Automatic assembling equipment and method for assembling optical engine into lower shell

Abstract

The invention discloses automatic assembling equipment and an assembling method for assembling an optical engine into a lower shell. The automatic assembling equipment comprises a rack, a conveying assembly line, an optical engine feeding mechanism, a work platform capable of horizontally moving left and right, a first mechanical arm, a second mechanical arm, a second CCD module and a control system. The second manipulator is provided with a Y-Z two-axis movement mechanism, a floating press-in mechanism, a first material taking mechanism, a second material taking mechanism, an X-Y-theta axis adjusting mechanism and a first CCD (Charge Coupled Device) module; the X-Y-theta axis adjusting mechanism is configured to adjust the position and direction of the first material taking mechanism relative to the second material taking mechanism. The first CCD module is configured to detect the poses of an upper tray and an optical engine of the optical engine feeding mechanism and the poses of a lower shell of the working platform; the second CCD module is configured to shoot upwards to sample pose information; the control system controls the XYtheta axis adjusting mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material taking mechanism relative to the second material taking mechanism according to the lower shell pose information and the light engine pose information. Therefore, the assembly precision, the assembly efficiency and the yield are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of automatic assembly of light engines, and in particular to an automatic assembly device and method for installing a light engine into a lower housing. Background Art

[0002] The optical engine is an important part of the optical communication module. The current status of traditional optical engine assembly process: 1. The process of installing the optical engine into the lower shell relies on manual assembly and is difficult to automate. The optical engine is usually composed of a main body 1, a head 2 and a flexible optical fiber 3 (such as Figure 1 As shown, optical fiber cables are prone to uncontrolled deformation during handling, causing the relative position of the head and the main body to shift. If automated assembly were used, a suction cup robot would pick up the optical engine and install it into the lower housing cavity. However, given the optical engine's unique structure (consisting of the main body, head, and flexible optical fiber), aligning it within the lower housing cavity would be difficult, inevitably resulting in low assembly yields and high production costs, rendering this automated assembly option useless. Therefore, the current common practice is to manually install the optical engine into the lower housing to form a semi-finished product, which is then assembled with the other components of the optical module. This manual assembly method clearly suffers from several drawbacks, including low efficiency, difficulty in reliably ensuring assembly accuracy, and suboptimal assembly quality consistency. 2. After the optical engine is installed in the lower shell cavity, manual visual inspection is generally adopted on the production line. The inspection efficiency is low, the quality inspection reliability is not ideal, and it is easy to miss the inspection, which affects the product quality.

[0003] With the rapid development of optical communication technology, the optical engine, as a core component of optical modules, has become increasingly important. Its assembly accuracy directly determines the stability and reliability of optical signal transmission. Currently, the high-precision requirements and process bottlenecks of optical engine assembly have become the core constraints on the development of 400G / 800G optical modules. Traditional processes are no longer able to meet the technical requirements of new products.

[0004] Therefore, how to develop high-precision, high-flexibility, and intelligent optical engine assembly equipment and methods has become a key technical problem that the industry urgently needs to solve. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of this, the present invention addresses the deficiencies in the prior art, and its main purpose is to provide an automated assembly device and method for installing an optical engine into a lower shell, which realizes a fully automated assembly process for installing the optical engine into the inner cavity of the lower shell. In particular, it effectively improves the assembly accuracy, assembly efficiency and yield of the optical engine and the lower shell, and better meets the application of optical communication modules in products such as smart / communication products.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions: An automated assembly device for installing a light engine into a lower housing, comprising: frame; The conveying line is extended to the left and right and is located in the front area of ​​the frame to convey the product from left to right; a material picking area is defined on the conveying line; The light engine feeding mechanism is located on the rear area of ​​the rack corresponding to the conveying line; A work platform that can be translated left and right, having a first station corresponding to the material taking area and a second station corresponding to the light engine assembly; the first station is set to the left of the second station; a first manipulator having an XYZ three-axis motion mechanism and configured to transfer between the material retrieving area and the first workstation; The second manipulator comprises a YZ two-axis motion mechanism, a floating pressing mechanism, a first material picking mechanism, a second material picking mechanism, an XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism, and a first CCD module; the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism is configured for the first material picking mechanism and / or the second material picking mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism relative to the second material picking mechanism; the floating pressing mechanism jointly controls the first and second material picking mechanisms to press the light engine downward; the YZ two-axis motion mechanism jointly controls the positions of the first and second material picking mechanisms, and the first CCD module, so that the second manipulator is configured to transfer between the light engine feeding mechanism and the second workstation; the first CCD module is configured to detect the position of the upper tray and the light engine of the light engine feeding mechanism, as well as the position of the lower shell of the work platform; A second CCD module is located between the light engine feeding mechanism and the working platform and is arranged on the moving path of the second manipulator. It is configured to take photos upward to sample posture information; The control system is at least configured to control the XYθ axis adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism relative to the second material picking mechanism based on the lower shell posture information and the light engine posture information fed back by the first CCD module and the second CCD module.

