Automatic clamping device for producing optical fiber collimator and using method thereof

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic lens clamping device and its usage method for fiber optic collimator production. The fixture has slots in which collimator lenses stacked into a columnar shape are loaded. A vertical slot on one side of the slot provides a sliding connection for lifting the collimator lenses. The fixture is connected to a base, and a slot on the upper surface of the base engages with the bottom of the fixture. A support plate and a lifting mechanism are connected to the base surface on one side of the fixture, cooperating with the lever. A support platform is connected to the base surface on one side of the fixture, and a carrier plate is mounted on the upper surface of the support platform. A side plate is connected to the upper surface of the base on one side of the support platform, and a lens clamping device is connected to the side plate, cooperating with the fixture. This device solves the problem of existing automatic lens clamping machines, which, when lifting and feeding lenses uniformly during clamping, easily lead to empty or multiple lens clamping. It features flexible adjustment based on the actual elevation, ensuring that lenses in multiple slots of the fixture are at the same height, thus avoiding empty or multiple lens clamping.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of optoelectronic technology, specifically relating to an automatic clamping device and its usage method for producing fiber optic collimators. Background Technology

[0002] A collimator is an optical element used for input and output in fiber optic communication devices. Its structure transforms diverging light from an optical fiber into parallel light through a front-facing convex lens. Its function is to couple light into the desired device with maximum efficiency or to receive optical signals with maximum efficiency. In collimator production, large glass sheets are cleaned, coated, bonded, divided, and rounded. Finally, multiple small rounded lenses are foamed with adhesive to dissolve the wax between the bonded columnar lenses, separating them into individual collimator lenses. These lenses are then individually clamped and packaged for further processing as finished products. Existing... When using the fiber optic collimator clamping device, each slot in the fixture contains a columnar structure made up of multiple collimator lenses. During the foaming process, although the number of collimator lenses in each slot is the same, their total height and spacing may vary slightly. Therefore, existing technology raises all slots uniformly when lifting the fixture, which leads to the phenomenon of picking up too many or too few lenses during the actual clamping and picking operation. This causes the automatic clamping process to be constantly paused and requires manual handling, which seriously affects the work efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to design an automatic clamping device and its usage method for fiber optic collimator production to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an automatic clamping device and its usage method for the production of optical fiber collimators. The device solves the problem that the existing automatic clamping machine can easily lead to empty clamping or multiple clamping when clamping the lens by uniformly raising and feeding. It has the feature of being able to flexibly adjust according to the actual elevation, thereby ensuring that the lenses of multiple slots in the fixture are at the same height and avoiding empty clamping or multiple clamping.

[0004] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] An automatic clipping device for producing fiber optic collimators includes a fixture with multiple vertical slots on its surface. Collimator lenses stacked in a columnar shape are loaded within these slots. A through vertical slot is formed on one side of each slot, and a lever is slidably connected within the slot to lift the collimator lenses. The fixture is connected to a base, the upper surface of which has a slot for engaging with the bottom of the fixture. A support plate is connected to one side of the base surface of the fixture, and a lifting mechanism that engages with the lever is connected to the support plate facing the fixture. A support platform is connected to one side of the base surface of the fixture, and a carrier plate is mounted on the upper surface of the support platform. A side plate is connected to the upper surface of the base on one side of the support platform, and a clipping device that engages with the fixture is connected to the surface of the side plate.

[0006] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes multiple lead screws, each lead screw having its top end connected to a motor, and its bottom end rotatably connected to the base surface.

[0007] Preferably, a lifting block is threaded onto the outer surface of the lead screw, with one end of the lifting block slidably connected to the side wall of the support plate and the other end in contact with the lower surface of the lever.

[0008] Preferably, the clamping device includes an electric slide rail, a slider is slidably connected to the surface of the electric slide rail, and an electric push rod is connected to the lower surface of the slider.

[0009] Preferably, a plate is connected to the lower surface of the electric push rod, and at least two guide rods are connected to the surface of the plate. The guide rods are engaged with the insertion holes opened on the lower surface of the slider.

