Multifunctional lens clamping device and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of optical measurement and control, in particular to a multifunctional lens clamping device and method.The multifunctional lens clamping device comprises a shell and a clamping mechanism, the clamping mechanism is installed in the shell, the clamping mechanism comprises at least four clamping legs which can move independently or in pairs, and the clamping legs are connected with the shell. The tail end of each clamping leg is provided with a clamping foot capable of deflecting in a self-adaptive mode. Wherein different parts of the shell are driven to enable the at least two pairs of clamping legs to generate symmetrical reciprocating swing, so that a variable clamping space is formed, and lenses with different shapes and sizes are clamped. Through the four clamping legs which can be controlled independently and the clamping feet which can deflect in a self-adaptive mode, the lens clamping device can stably and reliably clamp lenses in various central symmetry or axial symmetry patterns such as a circular pattern, a rectangular pattern, a square pattern, a parallelogram pattern and an oval pattern. In addition, the clamping legs capable of swinging in a large range are arranged, so that the clamping space can be continuously adjusted in a large size range.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical measurement and control technology, and in particular to a multifunctional lens clamping device and method. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of optical inspection technology and semiconductor manufacturing processes, the types and shapes of optical lenses are becoming increasingly diverse. Besides the widespread use of traditional circular lenses in industry, rectangular, square, and other irregularly shaped lenses are finding increasingly wider applications. In different optical measurement and imaging systems, it is often necessary to change lenses of different shapes and sizes according to testing requirements, which places higher demands on the versatility and switching efficiency of lens clamping devices.

[0003] Currently, most lens clamping tools on the market are designed for specific shapes. For example, circular clamps are specifically for round lenses, while rectangular clamps are only suitable for rectangular lenses. These "one-to-one" dedicated clamps are clearly insufficient in inspection environments where lens shapes need to be frequently changed. Each time a lens is changed, the operator must disassemble the original clamp and reinstall a dedicated clamp adapted to the new lens shape. This process is not only time-consuming but also prone to introducing adjustment errors, severely impacting the efficiency and accuracy of optical inspection.

[0004] In particular, most optical inspection instruments are originally equipped with circular clamping mechanisms. When rectangular or other non-circular lenses need to be installed, the usual solution is to customize a special adapter clamp. For example, the rectangular lens is embedded in an adapter ring with an outer circle and an inner square, and then the adapter ring is installed onto the instrument's original circular clamp. While this method is feasible, it significantly increases the manufacturing cost of the clamp, the complexity of material management, and the setup and adjustment time, which is detrimental to the efficient execution of inspection tasks and cost control.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies lack a universal clamping device that can accommodate optical lenses of various shapes and support rapid and precise switching. Especially in applications where circular and rectangular lenses are alternately clamped, there is an urgent need for a clamping mechanism that can achieve rapid positioning and reliable fixation without changing the clamps, thereby improving the adaptability and overall efficiency of the entire optical inspection system.

[0006] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide a multifunctional lens clamping device that is compatible with optical lenses of various shapes and supports rapid and precise switching.

