Combined fairing coating tool and method

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vacuum coating machining, in particular to a combined fairing coating tool and method.The tool comprises a part containing disc and a part single tool, a disc body of the part containing disc is of a circular plate-shaped structure, and a plurality of mounting holes used for assembling the part single tool are formed in the disc body; the inner diameter of each mounting hole is larger than the maximum outer diameter of a fairing part to be machined, and the multiple mounting holes are evenly distributed in the disc body. The part containing disc and the part single tool can be quickly combined and disassembled, and the hanging lugs of the part single tool and the part containing disc are matched through the notches and the hanging lug steps, so that the part single tool and the part containing disc can be quickly and accurately positioned in the loading process; and the limiting ring also plays a role in shielding the evaporation material and reducing pollution in the coating process. Two kinds of part single tools are designed to adapt to the shape and the machining direction of the fairing part, and a reverse conical ring of the convex surface plating tool is easy to hold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of vacuum coating processing, and more particularly to a combined hood coating fixture and method. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum coating fixtures are essential tools in the vacuum coating process of optical components. Their main function is to fix the optical components in place during the vacuum coating process by clamping them, while also achieving specific functional requirements through structural design.

[0003] The fairing components are nearly hemispherical in shape, such as Figure 1 As shown, coating equipment, to adapt to the shape characteristics and processing requirements of large-diameter fairings, often adopts a planetary carrier combined with a parts tray. When the fairing diameter is close to the size of the parts tray, to ensure processing results, the coating fixture is often adopted in a single-piece, single-mount form, with an opening designed in the center of the parts tray according to the fairing diameter to hold the parts.

[0004] When the diameter of the fairing component differs significantly from that of the component tray, such as Figure 2 As shown, this requires multiple openings in the parts tray to accommodate small-diameter fairings in a multi-hole, multi-placement manner, thereby reducing idle space and increasing loading capacity. However, this method has drawbacks. First, the fairing's unique shape makes it difficult to grasp and place; while it's manageable for single-piece placement, multiple-piece placement becomes challenging. Second, the parts turntable is mounted on the planetary carrier; maintaining balance is easy for single-piece placement, but difficult for multiple-piece placement, potentially causing parts to break or fall. Third, when coating the convex surface of parts, the convex side needs to protrude downwards from the tray, making loading and unloading difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide a combined fairing coating fixture and method. The coating fixture of the present invention can be used for multiple applications without altering the structure of the original coating equipment, and is convenient and quick to use.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: The present invention provides a combined fairing coating fixture, comprising a part holding tray and a part individual fixture. The part holding tray has a circular plate structure and multiple mounting holes for assembling the part individual fixture. The inner diameter of each mounting hole is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the fairing part to be processed, and the multiple mounting holes are evenly distributed on the tray.

[0007] Preferably, the outer edge of the part tray is provided with an annular connecting part. The outer diameter and thickness of the annular connecting part are matched with the mounting slot of the planetary carrier of the coating equipment. The outer surface of the annular connecting part is a smooth arc surface, which can be directly embedded into the mounting slot of the planetary carrier.

[0008] Preferably, each mounting hole on the parts tray has an integrally formed lug step, a limiting step, and a passage notch at its edge; the lug step is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole, the limiting step is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole and is lower in height than the lug step, and the passage notch is a rectangular notch formed between the lug step and the limiting step; the lug step, the limiting step, and the passage notch are periodically distributed at the same intervals along the circumference of the mounting hole.

[0009] Preferably, the outer main body of the single part fixture is a vertical barrel-shaped structure with uniform barrel wall thickness. The top of the barrel wall extends outward along the circumference to form multiple hanging ears. The width of each hanging ear matches the width of the notch at the edge of the part tray mounting hole, and the thickness of the hanging ear matches the height of the hanging ear step. The hanging ear can pass through the mounting hole along the notch and fit against the lower surface of the hanging ear step.

[0010] Preferably, an annular limiting ring is integrally formed on the barrel wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the single part tooling, at a position slightly below the top of the barrel wall; the outer diameter of the limiting ring is larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole on the part tray, the upper surface of the limiting ring is a horizontal plane, the lower surface of the limiting ring is an outwardly inclined slope, and the width of the limiting ring is 1.5-2 times the thickness of the barrel wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure.

