Multi-camera assembly equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a multi-camera assembly device for assembling at least two lenses on a lens mount, which includes a feeding device, a cleaning device, a first glue dispensing device, a first alignment device, a second glue dispensing device, a second alignment device and a fixture reflux device. The cleaning device, the first glue dispensing device, the first alignment device, the second glue dispensing device and the second alignment device all include two groups of flow channels with opposite transmission directions, and the flow channels of adjacent devices are connected or relatively form a transmission flow channel and a reflux flow channel; the fixture reflux device is used to send the fixture from the transmission flow channel to the starting end of the reflux flow channel. The multi-camera assembly device of the present invention has a high degree of automation and more stable product performance. The alignment and curing of multiple lenses on the same camera are carried out separately to avoid mutual influence during the curing process. By setting the fixture reflux device and the two-way flow channel, the distance between the manually operated workstations is shortened, and the efficiency is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to camera assembly, and in particular to assembly equipment for binocular or multi-camera cameras. Background Art

[0002] With the development of the automotive electronics industry, the advent of autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, the application and requirements of on-board cameras are getting higher and higher. In this case, monocular cameras have irreconcilable defects in terms of measurement range and distance. The wider the viewing angle, the shorter the precise distance that can be detected, and the narrower the viewing angle, the longer the precise distance that can be detected. It is impossible to simultaneously meet the multi-dimensional high-precision visual imaging detection in space. Binocular cameras or cameras above binocular can solve the problem of unclear imaging and inaccurate distance at different distances. Among them, the binocular camera uses the parallax of the imaging pictures of the two cameras to calculate the distance from the two lenses to the imaging object in the form of similar triangles, and then calculates the actual distance of the imaging object through the parallax of the two cameras. In this way, there is no need to maintain a large number of databases in the early stage to match the actual imaging object like a monocular camera. Therefore, binocular cameras or cameras above binocular (hereinafter collectively referred to as multi-cameras) will surely become the mainstream configuration of smart cars.

[0003] The camera generally includes an imaging chip, a lens, and a lens or imaging chip driver, wherein the lens and image sensor should be located on the optical axis of the lens, and the image sensor should be perpendicular to the optical axis. Therefore, in the process of assembling the camera, the assembly tolerance of all components must be within a reasonable range, which is difficult to achieve with manual assembly. Therefore, manufacturers generally use active alignment (AA) equipment to complete the automatic alignment and curing of the lens (which may include the lens driver) and the lens mount (generally including the image sensor) to ensure that the center of the picture is the clearest, the four corners of the picture have uniform clarity, and improve the consistency of the camera module.

[0004] The lens mounts of multi-eye cameras are generally integrally formed or fixedly connected together, and during assembly, multiple lenses need to be assembled at different positions of the lens mount. Existing assembly equipment for monocular cameras is not suitable for multi-eye cameras. Summary of the invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a multi-camera assembly device suitable for multi-cameras.

[0006] A multi-camera assembly device is used to assemble at least two lenses on a lens seat. The multi-camera assembly device includes, in order of working order: a loading device, which is used to place the lens and lens seat to be assembled on a fixture, and the fixture has at least two lens placement positions and at least one lens seat fixing part; a cleaning device, which is used to clean the lens to be assembled on the fixture; a first glue dispensing device, which is used to dispense glue at the first preset position of the lens seat; a first alignment device, which is used to assemble the corresponding lens at the first preset position of the lens seat and solidify; a second glue dispensing device, which is used to dispense glue at the second preset position of the lens seat; a second alignment device, which is used to assemble the corresponding lens at the second preset position of the lens seat and solidify; and a fixture reflow device. Among them, the cleaning device, the first glue dispensing device, the first alignment device, the second glue dispensing device, and the second alignment device all include two groups of flow channels with opposite transmission directions, and the flow channels of adjacent devices are connected or opposite to each other to form a transmission flow channel and a return flow channel; the fixture reflow device is used to send the fixture from the transmission flow channel to the starting end of the return flow channel.

[0007] As an embodiment, the multi-camera assembly equipment also includes a robot arranged next to the fixture reflow device, which is used to remove the lens mount with the assembled lens from the fixture.

[0008] As an embodiment, the multi-camera assembly device further includes a second fixture reflux device disposed between the feeding device and the cleaning device. The second fixture reflux device is used to deliver the fixture from the reflux channel to the starting end of the conveying channel. The feeding device includes a multi-axis robot, and the second fixture reflux device includes a fixture opening device for opening the fixture. The multi-axis robot is used to clamp the lens holder and the lens from the tray for loading the lens holder and the tray for loading the lens, and place them on the fixture located on the second fixture reflux device.

[0009] As an embodiment, the clamp reflow device includes: a slide rail; a movable seat slidably connected to the slide rail; a first driving device for driving the movable seat to move along the slide rail; a conveying device fixed on the movable seat and capable of docking with the conveying channel and the reflow channel, which includes a second driving device, a synchronous wheel driven by the second driving device, and a synchronous belt connecting the synchronous wheel; a lifting device fixed on the movable seat and located between the synchronous belts, which is used to lift the clamp from the conveying device when the clamp reaches a specified position; and a clamp opening device for opening the clamp.

[0010] As an embodiment, the cleaning device also includes: a plasma cleaner; a lens clamp fixed near the nozzle of the plasma cleaner; a driving assembly for driving the nozzle and the lens clamp of the plasma cleaner to move in at least three directions; and a lifting device fixed on the inner side of the conveying channel, which is used to lift the fixture when the fixture arrives at the cleaning station.

[0011] As an embodiment, the first dispensing device and the second dispensing device also include: a dispensing assembly; a positioning assembly and a glue quantity sensor fixed near the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly; a driving assembly for driving the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly to move in at least three directions; a glue storage tank; and an electronic scale for weighing the glue storage tank.

