Optical module lens coupling apparatus and method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of optical communication, and discloses an optical module lens coupling device and method thereof, which comprises a coupling unit and a feeding and discharging unit, the feeding and discharging unit comprises a stock bin, one side of the stock bin is provided with a taking and placing module, the outer side of the taking and placing module is provided with a heating platform, the heating platform is provided with a positioning module, and a carrying module is used for transferring the optical module between the Tray disc on the taking and placing module, the heating platform and the coupling carrier module in sequence. The coupling unit and the feeding and discharging unit are arranged separately and independently, the vibration transmission during feeding and discharging can be reduced, the influence on the coupling process is maximally reduced, the positioning module for secondary positioning of the optical module is integrated on the heating platform, the pure mechanical positioning mode is used for the optical module to replace the existing visual guiding positioning, the feeding reference is unified, the problem of difficult feeding of the optical module and the problem of jamming of the optical module can be solved while ensuring high-precision coupling, and the production efficiency and product yield are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, specifically to an optical module lens coupling device and method thereof. Background Technology

[0002] Optical module packaging is a key step in the manufacturing process of optical modules, and lens coupling is one of the most crucial processes within it. This process uses a lens as an intermediate optical element, achieving low-loss transmission of optical signals between the laser source and the optical fiber within the optical module through high-precision spatial alignment and fixation. The accuracy of lens coupling directly affects key optical performance indicators of the optical module, such as insertion loss and return loss, thus placing extremely high demands on the positioning accuracy, stability, and automation level of the coupling equipment.

[0003] Existing optical module lens coupling equipment mainly has two structures: an integrated structure that combines loading / unloading and coupling on the same platform, resulting in low production efficiency, large equipment size, and extremely low space utilization; and a vision-guided separate structure, which improves efficiency but has high vision system costs, is susceptible to environmental influences, and requires stringent manufacturing precision for the tray. Because the single-sided gap between the optical module and the tray is only 0.09mm-0.1mm, it is extremely easy for material to jam and scratch the product during material handling. Furthermore, the inconsistent reference datum between the loading / unloading and coupling platforms makes it difficult to guarantee coupling accuracy and leads to high maintenance costs.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need to design an optical module lens coupling device that can solve the above-mentioned technical problems, so as to maximize the use of equipment space and improve material collection efficiency and production yield while ensuring coupling accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an optical module lens coupling device and method. The device achieves maximum space utilization through a structural design that separates coupling and loading / unloading, integrates a secondary positioning function on the heating platform, and completely replaces the vision guidance system with a pure mechanical positioning method. It unifies the material receiving benchmark, solves the material receiving jamming problem while ensuring high-precision coupling, and improves production efficiency and product yield.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, an optical module lens coupling device is proposed, comprising a coupling unit and a loading / unloading unit arranged independently of each other. The coupling unit includes a coupling carrier module for clamping and powering the optical module. The loading / unloading unit includes a hopper. A loading / unloading module for picking up and placing a tray is provided on one side of the hopper. A heating platform for preheating the optical module is provided on the outside of the loading / unloading module. A positioning module for secondary positioning of the optical module is provided on the heating platform. A transport module is also provided on the outside of the loading / unloading module. The transport module is used to transfer the optical module sequentially between the tray on the loading / unloading module, the heating platform, and the coupling carrier module.

[0007] Optionally, the heating platform includes a heating plate located above the pick-and-place module. The heating plate has a positioning groove for placing the optical module. A positioning block is provided in the positioning groove. A first positioning plate and a second positioning plate are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the positioning groove. The first positioning plate can push the optical module to abut against the inner wall of the positioning groove along the X-axis direction, and the second positioning plate can push the optical module to fit against the side wall of the positioning block along the Y-axis direction.

[0008] Optionally, the handling module includes a gantry bracket, on which a mounting plate that can move along the Y-axis and Z-axis is provided is provided. Two optical module grippers for gripping optical modules are arranged opposite each other on the mounting plate, and the optical module grippers can rotate around the Z-axis.

[0009] Optionally, the heating platform further includes two support plates arranged opposite to each other, the heating plate is slidably mounted on the top of the two support plates, the pick-and-place module is located between the two support plates, and the support plates are also provided with a displacement shaft for driving the heating plate to move in and out of the inner side of the gantry bracket along the X-axis direction.

