Patent ID: 7073952

Claim:
A system, comprising: a first optical alignment device, comprising: a first ball comprising a first hole traversing the first ball, a first optical component residing within the first hole and having an optical axis substantially aligned with the first hole, and a first clamp, wherein the first ball resides within the first clamp, wherein the first ball is moveable within the first clamp, wherein the first optical component is aligned by moving the first ball, wherein the first clamp further comprises a first clamping block having a first inner surface for abutting the first ball and a second clamping block having a second inner surface for abutting the first ball and further comprising two basal ledges extending away from the second inner surface for securing the second clamping block to a surface, wherein the first and second clamping blocks are coupled together on a first side and a second side of the optical axis with a fastening mechanism; a second optical component optically coupled to the first optical component; and a second optical alignment device, comprising a third optical component optically coupled to the second optical component at a side opposite to the first optical component.