[0007] As a preferred solution, it also includes: QC inspection module, which is used to inspect semi-finished assembly products; The defective product sorting area is located on the side of the conveyor line. The first robot picks up the defective products on the working platform and sends them to the defective product sorting area, and picks up the qualified products on the working platform and sends them to the conveyor line.

[0008] As a preferred solution, the QC inspection module includes: The third CCD module is disposed above the left-right translation path of the working platform and is configured to take photos downward to inspect the semi-finished product being assembled.

[0009] As a preferred solution, the conveying line is designed as two parts, a left section 201 and a right section 202, and the two parts are independently controlled. The material picking area is set at the right end position of the left section 201, and the first manipulator picks up the qualified products on the working platform and delivers them to the right section 202.

[0010] As a preferred solution, the QC inspection module is arranged on the right side of the second workstation.

[0011] As a preferred solution, the third CCD module performs multi-point measurement of the height difference between the top of the light engine and the top of the lower shell to check whether the light engine is pressed into the inner cavity of the lower shell to a depth that meets the standard.

[0012] As a preferred solution, the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism includes a θ-axis adjustment drive, an X-axis translation drive, and a Y-axis translation drive. The θ-axis adjustment drive is connected to the first material picking mechanism to control the rotation angle of the first material picking mechanism. The X-axis translation drive and the Y-axis translation drive are connected to the second material picking mechanism to control the distance of the second material picking mechanism relative to the first material picking mechanism.

[0013] As a preferred solution, the first material-retrieving mechanism is installed on the side of the second material-retrieving mechanism and is equipped with a lifting drive to control the up and down displacement of the first material-retrieving mechanism relative to the second material-retrieving mechanism.

[0014] An assembly method for an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine into a lower housing according to any of the above items comprises the following steps: Step S100: receiving the upstream lower shell through the conveying line and positioning it in the material taking area; Step S200: The first manipulator transfers the lower shell to the working platform of the first station; Step S300: The work platform moves right to the second work station to perform light engine assembly operations, including: Step S310: Scan and locate the tray using the first CCD module to obtain initial position data of the light engine head and the main body; Step S320: dynamically adjusting the distance between the first material retrieving mechanism and the second material retrieving mechanism and the deflection angle of the first material retrieving mechanism based on the initial posture data; Step S330: Synchronously take the main body and head of the light engine and transfer them to above the second CCD module. The second CCD module takes an upward photo to sample posture information, which includes the position and direction of the head of the light engine relative to the main body. Step S340: Continue to transfer to the second workstation and obtain the lower shell posture information through the first CCD module; Step S350: Calculate the deviation between the current position of the light engine and the target assembly position, and adjust the spacing and deflection angle of the first and second material-picking mechanisms in real time by the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism; Step S360: Rotate to the top of the second station so that the light engine faces the cavity of the lower housing, and then perform floating press-fitting. Step S400: The work platform moves to the left, and the first manipulator takes out the assembled semi-finished product on the work platform.