[0011] Preferably, the single-unit tooling of the part includes two tooling bodies with different structural types, namely a concave tooling body and a convex tooling body; the internal cavity of the concave tooling body is a concave arc structure, and the internal cavity of the convex tooling body is a convex arc structure, and the outer vertical barrel structure of the two tooling bodies has the same dimensions.

[0012] Preferably, the depth of the concave arc-shaped cavity inside the concave tooling body is 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the total height of the tooling body, the inner wall of the cavity is provided with multiple evenly distributed anti-slip protrusions, the edge of the cavity opening is a rounded corner structure with a rounded corner radius of 2-5mm; the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the concave tooling body is provided with scale lines, which are distributed along the height direction.

[0013] Preferably, the height of the internal convex arc-shaped cavity of the convex tooling body is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the total height of the tooling body, and a circular positioning groove is provided at the bottom of the cavity. The diameter of the positioning groove matches the diameter of the bottom of the fairing part. An annular guide groove is provided on the inner side wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tooling body. The width of the guide groove is 3-8mm.

[0014] Preferably, an anti-conical ring is integrally formed on the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tool body near the bottom of the barrel wall; the outer diameter of the anti-conical ring gradually increases from top to bottom, the taper of the anti-conical ring is 15°-30°, and a transition fillet is provided between the upper surface of the anti-conical ring and the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure, with a transition fillet radius of 1-3mm.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for using a combined fairing coating fixture based on any one of the above-mentioned methods, the specific steps of which are as follows: After the cleaned fairing parts are placed into the individual part fixture, the operator holds the lower part of the limiting ring of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the individual part fixture and lifts it upward from the bottom of the part tray, so that the hanging ears of the individual part fixture are aligned with the through notch of the mounting hole of the part tray. Then, the individual part fixture is lifted upward through the opening until the limiting ring contacts the part tray. The individual part fixture is rotated until the hanging ears are completely aligned with the limiting step of the mounting hole of the part tray. Under its own weight, the individual part fixture will sink into the limiting step by itself. After rotating left and right to confirm that it is in place, the placement is completed.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and positive effects of the present invention are as follows: The parts tray of this invention mates with the planetary carrier of the equipment without requiring modifications to the existing equipment structure. The parts tray is designed with multiple holes, the opening size of which is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the parts. The individual tooling is designed with the outer contour of the optical parts in mind, and the part-tooling connection is used to fix the parts. The outer side of the individual tooling has a vertical barrel-shaped structure, and the top of the barrel wall is designed with a hanging lug. The opening of the parts tray and the individual tooling are combined through a notch-hanging lug step-limiting step structure. The structure consists of a disk body (i.e., planetary disk) and individual component fixtures, which can be quickly assembled and disassembled. The assembly section fully considers positioning and limiting. The design of the mounting lugs of the individual component fixtures and the tray's through-hole and lug step allows for rapid and accurate positioning of the individual component fixtures and tray during loading. The limiting ring also serves to shield the evaporating material and reduce contamination during the coating process. Two different designs for the individual component fixtures are incorporated to accommodate the shape and machining direction of the fairing components. The convex surface coating fixture features an anti-conical ring to ensure easy holding. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the original single large-diameter fairing coating fixture. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the existing tooling for machining multiple small-diameter fairings; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the component tray in this invention; Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the mounting holes opened on the parts tray in this invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the part plating fixture body in this invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the part concave surface single-piece tooling body for assembling parts in this invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the single-piece tooling body for plating convex surfaces of parts in this invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the part-plating convex surface single-piece tooling body for assembling parts in this invention; Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a single tooling unit for a part in this invention – the hanging lugs passing upward through the mounting holes on the part tray – and connecting via notches; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram showing the rotation of the individual tooling unit of the part in the present invention within the mounting hole on the part tray. Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the part fixture - the hanging ear - falling within the limiting step of the mounting hole on the part tray in this invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Large-diameter fairing; 2. Tray; 3. Small-diameter fairing; 4. Tray body; 5. Mounting hole; 6. Lug step; 7. Limiting step; 8. Passing notch; 9. Part position; 10. Lug; 11. Limiting ring; 12. Reverse cone ring. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms length, width, up, down, front, back, left, right, vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, inside, outside, etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships, are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0021] Currently, the tray 3 configured on the planetary carrier of the coating equipment is quite bulky and needs to be completely removed from the planetary mechanism during use. This makes it difficult to install and remove multiple large-diameter fairings 1.