[0012] As an embodiment, the first alignment device also includes: a lifting mechanism fixed on the inner side of the conveying channel, which supports the clamp suspension above the conveying channel in the ejection state; a manipulator fixed on one side of the conveying channel, which moves in at least six directions; a third drive component for driving the manipulator to approach or move away from the conveying channel; a fixed frame mounted above the conveying channel; a first light source fixed above the fixed frame; a chart fixing portion fixed below the first light source; a second light source fixed below the chart fixing portion; and a curing mechanism, which includes a plurality of curing lamps divided into two groups, which cure the lens and the lens mount from both sides of the manipulator respectively.

[0013] As an embodiment, the curing mechanism includes: a bracket; a slide rail vertically fixed on the bracket; two relatively arranged fixing parts slidably connected to the slide rail; a first driving assembly for driving the two fixing parts to move vertically along the slide rail; two relatively arranged second driving assemblies, respectively fixed on the two fixing parts, and whose output shafts are basically parallel to the horizontal plane; two relatively arranged support arms, respectively connected to the output shafts of the second driving assemblies; and a plurality of curing lamps, respectively fixed on the two support arms and pointing to a preset position between the two support arms.

[0014] As an embodiment, the first alignment device also includes a teleconverter module, which includes: a fixed seat; a first movable seat horizontally movably connected to the fixed seat; a second movable seat horizontally movably connected to the first movable seat; a servo motor fixed to the second movable seat; a single-axis module connected to the output shaft of the servo motor, which can move up and down under the drive of the servo motor; and a teleconverter connected to the single-axis module.

[0015] As an embodiment, the fixture reflow device is provided with a barcode scanner for scanning the code on the lens holder placed on the fixture to collect product information.

[0016] The multi-camera assembly equipment of the present invention can fully automatically complete the loading and unloading, lens cleaning, gluing, alignment and curing of binocular or multi-cameras (multiple lenses share one lens mount), with a high degree of automation, reduced manual involvement, and more stable product performance. The alignment and curing of multiple lenses on the same camera are carried out separately to avoid mutual influence during the curing process, ensuring that the glue between each lens and the lens mount can be evenly cured, and the lens and the lens mount are firmly connected. By providing a fixture reflux device and a two-way flow channel, the distance between manually operated workstations is shortened while the degree of automation is improved, and the efficiency is higher. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a multi-camera assembly device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a loading device and a fixture reflow device of a multi-camera assembly device in one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a clamp reflow device from another perspective in an embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structures of a cleaning device and a first glue dispensing device of a multi-camera assembly device in one embodiment.

[0021] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the second dispensing device in one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a first alignment device of a multi-camera assembly device according to an embodiment.

[0023] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Exploded view of the first alignment device.

[0024] Figure 8 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the manipulator of the first alignment device and the third drive assembly.

[0025] Fig. 9 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the curing mechanism of the first alignment device.

[0026] Fig.10 for Fig. 9 Exploded diagram of the curing mechanism.

[0027] Fig.11 for Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the teleconverter module of the first alignment device.

[0028] Fig.12 for Figure 6 A schematic structural diagram of the second light tube and its fixing member of the first alignment device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The multi-camera assembly device of the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with specific embodiments and drawings. For ease of description, the plane defined by the XY axis of the XYZ space rectangular coordinate system is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the plane on which the multi-camera assembly device of the present invention is placed is also parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0030] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 The structure diagram (layout diagram) of a multi-camera assembly device in one embodiment of the present invention is shown. The multi-camera assembly device mainly includes a loading device 200, a cleaning device 300, a first glue dispensing device 400, a first alignment device 100, a second glue dispensing device 500, a second alignment device 600, two fixture reflow devices 700 and a unloading device 800.

[0031] Among them, the cleaning device 300, the first glue dispensing device 400, the first alignment device 100, the second glue dispensing device 500, and the second alignment device 600 are sequentially arranged between the two fixture return devices 700 according to the working order. The loading device 200 is arranged next to the fixture return device 700 next to the cleaning device 300, and the unloading device 800 is arranged next to the fixture return device 700 next to the second alignment device 600. And the cleaning device 300, the first glue dispensing device 400, the first alignment device 100, the second glue dispensing device 500, and the second alignment device 600 all include two groups of flow channels with opposite transmission directions, and the flow channels of adjacent devices are connected or opposite to each other to form a transmission flow channel 901 and a return flow channel 902. The two fixture return devices 700 are arranged at both ends of the transmission flow channel 901 and the return flow channel 902, and the two flow channels are connected to form an annular flow channel, which can circulate and transport multiple fixtures 903 to improve work efficiency.

[0032] The flow channels on the cleaning device 300, the first dispensing device 400, the first alignment device 100, the second dispensing device 500, and the second alignment device 600 may include matching synchronous wheels, synchronous belts, and other components for auxiliary positioning, guiding, and supporting. The synchronous wheels between adjacent devices may be connected by synchronous belts, so that the adjacent devices may share a motor for driving the synchronous wheels to rotate, saving costs and having a high degree of synchronization. According to work needs, the flow channels between certain devices may be independent of each other, and each device may be driven and controlled by its own motor to work the synchronous wheels on the device, so that the control is more precise and flexible.

[0033] The loading device 200 is used to place the lens and lens holder to be assembled on the fixture 903. In this embodiment, the camera to be assembled is a binocular camera, and each lens holder has two lens mounting holes. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the lens mount to be assembled is placed in a tray 201, and different lenses to be assembled are placed in different trays. In this embodiment, three trays 202, 203 and 204 for loading lenses are provided, wherein the tray 204 can be used as a spare tray. The fixture 903 has two lens placement positions and a lens mount fixing portion, wherein clamping portions are provided on both sides of the lens mount fixing portion, and the lens mount can be placed in the fixture or removed from the fixture by operating the clamping portions.

