A sensor element base positioning structure, a base feeding device, and a positioning method

Abstract

The application relates to a sensor element base positioning structure, a base feeding device and a positioning method. The positioning structure comprises a tray, a positioning table, an optical fiber and an optical fiber guide column; a material groove is formed in the tray, and a positioning key is arranged on the inner wall of the material groove; the positioning table comprises a limiting disc and a positioning seat; the outer contour of the limiting disc is matched with the material groove, and a positioning slot matched with the positioning key is formed in the edge of the limiting disc; the positioning seat is connected to the top of the limiting disc, and a light transmission hole and a positioning hole are formed in the positioning seat. The positioning structure and the positioning method ensure that the optical fiber guide column, the light transmission hole and the through hole on the sensor element base are kept on the same vertical line through multiple positioning, effectively ensure the positioning accuracy of the sensor element base and the station accuracy of the pins on the base, improve the positioning reliability, and ensure the high-speed stable pipeline operation between equipment systems.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sensor element fabrication technology, and in particular to a sensor element base positioning structure, base loading device and positioning method. Background Technology

[0002] The bases for force sensors, photoelectric sensors, and aerospace connectors commonly used in the electronics industry are typical examples of component repackaging products based on glass sintering technology. Their complete manufacturing process includes multiple steps such as basic component processing, assembly, oxidation, sintering, testing, cleaning, wire winding, plating, sandblasting, finishing, and packaging. Although some processes have been automated due to industry development, most still rely on manual labor, particularly the positioning of many sensor component bases. Workers must place each base into a tray and manually adjust its position and orientation, followed by a secondary confirmation using a machine vision inspection system. This manual adjustment method is not only inefficient, inaccurate, and unreliable, but also prone to errors due to the small size and irregular shape of the bases' pins, making it susceptible to errors when relying solely on visual algorithms to calculate their position and orientation.

[0003] On the other hand, after the base on the material tray is positioned, the entire material tray needs to be moved from the feeding position to the picking position. During this movement, vibration is inevitable, causing deviations in the positioned base. Furthermore, the vibrations caused by the overall operation of the automated equipment must also be considered to prevent positioning errors. Therefore, this invention provides a sensor element base positioning structure, which is of great significance for improving the manufacturing level of enterprises. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to address the problems of low positioning accuracy and poor reliability when positioning the base in the existing technology, and to provide a sensor element base positioning structure, base loading device and positioning method.

[0005] A sensor element base positioning structure, comprising:

[0006] A material tray with a material trough, the inner wall of which is provided with a positioning key;

[0007] The positioning platform includes a limiting plate and a positioning seat; the outer contour of the limiting plate matches the material trough, and the edge of the limiting plate is provided with a positioning groove that matches the positioning key; the positioning seat is connected to the top of the limiting plate, and the positioning seat is provided with a light-transmitting hole and a positioning hole; the positioning seat is used to support the sensor element base, and the through hole on the sensor element base corresponds to the light-transmitting hole, and the small protrusion on the sensor element base corresponds to the positioning hole;

[0008] An optical fiber is disposed on the material tray, and the material trough is provided with a light outlet of the optical fiber, and the light outlet corresponds to the light transmission hole. The optical fiber is used to transmit light to the light transmission hole.

[0009] As a preferred example, the material tray has multiple material slots, which are evenly distributed in a rectangular array. Each material slot is equipped with a positioning platform and a light outlet for the optical fiber.

[0010] As a preferred example, the limiting plate and the material trough are detachably connected by a magnet; the limiting plate and the positioning seat are fixedly connected; the positioning platform is equipped with multiple models, and the size of the positioning seat in each model is different. The multiple models of positioning platforms are used to select the matching positioning platform for positioning according to the specifications of the sensor element base.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the positioning seat and the limiting plate are provided with a through-hole, which is arranged in a vertical direction.

[0012] As a preferred example, the light outlet of the optical fiber is located at the bottom of the material tank, and when the positioning platform is installed in the material tank, the light outlet and the light-transmitting hole are located on the same axis.

[0013] As a preferred example, the positioning structure further includes an optical fiber guide post connected to the bottom of the trough, which is connected to the light outlet of the optical fiber. The optical fiber guide post is used to position the light-transmitting hole and transmit light.

[0014] A sensor element base feeding device includes two sensor element base positioning structures as described above, and also includes a frame and a synchronous transmission structure;

[0015] The two material trays are arranged alternately on the frame, and both are slidably connected to the frame;

[0016] The synchronous transmission structure is used to drive the two material trays to move synchronously in opposite directions, so as to switch the material trays between the feeding position and the picking position.

