Patent ID: 8180189

Claim:
An optical module comprising: an optical waveguide including a waveguide core section and fiber guide groove section integrally connected to the waveguide core section, the waveguide core section having a plurality of longitudinally-extending waveguide cores through which light propagates, and a clad configured to trap the light in the waveguide cores, the fiber guide groove section having a fiber guide groove base panel integrally connected to the waveguide core section and a plurality of longitudinally-extending, parallel side walls, the fiber guide groove base panel having a fiber guide groove base panel floor defining a flat plane, the plurality of longitudinally-extending, parallel side walls projecting from the fiber guide groove base panel floor to define a plurality of longitudinally-extending, parallel fiber guide grooves in which optical fibers to be optically coupled to the waveguide cores are inserted and in which respective ones of the plurality of fiber guide grooves longitudinally align and communicate with respective ones of the plurality of waveguide cores; and a fixing member fixed to the optical waveguide with an adhesive while covering the fiber guide grooves in which the optical fibers are inserted, wherein the side walls include support projections integrally connected thereto that project perpendicularly therefrom into the fiber guide grooves, are configured to support and contact the optical fibers inserted in the fiber guide grooves and to align and optically couple the optical fibers to the waveguide cores, wherein each one of the side walls extends from an end of the fiber guide groove section towards the waveguide core section and terminates adjacent yet prior to the waveguide core section to define an adhesive spread groove extending from the fiber guide groove base panel floor and perpendicularly relative to the fiber guide grooves between and along respective terminal ends of the side walls and the waveguide core section in order to communicate with juxtaposed ones of the fiber guide grooves and wherein a plurality of support projections are integrally connected to each one of the side walls and each one of the support projections is triangularly shaped and projects into a respective fiber guide groove while simultaneously tapers from a respective one of the side walls and into the respective fiber guide groove to form a support projection apex that contacts the optical fiber when the optical fiber is inserted into the fiber guide groove.