[0008] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a multifunctional lens clamping device, comprising a housing and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is installed inside the housing, and the clamping mechanism includes at least four clamping legs that can move independently or in pairs, and each clamping leg is provided with an adaptively deflectable clamping foot at its end. By driving different parts of the housing, at least two pairs of clamping legs can be made to swing symmetrically to form a variable clamping space, thereby enabling the clamping of lenses of different shapes and sizes.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, the housing comprises an upper housing, a middle housing, and a lower housing. The upper housing is rotatably mounted on one side of the middle housing and is used to drive the first pair of clamping legs to produce symmetrical reciprocating swing. The lower housing is rotatably mounted on the other side of the middle housing and is used to drive the second pair of clamping legs to produce symmetrical reciprocating swing.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, the first pair of clamping legs are arranged opposite each other on the same side of the upper housing; The second pair of clamping legs are arranged opposite each other on the same side of the lower housing; Preferably, the first pair of clamping legs are coupled to the upper housing via a first guide post and a first sliding groove structure; Preferably, the second pair of clamping legs are coupled to the lower housing via a second guide post and a second sliding groove structure.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, each clamping leg includes a swing arm, a clamping foot, and an adjusting screw. The swing arm is hinged to the central housing via a swing arm pivot. The clamping foot is hinged to the end of the swing arm via a clamping foot pivot. The adjusting screw is located on the clamping foot and is used to adjust and lock the initial angle of the clamping foot relative to the swing arm.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, each clamping leg further includes a rocker arm spring and a clamping foot spring. One end of the swing arm spring is fixed to the swing arm, and the other end is fixed to the middle housing; One end of the clamping foot spring is fixed to the swing arm, and the other end is fixed to the clamping foot through a spring pull ring.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, each of the clamping legs further includes a locking nut, which is disposed on the first guide post or the second guide post and is used to lock the swing arm to a predetermined angle.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, at least one roller is installed on the clamping foot, and the roller is used to contact and roll with the side of the lens during clamping.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, the clamping surface of the clamping foot is a plane.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of this technical solution, the multifunctional lens clamping device is capable of clamping a centrally symmetrical or axially symmetrical lens with at least four symmetrical points / planes.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention also provides a method for clamping lenses using the above-mentioned multifunctional lens clamping device, which should also fall within the protection scope of the present invention, specifically including the following steps: The upper and lower housings are rotated respectively, driving the first pair of clamping legs and the second pair of clamping legs to swing, so as to adjust the clamping space to a size suitable for accommodating the lens to be clamped; Place the lens to be clamped into the adjusted clamping space; The angle of the lens to be clamped can be finely adjusted by adjusting at least one adjusting screw.

[0018] The multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: 1. The multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention includes a housing and a clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism is installed inside the housing and includes at least four clamping legs that can move independently or in pairs. Each clamping leg has an adaptively deflectable clamping foot at its end. Through the four independently controllable clamping legs and their adaptively deflectable clamping feet, the device can stably and reliably clamp lenses of various centrally symmetrical or axially symmetrical shapes, such as circles, rectangles, squares, parallelograms, and ellipses. Furthermore, by providing clamping legs with a wide range of swing, the clamping space can be continuously adjusted within a large size range. Therefore, the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention can not only handle lenses of different shapes but also accommodate lenses of different sizes within the same shape, eliminating the need for custom-made clamps for minor size differences. 2. The multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention, by driving different parts of the housing, enables at least two pairs of clamping legs to symmetrically reciprocate, thereby forming a space to accommodate the lens to be clamped. Therefore, in optical inspection scenarios that require frequent lens replacement, operators do not need to disassemble and replace the entire fixture; they can switch between lenses of different shapes simply by driving different parts of the housing, reducing the original fixture replacement time from several minutes to tens of seconds, greatly improving inspection efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly of the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the housing in the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention; Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the clamping mechanism in the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the clamping leg in the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the upper housing driving the clamping leg movement of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the movement of the lower housing driving the clamping leg of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 0: Lens; 1: Shell; 11: Upper shell; 12: Middle shell; 13: Lower shell; 2: Clamping mechanism; 21: First clamping leg; 22: Second clamping leg; 23: Third clamping leg; 24: Fourth clamping leg; 2201: Rocker arm; 2202: Locking nut; 2203: Rocker arm pivot; 2204: Rocker arm spring; 2205: Clamping foot spring; 2206: Spring pull ring; 2207: Left roller; 2208: Right roller; 2209: Adjusting screw; 2210: Clamping foot; 2211: Clamping foot pivot. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. 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.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention 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 limiting this invention.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they may refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they may refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they may refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they may refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0025] Example 1 like Figure 1-4 As shown, this embodiment provides a multifunctional lens clamping device, including a housing 1 and a clamping mechanism 2. The clamping mechanism 2 is installed inside the housing 1 and includes at least four clamping legs that can move independently or in pairs. Each clamping leg has an adaptively deflectable clamping foot 2210 at its end. By driving different parts of the housing 1, at least two pairs of clamping legs can generate symmetrical reciprocating swings to form a variable clamping space, thereby realizing the clamping of lenses 0 of different shapes and sizes.