[0015] As a preferred solution, after step S360 and before step S400, a QC quality inspection step is further included: Step S370: Using the first CCD module to perform appearance defect detection on the assembled semi-finished product; If the appearance of the product is qualified, the process proceeds to step S380, where the work platform moves right to the third workstation. The third CCD module takes a downward photo to inspect the semi-finished product to see if the depth of the light engine installed in the lower housing meets the standard. If so, the first robot removes the semi-finished product from the work platform and sends it to the conveyor line at step S400. If not, the first robot removes the semi-finished product from the work platform and sends it to the defective product sorting area at step S400. If the product is detected as a defective product in appearance, the process directly proceeds to step S400 , where the first robot takes out the assembled semi-finished product on the work platform and sends it to the defective product sorting area.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has obvious advantages and beneficial effects. Specifically, it can be seen from the above technical solution that it is mainly achieved through the arrangement and mutual cooperation of a conveying line, a light engine feeding mechanism, a work platform that can be translated left and right, a first manipulator, a second manipulator, a second CCD module and a control system; in particular, the second manipulator has a YZ two-axis motion mechanism, a floating pressing mechanism, a first material picking mechanism, a second material picking mechanism, an XYθ axis adjustment mechanism, and a first CCD module; the XYθ axis adjustment mechanism is configured to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism relative to the second material picking mechanism; the first CCD module is configured to adjust the position and direction of the light engine feeding mechanism on the first CCD module. The position detection of the tray and the light engine, as well as the position detection of the lower shell of the working platform; the second CCD module is configured to take photos upward to sample the position information; the control system controls the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material-picking mechanism relative to the second material-picking mechanism according to the lower shell position information and the light engine position information; it realizes a fully automated assembly process for the light engine to be installed in the lower shell cavity, especially effectively improving the assembly accuracy, assembly efficiency and yield of the light engine and the lower shell, better meeting the application of optical communication modules in such as intelligent / communication products, and effectively solving the problem in the prior art that the installation of the light engine into the lower shell cavity relies on manual labor, which restricts the development of optical modules.

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the structural features and effects of the present invention, the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 This is a typical diagram showing the structure of a light engine installed in a lower housing; Figure 2 is an outline diagram of an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine into a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the internal structure of an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine into a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is another internal structure diagram of an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine into a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a top view of the internal structure of an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine into a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A partial enlarged diagram (mainly showing the structure of the conveying line); Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A partial enlarged diagram (mainly showing the structure of the first manipulator); Figure 8 This is a partial structural diagram of an automated assembly device for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to an embodiment of the present invention (mainly showing the structure of the second robot). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 As shown, it shows the specific structure of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "up", "down", "left", "right", etc. indicate directions or positional relationships based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limiting the present invention.

[0021] Optical communication modules are an important component used in fiber-optic communication systems. They can convert electrical signals into optical signals and transmit high-speed data between optical fibers. They are widely used in a variety of products, such as: network switching equipment, servers and storage devices, base stations, transmission equipment, fiber-optic modems, security monitoring systems, broadcasting and television systems, medical equipment, industrial automation equipment, home network equipment, etc.

[0022] The optical engine is the core component of the optical communication module and is usually installed in the lower shell 4 . The optical engine is usually composed of a main body 1 , a head 2 and a flexible optical fiber 3 .

[0023] An automated assembly device for installing a light engine into a lower housing, comprising: The frame 100 comprises a base frame and an outer cover mounted on the base frame.

[0024] The conveying line 200 is extended left and right and is located in the front area of ​​the frame 100 to convey the product from left to right; a material picking area 2011 is defined on the conveying line 200; the conveying line 200 can be designed as a synchronous belt type, which is divided into a left section 201 and a right section 202, each of which is independently controlled. The left section 201 receives the lower shell input by the upstream equipment to the material picking area 2011.

[0025] The light engine feeding mechanism 300 is located on the rear area of ​​the rack 100 corresponding to the conveying line 200. It extends left and right and is located in the rear area of ​​the rack 100. The light engine feeding mechanism 300 conveys multiple layers of stacked trays from right to left, and each tray is provided with a plurality of light engines arranged in a matrix. The light engine feeding mechanism 300 includes a stacking tray lifting mechanism 301 located at the right end, which is used to place a plurality of stacked trays. It also includes a linear motor module 302 that conveys the bottom tray of the stacked trays one by one from right to left to the light engine loading station 303. The empty trays after the material is taken are sent to the left to the empty tray stacking mechanism 304. The light engine feeding mechanism 300 can realize the separation of the stacked trays and the output of the empty trays. These technologies belong to the existing technology and are not the original invention of the present invention. Here, it is mainly emphasized that the light engine feeding mechanism 300 conveys from right to left and its layout application on the rack 100 is relatively clever.