[0022] like Figure 1The original structure of the single large-diameter fairing coating fixture shown illustrates the processing state of the large-diameter fairing 1 set on the tray 2. For example... Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of a conventional fixture for processing multiple small-diameter fairings, illustrating the processing state of multiple small-diameter fairings 3 positioned on a tray 2. To address the problems of the existing structure, this invention provides a combined fairing coating fixture.

[0023] like Figure 3 As shown, a combined fairing coating fixture of the present invention includes a part holding tray and a part individual fixture. The tray body 4 of the part holding tray has a circular plate structure. The tray body 4 has a plurality of mounting holes 5 for assembling the part individual fixture. The inner diameter of each mounting hole 5 is slightly larger than the maximum outer diameter of the fairing part to be processed, and the plurality of mounting holes 5 are evenly distributed on the tray body 4.

[0024] As an optional embodiment, the outer edge of the part tray is provided with an annular connecting part. The outer diameter and thickness of the annular connecting part are matched with the mounting slot size of the planetary carrier of the coating equipment. The outer surface of the annular connecting part is a smooth arc surface, which can be directly embedded into the mounting slot of the planetary carrier.

[0025] As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, each mounting hole 5 on the parts tray has an integrally formed lug step 6, a limiting step 7, and a passage notch 8 at the edge of the hole; the lug step 6 is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole, the limiting step 7 is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole and is lower than the lug step 6, and the passage notch 8 is a rectangular notch opened between the lug step 6 and the limiting step 7; the lug step 6, the limiting step 7, and the passage notch 8 are periodically distributed at the same intervals along the circumference of the mounting hole 5.

[0026] As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the outer main body of the single part fixture is a vertical barrel-shaped structure. The barrel wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure has a uniform thickness, and the top of the barrel wall extends outward along the circumference to form multiple hanging ears 10. The width of each hanging ear 10 matches the width of the notch 8 at the edge of the mounting hole 5 on the part tray, and the thickness of the hanging ear 10 matches the height of the hanging ear step 6. The hanging ear 10 can pass through the mounting hole 5 along the notch 8 and then fit against the lower surface of the hanging ear step 6.

[0027] As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 5As shown, on the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the single-piece tooling, an annular limiting ring 11 is integrally formed at a position slightly below the top of the barrel wall; the outer diameter of the limiting ring 11 is larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole 5 on the part tray, the upper surface of the limiting ring 11 is a horizontal plane, the lower surface of the limiting ring 11 is an outwardly inclined slope, and the width of the limiting ring 11 is 1.5-2 times the thickness of the vertical barrel-shaped structure barrel wall.

[0028] As an optional embodiment, such as Figures 5-8 As shown, the single-unit tooling of the part includes two different types of tooling bodies, namely a concave tooling body (e.g., ...). Figure 5 (as shown) and convex tooling body (such as) Figure 7 (As shown); the internal cavity of the concave tooling body is a concave arc-shaped structure, and the internal cavity of the convex tooling body is a convex arc-shaped structure. The outer vertical barrel-shaped structure dimensions of both types of tooling bodies are identical. The concave tooling body can be selected based on the orientation of the part during machining (e.g., ...). Figure 6 (as shown) or convex tooling body (such as) Figure 8 (As shown).