[0034] The loading device 200 mainly includes a multi-axis robot 205, a first tray loading mechanism 206 and a second tray loading mechanism 207. The multi-axis robot 205 can be a four-axis robot, and the clamp at the end thereof can clamp lenses and lens mounts of various sizes. The first tray loading mechanism 206 is used to convey the tray 201, which may include a slide rail and a motor for driving the tray 201 to move forward and backward on the operating table, and is used to deliver the tray 201 filled with lens mounts to the position of the lens mounts specified by the multi-axis robot 205 program, and may also include a cylinder-driven lifting module for driving the tray 201 to sink under the operating table, and a slide rail and a motor for driving the tray 201 to move forward and backward under the operating table to recover the empty tray 201. In addition, a camera can be set on the loading device 200 to shoot the actual position of the lens and improve the position accuracy of the multi-axis robot 205 to capture the lens. In this way, the station for loading and recovering the tray 201 is located in the vertical space, and can be operated by a single person, with high efficiency.

[0035] The second tray loading mechanism 207 may include a track and a cylinder disposed between the tracks. In this embodiment, the track of the second tray loading mechanism 207 may be a double-layer track or a track with more than two layers, so that two or more layers of trays 202, 203 and 204 can be loaded and transported at the same time. In this way, when the lenses in a tray of a certain layer are taken out, the cylinder can drive the tray to leave the grasping position of the multi-axis robot 205 and return to the loading position. The staff can load the lenses on the empty tray or replace a tray full of lenses. Therefore, the loading device 200 can work continuously without stopping to wait for loading.

[0036] In this embodiment, the structures of the two fixture reflow devices 700 are basically the same (please also refer to Figure 3), both include a slide rail 701, a moving seat 702 slidably connected to the slide rail 701, a first driving device 703 for driving the moving seat 702 to move along the slide rail 701, a conveying device 704 that can dock with the conveying channel 901 and the return channel 902, a lifting device 705, and a clamp opening device 706 for opening the clamp 903.

[0037] All the slide rails in this embodiment can be linear slide rails, and the slider of the slide rail is fixedly connected to the bottom of the moving seat 702. The first driving device 703 can be a cylinder or an electric cylinder, and its driving rod is fixedly connected to the bottom of the moving seat 702, so as to drive the moving seat 702 along the slide rail 701 to move between two positions ( Figure 1 The movable seat 702 is located at a first position, and the box shown by the dotted line represents the movement of the movable seat 702 between the second position 7021).

[0038] The conveying device 704 is fixed on the moving seat, and its structure is similar to that of the conveying channel 901 and the return channel 902, and includes a synchronous wheel, a synchronous belt, a matching supporting component, and a second driving device 7041 (a motor in this embodiment) for driving the synchronous wheel to rotate forward and reverse. It can be understood that the direction in which the conveying device 704 conveys the clamp 903 is perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving seat 702. When the moving seat 702 stays at the two terminal positions of its moving range, the conveying device 704 is connected to the conveying channel 901 and the return channel 902 respectively. By controlling the forward and reverse rotation of the second driving device, the cyclic operation of the clamp 903 can be realized.

[0039] The conveyor 704 is also provided with a plurality of position sensors 7051 for sensing whether a fixture has arrived on the conveyor 704 and determining the specific position of the fixture 903 on the conveyor 704, so that the conveying position of the fixture is more accurate. In this embodiment, the position sensor 7051 can be a photoelectric sensor.

[0040] The lifting device 705 is fixed on the moving seat 702 and is located between the synchronous belts of the conveying device 704. It is used to lift the fixture 903 from the conveying device 704 when the moving seat 702 moves to the second position 7021. The lifting device 705 has a positioning pin for precise positioning to ensure the accuracy of the loading device 200 when installing the lens and the lens holder. The lifting device 705 includes a cylinder or an electric cylinder and a support block fixed to the end of the cylinder or electric cylinder drive rod.

[0041] The fixture opening device 706 is used to open the fixture 903, thereby allowing the multi-axis robot 205 of the loading device 200 to place the lens and the lens mount into the fixture. The fixture opening device 706 mainly includes a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder and an operating arm driven by the cylinder. The operating arm can push the clamping part to move, so that the lens mount is completely exposed, thereby allowing the lens mount to be placed in or taken out. When the operating arm is reset, the lens mount is limited in the fixture and cannot be moved or shaken, thereby ensuring the success rate of the alignment operation.

[0042] In addition, the second fixture reflow device and the loading device 200 are arranged on an operating table to ensure that the loading work of the multi-axis robot 205 can be completed accurately. The fixture reflow device 700 is also provided with a barcode scanner 707 for scanning the code on the finished circuit board (PCBA) of the lens holder placed on the fixture 903 to collect product information and upload it to the production information management system.

[0043] During operation, the first driving device 703 of the fixture reflux device 700 (second fixture reflux device) arranged next to the second tray loading mechanism 207 controls the movable seat 702 to stay at the first position and receive the empty fixture from the reflux channel 902. When the position sensor 7051 detects that the empty fixture flows to the conveying device 704, the controller controls the conveying device 704 to stop rotating, so that the empty fixture stays in the middle of the conveying device 704, and then controls the first driving device 703 to drive the movable seat 702 to move to the second position 7021. The lifting device 705 lifts the fixture. The fixture opening device 706 opens the fixture 903, and the multi-axis robot 205 of the loading device 200 respectively clamps the lens holder and two lenses from the trays 201, 202 and 203 to the fixture 903, and places them on the lens holder fixing part and the two lens placement positions of the fixture. Then the clamp opening device 706 is reset so that the clamping part limits the lens mount, and the lifting device 705 is reset so that the clamp falls back onto the conveying device 704. The conveying device 704 is reversed, and the clamp flows to the next station of the conveying channel 901.

[0044] The unloading device 800 is disposed next to the fixture reflow device 700 next to the second alignment device 600, and is used to remove the lens mount assembled with the lens from the fixture 903, and may include a manipulator, such as a four-axis robot.