[0010] Optionally, the pick-and-place module includes a base plate that can move relative to the support plate along the X-axis direction. Two side plates for receiving the tray are arranged opposite each other on the base plate. A hook and a push block that can move synchronously relative to the base plate along the X-axis direction are arranged between the two side plates. The end of the hook is engaged with the inside of the tray, and the end of the push block abuts against the outside of the tray.

[0011] Optionally, a support plate is fixedly installed on the inner side of the gantry bracket, a buffer plate that can slide along the X-axis is installed on the support plate, and an NG material tray for storing NG products is installed on the buffer plate.

[0012] Optionally, the coupling carrier module is provided with an optical module FA pre-coupling module, a dispensing module and a six-axis coupling module on both sides adjacent to the loading and unloading unit, and a lens carrier module is provided on the side of the coupling carrier module opposite to the loading and unloading unit.

[0013] Optionally, the coupling device further includes an independent coupling platform and a frame, the coupling unit is mounted on the coupling platform, the loading and unloading unit is mounted on the frame, and an air flotation shock absorption system is provided below the coupling platform.

[0014] Secondly, a method for coupling optical modules with lenses is proposed, employing the optical module lens coupling device described in the first aspect, comprising the following steps: S1. The pick-and-place module takes out the tray containing the optical module to be coupled from the hopper; S2. The transport module uses optical module grippers to transport the optical module from the tray to the heating platform for preheating. S3. The preheated optical module is transferred from the handling module to the coupling carrier module for clamping, positioning and power supply. S4. While the optical module FA pre-coupling module pre-couples the optical module and FA, the six-axis coupling module clamps the lens from the lens carrier module and couples it with the optical module. S5. The coupled optical module is first transported to the heating platform by the handling module for secondary positioning, and then transferred from the heating platform to the Tray. S6. After the Tray is filled with the coupled optical modules, it is sent back to the storage bin through the pick-and-place module.

[0015] Optionally, when picking up and placing optical modules on the tray using the optical module grippers, the heating plate of the heating platform moves along the X-axis to the inside of the gantry bracket to avoid obstruction. When picking up and placing optical modules on the heating platform, its heating plate moves along the X-axis to directly above the picking and placing module.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) In this invention, the coupling unit and the loading and unloading unit are arranged separately and independently, which can reduce the vibration transmission during loading and unloading, minimize the impact on the coupling process, and integrate a positioning module for secondary positioning of the optical module on the heating platform, so that the optical module adopts a purely mechanical positioning method to replace the existing visual guidance positioning, unify the material receiving benchmark, and solve the problem of material jamming due to the difficulty of material receiving of optical module while ensuring high-precision coupling, thereby improving production efficiency and product yield. (2) Regarding the above-mentioned secondary positioning, after the optical module is placed in the positioning groove of the heating plate, the first positioning plate can push the optical module to abut against the inner wall of the positioning groove along the X-axis direction, and the second positioning plate can push the optical module to abut against the side wall of the positioning block along the Y-axis direction, thereby completing the unification of the positioning reference of the optical module in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, making it convenient for it to be transported back to the Tray. (3) In this invention, under the drive of the displacement axis, the heating plate can retract or move out of the cavity inside the gantry bracket along the X-axis direction, which not only increases the compatibility of the equipment with materials, but also maximizes the saving of equipment space. When it retracts, it can avoid the transport module from picking up and putting down the optical module from the tray. When it moves out, it can provide preheating material for the optical module or temporarily store the coupled optical module. This structure saves space to the extreme and can minimize the space occupied by the equipment. More equipment can be placed in the same area of ​​the factory. (4) In this invention, the optical module is preheated to maintain thermal balance before coupling alignment is performed. At this time, the thermal expansion of all components has been completed and stabilized. Coupling alignment is performed under thermal stability and will not produce new thermal deformation. This fundamentally eliminates the problem of curing drift. Moreover, after coupling alignment is completed, only a short period of heat preservation and curing is required. No additional heating waiting time is needed, which greatly shortens the process cycle and realizes continuous production. (5) In this invention, the optical module gripper of the transport module is provided with two grippers, which can both clamp the optical module and rotate it at an angle to correct its posture, thereby completing the loading and unloading of the optical module. At the same time, the two grippers can quickly replace the optical module in the coupling carrier module, thereby improving the equipment capacity. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the optical module lens coupling device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the optical module lens coupling device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the coupling unit in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified schematic diagram of the local structure at point A; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pick-and-place module in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the heating platform in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the transport module in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the NG product cache component in an embodiment of the present invention; The components include: 1. Coupling platform; 2. Frame; 3. Material bin; 4. Pick-up and drop-off module; 41. Base plate; 42. Side plate; 43. Slide block; 44. Claw; 45. Push block; 5. Heating platform; 51. Support plate; 52. Heating plate; 53. Displacement shaft; 54. First positioning plate; 55. Second positioning plate; 56. Positioning rod; 57. Positioning block; 6. Handling module; 61. Gantry bracket; 62. Mounting plate; 63. Optical module gripper; 64. Buffer assembly; 7. Coupling vehicle module; 71. Positioning vehicle; 72. Power supply interface; 8. NG product buffer assembly; 81. Support plate; 82. Buffer plate; 83. NG material tray; 9. Optical Module FA Precoupled Module; 10. Six-Axis Coupled Module; 11. Lens Carrier Module; 12. Dispensing Module; 13. Lower Vision Module; 14. Upper Vision Module; 15. Top Vision Module. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, which are only used to illustrate the basic structure of the present invention and therefore only show the components relevant to the present invention.