[0026] The work platform 400 can be moved horizontally and has a first station 41 corresponding to the material collection area 2011 and a second station 42 corresponding to the light engine assembly. The first station 41 is located to the left of the second station 42. Position sensors can be configured at both the first station 41 and the second station 42.

[0027] The first manipulator 500 (also called the lower shell transfer manipulator) has an XYZ three-axis motion mechanism, which is configured to transfer the lower shell between the material picking area 2011 and the first workstation 41 after removing the shell, so as to deliver the lower shell to the working platform 400; the first manipulator 500 includes an automatic gripper 501, and the XYZ three-axis motion mechanism includes an X-axis motion mechanism 502, a Y-axis motion mechanism 503, and a Z-axis motion mechanism 504. The automatic gripper 501 is installed on the Z-axis motion mechanism 504 and is driven by the Z-axis motion mechanism 504 to move up and down. The Z-axis motion mechanism 504 is installed on the X-axis motion mechanism 502 and is driven by the X-axis motion mechanism 502 to move left and right. The X-axis motion mechanism 502 is installed on the Y-axis motion mechanism 503 and is driven by the Y-axis motion mechanism 503 to move forward and backward.

[0028] The second robot 600 comprises a YZ two-axis motion mechanism 606, a floating pressing mechanism 605, a first picking mechanism 601, a second picking mechanism 602, an XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603, and a first CCD module 604. The first picking mechanism 601 is used to pick up the head of the light engine, and a head-shaped cavity is designed at the bottom of the corresponding suction head to match the shape of the light engine head. The second picking mechanism 602 is used to pick up the main body of the light engine. Due to the long length of the main body, two suction heads can be provided as needed. The first feeding mechanism 601 and the second feeding mechanism 602 both feed downward, so that the head of the light engine and the bottom of the main body are exposed downward; the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603 is configured for the first feeding mechanism 601 and / or the second feeding mechanism 602 to adjust the position and direction of the first feeding mechanism 601 relative to the second feeding mechanism 602 (thereby, the distance and direction angle of the head of the light engine relative to the main body can be adjusted); in this embodiment, the first feeding mechanism 601 is installed on the side of the second feeding mechanism 602 and is configured with a lifting drive to control the up and down displacement of the first feeding mechanism 601 relative to the second feeding mechanism 602, which can better adjust the position of the head of the light engine relative to the main body (the up and down relative position). The XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603 includes a θ-axis adjustment drive 6031, an X-axis translation drive 6032, and a Y-axis translation drive 6033. These drives can be pneumatic cylinders or motors. The θ-axis adjustment drive 6031 is connected to the first picker mechanism 601 to control the rotation angle of the first picker mechanism 601, which is equivalent to adjusting the angle of the light engine head. The X-axis translation drive 6032 and the Y-axis translation drive 6033 are connected to the second picker mechanism 602 to control the distance of the second picker mechanism 602 relative to the first picker mechanism 601, which is equivalent to adjusting the distance between the head and the main body of the light engine. The floating press-in mechanism jointly controls the first and second picker mechanisms 601 and 602 to press the light engine downward. The floating press-in mechanism is a mature technology in the field of automatic mechanical equipment. It can be a spring-loaded up-and-down drive mechanism, where the spring portion can also be replaced with a pneumatic buffer assembly. A pressure sensor can also be added to monitor the contact pressure in real time during the press-in process and automatically compensate for Z-axis displacement. Multi-stage control can be used in the floating press-fitting process. For example, in the first stage, the pressure is pressed down to the contact detection threshold at a slightly faster speed. In the second stage, the pressure is switched to a slightly slower constant force control and the pressure is continuously pressed down for a short distance. In the third stage, the constant force is maintained to complete the stress release. Of course, the implementation method is not limited to this.The YZ two-axis motion mechanism jointly controls the positions of the first material picking mechanism 601, the second material picking mechanism 602, and the first CCD module 604, so that the second robot 600 is configured to pick up the light engine and then transfer it between the light engine feeding mechanism 300 and the second workstation 42; the first CCD module 604 is configured to detect the position of the tray and light engine on the light engine feeding mechanism 300, and feed this information back to the main control system to better guide the movement of the second robot 600 (specifically, guiding the movement of the YZ two-axis motion mechanism), and to detect the position of the lower shell of the work platform 400 (also referred to as three-dimensional positioning), and feed this information back to the main control system to better guide the movement of the second robot 600 (specifically, it can guide the movement of the YZ two-axis motion mechanism and the movement of the floating pressing mechanism, and especially guide the movement of the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603 as needed to ensure that the relative position and direction of the head and body of the light engine match the lower shell); The second CCD module 700 is located between the light engine feeding mechanism 300 and the work platform 400 (typically closer to the work platform 400 at the second workstation 42) and is positioned along the forward and backward movement path of the second robot 600, typically facing the rear side of the second workstation 42. It is configured to face upward to capture pose information and determine the position and orientation of the light engine head relative to the main body. The control system 800 is configured to at least control the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603 to adjust the position and orientation of the first pick-up mechanism 601 relative to the second pick-up mechanism 602 based on the lower housing position information and light engine position information fed back by the first CCD module 604 and the second CCD module 700. Specifically, the control system 800 dynamically adjusts the distance between the two suction cups and the deflection angle of the light engine head based on the data from the two CCD modules. Preferably, the control system 800 is connected to various functional modules, such as the conveyor line 200, the light engine feeding mechanism 300, the work platform 400, the first manipulator 500, the second manipulator 600, the second CCD module 700, and the third CCD module 900. A human-machine interface is provided on the front side of the housing of the frame 100 to display the real-time operating status / parameters of the equipment and allow personnel to input settings on the human-machine interface. Furthermore, an alarm mechanism, such as a light alarm or an audible alarm, is typically provided on the equipment frame.

