Single tube laser automatic soldering packaging equipment and method

Abstract

The application provides a single-tube laser automatic tin soldering packaging equipment, a laser clamp assembly is used for clamping and positioning a laser tube shell, a pigtail clamp assembly is used for clamping a pigtail and coupling with the laser tube shell, a tin soldering feeding assembly is used for continuously feeding tin wires to a packaging position, and a heating assembly is used for heating and melting the tin wires at the packaging position; the heating assembly comprises a laser heating assembly and an electric eddy current heating assembly, the laser heating assembly is used for generating laser to rapidly melt the tin wires fed by the tin soldering feeding assembly, and the electric eddy current heating assembly is used for generating electric eddy current to make the temperature field of the packaging position uniform; on the basis of automatically completing the coupling of the pigtail and the laser tube shell, the application can also automatically perform the feeding, heating and melting, filling, welding and fixing of the tin wires; the heating assembly cooperates the laser and the electric eddy current heating to ensure the rapid melting of the tin wires after being fed, the uniform maintenance of the temperature field after the filling and the welding of the packaging position, and the welding quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of laser coupling and packaging technology, and in particular to an automatic soldering and packaging device and method for a single-tube laser. Background Technology

[0002] Single-tube lasers are common types of lasers, mainly composed of a laser tube housing, a laser chip, and a fiber optic pigtail (beam collimator). The laser chip generates the laser beam, which is then collimated and emitted by the pigtail. The coupling and packaging requirement is to accurately position the pigtail to the aperture of the laser tube housing before coupling and packaging, ensuring that parameters such as the emitted light power meet specifications.

[0003] Existing technologies typically employ adhesive curing for encapsulation, relying on a UV lamp to cure the adhesive at corresponding locations, thus curing and encapsulating the fiber optic cable and the laser housing's bore. For example, patent application CN115603167A discloses an automatic coupling and encapsulation device for a beam collimator. A laser clamping assembly is used to clamp and position the laser housing and power it on. A beam collimator clamping assembly is used to clamp the beam collimator and couple it to a preset position on the laser housing. The beam collimator is pre-fitted with a connecting ring, which connects the beam collimator to the laser housing. An optical power coupling detection component is used to detect the coupling power and confirm the coupling accuracy. The adhesive curing component is used to apply adhesive curing at the coupling position and simultaneously adjust the position of the connecting ring, enabling automatic coupling and encapsulation of the beam collimator and the laser housing.

[0004] For some single-tube lasers, soldering can also be used for solidification and encapsulation. Soldering is a method of welding by heating and melting low-melting-point metal solder and then penetrating and filling the gaps at the connection points of components. It is also widely used in the electronics industry. However, it is difficult to solidify and encapsulate using the aforementioned equipment by soldering. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a solution that can automatically complete the soldering and packaging of a single-tube laser, addressing the shortcomings of the aforementioned background technology.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an automatic soldering and packaging device for a single-tube laser, including a laser fixture assembly, a fiber optic pigtail fixture assembly, a soldering feeding assembly, and a heating assembly;

[0007] The laser clamping assembly is used to clamp and position the laser tube housing, the fiber optic clamping assembly is used to clamp the fiber optic cable and couple it with the laser tube housing, the solder feeding assembly is used to continuously feed solder wire to the packaging position, and the heating assembly heats and melts the solder wire at the packaging position.

[0008] The heating components include a laser heating component and an eddy current heating component. The laser heating component is used to generate a laser to quickly melt the solder wire discharged from the solder feeding component. The eddy current heating component is used to generate eddy currents to make the temperature field at the packaging position uniform.

[0009] Furthermore, the laser heating assembly includes a laser generator and a laser adjustment base connected to the laser generator. The laser adjustment base is used to adjust the angle of the laser generator so that the laser emitted by the laser generator is aligned with the tin wire being discharged.

[0010] Furthermore, the eddy current heating assembly includes an eddy current generator, an eddy current mounting part, and an eddy current adjustment mechanism. The eddy current generator is fixedly connected to the eddy current mounting part and electrically connected at the same time. The eddy current adjustment mechanism is connected to the eddy current mounting part and is used to adjust the position of the eddy current mounting part. When the eddy current generator is connected to an alternating current, it heats the tube hole of the laser tube shell located inside.