[0026] The multifunctional lens clamping device of this embodiment includes a housing 1 and a clamping mechanism 2. The clamping mechanism 2 is installed inside the housing 1 and includes at least four clamping legs that can move independently or in pairs. Each clamping leg has an adaptively deflectable clamping foot 2210 at its end. With the four independently controllable clamping legs and their adaptively deflectable clamping feet 2210, the device can stably and reliably clamp lenses 0 of various centrally symmetrical or axially symmetrical shapes such as circles, rectangles, squares, parallelograms, and ellipses. In addition, by setting clamping legs with a wide range of swing, the clamping space can be continuously adjusted within a large size range.

[0027] Therefore, the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention can not only handle lenses of different shapes, but also accommodate lenses of different sizes of the same shape, without the need to customize special clamps for minor size differences; Furthermore, by driving different parts of the housing 1, at least two pairs of clamping legs can be made to swing symmetrically back and forth, thereby forming a space to accommodate the lens 0 to be clamped. Therefore, in optical inspection scenarios where lens 0 needs to be changed frequently, operators do not need to disassemble and replace the entire fixture. They can switch between lenses 0 of different shapes simply by driving different parts of the housing 1, reducing the original fixture change time from several minutes to tens of seconds, greatly improving inspection efficiency.

[0028] In this embodiment, more preferably, the housing 1 includes an upper housing 11, a middle housing 12, and a lower housing 13. The middle housing 12 mainly serves as a reference frame (usually mounted on optical instruments) and a mounting carrier. The upper housing 11 is rotatably mounted on one side of the middle housing 12 and is used to drive the first pair of clamping legs to generate symmetrical reciprocating swing, thereby clamping the lens 0. The lower housing 13 is rotatably mounted on the other side of the middle housing 12 and is used to drive the second pair of clamping legs to generate symmetrical reciprocating swing, thereby clamping the lens 0.

[0029] In this embodiment, more preferably, the first pair of clamping legs are arranged opposite each other on the same side of the upper housing 11; the second pair of clamping legs are arranged opposite each other on the same side of the lower housing 13. When the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 13 are rotated, the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 13 respectively perform a spiral motion relative to the middle housing 12, and can respectively drive the first pair of clamping legs on the upper housing 11 and the second pair of clamping legs on the lower housing 13 to swing.

[0030] In this embodiment, more preferably, the first pair of clamping legs is coupled to the upper housing 11 via a first guide post and a first sliding groove structure; the second pair of clamping legs is coupled to the lower housing 13 via a second guide post and a second sliding groove structure.

[0031] Specifically, the inner walls of the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 13 are respectively provided with an inclined first sliding groove structure and a second sliding groove structure. The first guide post on the first pair of clamping legs (the second clamping leg 22 and the fourth clamping leg 24) is inserted into the first sliding groove structure, and the second guide post on the second pair of clamping legs (the first clamping leg 21 and the third clamping leg 23) is inserted into the second sliding groove structure. When the first guide post slides in the first sliding groove structure, it can drive the first pair of clamping legs (the second clamping leg 22 and the fourth clamping leg 24) to swing. When the second guide post slides in the second sliding groove structure, it can drive the second pair of clamping legs (the first clamping leg 21 and the third clamping leg 23) to swing. Through the swinging of the first pair of clamping legs and the second pair of clamping legs, a variable clamping space is formed to realize the clamping of lenses 0 of different shapes and sizes. When it is necessary to clamp the installed lens 0, the position can be fixed by the locking nuts 2202 correspondingly provided on the first guide post and the second guide post.

[0032] In this embodiment, each clamping leg has the same structure. Taking the second clamping leg 22 as an example, the structure of the clamping leg is described. Specifically, it includes a rocker arm 2201, a clamping foot 2210, and an adjusting screw 2209. The rocker arm 2201 is hinged to the middle housing 12 through a rocker arm pivot 2203. The clamping foot 2210 is hinged to the end of the rocker arm 2201 through a clamping foot pivot 2211. The adjusting screw 2209 is provided on the clamping foot 2210 and is used to adjust and lock the initial angle of the clamping foot 2210 relative to the rocker arm 2201.