[0029] Furthermore, an automated assembly device for installing a light engine into a lower housing further comprises: QC inspection module, which is used to inspect semi-finished assembly products; The defective product sorting area 200' (in this embodiment, it is an NG product guiding NG track, and an induction area is set at its left end. When NG products are placed in the induction area, the track is activated to flow out the NG products. The induction area, the material picking area 2011 and the first workstation 41 are arranged opposite each other from front to back) is located on the side of the conveying line 200, for example, on the front side. According to the inspection results, the first robot 500 picks up the defective products on the working platform 400 and sends them to the defective product sorting area 200', and picks up the qualified products on the working platform 400 and sends them to the conveying line 200, generally to the right side of the material picking area 2011.

[0030] The QC inspection module includes a third CCD module 900, positioned above the horizontal translation path of the work platform 400. It is configured to take downward-facing images to inspect semi-finished products. This module measures the height difference between the top of the light engine and the top of the lower housing at multiple points (obtaining assembly depth distribution data) to verify that the light engine has been pressed into the lower housing to the required depth. This measurement utilizes points on the lower housing top plane and the corresponding points on the top surface of the light engine, making it easy to measure relative heights.

[0031] The conveyor line 200 is designed as a left section 201 and a right section 202, each of which is independently controlled. The material retrieving area 2011 is located at the right end of the left section 201. The first robot 500 retrieves qualified products from the work platform 400 and delivers them to the right section 202 (e.g., near the left end). The QC inspection module is located to the right of the second workstation 42. Considering the layout, it is generally located to the right of the area where the second robot 600 is located, which is equivalent to the third workstation 43 of the work platform 400.