[0011] Furthermore, the eddy current mounting part includes an eddy current mounting base and a mounting arm disposed on the eddy current mounting base, the end of the mounting arm being connected to the eddy current generator.

[0012] Furthermore, the eddy current adjustment mechanism includes a longitudinal adjustment platform, a transverse adjustment platform, and a vertical adjustment platform connected in sequence, so that the eddy current generator has adjustment degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions. The transverse adjustment platform and the vertical adjustment platform are used to adjust the alignment of the eddy current generator with the tube hole of the laser tube shell, and the longitudinal adjustment platform is used to control the eddy current generator to fit into or leave the tube hole of the laser tube shell.

[0013] Furthermore, the solder feeding assembly includes a solder feeding box and a solder feeding tube. The end of the solder feeding tube is a discharge port, which is located directly above the tube hole of the laser tube shell. The solder feeding box contains solder wire and is equipped with a discharge mechanism for continuously feeding the solder wire in the solder feeding box.

[0014] Furthermore, the discharge mechanism includes a stepper motor and a push gear set. The push gear set includes a driving gear and a driven gear arranged opposite to each other. The stepper motor is connected to the driving gear of the push gear set, and the solder wire is located in the gap between the driving gear and the driven gear.

[0015] Furthermore, a temperature sensor is also provided, which is used to detect the temperature of the laser housing.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a soldering vision inspection component, which includes a soldering vision inspection camera used to detect whether the amount of solder in the tube hole of the laser tube shell meets the requirements.

[0017] This invention also provides an automated soldering and packaging method for a single-tube laser, applied to the automated soldering and packaging equipment for a single-tube laser as described above, comprising the following steps:

[0018] S1, fix the laser tube shell in the preset position of the laser clamp assembly, place the pigtail in the clamping part of the pigtail clamp assembly and clamp it.

[0019] S2, the pigtail moves under the drive of the pigtail clamp assembly until the pigtail is in the preset position of the laser tube hole, confirming the coupling accuracy;

[0020] S3, the solder feeding assembly continuously feeds solder wire into the tube hole of the laser tube shell, and at the same time turns on the laser generator, so that the output solder wire melts quickly and flows into the tube hole of the laser tube shell.

[0021] S4. After confirming that the solder in the tube hole of the laser tube is full, turn off the laser generator. Insert the eddy current heating component into the tube hole of the laser tube and turn on the power to continuously heat the tube hole of the laser tube.

[0022] S5, after a preset time, the eddy current heating component shuts down and exits, completing the soldering encapsulation.

[0023] The above-described solution of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0024] The automatic soldering and packaging solution for single-tube lasers provided by this invention, through the cooperation of laser fixture assembly, pigtail fixture assembly, soldering feeding assembly and heating assembly, can automatically complete the coupling of pigtail and laser tube shell, and can also automatically feed solder wire, heat and melt filling, and solder fixation, so that the pigtail and laser tube shell form a high-quality soldered package, improving packaging efficiency and quality.

[0025] In this invention, the heating component uses a combination of laser and eddy current heating to ensure rapid melting of the solder wire after it is produced and to maintain a uniform temperature field after the soldering position is filled, thus ensuring the quality of the soldering.

[0026] This invention automatically identifies the amount of solder in the tube hole through visual inspection and automatically determines whether the amount of solder completely covers the tube hole to ensure the fullness of the solder content.

[0027] The present invention also includes a temperature sensor, which can detect the temperature of the laser tube housing in real time, ensuring that the temperature is within a suitable range and effectively protecting the components from damage during the heating and welding process.

[0028] Other beneficial effects of the present invention will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the laser coupling structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the eddy current heating assembly of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the solder feeding assembly of the present invention.