[0033] The guide post is the drive input end of the swing arm 2201, and the swing arm pivot 2203 is the swing fulcrum of the swing arm 2201. It is hinged on the middle housing 12, providing a fixed rotation center for the swing arm 2201. The swing arm 2201 acts as the motion actuator, with one end of it being fixed to the fulcrum by the swing arm pivot 2203, and the middle or other end being driven by the guide post, thereby converting the linear / curved motion of the guide post into swinging around the pivot. The fine-tuning function of the clamping foot 2210 allows the operator to make precise adjustments to the pitch, yaw, and other postures of the lens 0 while it is clamped. This is crucial for optical path debugging that has strict requirements on the incident angle and is a function that most traditional rigid clamps do not have.

[0034] In this embodiment, more preferably, each clamping leg further includes a rocker arm spring 2204 and a clamping foot spring 2205. One end of the rocker arm spring 2204 is fixed to the rocker arm 2201, and the other end is fixed to the central housing 12. One end of the clamping foot spring 2205 is fixed to the rocker arm 2201, and the other end is fixed to the clamping foot 2210 via a spring pull ring 2206. The rocker arm spring 2204 provides the rocker arm 2201 with a restoring force for swinging, the clamping foot spring 2205 provides the clamping foot 2210 with a restoring force for swinging, and the spring pull ring 2206 provides a hanging point for the clamping foot spring 2205.

[0035] The adaptive deflection capability and spring-buffered design of the clamping feet 2210 enable the device to tolerate minute machining tolerances in the lens 0 shape, ensuring uniform distribution of clamping force and further protecting precision optical components.

[0036] In this embodiment, more preferably, each clamping leg also includes a locking nut 2202, which is disposed at the upper end of the guide post (including the first guide post and the second guide post) and is used to tighten and lock the clamping leg after the clamping foot 2210 swings to a predetermined angle, thereby fixing the position of the clamping leg.

[0037] In this embodiment, more preferably, at least one roller is mounted on the clamping foot 2210, the roller being used to contact and roll with the side of the lens 0 during clamping.

[0038] Specifically, the clamping foot 2210 is equipped with a left roller 2207 and a right roller 2208. The left roller 2207 and right roller 2208 can conform to the side of the lens 0 and roll on the lens surface, working together with the clamping foot 2210 to easily accommodate lenses 0 of different shapes. The roller structure design allows the clamping foot 2210 to conform to the side of the lens 0 through rolling friction, providing sufficient clamping force to prevent the lens 0 from loosening, while avoiding scratches on the edge of the lens 0 or deformation caused by stress concentration.

[0039] In this embodiment, more preferably, the clamping surface of the clamping foot 2210 is a plane. Therefore, there is no strict requirement for the thickness of the lens 0. Generally, lenses 0 with a thickness of 2mm-3mm can be clamped.

[0040] In this embodiment, the multifunctional lens clamping device is capable of clamping a centrally symmetric or axially symmetric lens 0 with at least four symmetric points / planes.

[0041] Specifically, the multifunctional lens clamping device of the present invention can clamp not only rectangular and circular lenses, but also parallelogram-shaped prisms and elliptical lenses. In summary, it can clamp lenses with centrally symmetric and axially symmetric shapes. Furthermore, it can also clamp lenses with four symmetrical points / faces. It is not suitable for other irregularly shaped lenses, but most lenses commonly used in industry are the aforementioned regular shapes.

[0042] In another specific embodiment of the present invention, the clamping foot 2210 has a length of 15mm and an inner diameter of Φ110, and can clamp lenses with a size of 15mm-110mm. In practical applications, the overall size of the device can be increased to accommodate larger lenses.