[0010] Preferably, the plate is a hollow plate structure; the lower surface of the plate has a suction cup with multiple grooves that are aligned with the slot of the fixture; a groove is formed at the center of the inner wall of the suction cup, and a laser ranging probe is connected in the groove, with the laser ranging probe facing the slot of the fixture.

[0011] Preferably, the plate has a built-in air pump connected to multiple suction cups, and the inner wall of the suction cups has multiple air holes that communicate with the air pump.

[0012] Preferably, the support platform has a built-in controller, which is electrically connected to multiple motors and a laser ranging probe.

[0013] Preferably, a method of using an automatic clamping device for fiber optic collimator production includes the following steps:

[0014] S1, the fixture with the cylindrical collimator lens is inserted into the corresponding slot on the base to complete the installation of the fixture;

[0015] S2, the height of each slot in the fixture is detected by the laser rangefinder probe. Based on the data fed back by the laser rangefinder probe, the controller adjusts the feed amount of each motor so that the upper surface of the collimator lens in each slot of the fixture is at the same height.

[0016] S3, parameter settings are performed in the controller:

[0017] S301, the feed amount of the motor is set according to the thickness of each collimator lens;

[0018] S302, the feed amount of the electric slide rail is set according to the spacing of each row of slots on the surface of the carrier plate;

[0019] S303, the stroke of the electric push rod is set according to the height difference between the plate and the upper surface of the fixture;

[0020] S4: Start multiple motors in the electric slide rail, electric push rod, air pump, and lifting mechanism to perform automatic clamping operation;

[0021] S5. During the pick-up process, each time the pick-up plate is lowered to pick up a lens, the laser rangefinder probe detects the distance between the pick-up plate and the uppermost lens in the slot in real time. If there is a sudden change in the distance of a certain slot, it indicates that the pick-up head has mistakenly picked up more than one lens, or that it has failed to pick up a lens. At this time, the controller controls the motor of the lifting mechanism at the corresponding slot of the fixture to move more or less by one feed amount, thereby reducing the error caused by mis-pickup.

[0022] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned automatic clamping device and its usage method for fiber optic collimator production are as follows:

[0023] This device solves the problems of existing automatic lens clamping machines, which rely on a single motor for unified lifting and feeding, leading to errors in lens height across different slots. Furthermore, when the clamping mechanism misses or clamps multiple lenses into a slot, manual correction is required, impacting efficiency. This invention addresses these issues by using independently controlled motors and feeding mechanisms, along with a separate ranging system to detect mis-clamping in real time. This ensures automatic correction before the next clamping operation, eliminating the need for manual correction and allowing for flexible adjustments based on actual elevation. This ensures lenses in multiple slots of the fixture are at the same height, preventing missed or multiple clamping and significantly improving operational efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a side view of the structure of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention.

[0028] The attached figures are labeled as follows: jig 1, paddle 11, base 2, lead screw 21, motor 22, lifting block 23, support plate 3, support platform 4, carrier plate 5, electric slide rail 61, slider 62, electric push rod 63, plate picking plate 64, guide rod 65. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Example 1:

[0030] like Figures 1-3 An automatic clipping device for producing fiber optic collimators includes a fixture 1. The surface of the fixture 1 has multiple vertical slots, in which collimator lenses stacked in a columnar shape are loaded. A through vertical slot is formed on one side of each slot, and a lever 11 is slidably connected within the slot to lift the collimator lenses. The fixture 1 is connected to a base 2, the upper surface of which has a slot that engages with the bottom of the fixture 1. A support plate 3 is connected to the surface of the base 2 on one side of the fixture 1, and a lifting mechanism is connected to the support plate 3 facing the fixture 1, cooperating with the lever 11. A support platform 4 is connected to the surface of the base 2 on one side of the fixture 1, and a carrier plate 5 is provided on the upper surface of the support platform 4. A side plate is connected to the upper surface of the base 2 on one side of the support platform 4, and a clipping device is connected to the surface of the side plate, cooperating with the fixture 1.