[0019] Example 1, as Figure 1 As shown in Figure 4, an optical module lens coupling device includes a coupling platform 1, a frame 2, a coupling unit, and a loading / unloading unit. The coupling platform 1 and the frame 2 are independently separated. The coupling unit is installed on the coupling platform 1, and the loading / unloading unit is installed on the frame 2. An air-floating vibration damping system is provided below the coupling platform 1. The air-floating vibration damping system acts on the coupling part and can isolate the external environment from the minor vibrations generated during the operation of the loading / unloading unit.

[0020] Among them, the coupling platform 1 adopts a whole piece of marble platform, and the coupling unit and the loading and unloading unit are arranged separately and independently, which can reduce the vibration transmission during loading and unloading and minimize the impact on the coupling process. Therefore, loading and unloading can also be performed during the coupling process, which is beneficial to improving efficiency. If the coupling unit and the loading and unloading unit are installed on the same platform, vibration will be generated during loading and unloading. During the coupling process, the module of the loading and unloading unit can hardly move or can only move very slowly.

[0021] To facilitate the transfer and coupling of optical modules, the length and width directions of the optical modules remain consistent during transfer between the various modules of the device. Therefore, the optical modules only need to perform translational movements during the handling process, avoiding other actions that may affect the accuracy of the optical module handling and reducing the complexity of the process. As a result, the length direction of the optical modules is set as the X-axis direction, the width direction as the Y-axis direction, and the height direction as the Z-axis direction, so as to facilitate a detailed description of the positional and connection relationships of each module.

[0022] Specifically, the loading and unloading unit includes a hopper 3, a pick-and-place module 4, a heating platform 5, a conveying module 6, and an NG product buffer assembly 8. The hopper 3, pick-and-place module 4, and conveying module 6 are mounted on the frame 2 along the X-axis. The heating platform 5 is fitted outside the pick-and-place module 4, and the conveying module 6 can be fitted outside the heating platform 5. The NG product buffer assembly 8 is mounted on the conveying module 6. The coupling unit includes a coupling carrier module 7, an optical module FA pre-coupling module 9, a six-axis coupling module 10, a lens carrier module 11, and a dispensing module 12. The coupling carrier module 7 is located in the center of the marble platform. The optical module FA pre-coupling module 9, the six-axis coupling module 10, and the dispensing module 12 are distributed on both sides of the coupling carrier module 7 adjacent to the loading and unloading unit. The lens carrier module 11 is located on the side of the coupling carrier module 7 opposite to the loading and unloading unit, that is, the lens carrier module 11 is located behind the coupling carrier module 7.

[0023] The material bin 3 is used to provide trays containing optical modules to be coupled, or to store trays containing coupled optical modules. The pick-and-place module 4 is used to remove or push trays from the material bin 3. The heating platform 5 is used to preheat the optical modules to eliminate curing drift problems. The NG product buffer component 8 is used to store defective optical modules. The handling module 6 is used to move the optical modules between the trays, the heating platform 5 and the coupling unit.

[0024] The coupling carrier module 7 includes a positioning carrier 71 for clamping the optical module. A power supply interface 72 is provided on one side of the positioning carrier 71. The power supply interface 72 can move along the X-axis and Z-axis. After the positioning carrier 71 completes the positioning and clamping of the optical module, the power supply interface 72 is aligned with the tail of the optical module to realize plug-in power supply. The positioning carrier 71 is provided with a mechanism for adjusting its position and attitude to facilitate coupling operation. The optical module FA pre-coupling module 9 is used for pre-coupling the FA during the optical module lens coupling process. The FA is an optical fiber array. The six-axis coupling module 10 is used to couple the lens of the optical module with UV curing. The lens carrier module 11 is used to provide the lens for coupling. The dispensing module 12 is used to dispense adhesive during the coupling process.