[0029] After the cleaned fairing component is placed into the individual component fixture, the operator holds the lower part of the limiting ring 11 on the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the fixture and lifts it upwards from below the component tray. Ensure that the mounting lug 10 of the fixture aligns with the through notch 8 of the mounting hole 5 on the component tray. Then, lift the fixture upwards, passing it through the opening until the limiting ring 11 contacts the component tray (e.g., ...). Figure 9 As shown), rotate the individual tooling of the part (such as...) Figure 10 As shown, when the mounting lug 10 and the mounting hole 5 of the part tray are completely aligned, the individual part fixture will sink into the limiting step 7 under its own weight (as shown). Figure 11 As shown), try rotating it left and right to confirm that it is in place and then place it. Among them, the limiting ring 11 not only plays a positioning role during the assembly process, but also plays a role in shielding the evaporated material and reducing contamination during the coating process.

[0030] As an optional embodiment, the depth of the concave arc-shaped cavity inside the concave tooling body is 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the total height of the tooling body. The inner wall of the cavity is provided with multiple evenly distributed anti-slip protrusions. The edge of the cavity opening is a rounded corner structure with a rounded corner radius of 2-5mm. The outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the concave tooling body is provided with scale lines, which are distributed along the height direction.

[0031] As an optional embodiment, the height of the internal convex arc-shaped cavity of the convex tooling body is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the total height of the tooling body, and a circular positioning groove is provided at the bottom of the cavity. The diameter of the positioning groove matches the diameter of the bottom of the fairing part. An annular guide groove is provided on the inner wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tooling body. The width of the guide groove is 3-8mm.

[0032] As an optional embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, an inverted conical ring 12 is integrally formed on the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tooling body, near the bottom of the barrel wall. The outer diameter of the inverted conical ring 12 gradually increases from top to bottom, and the taper of the inverted conical ring 12 is 15°-30°. A transition fillet with a radius of 1-3mm is provided between the upper surface of the inverted conical ring 12 and the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure. The function of the inverted conical ring 12 of the convex tooling body is to facilitate hand handling during assembly without affecting the uniformity of evaporation of the parts.

[0033] This invention is designed based on existing tooling, and includes mounting holes 5 for a parts tray that match the planetary carrier of the coating equipment. The tooling of this invention is a mounted, single-unit tooling for the fairing. The method of using this tooling is as follows: When mounting the part, the fairing is placed inside the individual part fixture, i.e., on part position 9, and the individual part fixture is held up by hand. Align the uppermost lug 10 of the individual part fixture with the through notch 8 on the mounting hole 5 of the part tray (the two are similar in shape, but the through notch 8 is slightly larger), and lift it until it is blocked by the limiting ring 11. Rotate the individual part fixture until the limiting step 7 between the lug 10 and the two through notches 8 of the part tray is aligned (the two are similar in shape, but the limiting step 7 is slightly larger). At this point, release the lug 10 of the individual part fixture, and it will fall into the limiting step 7. The limiting step 7 supports the individual part fixture and restricts the part tray from rotating to both sides, thus achieving the fixation of the fixture and the part of the present invention. The limiting ring 11 can prevent the individual part fixture from being lifted too high during loading, ensure the fixture is level during rotation, and prevent material vapor from escaping through the mounting hole 5 on the part tray during the coating process, reducing contamination.

[0034] The component tray and component fixtures of this invention can be quickly assembled and disassembled. The component tray is compatible with the planetary carrier of the coating equipment, and the component fixtures are designed according to the shape and processing direction of the fairing components. The structural assembly of this invention fully considers positioning and limiting. The design of the lug 10 of the component fixture and the through notch 8 and lug step 6 of the component tray allows for quick and accurate positioning during the loading of the component fixture and component tray. The limiting ring 11 also serves to shield the evaporating material and reduce contamination during the coating process. The component fixtures are designed in two different ways to adapt to the shape and processing direction of the fairing components. The convex surface coating fixture is designed with an anti-conical ring 12 to ensure easy holding.

[0035] In the description of this specification, the terms "connection", "installation", "fixing", "setting", etc. are interpreted broadly. For example, "connection" can be a fixed connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate component without affecting the relationship between components and the technical effect. It can also be an integral connection or a partial connection. In such cases, those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention or invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0036] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention in any other way. Any person skilled in the art may make changes or modifications to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments that can be applied to other fields. However, any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A combined fairing coating fixture, characterized in that, It includes a parts tray and a parts fixture. The parts tray has a circular plate structure and multiple mounting holes for assembling the parts fixture. The inner diameter of each mounting hole is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the fairing part to be processed, and the multiple mounting holes are evenly distributed on the tray.

2. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer edge of the part tray is provided with an annular connecting part. The outer diameter and thickness of the annular connecting part are matched with the mounting slot of the planetary carrier of the coating equipment. The outer surface of the annular connecting part is a smooth arc surface, which can be directly embedded into the mounting slot of the planetary carrier.

3. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each mounting hole on the parts tray is integrally formed with a lug step, a limiting step, and a passage notch at the edge of the hole; the lug step is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole, the limiting step is an arc-shaped platform that protrudes inward along the edge of the hole and is lower in height than the lug step, and the passage notch is a rectangular notch formed between the lug step and the limiting step; the lug step, the limiting step, and the passage notch are periodically distributed at the same intervals along the circumference of the mounting hole.

4. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer main body of the single tooling for the part is a vertical barrel-shaped structure with uniform barrel wall thickness. The top of the barrel wall extends outward along the circumference to form multiple hanging ears. The width of each hanging ear matches the width of the notch at the edge of the mounting hole of the part tray, and the thickness of the hanging ear matches the height of the hanging ear step. The hanging ear can pass through the mounting hole along the notch and fit against the lower surface of the hanging ear step.

5. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 4, characterized in that, On the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the part fixture, an annular limiting ring is integrally formed at a position slightly below the top of the barrel wall; the outer diameter of the limiting ring is larger than the inner diameter of the mounting hole on the part tray, the upper surface of the limiting ring is a horizontal plane, the lower surface of the limiting ring is an outwardly inclined slope, and the width of the limiting ring is 1.5-2 times the thickness of the vertical barrel-shaped structure barrel wall.

6. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 5, characterized in that, The single-unit tooling of the part includes two different types of tooling bodies: a concave tooling body and a convex tooling body. The internal cavity of the concave tooling body is a concave arc structure, and the internal cavity of the convex tooling body is a convex arc structure. The outer vertical barrel structure of the concave tooling body and the convex tooling body has the same dimensions.

7. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 6, characterized in that, The depth of the concave arc-shaped cavity inside the concave tooling body is 1 / 2 to 2 / 3 of the total height of the tooling body. The inner wall of the cavity is provided with multiple evenly distributed anti-slip protrusions. The edge of the cavity opening is a rounded corner structure with a radius of 2-5mm. The outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the concave tooling body is provided with scale lines, which are distributed along the height direction.

8. The combined hood coating fixture according to claim 6, characterized in that, The height of the internal convex arc-shaped cavity of the convex tooling body is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the total height of the tooling body. A circular positioning groove is provided at the bottom of the cavity, and the diameter of the positioning groove matches the diameter of the bottom of the fairing part. An annular guide groove is provided on the inner wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tooling body, and the width of the guide groove is 3-8mm.

9. A combined hood coating fixture according to claim 8, characterized in that, On the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the convex tool body, a reverse conical ring is integrally formed near the bottom of the barrel wall; the outer diameter of the reverse conical ring gradually increases from top to bottom, the taper of the reverse conical ring is 15°-30°, and a transition fillet is provided between the upper surface of the reverse conical ring and the outer wall of the vertical barrel-shaped structure, with a radius of 1-3mm.

10. A method of using a combined radome coating fixture according to any one of claims 5-9, characterized in that, The specific steps are as follows: After cleaning the fairing parts, place them into the individual part fixture. The operator holds the lower part of the limiting ring on the vertical barrel-shaped structure of the individual part fixture and lifts it upwards from the bottom of the part tray, aligning the hanging ears of the individual part fixture with the through notch of the mounting hole of the part tray. Then, lift the individual part fixture upwards through the opening until the limiting ring contacts the part tray. Rotate the individual part fixture until the hanging ears are completely aligned with the limiting step of the mounting hole of the part tray. Under its own weight, the individual part fixture will sink into the limiting step by itself. After rotating left and right to confirm that it is in place, the placement is complete.

Images