[0045] The cleaning device 300 is used to clean the lens to be assembled on the fixture 903 to wash away the debris that may be generated during the lens production process and the dirt that may be contaminated by the lens during the later transportation process. The first glue dispensing device 400 is used to dispense glue on the first preset position of the lens mount. In this embodiment, the cleaning device 300 and the first glue dispensing device 400 are arranged on a machine platform.

[0046] Please also refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4The cleaning device 300 mainly includes a plasma cleaning device 301, a lens clamp 302 fixed near the nozzle of the plasma cleaning device 301, a driving component 303 for driving the nozzle of the plasma cleaning device 301 and the lens clamp 302 to move in at least three directions, and a lifting device 304 fixed on the inner side of the conveying channel 901.

[0047] The lifting device 304 is used to lift the fixture 903 when the fixture 903 arrives at the cleaning station, and no longer moves with the conveying flow channel 901. Two lens clamps 302 can be set on the cleaning device 300, which are respectively used to clamp the two lenses on the fixture. The lens clamp 302 can rotate in at least three directions, so that it can be compatible with lenses of different products. After clamping the lens, it can be turned over to clean the dust on the back of the lens. The nozzle of the plasma cleaning instrument 301 is set beside the lens clamp 302, and the relative distance between it and the lens clamp 302 can remain unchanged or only slightly change. The driving component 303 may include a plurality of cylinders or electric cylinders, which are respectively used to drive the lens clamp 302 and the plasma cleaning instrument 301 to move in the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions, so as to clean the lenses on the two lens clamps 302 in turn.

[0048] The first dispensing device 400 mainly includes a dispensing component 401, a positioning component 402 and a glue amount sensor 403 fixed near the dispensing head of the dispensing component 401, a driving component 404 for driving the dispensing head of the dispensing component 401 to move in at least three directions, a glue storage tank 405, an electronic scale for weighing the glue storage tank 405, and a lifting device 406.

[0049] The lifting device 406 is used to lift the fixture 903 when the fixture 903 reaches the first dispensing station, and no longer moves with the conveying channel 901. The positioning component 402 is used to determine the precise position of the lens on the fixture 903, and in this embodiment, it is a charge coupled device (CCD) visual positioning device. The glue amount sensor 403 is used to detect the glue discharge height and glue range of the dispensing component 401. The positioning component 402 and the glue amount sensor 403 move synchronously with the dispensing head of the dispensing component 401. The driving component 404 may include servo module cylinders or electric cylinders 4041, 4042 and 4043 for driving the dispensing head of the dispensing component 401 to move in the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions respectively.

[0050] The second glue dispensing device 500 is used to dispense glue on a second preset position of the lens mount. Figure 5As shown, the second dispensing device 500 has a substantially similar structure to the first dispensing device 400, and mainly includes a dispensing assembly 501, a positioning assembly 502 and a glue quantity sensor 503 fixed near the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly 501, a driving assembly 504 for driving the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly 501 to move in at least three directions, a glue storage tank 505, an electronic scale for weighing the glue storage tank 505, and a lifting device 506. The lifting device 506 is used to lift the fixture 903 when the fixture 903 reaches the second dispensing station, and no longer moves with the conveying channel 901. The positioning assembly 502 is used to determine the precise position of the lens on the fixture 903, and in this embodiment is a charge coupled device (CCD) visual positioning device. The glue quantity sensor 503 is used to detect the glue output of the dispensing assembly 501. The positioning assembly 502 and the glue quantity sensor 503 move synchronously with the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly 501. The driving assembly 504 may include air cylinders or electric cylinders 5041, 5042 and 5043 for driving the dispensing head of the dispensing assembly 501 to move in the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions respectively.

[0051] The first alignment device 100 is used to assemble the corresponding lens at the first preset position of the corresponding lens mount after being glued by the first glue dispensing device 400 and to perform curing.

[0052] Please also refer to Figures 6 to 12 In this embodiment, the first alignment device 100 mainly includes a curing mechanism 10, a base 20, a first conveying device 31 mounted on the base 20, a second conveying device 32 arranged in parallel with the first conveying device 31, a clamp 903 that can be conveyed by the first conveying device 31 and the second conveying device 32, a lifting mechanism 50 fixed under the first conveying device 31, a manipulator 61 fixed on one side of the first conveying device 31, a third driving component 60 for driving the manipulator 61 to approach or move away from the first conveying device 31, a fixing frame 70 fixed on the base, a first light source 81 fixed above the fixing frame 70, a Chart fixing portion 82 fixed under the first light source 81, and a second light source 83 fixed under the Chart fixing portion.

[0053] The base 20 is a base with a platform, and its bottom is in contact with the ground through a plurality of shock-absorbing air floating pads 21. The shock-absorbing air floating pads 21 can absorb vibrations from the ground and the base, and can adjust the height, so that the base 20 can adapt to the ground that is not very flat.

[0054] The first conveying device 31 and the second conveying device 32 include two groups of rails 311 and 321 set on the base 20 through two groups of support walls 22 fixed on the base 20, and a driving assembly for driving the belt on the rails. The driving assembly can adopt an existing mature transmission scheme, such as but not limited to a servo motor and a transmission mechanism synchronous wheel and a synchronous belt for transmitting the power output by the servo motor to the belt. In this embodiment, the conveying directions of the first conveying device 31 and the second conveying device 32 are opposite. The first conveying device 31 is used to convey the lens and lens mount to be aligned and cured to the alignment station, while the second conveying device 32 is used to convey the empty fixture of the lens and lens mount that have completed alignment and curing in the opposite direction.

[0055] At the same time, at least one fixture 903 may be present on the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32. The bottom structure of the fixture 903 is adapted to the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32, and can move smoothly with the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32 in a preset fixed posture. The fixture 903 is mainly used to fix the lens and lens mount to be aligned and cured.