[0025] The lens carrier module 11 has a lower vision module 13 on one side of the lens tray for positioning the lens held by the six-axis coupling module 10. The dispensing module 12 has an upper vision module 14 for positioning the lens held by the six-axis coupling module 10 and the chip of the optical module. The transport module 6 has a top vision module 15 for identifying and positioning the held optical module to determine its pose accuracy. The lower vision module 13, upper vision module 14, top vision module 15, and each module of the coupling unit are existing technologies, so their structures will not be described in detail here.

[0026] Furthermore, a positioning module for secondary positioning of the optical module is set on the heating platform 5. Since the fit gap between the tray and the optical module is extremely small (only 0.09mm-0.1mm), this tiny gap can easily cause jamming, scratching, or even damage to the optical module during the visually guided material receiving process, seriously affecting the production yield. Therefore, during material receiving, the optical module is first positioned secondary by the positioning module, and then the transport module 6 clamps it and puts it back on the tray. This design allows the optical module to be positioned by a purely mechanical method instead of the existing visually guided positioning, unifying the material receiving benchmark, correcting the positional deviation accumulated in the process, and solving the problem of jamming when the optical module is difficult to receive while ensuring high-precision coupling. This ensures that the optical module is accurately put back on the tray, improving production efficiency and product yield.

[0027] In Example 2, based on Example 1, the present invention also discloses the specific structure of each module in the loading and unloading unit.

[0028] like Figure 7 As shown, the handling module 6 includes a gantry bracket 61 fixedly mounted on the frame 2. The gantry bracket 61 is provided with a mounting plate 62 that can move along the Y-axis and Z-axis. The mounting plate 62 is provided with two optical module grippers 63 for gripping optical modules, and the optical module grippers 63 can rotate around the Z-axis.

[0029] Specifically, a Y-axis linear module is installed on the top of the gantry bracket 61, and a Z-axis linear module is installed at the output end of the Y-axis linear module. The mounting plate 62 is connected to the output end of the Z-axis linear module, thus enabling movement along the Y-axis and Z-axis directions, and driving the optical module gripper 63 to move along the Y-axis and Z-axis directions to achieve the gripping and transfer of the optical module.

[0030] The optical module gripper 63 uses a high-precision, zero-backlash electric gripper to complete the material receiving (the single-sided gap between the optical module and the tray is 0.09mm-0.1mm). The top-view module 15 is set on the mounting plate 62, located outside the two optical module grippers 63. It can identify and position the optical module gripped by the electric gripper, thereby determining whether its posture is accurate (the installation of the optical module on the positioning carrier 71 is directional, and the end connected to the power supply must face the power supply interface 72). The optical module gripper 63 can rotate around the Z-axis under the drive of the motor. Therefore, the optical module gripper 63 can both clamp the optical module and rotate the angle to correct the posture of the product, thereby completing the loading and unloading of the optical module.

[0031] The optical module gripper 63 of the handling module 6 is provided with two grippers, which can both clamp the optical module and rotate it at an angle to correct its posture, thereby completing the loading and unloading of the optical module. At the same time, the two grippers can quickly replace the optical module in the coupling carrier module 7, improving the equipment's production capacity.

[0032] A buffer assembly 64 is provided between the optical module gripper 63 and the mounting plate 62. The optical module gripper 63 can move up and down relative to the mounting plate 62 along the Z-axis. The buffer assembly 64 includes a guide shaft fixedly connected to the mounting plate 62, and a buffer spring is sleeved on the guide shaft. The optical module gripper 63 is slidably connected to the guide shaft, and a proximity switch is provided on one side of the guide shaft. When the mounting plate 62 moves the optical module gripper 63 down along the Z-axis and touches the bottom, the mounting plate 62 may continue to move down. At this time, the optical module gripper 63 moves up relative to the mounting plate 62 along the guide shaft and compresses the buffer spring to achieve the purpose of shock absorption and buffering. At the same time, the proximity switch works. When it is triggered, the mounting plate 62 stops moving down, and the optical module gripper 63 begins to grip.

[0033] like Figure 1 and Figure 5 As shown, the material bin 3 adopts the existing clip-type loading and unloading structure, that is, the trays in the material bin 3 are stacked, and the overall material bin 3 can also be raised and lowered along the Z-axis to adjust the height, so as to facilitate the loading and unloading module 4 to extract or push trays of different layers.