[0033] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0034] 100-Laser clamp assembly; 101-Laser clamp base; 102-Laser clamp adjustment mechanism; 200-Fiber optic pigtail clamp assembly; 201-Fiber optic pigtail adjustment mechanism; 202-Fiber optic pigtail clamp; 300-Soldering feeding assembly; 301-Soldering feeding box; 302-Soldering feeding tube; 303-Outlet; 304-Stepper motor; 400-Heating assembly; 410-Laser heating assembly; 411-Laser generator; 412-Laser adjustment base; 420-Eddy current heating assembly; 421-Eddy current generator; 422-Eddy current mounting part; 423-Eddy current adjustment mechanism; 501-Laser tube shell; 502-Fiber optic pigtail; 503-Tube hole; 601-Soldering visual inspection camera. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the technical problems, solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, a detailed description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0036] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the invention and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a locking connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0038] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides an automated soldering and packaging device for a single-tube laser, including a laser clamp assembly 100, a fiber optic clamp assembly 200, a soldering feed assembly 300, and a heating assembly 400. The laser clamp assembly 100 is used to clamp and position the laser tube housing 501, and the fiber optic clamp assembly 200 is used to clamp the fiber optic cable 502 and couple it to the laser tube housing 501. The laser clamp assembly 100 includes a laser clamp base 101 and a laser clamp adjustment mechanism 102, which is used to adjust the position, angle, etc., of the laser clamp base 101. The pigtail clamp assembly 200 includes a pigtail adjustment mechanism 201 and a pigtail clamp 202 disposed on the pigtail adjustment mechanism 201. The pigtail clamp 202 is used to clamp the pigtail 502 and, driven by the pigtail adjustment mechanism 201, aligns with the position of the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501 and adjusts for coupling. That is, it enters the initial position for coupling before coupling and adjusts the position of the pigtail 502 during coupling. The coupling accuracy is confirmed by using optical power plane search and longitudinal search methods.

[0039] It should be noted that the pigtail adjustment mechanism 201 in this embodiment has translational degrees of freedom in the X, Y and Z directions, as well as rotational degrees of freedom around the Z and X directions, so as to adjust the azimuth angle, tilt, etc., and can successfully complete the coupling adjustment.

[0040] Once coupling is complete, soldering and encapsulation begin, welding the pigtail 502 to the laser housing 501 into a single unit. In this embodiment, the soldering feed assembly 300 continuously feeds solder wire to the encapsulation location, and the heating assembly 400 heats and melts the solder wire at the encapsulation location.

[0041] Solder wire, a soldering material with a certain hardness, needs to be fed to the encapsulation location. High temperature melts the solder wire, allowing it to flow and fill the solder joint. Therefore, in this embodiment, the heating assembly 400 includes a laser heating assembly 410 and an eddy current heating assembly 420. The laser heating assembly 410 generates a laser beam, which has a concentrated irradiation characteristic, enabling the solder wire from the soldering feed assembly 300 to melt and flow rapidly. The eddy current heating assembly 420 generates eddy currents to heat the encapsulation location, specifically the hole 503 of the laser housing 501, ensuring a uniform temperature field and completing the soldering fixation.

[0042] In this embodiment, the laser heating assembly 410 includes a laser generator 411 and a laser adjustment seat 412 connected to the laser generator 411. The laser generator 411 is used to generate a laser for high-temperature welding. The laser adjustment seat 412 can be manually adjusted to adjust the alignment angle of the laser generator 411 so that the laser emitted by the laser generator 411 is aligned with the discharge position of the solder feeding assembly 300, directly melting the discharged solder wire at high temperature.

[0043] At the same time, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the eddy current heating assembly 420 includes an eddy current generator 421, an eddy current mounting part 422, and an eddy current adjustment mechanism 423. The eddy current generator 421 is cylindrical and can be fitted into the bore 503 of the laser housing 501. A coil is disposed inside the eddy current generator 421, and when an alternating current flows through the coil, it can heat the ferromagnetic material bore 503.

[0044] Eddy current generator 421 is fixedly connected to and electrically connected to eddy current mounting part 422 to support eddy current generator 421 and to supply alternating current to the coil of eddy current generator 421. Specifically, eddy current mounting part 422 includes eddy current mounting base and mounting arm disposed on eddy current mounting base. The mounting arm has sufficient height, and its end is connected to eddy current generator 421 so that eddy current generator 421 can correspond to the height at which laser fixture assembly 100 clamps laser tube housing 501.

[0045] The eddy current adjustment mechanism 423 is connected to the eddy current mounting part 422 and is used to adjust the position of the eddy current mounting part 422. Specifically, the eddy current adjustment mechanism 423 includes a longitudinal adjustment platform, a transverse adjustment platform, and a vertical adjustment platform connected in sequence, so that the eddy current generator 421 has adjustment degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions. Among them, the transverse adjustment platform and the vertical adjustment platform are used to adjust the height and transverse position of the eddy current generator 421 so that the eddy current generator 421 is aligned with the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501, and the longitudinal adjustment platform is used to control the eddy current generator 421 to fit into or leave the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501.