[0031] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes multiple lead screws 21, each lead screw 21 having its top end connected to a motor 22, and its bottom end rotatably connected to the surface of the base 2.

[0032] Preferably, a lifting block 23 is threadedly connected to the outer surface of the lead screw 21. One end of the lifting block 23 is slidably connected to the side wall of the support plate 3, and the other end is in contact with the lower surface of the lever 11.

[0033] Preferably, the clamping device includes an electric slide rail 61, a slider 62 is slidably connected to the surface of the electric slide rail 61, and an electric push rod 63 is connected to the lower surface of the slider 62.

[0034] Preferably, the lower surface of the electric push rod 63 is connected to a plate 64, and the surface of the plate 64 is connected to at least two guide rods 65, which are engaged with the insertion holes on the lower surface of the slider 62.

[0035] Preferably, the plate 64 is a hollow plate structure; the lower surface of the plate 64 has a suction cup with multiple grooves that are aligned with the slot of the fixture 1; a groove is provided at the center of the inner wall of the suction cup, and a laser ranging probe is connected in the groove, with the laser ranging probe facing the slot of the fixture 1.

[0036] Preferably, the plate 64 has an air pump built in and is connected to multiple suction cups, and the inner wall of the suction cups has multiple air holes that communicate with the air pump.

[0037] Preferably, the support platform 4 has a built-in controller, which is electrically connected to multiple motors 22 and a laser ranging probe.

[0038] Example 2:

[0039] A method for using an automatic clipping device for fiber optic collimator production includes the following steps:

[0040] S1, the fixture 1 with the cylindrical collimator lens is inserted into the corresponding slot of the base 2 to complete the loading of the fixture 1;

[0041] S2, the height of each slot in the fixture 1 is detected by the laser rangefinder probe. Based on the data fed back by the laser rangefinder probe, the controller adjusts the feed amount of each motor 22 so that the upper surface of the collimator lens in each slot of the fixture 1 is at the same height.

[0042] S3, parameter settings are performed in the controller:

[0043] S301, the feed amount of motor 22 per cycle is set according to the thickness of each collimator lens;

[0044] S302, the feed amount of the electric slide rail 61 is set according to the spacing of each row of slots on the surface of the carrier plate 5;

[0045] S303, the stroke of the electric push rod 63 is set according to the height difference between the plate 64 and the upper surface of the fixture 1;

[0046] S4, start the electric slide rail 61, electric push rod 63, air pump and multiple motors 22 in the lifting mechanism to carry out automatic clamping operation;

[0047] S5, during the pick-up process, each time the pick-up plate 64 is lowered to pick up a lens, the laser rangefinder probe detects the distance between the pick-up plate 64 and the uppermost lens in the slot in real time. When the distance to a certain slot changes abruptly, it indicates that the suction head has mistakenly picked up more than one lens, or has failed to pick up a lens. At this time, the controller controls the motor 22 of the lifting mechanism at the corresponding slot of the fixture 1 to move one more or one less feed amount, thereby reducing the error caused by mis-pickup.

[0048] Example 3:

[0049] The tablet taking plate 64 is equipped with a main air pump and a backup air pump. One end of the main air pump and the backup air pump are connected to the cavity inside the tablet taking plate 64, and the other end is connected to the outside. The opening on the inner wall of the suction cup is connected to the cavity inside the tablet taking plate 64, so that the negative pressure brought by the air pump can be connected.

[0050] The inner wall of the suction cup has annular grooves that engage with a circular thickness adjustment pad. One side of the thickness adjustment pad has an annular buckle that engages with the grooves. The thickness adjustment pad adjusts the depth of the grooves on the inner wall of the suction cup to fit the total thickness of the lenses, thus adjusting the number of lenses that can be picked up at once. The diameter of the suction cup is slightly larger than the diameter of the lenses. The number of lenses that can be picked up at once depends on the depth of the suction cup. When the depth of the suction cup is increased by using the thickness adjustment pad, multiple lenses can be picked up at once.