[0043] Example 2 like Figure 5-6 As shown, this embodiment provides a method for clamping lenses using the most preferred multifunctional lens clamping device described above, specifically including the following steps: S1. Rotate the upper housing 11 and the lower housing 13 respectively to drive the first pair of clamping legs and the second pair of clamping legs to swing, so as to adjust the clamping space to a size suitable for accommodating the lens 0 to be clamped. Specifically, turning the upper housing 11 (TM1) counterclockwise with the left hand will cause the first pair of clamping legs to swing clockwise (TM2); turning the lower housing 13 (BM1) clockwise with the right hand will cause the second pair of clamping legs to swing counterclockwise (BM2), thereby adjusting the clamping space between the first pair of clamping legs and the second pair of clamping legs to a size suitable for accommodating the lens 0 to be clamped. The purpose of this step is to expand the clamping space and make the opening large enough so that the lens can be easily inserted; S2. Place the lens 0 to be clamped in the adjusted clamping space. Under the action of the swing rod spring 2204, the clamping space will automatically shrink to achieve the initial fixation of the lens 0. S3. Finally, by adjusting at least one adjusting screw 2209, the angle of the lens to be clamped is finely adjusted. Specifically, turning the adjusting screws 2209 (BT1) and (TT1) inward or outward causes the clamping feet 2210 to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise (BM3) and (TM3) to further adjust the lens 0 angle.

[0044] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multifunctional lens chucking device, characterized by, The multifunctional lens clamping device comprises a shell and a clamping mechanism, The clamping mechanism is installed inside the shell, and the clamping mechanism comprises at least four clamping legs which can move independently or in pairs, and the end of each clamping leg is provided with a clamping foot which can be self-adaptively deflected; Wherein, by driving different parts of the shell, at least two pairs of clamping legs can produce symmetrical reciprocating swing, forming a variable clamping space.

2. The multifunctional lens clamp device according to claim 1, wherein, The shell comprises an upper shell, a middle shell and a lower shell, The upper shell is rotatably installed on one side of the middle shell and is used to drive the first pair of clamping legs to produce symmetrical reciprocating swing; The lower shell is rotatably installed on the other side of the middle shell and is used to drive the second pair of clamping legs to produce symmetrical reciprocating swing.

3. The multifunctional lens clamp device according to claim 2, wherein, The first pair of clamping legs is arranged on the same side of the upper shell in opposition; The second pair of clamping legs is arranged on the same side of the lower shell in opposition; Preferably, the first pair of clamping legs and the upper shell are coupled through a first guide column and a first sliding groove structure; Preferably, the second pair of clamping legs and the lower shell are coupled through a second guide column and a second sliding groove structure.

4. The multifunctional lens clamp device according to claim 3, wherein, Each clamping leg comprises a swing rod, a clamping foot and an adjusting screw, The swing rod is hinged to the middle shell through a swing rod pivot; The clamping foot is hingedly arranged at the end of the swing rod through a clamping foot pivot; The adjusting screw is arranged on the clamping foot and is used to adjust and lock the initial angle of the clamping foot relative to the swing rod.

5. The multifunctional lens clamp device according to claim 4, wherein, Each clamping leg further comprises a swing rod spring and a clamping foot spring, One end of the swing rod spring is fixed to the swing rod, and the other end is fixed to the middle shell; One end of the clamping foot spring is fixed to the swing rod, and the other end is fixed to the clamping foot through a spring pull ring.

6. The multifunctional lens clamp device of claim 4, wherein, Each clamping leg further comprises a locking nut arranged on the first guide column or the second guide column, which is used to lock the swing rod to a predetermined angle.

7. The multifunctional lens clamp device of claim 4, wherein, The clamping surface of the clamping foot is a plane.

8. The multifunctional lens clamp device of claim 4, wherein, At least one roller is installed on the clamping foot, which is used to contact and roll on the side surface of the lens during clamping.

9. The multifunctional lens clamp device of claim 4, wherein, The multifunctional lens clamping device can clamp a center-symmetric or axis-symmetric graphic lens having at least four symmetric points / surfaces.

10. A method of clamping a lens using the multifunctional lens clamping device according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: Rotating the upper shell and the lower shell respectively to drive the first pair of clamping legs and the second pair of clamping legs to swing, so as to adjust the clamping space to a size suitable for accommodating the lens to be clamped; Placing the lens to be clamped in the adjusted clamping space; Fine-tuning the angle of the lens to be clamped by adjusting at least one adjusting screw.

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