[0046] Before and during coupling, the eddy current generator 421 is not inserted into the tube hole 503; it is located in front of the tube hole 503. The pigtail clamp assembly 200 drives the pigtail 502 to pass through the middle of the eddy current generator 421 and then insert it into the tube hole 503 for coupling. When the laser emitted by the laser generator 411 melts the tin wire at high temperature and the tin content is finally determined to be full, the eddy current generator 421 moves backward under the action of the eddy current adjustment mechanism 423 and is inserted into the tube hole 503 of the laser tube shell 501. Then, an alternating current is applied (the laser generator 411 is turned off) to keep the temperature field at the welding position constant and ensure uniform welding.

[0047] At the same time, such as Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the solder feeding assembly 300 includes a solder feeding box 301 and a solder feeding tube 302. The end of the solder feeding tube 302 is an outlet 303, located directly above the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501. The solder feeding box 301 contains solder wire and is equipped with an outlet mechanism for continuously feeding the solder wire into the solder feeding box 301. It should be noted that in this embodiment, a through hole is formed on the upper surface of the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501. This through hole allows molten solder to flow in and gradually fill the hole.

[0048] In this embodiment, the discharging mechanism includes a stepper motor 304 and a push gear set. The push gear set consists of a driving gear and a driven gear arranged opposite to each other. The stepper motor 304 is connected to the driving gear of the push gear set, and the solder wire is located in the gap between the driving gear and the driven gear. Therefore, under the stepping drive of the stepper motor 304, the continuous solder wire will be pushed towards the discharge port 303 step by step by the push gear set, and the process will proceed according to a preset time step. This ensures that the solder wire discharged from the discharge port 303 can be melted by laser irradiation within the same time step, ensuring sufficient melting while maximizing the solder discharge efficiency.

[0049] As a further improvement, this embodiment also includes a temperature sensor, which can be non-contact and is used to detect the temperature of the laser housing 501. It should be noted that the temperature sensor is primarily used to detect the internal temperature of the laser housing 501. Since components such as light-emitting chips are already installed inside the laser housing 501, the temperature sensor helps prevent overheating and potential damage to these components. When the temperature detected by the sensor exceeds a threshold, an alarm will sound and power will be cut off, stopping the heating element 400 from heating.

[0050] In this embodiment, the device is also equipped with a soldering vision inspection component, which includes a soldering vision inspection camera 601. The camera confirms whether the amount of solder meets the requirements through visual inspection. For example, it can detect whether there is solder overflow at the through-hole position of the tube hole 503. Once the amount of solder meets the requirements, the camera will feed back to control the discharge mechanism to stop further discharge and proceed with subsequent eddy current heating.

[0051] Based on the same inventive concept, this embodiment also provides an automated soldering and packaging method for a single-tube laser, which, based on the aforementioned equipment, includes the following steps:

[0052] S1, fix the laser housing 501 in the preset position of the laser clamp assembly 100, and place the pigtail 502 in the clamping part of the pigtail clamp assembly 200 and clamp it.

[0053] S2, the pigtail 502 moves under the drive of the pigtail clamp assembly 200, passes through the center of the eddy current generator 421, until the pigtail 502 is in the preset position of the tube hole 503 of the laser tube shell 501. The laser is powered on to detect the optical power at the pigtail, confirm the coupling accuracy, and adjust the pigtail 502 through the pigtail adjustment mechanism 201 until the coupling accuracy meets the standard.

[0054] S3, the solder feeding assembly 300 continuously feeds solder wire into the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501 using a step-by-step feeding method. At the same time, the laser generator 411, which has been adjusted and aligned, is turned on, and its emitted laser is aligned with the discharge port 303 of the solder feeding assembly 300. Within a fixed time step, the discharged solder wire is rapidly melted and flows into the tube hole 503 of the laser tube housing 501.

[0055] S4. After visual inspection confirms that the solder is fully filled in the hole 503 of the laser housing 501, the laser generator 411 is turned off. The eddy current heating component 420 is inserted into the hole 503 of the laser housing 501, and alternating current is applied to continuously heat the hole 503 of the laser housing 501.

[0056] S5, after a preset time, the eddy current heating component 420 is turned off and exited, completing the soldering encapsulation.