[0056] The lifting mechanism 50 is fixed on the base 20 below the first conveyor 31, specifically located between the two rails 311 of the first conveyor 31, and located on the alignment station. It has two working states: a retracted state and an ejection state. When the lifting mechanism 50 is in the ejection state, it can lift up the fixture 903 that has been moved to the alignment station, so that the fixture 903 is suspended and supported above the first conveyor 31, and no longer moves with the belt on the first conveyor 31. When performing the alignment operation, the fixture 903 will not be affected by the vibration from the first conveyor 31, and the alignment is more accurate. The lifting mechanism 50 may include a pneumatic cylinder, an electric cylinder, or a servo electric cylinder and a support platform fixed at the end of the output shaft.

[0057] In this embodiment, a lifting mechanism 50 is also fixed on the base 20 below the second conveyor 32 to control the gap between the fixtures on the flow channel to avoid collision. The lifting mechanisms 50 on the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32 can work synchronously or at the same working frequency.

[0058] The manipulator 61 is arranged on the side of the first conveyor 31 away from the second conveyor 32. It is used to grab the lens from the fixture 903 and move it above the lens seat. At this time, the lens seat should be located at the alignment station. The manipulator 61 can adjust the lens posture under the control of the automatic alignment program to achieve accurate alignment operation. In order to flexibly move the lens to complete accurate lens posture adjustment, the movement direction of the manipulator is at least six directions. In this embodiment, the manipulator 61 is a six-axis manipulator.

[0059] In this embodiment, the base 20 is also provided with a third drive assembly 60 for driving the manipulator 61 to approach or move away from the first conveying device 31. The third drive assembly 60 includes a servo motor 62, a screw (not shown) connected to the servo motor 62 through a synchronous belt, and a support table 63 connected to the bearing seat of the screw. The screw should be parallel to the Y axis. When the servo motor 62 is working, the support table 63 is driven to move along the Y axis, so that the manipulator 61 moves toward the first conveying device 31 or away from the first conveying device 31. In this way, the manipulator 61 can be protected from collision with other components. At the same time, the manipulator can be applied to a wider range of fixtures, with a higher degree of automation and a faster speed.

[0060] The curing mechanism 10 mainly includes a bracket 11 fixed on a base 20, a slide rail 12 vertically fixed on the bracket 11, two relatively arranged fixing parts 13 slidably connected to the slide rail 12, a first driving assembly 14 for driving the two fixing parts 13 to move vertically (in the Z-axis direction) along the slide rail 12, two relatively arranged second driving assemblies 15, two relatively arranged support arms 16 and a plurality of curing lamps 17. Among them, the two second driving assemblies 15 are respectively fixed on the two fixing parts 13, and the output shafts 1511 of the two are relatively arranged and substantially parallel to the horizontal plane (parallel to the X-axis in this embodiment). The support arm 16 is connected to the output shaft 1511 of the second driving assembly 15, and can move linearly along the X-axis direction under the drive of the output shaft 1511. The plurality of curing lamps 17 are respectively fixed on the two support arms 16 and point to the preset position between the two support arms 16. Therefore, the first driving assembly 14 can drive the fixing part 13 of the curing mechanism 10 to drive the support arm 16 and the fixed lamp 17 to move vertically, and the irradiation height of the curing lamp 17 can be automatically adjusted. The second driving assembly 15 can also drive the support arm 16 to move in the X-axis direction, thereby automatically adjusting the distance between the curing lamps 17. By writing a control program, the height and spacing of the fixed lamps 17 required for curing cameras of different sizes can be determined, and full automatic control can be achieved. It can adapt to different lens modules and different alignment equipment, and has a wide range of applications. It can be coordinated with other modules of the first alignment device 100 to reduce the footprint of the alignment station and miniaturize the manufacturing equipment.

[0061] In this embodiment, the bracket 11 has two fixing arms 111 extending vertically upward. The slide rail 12 is a long strip track fixed on the fixing arms 111. A slide groove matching the slide rail 12 is formed on one side of the fixing portion 13 facing the slide rail 12, and a support platform 131 is provided on the top.

[0062] The first driving assembly 14 mainly includes a servo motor 141 arranged on one side of the bracket 11, a screw rod 142 movably connected to the bracket 11, a synchronous belt 143 connecting the output shaft of the servo motor 141 and the lower end of the screw rod 142, and a cross bar 145 fixedly connected to the bearing seat 144 of the screw rod 142. The screw rod 142 is arranged vertically, and the bracket 11 is formed with holes 112 and 113 for the screw rod 142 to be inserted and allowed to rotate. The cross bar 145 is arranged horizontally, and its two ends are respectively connected to the two fixing parts 13. The servo motor 141 is connected to the screw rod 142 through a flexible synchronous belt 143, and the vibration of the servo motor 141 is not easily transmitted to the support arm 16 through the synchronous belt 143, thereby ensuring the stability of the fixed lamp 17. The fixing part 13 is fixedly connected through the rigid cross bar 145, so that stable synchronous movement can be achieved to ensure that the curing lamp 17 is always located on the same horizontal plane.

[0063] In addition, two groups of photoelectric switches 18 are fixed on the bracket 11. The two groups of photoelectric switches 18 are arranged one above and one below next to the slide rail 12. In order to facilitate the adjustment of the position of the photoelectric switch 18, in this embodiment, the photoelectric switch 18 is slidably connected to a slide rail 182 through a slider 181, and the slide rail 182 is fixed on the side wall of one of the fixed arms 111. Therefore, the position of the photoelectric switch 18 in the Z-axis direction can also be adjusted. An L-shaped shielding piece 132 is also fixed on the side of the fixed part 13 facing away from the slide rail 12, and the shielding piece 132 is bent from the side of the fixed part 13 facing away from the slide rail 12 to the front of the side arm of the fixed arm 111. When the fixed part 13 moves up and down, the shielding piece 132 can be inserted into the photoelectric switch 18 to block the reception of the photoelectric switch signal, so as to determine whether the fixed part 13 has reached the preset position.

