Optical assembly

1. An apparatus for directing a laser beam towards a desired location, the apparatus comprising:

a lens group holder comprising a hollow body having a longitudinally extending throughbore in which a group of lenses is mounted and through which the laser beam can pass, one of the lenses in the group of lenses being able to receive the laser beam and another lens of the group being able to output the laser beam; and

a manipulator having a body having a throughbore adapted to receive the lens group holder containing the group of lenses, wherein the manipulator can be used to displace the lens group holder and thereby the group of lenses; and wherein:

the lens group holder and manipulator are arranged such that the manipulator can be used to displace laterally the lens group holder and hence the group of lenses as a group relative to the laser beam when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator, and such that the manipulator can be used to tilt the lens group holder and hence the group of lenses as a group relative to the laser beam when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator; and

the lens group holder is removably retained in the manipulator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a radiation source for outputting a laser beam and having a housing; and

a connector mounted to the housing of the radiation source and having a throughbore for receiving an optical component;

the radiation source, manipulator, lens group holder and connector being arranged such that the radiation beam from the radiation source will pass through the group of lenses and then through the connector throughbore.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an electromagnetic radiation source having a housing and wherein the manipulator is mounted to the housing of the radiation source such that a laser beam from the radiation source will pass through the manipulator throughbore.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the group of lenses comprises two and only two lenses.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the group of lenses is arranged to magnify or demagnify the laser beam.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the group of lenses is arranged so as to provide a collimated output beam or a convergent or divergent output beam.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

a radiation source for outputting a laser beam and having a housing; wherein:

the manipulator is mounted to the housing of the radiation source such that the laser beam from the radiation source will pass through the manipulator throughbore; and

the manipulator further includes one or more adjustment means which are adjustable to move the lens group holder when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator throughbore; and the apparatus farther comprises:

a connector having a throughbore for receiving an optical component and mounted to the housing of the radiation source and arranged so as to receive the laser beam from the radiation source once the laser beam has passed through the manipulator throughbore.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the connector for receiving the optical component comprises a hollow body having a throughbore for receiving the optical component, one or more discrete engagement means against which an inserted optical component can be biassed, and biassing means for biassing an inserted optical component against the engagement means, the engagement means and biassing means being arranged such that an inserted optical component can be biassed against the engagement means in use in such a manner that the optical component only engages the body of the connector via the engagement means and the biassing means.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the manipulator further includes one or more adjustors which are adjustable by a user to move the lens group holder when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator throughbore.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the manipulator can move an inserted lens group holder in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the manipulator, and/or adjust the tilt of the longitudinal axis of an inserted lens group holder relative to the longitudinal axis of the manipulator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the manipulator is arranged such that one or more discrete rotational orientations of a lens group holder within the manipulator can be identified and arranged.

12. A method of directing a laser beam towards a desired location, comprising:

passing the laser beam through a longitudinally extending throughbore of a lens group holder comprising a hollow body in which a group of lenses is mounted such that one of the lenses in the group of lenses receives the laser beam and another lens of the group outputs the laser beam; and

using a manipulator having a body having a throughbore that receives the lens group holder to displace laterally the lens group holder and hence the group of lenses as a group relative to the laser beam or to both displace laterally the lens group holder and hence the group of lenses as a group relative to the laser beam and to tilt the lens group holder and hence the group of lenses as a group relative to the laser beam, thereby to redirect the laser beam as the laser beam exits the group of lenses.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the manipulator includes:

one or more adjustors which are adjustable by a user to move the lens group holder when inserted in the manipulator throughbore and to displace or tilt the lens group holder.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the group of lenses is arranged to magnify or demagnify the laser beam.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the group of lenses is arranged so as to provide a collimated output beam or a convergent or divergent output beam.

16. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

mounting a connector having a throughbore for receiving an optical component on or in the housing of a radiation source for outputting a laser beam; and

arranging the lens group holder, the radiation source, and the connector such that the laser beam from the radiation source will pass through the lens group holder and then through the connector's throughbore.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

mounting the manipulator to the housing of a radiation source for outputting a laser beam in such a manner that the laser beam from the radiation source will pass through the manipulator throughbore;

arranging the lens group holder in the throughbore of the manipulator;

mounting a connector having a throughbore for receiving an optical component on or in the housing of the radiation source so as to receive the laser beam from the radiation source once the laser beam has passed through the manipulator throughbore; and

using the manipulator to move the lens group holder when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator throughbore.

18. The method of claim 12 , comprising:

providing a radiation source for outputting a laser beam and having a housing;

mounting the manipulator to the housing of a radiation source such that the laser beam from the radiation source will pass through the manipulator throughbore;

arranging the lens group holder in the throughbore of the manipulator; and

using the manipulator to move the lens group holder when the lens group holder is inserted in the manipulator means throughbore.

19. The method of claim 12 , comprising using the manipulator to move an inserted lens group holder in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the manipulator, and/or to adjust the tilt of the longitudinal axis of an inserted lens group holder relative to the longitudinal axis of the manipulator.