[0057] The automatic soldering and packaging equipment and method for single-tube lasers provided in this embodiment can automatically couple the pigtail 502 to the laser tube housing 501, and can also automatically feed the solder wire, heat and melt it to fill it, and weld it to fix it, so that the pigtail 502 and the laser tube housing 501 can form a high-quality soldered package, thereby improving the packaging efficiency and quality.

[0058] The above description represents the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A single tube laser automatic soldering packaging apparatus, characterized by, This includes laser fixture assemblies, fiber optic pigtail fixture assemblies, solder feeding assemblies, and heating assemblies; The laser clamping assembly is used to clamp and position the laser tube housing, the fiber optic clamping assembly is used to clamp the fiber optic cable and couple it with the laser tube housing, the solder feeding assembly is used to continuously feed solder wire to the packaging position, and the heating assembly heats and melts the solder wire at the packaging position. The heating component includes a laser heating component and an eddy current heating component. The laser heating component is used to generate a laser to quickly melt the solder wire discharged from the solder feeding component. The eddy current heating component is used to generate eddy currents to make the temperature field at the packaging position uniform. The laser heating assembly includes a laser generator and a laser adjustment base connected to the laser generator. The laser adjustment base is used to adjust the angle of the laser generator so that the laser emitted by the laser generator is aligned with the tin wire being discharged. The eddy current heating assembly includes an eddy current generator, an eddy current mounting part, and an eddy current adjustment mechanism. The eddy current generator is fixedly connected to the eddy current mounting part and electrically connected as well. The eddy current adjustment mechanism is connected to the eddy current mounting part and is used to adjust the position of the eddy current mounting part. When the eddy current generator is connected to alternating current, it heats the tube hole of the laser tube shell located inside. The eddy current generator is cylindrical. The eddy current adjustment mechanism includes a longitudinal adjustment platform, a transverse adjustment platform, and a vertical adjustment platform connected in sequence, so that the eddy current generator has adjustment degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions. The transverse adjustment platform and the vertical adjustment platform are used to adjust the alignment of the eddy current generator with the tube hole of the laser tube shell, and the longitudinal adjustment platform is used to control the eddy current generator to fit into or leave the tube hole of the laser tube shell. An automated soldering and packaging method for a single-tube laser includes the following steps: S1, fix the laser tube shell in the preset position of the laser clamp assembly, place the pigtail in the clamping part of the pigtail clamp assembly and clamp it. S2, the pigtail moves under the drive of the pigtail clamp assembly, passes through the center of the eddy current generator, until the pigtail is in the preset position of the tube hole of the laser tube shell, and the coupling accuracy is confirmed. S3, the solder feeding assembly continuously feeds solder wire into the tube hole of the laser tube shell, and at the same time turns on the laser generator, so that the output solder wire melts quickly and flows into the tube hole of the laser tube shell. S4. After confirming that the solder in the tube hole of the laser tube is full, turn off the laser generator. Insert the eddy current heating component into the tube hole of the laser tube and turn on the power to continuously heat the tube hole of the laser tube. S5, after a preset time, the eddy current heating component shuts down and exits, completing the soldering encapsulation.

2. A single tube laser automatic soldering packaging equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The eddy current mounting part includes an eddy current mounting base and a mounting arm disposed on the eddy current mounting base, the end of which is connected to the eddy current generator.

3. The automatic soldering and packaging equipment for a single-tube laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, The solder feeding assembly includes a solder feeding box and a solder feeding tube. The end of the solder feeding tube is a discharge port, which is located directly above the tube hole of the laser tube shell. The solder feeding box contains solder wire and is equipped with a discharge mechanism for continuously feeding the solder wire in the solder feeding box.

4. The automatic soldering and packaging equipment for a single-tube laser according to claim 3, characterized in that, The discharge mechanism includes a stepper motor and a push gear set. The push gear set includes a driving gear and a driven gear arranged opposite to each other. The stepper motor is connected to the driving gear of the push gear set, and the solder wire is located in the gap between the driving gear and the driven gear.

5. The automatic soldering and packaging equipment for a single-tube laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is also provided, which is used to detect the temperature of the laser housing.

6. The automatic soldering and packaging equipment for a single-tube laser according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a soldering vision inspection component, which includes a soldering vision inspection camera. The soldering vision inspection camera is used to detect whether the amount of solder in the tube hole of the laser tube shell meets the requirements.

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