[0017] As a preferred example, the synchronous transmission structure includes a motor, a gear, and two racks; the motor is connected to the frame, and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the gear; the two racks are respectively connected to the two material trays one-to-one, and the meshing directions of the two racks are arranged in opposite directions and both mesh with the gear.

[0018] As a preferred example, the frame is also connected to a laser source, which is used to emit light to the light inlet of the optical fiber.

[0019] A method for positioning a sensor element base, using the sensor element base positioning structure described above, the positioning method comprising the following steps:

[0020] The limiting plate is set in the material trough by the positioning key, and the positioning seat matches the shape of the base of the sensor element to achieve the initial basic positioning of the base;

[0021] The fiber optic guide post extends into the light-transmitting hole, enabling precise positioning of the base in one step;

[0022] The light emitted by the optical fiber is emitted through the through hole on the base. By identifying the light emitted from the through hole on the base, it is possible to determine whether the secondary vibration caused by the movement of the material tray and the operation of the equipment has caused the base to deviate from the working position and cause errors, so as to achieve secondary precise positioning of the base.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0024] 1. This invention improves the design of the material tray positioning structure, ensuring that the fiber guide post, the light-transmitting hole, and the through hole on the sensor element base are on the same vertical line. Based on the identification of light at the through hole by manual and mechanical vision inspection systems, the positioning accuracy of the base is effectively improved, and the error rate of traditional manual operation is reduced, thereby improving the automation and intelligence level of the sensor base manufacturing industry.

[0025] 2. This invention performs three positioning processes on the base: preliminary basic positioning, primary precise positioning, and secondary precise positioning. The preliminary basic positioning and primary precise positioning assist manual installation of the base, reducing initial assembly errors. The secondary precise positioning detects whether secondary vibrations caused by the movement of the material tray and during equipment operation cause the sensor base to deviate from its position, resulting in errors. This ensures stable operation of subsequent tasks, guarantees stable and efficient operation between various work modules, improves industry efficiency and quality, and liberates productivity.

[0026] 3. This invention determines whether errors have occurred during secondary precise positioning by detecting the presence of light spots on the sensor element base. This method can be performed by human visual inspection or by a machine vision inspection system. Compared to traditional machine vision inspection systems that scan contours for image analysis, this solution only requires the machine vision inspection system to detect the presence of light spots from a specific light source, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of secondary precise positioning and reducing the error rate. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the material tray structure;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the material tray loading trough.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the positioning stage.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the base installed on the material tray;

[0031] Figure 5 for Figure 4 An enlarged schematic diagram of part A in the middle;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the base being placed on the positioning platform.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the base installed inside the trough.

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the sensor element base feeding device;

[0035] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the synchronous transmission structure on the sensor element base feeding device;

[0036] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the sensor element base feeding device from a slightly upward angle;

[0037] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of using a laser emitted from a laser source as a light source for an optical fiber.

[0038] In the diagram: 1. Material tray; 2. Material trough; 3. Positioning key; 4. Positioning platform; 41. Limiting plate; 42. Positioning seat; 43. Light transmission hole; 44. Positioning hole; 5. Optical fiber; 6. Fiber guide post; 7. Frame; 8. Gear; 9. Rack; 10. Linear guide rail; 11. Laser source. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0040] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "installed on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or it may be in a component that is centered on it. When a component is said to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or it may also be in a component that is centered on it. When a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly fixed to the other component or it may also be in a component that is centered on it.

[0041] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and 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 this application.