[0064] The second driving assembly 15 mainly includes an electric cylinder 151 fixed on the support platform 131 of the fixed part 13, a convex strip 152 fixed on the housing of the electric cylinder, a slide plate 153, and a top plate 154 extending substantially vertically from the end of the slide plate. Among them, the electric cylinder 151 is preferably a servo-type electric cylinder, and the movement control is more precise. The output shaft 1511 of the electric cylinder 151 extends along the X-axis direction. The convex strip 152 serves as a slide rail and also extends along the X-axis direction. A groove adapted to the convex strip 152 is formed on the slide plate 153, and the convex strip 152 is embedded in the groove so that the slide plate 153 and the convex strip 152 can be slidably connected. The top plate 154 is connected to the output shaft 1511 of the electric cylinder 151, specifically, the center of the top plate 154 is against and fixedly connected to the end of the output shaft 1511. In this way, when the electric cylinder 151 is working, the output shaft 1511 drives the top plate 154 and the slide plate 153 to move, and then drives the support arm 16 connected to the slide plate 153 to move along the X-axis direction.

[0065] The support arm 16 is used to fix the curing lamp 17. The support arm 16 mainly includes an arc-shaped or V-shaped connecting portion 161 (arc-shaped in this embodiment), and the curing lamp 17 is fixed at both ends of the connecting portion 161. In this way, the curing lamps 17 fixed by the two oppositely arranged support arms 16 can be ring-shaped, surrounding the camera to be cured in the center, ensuring uniform curing temperature, making the glue between the lens and the lens mount solidify synchronously, and having a good curing effect.

[0066] In order to facilitate the fixing of the curing lamp 17, the two ends of the connecting portion 161 also form a fixing portion 1611 extending toward the center of the arc structure or a position close to the center of the arc structure, and an arc-shaped through groove is formed on the fixing portion 1611. A square cone 1612 is fixed to the lower end surface of the fixing portion 1611. The upper end surface of the cone 1612 can be formed with a groove or a column that can be inserted into the arc-shaped through groove, so as to facilitate the connection of the fixing portion 1611 and the cone 1612 by gluing. The curing lamp 17 is fixed to the lower end surface of the square cone 1612 or embedded in the square cone. The cone 1612 is used to make the light emitting direction of the curing lamp 17 face obliquely downward of the fixing portion 1611, so as to avoid the support arm 16 from contacting the lens of the camera.

[0067] In addition, in order to make the center of the curing lamp 17 away from the bracket 11 so that the curing mechanism 10 and the first alignment device 100 can be better matched, the arm 16 also includes a second connecting portion 162 that is substantially L-shaped. One end of the second connecting portion 162 is fixedly connected to the slide plate 153, and the other end is fixedly connected to the middle or near the middle of the arc-shaped or V-shaped connecting portion 161. The second connecting portion 162 can also be fixed on the slide plate 153 through a plate-shaped third connecting portion 163, so that the connection is more stable. It can be understood that the second connecting portion can also be substantially Z-shaped, so that the third connecting portion can be omitted.

[0068] The curing mechanism 10 is arranged between the manipulator 61 and the first conveying device 31. When the manipulator 61 grabs the lens for alignment operation, the second driving assembly 15 of the curing mechanism 10 drives the two arms 16 to separate, so as to allow the manipulator 61 to pass through the gap between the arms 16 for alignment operation. When the manipulator 61 completes the alignment work, the second driving assembly 15 of the curing mechanism 10 drives the two arms 16 to approach, so that the curing lamp 17 is aligned with the gap between the lens and the lens mount, and uniformly solidifies. After the curing is completed, the second driving assembly 15 of the curing mechanism 10 drives the two arms 16 to separate again, allowing the manipulator 61 to put the aligned and cured camera back into the fixture 903. After that, the manipulator 61 retracts, waits for the next fixture 903 to be transferred to the alignment station, and continues the alignment operation after being lifted up. In this way, the present invention cleverly combines the curing mechanism 10 and the manipulator 61, so that the two work together, optimizes the workflow, and improves the quality of product curing. At the same time, the footprint of the alignment equipment is reduced, and the manufacturing equipment is miniaturized.

[0069] In this embodiment, the first alignment device 100 also includes a robot (not shown) for clamping the lens and lens mount from the aligned fixture and a transfer assembly for transferring the fixture 903 from the first conveying device 31 to the second conveying device 32, thereby improving the automation rate and saving labor costs.

[0070] In this embodiment, the first alignment device 100 uses a Chart diagram for alignment, and therefore includes a fixing frame 70 fixed on a base, a first light source 81 fixed above the fixing frame 70, a Chart diagram fixing portion 82 fixed below the first light source 81, a second light source 83 fixed below the Chart diagram fixing portion, and a teleconverter module 90.

[0071] Among them, the Chart includes multiple groups of lines or icons for the camera to capture and locate during alignment. The teleconverter module 90 is fixed on the base 20, which includes a fixed seat 91, a first movable seat 92 connected to the fixed seat 91 in a horizontally movable manner, a second movable seat 93 connected to the first movable seat 92 in a horizontally movable manner, a servo motor 94 fixed on the second movable seat 93, a single-axis module 95 connected to the output shaft of the servo motor 94, and a teleconverter 96 connected to the single-axis module 95. Among them, the first movable seat 92 can move relative to the fixed seat 91 along the X-axis direction with the help of a mutually fitting slide rail and a slider. The second movable seat 93 can move relative to the first movable seat 92 along the Y-axis direction with the help of a mutually fitting slide rail and a slider. The single-axis module 95 may include a screw rod, which is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor 94 through a synchronous belt and can rotate synchronously with the output shaft of the servo motor 94. The bearing seat of the screw rod is connected to the teleconverter 96, so that the teleconverter 96 can be driven to move along the Z-axis direction. In this way, the horizontal movement of the teleconverter 96 can be adjusted manually, while the vertical movement can be completed automatically. The teleconverter module 90 is fixed between the first conveyor 31 and the second conveyor 32, and the teleconverter 96 extends toward the track 311 of the first conveyor 31 and is located above the alignment station, specifically below the light outlet of the first light pipe.

