicular to both the first and second planes. The light source is mounted to the base in a precise fixed relationship with the mounting pads. The removable assembly is inserted within a slot formed in the housing of the optical coupling system. Upon insertion, the mounting pads lie against mutually perpendicular interior walls of a receiving block of the housing. The mounting pads thereby ensure that the light source is precisely positioned with respect to the receiving block. Optical components within the housing are mounted in a precise fixed relationship with the receiving block. Accordingly, while inserted, the light source is maintained in precise alignment with the receiving block and thereby also in precise alignment with the optical components.

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First Claim