[0042] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the specification of this invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0043] This embodiment provides a sensor element base positioning structure, which includes a material tray 1, a positioning stage 4, an optical fiber 5, and an optical fiber guide post 6. Wherein, as... Figure 1 As shown, the material tray 1 is a plate with multiple material grooves 2 evenly distributed in a rectangular array on one side. The inner walls of these material grooves 2 are all equipped with vertically distributed positioning keys 3, such as... Figure 2 As shown (the figure is an enlarged view of a single material trough 2; since it does not cover the entire border of the material tray 1, other border lines are omitted). Please refer to... Figure 3The positioning platform 4 includes a limiting plate 41 and a positioning seat 42. The outer contour of the limiting plate 41 matches the contour of the material trough 2. A positioning slot is formed on the edge of the limiting plate 41. This positioning slot matches the positioning key 3, meaning the width of the slot is the same as the width of the positioning key 3. Only when the positioning slot corresponds exactly to the positioning key 3 can the positioning platform 4 be initially positioned when placed into the material trough 2. To ensure the stability of the connection between the positioning platform 4 and the material trough 2, a magnet is provided between the limiting plate 41 and the material trough 2. Specifically, a ring magnet is embedded in the inner wall of the material trough 2, and a ring magnet is connected to the outer wall of the limiting plate 41. Alternatively, a ring magnet can be provided on one side, and a magnetic material such as an iron sheet that can be magnetically attracted can be provided on the other side, allowing the limiting plate 41 and the material trough 2 to be attracted and fixed together. The positioning seat 42 is connected to the top center of the limiting plate 41. Furthermore, the positioning seat 42 and the limiting plate 41 both have a through-hole 43 arranged vertically, and several positioning holes 44. The end face of the sensor element base has a corresponding groove, and the groove has a corresponding micro-protrusion (the base is fixed with pins by glass sintering, forming micro-protrusions at the pin fixing points) and a through hole. The through hole corresponds to the through-hole 43 and is used for light transmission. The top of the positioning seat 42 is adapted to the base. Specifically, the top of the positioning seat 42 matches the groove on the base, and the positioning hole 44 on the top end face of the positioning seat 42 also corresponds to the micro-protrusion. When the base is placed on the positioning seat 42, the matching of the micro-protrusion and the positioning hole 44 confirms the relative position of the positioning seat 42 and the base, realizing the initial positioning of the base and the positioning table 4, and then realizing the initial basic positioning of the base and the material tray 1. In this embodiment, the positioning seat 42 and the limiting plate 41 are fixedly connected and integrally formed. The bases come in various sizes and models. To accommodate different base sizes, the positioning table 4 is also available in multiple models. The limiting disc 41 is the same size across different models of positioning tables 4, and its fit with the material trough 2 remains unchanged. The difference lies in the specific shape and specifications of the positioning seat 42. The positioning seat 42 is matched to the shape of the base's end face. For different bases, simply select the appropriate positioning table 4.

[0044] Optical fiber 5 is a tiny filamentous object capable of transmitting light. In this embodiment, optical fiber 5 is used to transmit visible light, with one end connected to an external light source. Figure 4 As shown, the optical fiber 5 is routed close to the bottom of the tray 1, or pre-embedded inside the tray 1, ultimately extending the optical fiber 5 to the bottom of each trough 2, so that each trough 2 has an outlet for the optical fiber 5 at its bottom. Light emitted from an external light source is transmitted through the optical fiber 5 to the outlet and emitted. Figure 4As shown, the fiber optic guide post 6 is connected to the bottom of the material tank 2 and located at the light outlet. This fiber optic guide post 6 can be made of quartz glass and can transmit light from the light outlet. Compared to the optical fiber 5, the fiber optic guide post 6 is not flexible and has a certain strength. The size and position of the fiber optic guide post 6 match the light transmission hole 43. When the positioning stage 4 is installed in the material tank 2, the fiber optic guide post 6 can extend into the light transmission hole 43, achieving accurate positioning of the base. Simultaneously, the fiber optic guide post 6 allows visible light to be more clearly guided into the light transmission hole 43, such as... Figure 5 As described above, when the positioning platform 4 and the base are accurately positioned and installed on the material tray 1, the visible light transmitted by the optical fiber 5 will also pass through the optical fiber guide post 6 and be emitted sequentially from the light-transmitting hole 43 and the through hole on the base. The presence of light spots within the through hole on the base is identified by manual and mechanical vision inspection systems. The process of placing the base is as follows... Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown in the diagram (the diagram is a schematic enlarged view of a single base and a single material tray 2; other border lines are omitted because they do not cover the entire border of the material tray 1), once the base is positioned on the material tray 1, workers can quickly determine whether the base is installed correctly or check for positioning deviations caused by vibrations from automated equipment by visually observing whether there are light spots displayed. Compared to recognizing the entire shape of the base and performing image analysis, the machine vision inspection system only needs to identify the light spots on the base. If the light spots are deviated, obstructed, or have insufficient brightness, the machine vision inspection system's display screen will display an error message. If the light spot brightness meets the requirements, is unobstructed, and has a complete shape, it indicates that the base has no assembly errors, and the display screen will show "passed." This detection method achieves secondary precise positioning to prevent positioning errors caused by manual installation, vibration errors during the movement of the material tray 1, and equipment operating vibrations that could cause the pins on the sensor element base to deviate from their positions, thus affecting subsequent operations.