[0051] The above embodiments are merely preferred technical solutions of the present invention and should not be considered as limitations on the present invention. The embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be arbitrarily combined without conflict. The scope of protection of the present invention should be limited to the technical solutions described in the claims, including equivalent substitutions of the technical features described in the claims. That is, equivalent substitutions and improvements within this scope are also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of using an automatic clamping device for producing fiber optic collimators, the device comprising a fixture (1), the surface of which has multiple vertical slots, collimator lenses stacked in a columnar shape are loaded in the slots, and a through vertical slot is provided on one side of the slot, a lever (11) is slidably connected in the slot for lifting the collimator lenses; characterized in that: The fixture (1) is connected to the base (2), and the upper surface of the base (2) is provided with a slot to engage with the bottom of the fixture (1); a support plate (3) is connected to the surface of the base (2) on one side of the fixture (1), and a lifting mechanism and a lever (11) are connected to the side of the support plate (3) facing the fixture (1); a support platform (4) is connected to the surface of the base (2) on one side of the fixture (1), and a carrier plate (5) is provided on the upper surface of the support platform (4); a side plate (6) is connected to the upper surface of the base (2) on one side of the support platform (4), and a clamping device is connected to the surface of the side plate (6) to engage with the fixture (1); The clamping device includes an electric slide rail (61), a slider (62) is slidably connected to the surface of the electric slide rail (61), and an electric push rod (63) is connected to the lower surface of the slider (62); a plate (64) is connected to the lower surface of the electric push rod (63), and at least two guide rods (65) are connected to the surface of the plate (64). The guide rods (65) are inserted into the holes on the lower surface of the slider (62); the plate (64) is a hollow plate structure; a suction cup with multiple grooves is provided on the lower surface of the plate (64) and aligned with the slot of the fixture (1); a groove is provided at the center of the inner wall of the suction cup, and a laser ranging probe is connected in the groove, with the laser ranging probe facing the slot of the fixture (1); an air pump is built into the plate (64) and connected to multiple suction cups, and multiple air holes are provided on the inner wall of the suction cups and connected to the air pump; The method includes the following steps: S1, the fixture (1) with the columnar collimator lens is inserted into the corresponding slot of the base (2) to complete the loading of the fixture (1); S2, the height of each slot in the fixture (1) is detected by the laser ranging probe. Based on the data fed back by the laser ranging probe, the controller adjusts the feed amount of each motor (22) so that the upper surface of the collimator lens in each slot of the fixture (1) is at the same height. S3, parameter settings are performed in the controller: S301, set the feed amount of motor (22) each time according to the thickness of each collimator lens; S302, the feed amount of the electric slide rail (61) is set according to the spacing of each row of slots on the surface of the carrier plate (5); S303, the stroke of the electric push rod (63) is set according to the height difference between the upper surface of the plate (64) and the fixture (1); S4, start the electric slide rail (61), electric push rod (63), air pump and multiple motors in the lifting mechanism to perform automatic clamping operation; S5. During the suction process, the laser ranging probe detects the distance between the pick-up plate (64) and the uppermost lens in the slot in real time. When the distance of a certain slot changes abruptly, the surface suction head may accidentally pick up more than one lens, or fail to pick up any lens during empty suction. At this time, the controller controls the motor (22) of the lifting mechanism at the corresponding slot of the fixture (1) to move one more or one less feed amount, thereby reducing the error caused by mis-suction.

2. The method of using the automatic clamping device for fiber optic collimator production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism includes multiple lead screws (21), each lead screw (21) is connected to a motor (22) at its top end, and the bottom end of the lead screw (21) is rotatably connected to the surface of the base (2).

3. The method of using the automatic clamping device for fiber optic collimator production according to claim 2, characterized in that: The lead screw (21) has a threaded connection to a lifting block (23) on its outer surface. One end of the lifting block (23) is slidably connected to the side wall of the support plate (3), and the other end is in contact with the lower surface of the lever (11).

4. The method of using the automatic clamping device for fiber optic collimator production according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support platform (4) has a built-in controller, which is electrically connected to multiple motors (22) and laser ranging probes.

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