[0032] Next, an assembly method of the aforementioned automated assembly equipment for assembling the light engine into the lower housing is introduced, comprising the following steps: Step S100: receiving the upstream lower shell through the segmented conveying line 200 and positioning it in the material taking area 2011; Step S200: The first robot 500 transfers the lower shell to the working platform 400 of the first workstation 41; Step S300: The work platform 400 moves rightward to the second work station 42 to perform light engine assembly operations, including: Step S310: Scan and locate the tray using the first CCD module 604 to obtain initial position data of the light engine head and the main body, so as to guide the subsequent movement of the second manipulator 600. Step S320: dynamically adjusting the distance between the first material picking mechanism 601 and the second material picking mechanism 602 and the deflection angle of the first material picking mechanism 601 based on the initial posture data; Step S330: Synchronously capture the main body and head of the light engine and transfer them to the top of the second CCD module 700. The second CCD module 700 takes an upward photo to sample the pose information, which includes the position and direction of the head of the light engine relative to the main body. Step S340: Continue to transfer to the top of the second workstation 42. At this time, the first CCD module 604 is directly above the lower shell, and the light engine is slightly offset and located in front of the lower shell. The first CCD module 604 obtains the lower shell posture information (for example, the three-dimensional spatial coordinates of the lower shell cavity) on the working platform 400. Step S350: Calculate the deviation between the current position of the light engine and the target assembly position. Based on the deviation, the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603 adjusts the spacing and deflection angle of the first picking mechanism 601 and the second picking mechanism 602 in real time. This is equivalent to adjusting the spacing between the head of the light engine and the main body, as well as the direction / angle of the head relative to the main body. Step S360: Rotate to the position directly above the second station 42 so that the light engine faces the cavity of the lower housing. Then, perform floating press-fitting with a constant contact pressure. The Z-axis displacement can be controlled by dynamic feedback of the pressure value. In step S400, the second robot 600 moves toward the light engine feeding mechanism 300 away from the work platform 400 to provide light engines for the next cycle. The work platform 400 moves to the left (for example, to the first work station 41), and the first robot 500 takes out the assembled semi-finished product on the work platform 400 and sends it to the conveying line 200.

[0033] Furthermore, after step S360 and before step S400, a QC quality inspection step (which belongs to the quality verification stage) is also included: Step S370: The second robot arm 600 moves forward a short distance and uses the first CCD module 604 to inspect the assembled semi-finished product for appearance defects. If the product is found to be of qualified appearance, the process proceeds to step S380, where the work platform 400 moves rightward to the third workstation 43, and the third CCD module 900 takes a downward photo to inspect the semi-finished product to see whether the depth of the light engine installed in the lower housing meets the standard. If so, the first robot 500 removes the semi-finished product from the work platform 400 and sends it to the conveyor line 200. If not, the first robot 500 removes the semi-finished product from the work platform 400 and sends it to the defective product sorting area 200'. If the product is detected as a defective product, the process directly proceeds to step S400 , where the first robot 500 takes out the assembled semi-finished product from the work platform 400 and sends it to the defective product sorting area 200 ′.

[0034] From the perspective of the entire process control flow of the aforementioned assembly method, step S100 is designed as the lower shell positioning stage. The lower shell conveyed by the upstream equipment is received by the left section 201 of the segmented assembly line. In-position sensors A1, such as proximity sensors, photoelectric sensors, etc., are respectively provided at the left and right ends of the material picking area 2011. Furthermore, the posture correction of the lower shell can also be completed in the material picking area 2011. For example, a correction mechanism is provided at the front and / or rear side of the left section 201 assembly line to move the lower shell to the side. A qualified product receiving area is also provided at the left end of the right section 202, and in-position sensors A2 are respectively provided at the left and right ends of the qualified product receiving area. In addition, an NG product receiving area is also provided at the left end of the defective product sorting area 200', and in-position sensors A3 are respectively provided at the left and right ends of the NG product receiving area. Step S200 is designed as the lower shell transfer stage: the XYZ three-axis driven first manipulator 500 grasps the lower shell and transfers it to the work platform 400 located at the first workstation 41. The work platform 400 is driven by a linear motor module 401 (also called a linear module, linear motor, or linear motor) for left and right translation. The linear motor module is arranged to extend left and right, and the work platform 400 can translate left and right on top of the linear motor module. Compared with traditional screw rods and belt modules, this type of drive type work platform 400 design has the advantages of fast single-unit movement speed, high repeatability, light weight, small equipment space occupation, and long service life. It can make light load automation more flexible and positioning more precise. Generally, the first picking mechanism 601 and the second picking mechanism 602 of the first manipulator 500 and the second manipulator 600 support adaptation to a variety of lower shell and light engine specifications.