[0045] In another embodiment, the difference from the previous embodiment lies in the connection method between the limiting plate 41 and the positioning seat 42. In this embodiment, the positioning seat 42 is detachably connected to the limiting plate 41 using studs and screw holes. At this time, a limiting plate 41 can be equipped with positioning seats 42 of various specifications. Each specification of positioning seat 42 matches the base to be positioned. To meet the positioning requirements of different specifications of bases, the corresponding positioning seat 42 is fixed to the limiting plate 41, and then the limiting plate 41 is installed in the material trough 2 to achieve the initial basic positioning of the corresponding base. In another embodiment, the difference from the above embodiment lies in the setting of the light outlet of the optical fiber 5. In this embodiment, the optical fiber 5 is also routed close to the bottom of the material tray 1, or pre-embedded inside the material tray 1 for routing. The final light outlet is set on the inner side wall of the material trough 2. For this reason, the setting of the optical fiber guide post 6 needs to be eliminated, and the structure of the light-transmitting hole 43 on the positioning platform 4 needs to be changed accordingly. At this time, the light-transmitting hole 43 on the positioning platform 4 is generally L-shaped. The vertical portion of the light-transmitting hole 43 extends to the top of the positioning base 42, and the bottom extends into the interior of the limiting plate 41. One end of the horizontal portion of the light-transmitting hole 43 communicates with the vertical portion, and the other end extends to the outer wall of the limiting plate 41. When the positioning platform 4 is installed in the material trough 2, the light-transmitting hole 43 extending to the outer wall of the limiting plate 41 corresponds exactly to the light outlet, achieving the effect of light spot conduction and recognition.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 8 In another embodiment, a sensor element base loading device is also provided. This loading device includes two sensor element base positioning structures as described in the above embodiments, and also includes a frame 7 and a synchronous transmission structure. Specifically, two trays 1 are staggered vertically on the frame 7, meaning that in the initial state, the vertical projections of the two trays 1 do not contact each other. Figure 9 As shown (the baffles on the frame 7 are partially removed in this figure, and the motor is not shown), two sets of vertically distributed linear guides 10 are connected to the frame 7. Two trays 1 are respectively connected to one set of linear guides 10. The trays 1 can slide freely on the frame 7 via the linear guides 10. It should be noted that initially, the two trays 1 need to be staggered vertically to distinguish between the feeding and picking positions. A synchronous transmission structure is used to drive the two trays 1 to move synchronously in opposite directions, realizing the switching between the feeding and picking positions. In this embodiment, the synchronous transmission structure includes a motor, a gear 8, and two racks 9. The motor is fixed to the frame 7, and the motor's output shaft is connected to the gear 8. One rack 9 is connected to one tray 1, and the other rack 9 is connected to the other tray 1. At this time, the meshing directions of the two racks 9 are opposite, but they are parallel, and both racks 9 mesh with the same gear 8. The rotation of gear 8 drives two racks 9 to move synchronously in opposite directions, which in turn drives the rotation of motor to move two material trays 1 synchronously in opposite directions, thus realizing the switching of material tray 1 between the feeding position and the picking position.

[0047] In another embodiment, in conjunction with the sensor element base positioning structure, the sensor element base feeding device is also connected to a laser source 11 for use as a light source for the optical fiber 5. Figure 10 As shown (this figure is a bottom view of the frame 7), the back of the tray 1 has an opening that communicates with the light inlet of the optical fiber 5. The laser source 11 can be a red laser source. This laser source 11 is fixed to the bottom of the frame 7 by a bracket, with its emitting end pointing towards the opening at the bottom of the tray 1. Figure 11 As shown (this figure is a perspective schematic diagram of the material tray structure), the laser emitted by the laser source 11 is used as the light source for the optical fiber 5.

[0048] In other embodiments, a method for positioning a sensor element base is also provided, which uses the sensor element base positioning structure described above. This positioning method includes the following steps:

[0049] The limiting plate 41 is set in the material trough 2 via the positioning key 3. The positioning seat 42 matches the shape of the base of the sensor element, realizing the initial basic positioning of the base. The fiber optic guide post 6 extends into the light-transmitting hole 43, realizing the first precise positioning of the base. The light emitted by the optical fiber 5 is emitted through the through hole on the base. By identifying the light emitted from the through hole on the base (if the light spot deviates, is blocked, or the light spot brightness is insufficient, it is considered that an assembly error has occurred), it is determined whether the secondary vibration caused by the movement of the material plate 1 and the operation of the equipment has caused the base to deviate from the working position and cause an error, thus realizing the second precise positioning of the base.