[0072] In this embodiment, the fixing frame 70 is a three-layer structure, wherein the first layer and the second layer are used to fix the second light source 83 , and the third layer is used to fix the first light source 81 and the Chart fixing portion 82 .

[0073] Please also refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Fig.12, the second light source 83 is a parallel light source, specifically including a first light tube 831 and a plurality of second light tubes 832. The first light tube 831 is fixed vertically, and its light emitting direction is perpendicular to the surface of the base 20, facing the optical center of the alignment station and the teleconverter 96. The plurality of second light tubes 832 are evenly arranged around the bottom of the first light tube 831. If a sphere is defined, the optical axes of the first light tube 831 and the plurality of second light tubes 832 should be located in the diameter direction of the sphere, and the light outlets of the first light tube 831 and the plurality of second light tubes 832 are located on the spherical surface. When aligning, the lens and the lens mount are located at the center of the sphere.

[0074] In this embodiment, a plurality of second light pipes 832 are fixed to the first layer plate 71 of the fixing frame 70 by means of a fixing member 833. The fixing member 833 comprises a fixing plate 8331 fixedly connected to the layer plate 71, a substantially arc-shaped track 8332 connected to the fixing plate 8331, and a micro-motion platform 8334 movably connected to the track 8332. An arc-shaped guide rail 8333 is formed on the track 8332, and the arc-shaped guide rails 8333 of the fixing members 833 of the plurality of second light pipes 832 are located on the spherical surface of the same sphere. The micro-motion platform 8334 is slidably connected to the arc-shaped guide rail 8333 by means of a slider. The micro-motion platform 8334 is a structure that can manually adjust the angle, and can specifically be fine-tuned along two arc surfaces, so as to ensure the light emitting direction of the second light pipe 832. In this embodiment, two second light pipes 832 are fixed to each track 8332, so that the light intensity of the second light source 83 is more uniform.

[0075] The first light source 81 and the chart fixing portion 82 are fixed on the second layer plate 72 of the fixing frame 70. The first light source 81 is a surface light source, and is used to illuminate the chart fixed on the chart fixing portion 82.

[0076] During operation, the fixture 903 loaded with the lens and lens holder to be aligned and cured (cleaning and gluing operations have been completed) is transferred to the alignment station by the first conveyor 31, and the lifting mechanism 50 located below the alignment station lifts the fixture 903 upward so that the fixture 903 is suspended and supported above the first conveyor 31. The third drive assembly 60 drives the manipulator 61 to move from a position away from the first conveyor 31 to the top of the fixture 903, clamps the lens, and moves to the top of the corresponding lens holder to start alignment. After the alignment is completed, the manipulator 61 remains stationary, and the second drive assembly 15 of the curing mechanism 10 drives the two arms 16 to approach, so that the curing lamp 17 is aligned with the glue between the lens and the lens holder for uniform curing. After the curing is completed, the second drive assembly 15 of the curing mechanism 10 drives the two arms 16 to separate again, and the manipulator 61 puts the aligned and cured camera back into the fixture 903. Afterwards, the third driving assembly 60 drives the manipulator 61 to retract, and the next fixture 903 is transferred to the alignment station and lifted up to continue the alignment operation. The lens holder that has completed the alignment and curing work is clamped away, and the empty fixture is transferred to the second conveying device 32, and then transported to the preset position by the second conveying device 32.

[0077] The second alignment device 600 is used to assemble another lens at the second preset position of the corresponding lens seat after the second glue dispensing device 500 dispenses glue and solidifies it. The structure of the second alignment device 600 is basically the same as that of the first alignment device 100. The first alignment device 100 and the second alignment device 600 need to assemble different lenses, such as wide-angle lenses and narrow-angle lenses. When it is necessary to align a wide-angle lens, it is necessary to use the second light source 83 for alignment. When it is necessary to align a narrow-angle lens, it is necessary to use the first light source 81, the Chart diagram and the teleconverter 96. The first alignment device 100 and the second alignment device 600 have the same structure and can be adapted to the alignment and solidification of different multi-eye cameras. When it is necessary to assemble different multi-eye cameras, it is only necessary to set the workflow of the first alignment device 100 and the second alignment device 600 according to actual needs. It has a wide range of applications and a high degree of automation. In particular, since the distance between the lenses of the multi-eye camera is small, separate alignment and curing are performed during assembly to prevent the curing mechanisms of multiple lenses from affecting each other during simultaneous curing, resulting in uneven curing of the lenses and affecting product performance.

[0078] It is understandable that in other embodiments, unnecessary components in the first alignment device 100 and the second alignment device 600 may be omitted according to the camera to be assembled.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the multi-eye camera assembly equipment is used to assemble a binocular camera. It can be understood that when a three-eye camera needs to be assembled, it is only necessary to add a dispensing device that is the same as the first or second dispensing device and an alignment device that has the same structure as the first alignment device 100.

[0080] In the above embodiment, two fixture reflux devices are provided so that the flow channel on the multi-eye camera assembly device forms an annular flow channel, and a material discharge device is provided at the end of the conveying flow channel. It is understandable that in other embodiments, the fixture reflux device (second fixture reflux device) and the material discharge device between the loading device 200 and the cleaning device 300 can be omitted. The fixture containing the assembled multi-eye camera returned from the reflux flow channel can be manually retrieved, and the empty fixture can be manually placed at the starting position of the conveying flow channel. The multi-axis robot of the loading device can directly place the lens and the lens mount on the fixture located at the starting position of the conveying flow channel.