[0034] The pick-and-place module 4 includes a base plate 41, side plates 42, a slide block 43, a hook 44, and a push block 45. Two side plates 42 are provided and are distributed opposite each other on the base plate 41. The side plates 42 are used to support the tray. A slide rail groove is opened on the inner side of the top of the side plates 42. The two sides of the tray can overlap in the slide rail groove. An X-axis linear module is provided between the two side plates 42. The slide block 43 is installed at the output end of the X-axis linear module. The hook 44 and the push block 45 are fixedly installed on the slide block 43. The front ends of the hook 44 and the push block 45 protrude from the slide block 43.

[0035] Specifically, driven by the X-axis linear module, the slide block 43 can drive the hook 44 and push block 45 to reciprocate along the X-axis. The slide block 43 moves closer to the hopper 3 until the hook 44 is embedded between the two adjacent trays. The hopper 3 then moves upward as a whole, so that the lower tray is aligned with the slide rail groove on the side plate 42. The end of the hook 44 hooks into the inside of the tray. Then the slide block 43 moves closer to the conveying module 6 to pull the tray out of the hopper 3.

[0036] As the slide block 43 moves closer to the hopper 3, the end of the push block 45 abuts against the outside of the tray, thus pushing the tray into the hopper 3 along the X-axis. The hopper 3 then moves downwards, causing the hook 44 to disengage from the tray, allowing it to retract and pull the next tray. With the cooperation of the hopper 3 and the pick-and-place module 4, the tray can be removed from the hopper 3 and placed back into it.

[0037] Furthermore, the base plate 41 is connected to the frame 2 via the existing linear module, so it can move relative to the frame 2 along the X-axis. Moreover, the distance between the two side plates 42 can be adjusted, that is, one side plate 42 is fixedly connected to the base plate 41, and the other side plate 42 is slidably connected to the base plate 41, and the width can be adjusted according to different trays. Based on this, the pick-and-place module 4 can be adapted to pick up and place trays of different specifications, improving the compatibility of the device.

[0038] As shown in Figure 6, the heating platform 5 includes two support plates 51 that are fixedly installed on the frame 2. A heating plate 52 is slidably installed on the top of the two support plates 51. A positioning groove for placing an optical module is opened on the heating plate 52. A positioning block 57 is provided in the positioning groove. A first positioning plate 54 and a second positioning plate 55 are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the positioning groove. The first positioning plate 54 can push the optical module to abut against the inner wall of the positioning groove along the X-axis direction, and the second positioning plate 55 can push the optical module to fit against the side wall of the positioning block 57 along the Y-axis direction.

[0039] The first positioning plate 54 and the second positioning plate 55 are slidably mounted on the heating plate 52 and driven by corresponding cylinders, so that the first positioning plate 54 can move along the X-axis and the second positioning plate 55 can move along the Y-axis. Since the optical modules are distributed at intervals along the Y-axis on the heating plate 52, the movement of the first positioning plate 54 along the X-axis can push all the optical modules. On the second positioning plate 55, multiple positioning rods 56 are fixedly connected at equal intervals. The positioning rods 56 are parallel to the X-axis. Driven by the second positioning plate 55, the positioning rods 56 can push the optical modules to fit against the side wall of the positioning block 57, thereby completing the unification of the positioning reference of the optical modules in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, which facilitates their transport back to the tray.

[0040] Specifically, the heating plate 52 is equipped with heating rods and thermocouples located in the positioning groove. The optical module is placed on top of it to achieve preheating. The optical module is preheated to maintain thermal balance before coupling alignment. At this time, the thermal expansion of all components has been completed and stabilized. The coupling alignment is carried out under thermal steady state and will not produce new thermal deformation, which fundamentally eliminates the curing drift problem. Moreover, after the coupling alignment is completed, only a short time of heat preservation and curing is required, without additional heating waiting time, which greatly shortens the process cycle and realizes continuous production.

[0041] Furthermore, the pick-and-place module 4 is located between two support plates 51. The support plates 51 are also equipped with a displacement shaft 53, which is a prior art technology, such as a lead screw and nut drive structure, used to drive the heating plate 52 to move in and out of the inner side of the gantry bracket 61 along the X-axis direction. Under the drive of the displacement shaft 53, the heating plate 52 can retract or move out of the cavity inside the gantry bracket 61 along the X-axis direction, which not only increases the compatibility of the equipment with materials, but also maximizes the saving of equipment space. When it retracts, it can avoid the transport module 6 picking up and placing optical modules from the tray. When it moves out, it can provide preheating material for the optical modules or temporarily store the coupled optical modules. This structure saves space to the extreme and can minimize the space occupied by the equipment. More equipment can be placed in the same factory area.