[0035] In summary, the present invention has many advantages, such as: 1. By designing the second robot arm 600 for removing the light engine to include a YZ two-axis motion mechanism, a floating pressing mechanism, a first material picking mechanism 601, a second material picking mechanism 602, an XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism 603, and a first CCD module 604, the first CCD module 604 uses visual guidance by photographing the tray, allowing the material picking mechanism to be flexibly adjusted to precisely accommodate the light engine's pickup. Simultaneously, the first CCD module 604 uses visual guidance by photographing the lower shell, and the second CCD module 700 compares the two visual feature data (e.g., multi-dimensional coordinate position information) to dynamically adjust the relative position of the light engine body and head. This ensures that the light engine is accurately positioned within the lower shell cavity to avoid damage, and that the assembly depth is precisely and easily controlled. This ensures that automated and precise assembly of the light engine can be achieved even under current feeding conditions, such as when the head and body are prone to relative deflection and optical fiber distortion.

[0036] 2. After press-fitting, the semi-finished product is visually inspected using the first CCD module 604. Furthermore, the third CCD module 900 is positioned above the left-right translation path of the work platform 400. The work platform 400 is then translated to the bottom of the third CCD module 900 for further quality inspection, such as inspecting the light engine assembly depth. This automated inspection is reliable, establishing a closed-loop quality assurance system to prevent missed inspections.

[0037] 3. The equipment adopts a left-right segmented assembly line layout, and the light engine removal adopts front-to-back movement, combined with a three-station collaborative operation mode, making the layout more clever and reasonable, forming a deep synergy between equipment and process, reducing the idle stroke of the robot arm, significantly improving the flexibility of the production line, reducing product switching time, and reducing overall energy consumption.

[0038] The key point of the design of the present invention is that it is mainly through the arrangement and mutual cooperation of the conveying line 200, the light engine feeding mechanism 300, the work platform 400 that can be translated horizontally, the first manipulator 500, the second manipulator 600, the second CCD module 700 and the control system 800; in particular, the second manipulator 600 has a YZ two-axis motion mechanism, a floating pressing mechanism, a first material picking mechanism 601, a second material picking mechanism 602, an XYθ axis adjustment mechanism 603, and a first CCD module 604; the XYθ axis adjustment mechanism 603 is configured to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism 601 relative to the second material picking mechanism 602; the first CCD module 604 is configured to adjust the position and direction of the light engine feeding mechanism 3 00 upper tray and light engine posture detection, as well as the lower shell posture detection of the working platform 400; the second CCD module 700 is configured to take photos upward to sample posture information; the control system 800 controls the XYθ axis adjustment mechanism 603 to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism 601 relative to the second material picking mechanism 602 according to the lower shell posture information and the light engine posture information; it realizes the fully automated assembly process of the light engine into the lower shell cavity, especially effectively improves the assembly accuracy, assembly efficiency and yield of the light engine and the lower shell, better meets the application of optical communication modules in such as smart / communication products, and effectively solves the problem in the prior art that the light engine is installed into the lower shell cavity and relies on manual labor, which restricts the development of optical modules.

[0039] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. Therefore, any minor modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated assembly device for installing a light engine into a lower housing, characterized in that: include: frame; The conveying line is extended to the left and right and is located in the front area of ​​the frame to convey the product from left to right; a material picking area is defined on the conveying line; The light engine feeding mechanism is located on the rear area of ​​the rack corresponding to the conveying line; A work platform that can be translated left and right, having a first station corresponding to the material taking area and a second station corresponding to the light engine assembly; the first station is set to the left of the second station; a first manipulator having an XYZ three-axis motion mechanism and configured to transfer between the material retrieving area and the first workstation; The second manipulator comprises a YZ two-axis motion mechanism, a floating pressing mechanism, a first material picking mechanism, a second material picking mechanism, an XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism, and a first CCD module; the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism is configured for the first material picking mechanism and / or the second material picking mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism relative to the second material picking mechanism; the floating pressing mechanism jointly controls the first and second material picking mechanisms to press the light engine downward; the YZ two-axis motion mechanism jointly controls the positions of the first and second material picking mechanisms, and the first CCD module, so that the second manipulator is configured to transfer between the light engine feeding mechanism and the second workstation; the first CCD module is configured to detect the position of the upper tray and the light engine of the light engine feeding mechanism, as well as the position of the lower shell of the work platform; A second CCD module is located between the light engine feeding mechanism and the working platform and is arranged on the moving path of the second manipulator. It is configured to take photos upward to sample posture information; The control system is at least configured to control the XYθ axis adjustment mechanism to adjust the position and direction of the first material picking mechanism relative to the second material picking mechanism based on the lower shell posture information and the light engine posture information fed back by the first CCD module and the second CCD module.

2. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes: QC inspection module, which is used to inspect semi-finished assembly products; The defective product sorting area is located on the side of the conveyor line. The first robot picks up the defective products on the working platform and sends them to the defective product sorting area, and picks up the qualified products on the working platform and sends them to the conveyor line.

3. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 2, characterized in that: The QC inspection module includes: The third CCD module is disposed above the left-right translation path of the working platform and is configured to take photos downward to inspect the semi-finished product being assembled.

4. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 2, wherein: The conveying line is designed as two parts, a left section 201 and a right section 202, and the two parts are independently controlled. The material picking area is set at the right end of the left section 201, and the first manipulator picks up the qualified products on the working platform and sends them to the right section 202.

5. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The QC inspection module is arranged on the right side of the second station.

6. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 3, characterized in that: The third CCD module performs multi-point measurement on the height difference between the top of the light engine and the top of the lower shell to check whether the light engine is pressed into the inner cavity of the lower shell to a depth that meets the standard.

7. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 1, characterized in that: The XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism includes a θ-axis adjustment drive, an X-axis translation drive, and a Y-axis translation drive. The θ-axis adjustment drive is connected to the first material picking mechanism to control the rotation angle of the first material picking mechanism. The X-axis translation drive and the Y-axis translation drive are connected to the second material picking mechanism to control the distance of the second material picking mechanism relative to the first material picking mechanism.

8. The automated assembly equipment for installing a light engine into a lower housing according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The first material-retrieving mechanism is installed on the side of the second material-retrieving mechanism and is equipped with a lifting drive to control the up and down displacement of the first material-retrieving mechanism relative to the second material-retrieving mechanism.

9. An assembly method for an automated assembly device for assembling a light engine according to any one of claims 1 to 8 into a lower housing, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Step S100: receiving the upstream lower shell through the conveying line and positioning it in the material taking area; Step S200: The first manipulator transfers the lower shell to the working platform of the first station; Step S300: The work platform moves right to the second work station to perform light engine assembly operations, including: Step S310: Scan and locate the tray using the first CCD module to obtain initial position data of the light engine head and the main body; Step S320: dynamically adjusting the distance between the first material retrieving mechanism and the second material retrieving mechanism and the deflection angle of the first material retrieving mechanism based on the initial posture data; Step S330: Synchronously take the main body and head of the light engine and transfer them to above the second CCD module. The second CCD module takes an upward photo to sample posture information, which includes the position and direction of the head of the light engine relative to the main body. Step S340: Continue to transfer to the second workstation and obtain the lower shell posture information through the first CCD module; Step S350: Calculate the deviation between the current position of the light engine and the target assembly position, and adjust the spacing and deflection angle of the first and second material-picking mechanisms in real time by the XYθ-axis adjustment mechanism; Step S360: Rotate to the top of the second station so that the light engine faces the cavity of the lower housing, and then perform floating press-fitting. Step S400: The work platform moves to the left, and the first manipulator takes out the assembled semi-finished product on the work platform.

10. The assembly method according to claim 9, characterized in that: After step S360 and before step S400, a QC quality inspection step is also included: Step S370: Using the first CCD module to perform appearance defect detection on the assembled semi-finished product; If the appearance of the product is qualified, the process proceeds to step S380, where the work platform moves right to the third workstation. The third CCD module takes a downward photo to inspect the semi-finished product to see if the depth of the light engine installed in the lower housing meets the standard. If so, the first robot removes the semi-finished product from the work platform and sends it to the conveyor line at step S400. If not, the first robot removes the semi-finished product from the work platform and sends it to the defective product sorting area at step S400. If the product is detected as a defective product in appearance, the process directly proceeds to step S400 , where the first robot takes out the assembled semi-finished product on the work platform and sends it to the defective product sorting area.

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