[0081] It can be understood that in other embodiments, only the fixture return device (second fixture return device) between the loading device 200 and the cleaning device 300 can be omitted, and the unloading device can be retained. The empty fixture returned from the return flow channel can be manually retrieved and placed at the starting position of the conveying flow channel, and the multi-axis robot of the loading device can directly place the lens and the lens mount on the fixture located at the starting position of the conveying flow channel.

[0082] In the description of the present invention, it is necessary to understand that terms such as "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0083] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0084] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0085] Although the present invention is described in conjunction with the above specific embodiments, it is obvious that those skilled in the art can make many substitutions, modifications and changes according to the above content. Therefore, all such substitutions, improvements and changes are included in the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A multi-camera assembly device, used to assemble at least two lenses on a lens mount, characterized in that: The multi-camera assembly device includes, in working order: A loading device, which is used to place the lens and lens mount to be assembled on a fixture, wherein the fixture has at least two lens placement positions and at least one lens mount fixing portion; A cleaning device, which is used to clean the lens to be assembled on the fixture; A first glue dispensing device, used for dispensing glue on a first preset position of the lens mount; A first alignment device, which is used to assemble the corresponding lens at a first preset position of the lens mount and perform curing; A second glue dispensing device, used for dispensing glue on a second preset position of the lens mount; A second alignment device, used to assemble the corresponding lens at a second preset position of the lens mount and perform curing; and Fixture reflow device; Among them, the cleaning device, the first glue dispensing device, the first alignment device, the second glue dispensing device, and the second alignment device all include two sets of flow channels with opposite transmission directions, and the flow channels of adjacent devices are connected or opposite to each other to form a transmission flow channel and a return flow channel; the fixture return device is used to send the fixture from the transmission flow channel to the starting end of the return flow channel; The flow channel includes matching synchronous wheels, synchronous belts, and auxiliary components, and the auxiliary components are used for auxiliary positioning, guiding and supporting. The flow channels between the devices are independent of each other, and each device is driven by its own motor to control the operation of the synchronous wheel on the device. The fixture reflow device comprises: Slide rails; A movable seat slidably connected to the slide rail; A first driving device for driving the moving seat to move along the slide rail; A conveying device fixed on the moving seat and capable of docking with the conveying flow channel and the return flow channel, comprising a second driving device, a synchronous wheel driven by the second driving device, a synchronous belt connecting the synchronous wheel, and matching supporting components; A lifting device fixed on the moving seat and located between the synchronous belts, which is used to lift the fixture from the conveying device when the fixture reaches the specified position; the lifting device includes a positioning pin, a cylinder or an electric cylinder, and a support block fixed at the end of the cylinder or the electric cylinder; and A clamp opening device for opening a clamp comprises a pneumatic cylinder or an electric cylinder, and an operating arm driven by the pneumatic cylinder or the electric cylinder, wherein the operating arm can push a clamping part to move.

2. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a robot arm arranged beside the fixture reflow device, which is used to remove the lens holder assembled with the lens from the fixture.

3. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a second fixture reflow device arranged between the loading device and the cleaning device, the second fixture reflow device is used to send the fixture coming from the reflow channel to the starting end of the conveying channel; the loading device includes a multi-axis robot, and the second fixture reflow device includes a fixture opening device for opening the fixture; the multi-axis robot is used to clamp the lens holder and the lens from the tray for loading the lens holder and the tray for loading the lens, and place them on the fixture located on the second fixture reflow device.

4. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cleaning device also includes: Plasma cleaning equipment; A lens clamp fixed near the nozzle of the plasma cleaning instrument; A drive assembly for driving a nozzle and a lens clamp of a plasma cleaning apparatus to move in at least three directions; and The lifting device fixed on the inner side of the conveying channel is used to lift the fixture when the fixture reaches the cleaning station.

5. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first dispensing device and the second dispensing device both further include: Dispensing components; A positioning component and a glue quantity sensor fixed near a glue dispensing head of the glue dispensing component; A driving component for driving a dispensing head of the dispensing component to move in at least three directions; Glue storage tanks; and Electronic scale for weighing glue storage tanks.

6. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first alignment device also includes: A lifting mechanism fixed to the inner side of the conveying flow channel, which supports the fixture suspension above the conveying flow channel in the ejection state; A manipulator fixed to one side of the conveying channel moves in at least six directions; A third driving assembly for driving the manipulator to approach or move away from the conveying channel; A fixed frame mounted above the conveying flow channel; A first light source fixed above the fixing frame; A Chart fixing portion fixed below the first light source; a second light source fixed below the Chart fixing portion; and The curing mechanism includes a plurality of curing lamps divided into two groups, which cure the lens and the lens holder from both sides of the manipulator.

7. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The curing mechanism comprises: Bracket; A slide rail vertically fixed on the bracket; Two oppositely disposed fixing parts slidably connected to the slide rail; A first driving assembly for driving the two fixing parts to move vertically along the slide rail; Two second drive assemblies arranged opposite to each other are fixed on the two fixing parts respectively, and the output shafts thereof are substantially parallel to the horizontal plane; Two oppositely disposed supporting arms are respectively connected to the output shaft of the second driving assembly; and A plurality of curing lights are fixed on the two arms respectively and point to a preset position between the two arms.

8. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first alignment device further includes a teleconverter module, and the teleconverter module includes: Fixed seat; A first movable seat horizontally movably connected to the fixed seat; A second moving seat horizontally movably connected to the first moving seat; A servo motor fixed on the second moving seat; A single-axis module connected to the output shaft of the servo motor, which can move up and down under the drive of the servo motor; and Teleconverter attached to a single-axis module.

9. The multi-camera assembly device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixture reflow device is provided with a code scanning gun for scanning the code on the finished circuit board in the lens holder placed on the fixture to collect product information.

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