[0050] The positioning structure and method proposed in this invention ensure that the fiber guide post 6, the light-transmitting hole 43, and the through hole on the sensor element base are kept on the same vertical line through multiple positioning, which effectively guarantees the accurate positioning of the sensor element base and the accurate positioning of the pins on the base, and improves the reliability of positioning, while ensuring high-speed and stable assembly line operation between equipment systems.

[0051] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0052] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sensor element base positioning structure, characterized in that, include: A material tray (1) is provided with a material groove (2), and a positioning key (3) is provided on the inner wall of the material groove (2); The positioning platform (4) includes a limiting plate (41) and a positioning seat (42); the outer contour of the limiting plate (41) matches the material trough (2), and the edge of the limiting plate (41) is provided with a positioning slot that matches the positioning key (3). The positioning seat (42) is connected to the top of the limiting plate (41). The positioning seat (42) is provided with a light-transmitting hole (43) and a positioning hole (44). The positioning seat (42) is used to support the sensor element base, and the through hole on the sensor element base corresponds to the light-transmitting hole (43). The small protrusion on the sensor element base corresponds to the positioning hole (44). An optical fiber (5) is disposed on the tray (1), and the light outlet of the optical fiber (5) is disposed in the trough (2), and the light outlet corresponds to the light-transmitting hole (43). The optical fiber (5) is used to transmit light to the light-transmitting hole (43). The fiber optic guide post (6) is connected to the bottom of the trough (2) and to the light outlet of the optical fiber (5). The fiber optic guide post (6) is used to position the light-transmitting hole (43) and transmit light. The base is positioned three times through preliminary basic positioning, first precise positioning, and second precise positioning: preliminary basic positioning and first precise positioning can assist manual installation of the base and reduce assembly errors; second precise positioning can detect whether the secondary vibrations caused by the movement of the material tray and the operation of the equipment cause the sensor base to deviate from the work position and cause errors.

2. The sensor element base positioning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material tray (1) has multiple material slots (2) arranged in a rectangular array. Each material slot (2) is equipped with a positioning platform (4) and an output port of optical fiber (5).

3. The sensor element base positioning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting plate (41) and the material trough (2) are detachably connected by a magnet; the limiting plate (41) and the positioning seat (42) are fixedly connected; the positioning platform (4) is equipped with multiple models, and the size of the positioning seat (42) in each model is different. The multiple models of positioning platforms (4) are set to select the matching positioning platform (4) according to the specifications of the sensor element base for positioning.

4. The sensor element base positioning structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning seat (42) and the limiting plate (41) are provided with a through light-transmitting hole (43), which is arranged in a vertical direction.

5. The sensor element base positioning structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, The light outlet of the optical fiber (5) is located at the bottom of the material tank (2). When the positioning platform (4) is installed in the material tank (2), the light outlet and the light-transmitting hole (43) are on the same axis.

6. A sensor element base feeding device, characterized in that, It includes two sensor element base positioning structures as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and also includes a frame (7) and a synchronous transmission structure; The two material trays (1) are arranged alternately on the frame (7) and are slidably connected to the frame (7); The synchronous transmission structure is used to drive the two material trays (1) to move synchronously in opposite directions, so as to realize the switching of the material tray (1) between the feeding position and the picking position.

7. The sensor element base feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The synchronous transmission structure includes a motor, a gear (8) and two racks (9); the motor is connected to the frame (7) and the output shaft of the motor is connected to the gear (8); the two racks (9) are respectively connected to the two material trays (1) one by one, and the meshing directions of the two racks (9) are set in opposite directions and both mesh with the gear (8).

8. The sensor element base feeding device according to claim 6, characterized in that, A laser source (11) is also connected to the frame (7), which is used to emit light to the light inlet of the optical fiber (5).

9. A method for positioning a sensor element base, characterized in that, It uses the sensor element base positioning structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, and the positioning method includes the following steps: The limiting plate (41) is set in the material trough (2) by the positioning key (3), and the positioning seat (42) matches the shape of the base of the sensor element to achieve the initial basic positioning of the base; The fiber guide post (6) extends into the light-transmitting hole (43) to achieve one precise positioning of the base; The light emitted by the optical fiber (5) is emitted through the through hole on the base. By identifying the light emitted from the through hole on the base, it is determined whether the secondary vibration caused by the movement of the tray (1) and the operation of the equipment causes the base to deviate from the working position and cause errors, so as to achieve the secondary precise positioning of the base.

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