[0042] As shown in Figure 8, the NG product buffer assembly 8 includes a support plate 81, a buffer plate 82, and an NG material tray 83. The support plate 81 is fixedly installed on the inner side of the gantry bracket 61. The buffer plate 82 is slidably installed on the support plate 81 along the X-axis direction, while the NG material tray 83 is installed on the buffer plate 82. Driven by the linear module, the buffer plate 82 can drive the NG material tray 83 to extend or retract relative to the support plate 81 along the X-axis direction. Similar to the design of the heating platform 5, the NG product buffer assembly 8 is installed on the gantry bracket 61. When in use, the NG material tray 83 is pushed out, and during normal operation, the NG material tray 83 is retracted to maximize the saving of equipment space.

[0043] Working principle: After the equipment is started, the pick-and-place module 4 takes out a tray containing the optical module to be coupled from the hopper 3 and places it in the designated position of the loading and unloading station. The transport module 6 moves to the loading and unloading station and uses the optical module gripper 63 to pick up the optical module to be coupled from the tray and place it onto the heating plate 52 of the heating platform 5.

[0044] Heating plate 52 preheats the optical module via heating rods and thermocouples, ensuring the overall temperature of the optical module rises uniformly to the preset curing process temperature and maintains thermal equilibrium. After preheating, the transport module 6 operates again, transferring the optical module, which has reached thermal equilibrium, from the heating platform 5 to the coupling carrier module 7 of the coupling unit. The coupling carrier module 7 clamps and precisely positions the optical module and connects it to the power supply, enabling the optical module to enter normal operating condition.

[0045] The optical module FA pre-coupling module 9 is activated to perform pre-alignment and coupling operations on the optical module and FA. At the same time, the six-axis coupling module 10 moves to the lens carrier module 11, picks up a lens to be coupled, and then moves to the coupling station to perform high-precision spatial alignment and coupling fixation between the lens and the pre-coupled optical module.

[0046] After coupling and fixing are completed, the coupling carrier module 7 releases its grip on the optical module. The transport module 6 removes the coupled finished optical module from the coupling carrier module 7 and transports it back to the heating platform 5. At this time, the positioning module on the heating platform 5 extends to perform a second precise positioning of the finished optical module, correcting any minor positional deviations that may have occurred during coupling and curing. After positioning is completed, the mechanical positioning mechanism retracts, and the transport module 6 transports the precisely positioned finished optical module from the heating platform 5 back to the tray at the loading / unloading station and places it into the corresponding slot.

[0047] Repeat the above steps until all optical modules to be coupled in the tray have been coupled and returned to the tray. Once the tray is full of coupled finished optical modules, the pick-and-place module 4 returns the tray from the loading / unloading station to the storage bin 3. Subsequently, the pick-and-place module 4 retrieves the next tray containing optical modules to be coupled from the storage bin 3, starting the next processing cycle.

[0048] Example 3: Based on the above examples, the present invention also proposes an optical module lens coupling method, which uses the aforementioned optical module lens coupling device and includes the following steps: taking the tray from the hopper 3, preheating the optical module, powering the carrier clamp, pre-coupling and lens coupling, secondary positioning and tray return, and full tray return to the hopper 3.

[0049] The material hopper 3 retrieves the tray, and the pick-and-place module 4 takes out the tray containing the optical module to be coupled from the material hopper 3; the slide 43 moves close to the material hopper 3 until the hook 44 is embedded between the two adjacent trays, and the material hopper 3 moves upward as a whole, so that the lower tray is aligned with the slide rail groove on the side plate 42, and the end of the hook 44 hooks into the inside of the tray. Then the slide 43 moves close to the transport module 6 and pulls the tray out of the material hopper 3.

[0050] The optical module is preheated. The transport module 6 uses the optical module gripper 63 to move the optical module from the tray to the heating platform 5 for preheating. The heating plate 52 is equipped with heating rods and thermocouples, located in the positioning groove. After the optical module gripper 63 places the optical module in the positioning groove, the optical module is positioned above the heating rods and thermocouples, thus achieving preheating. The optical module is preheated to maintain thermal balance before coupling alignment. At this time, the thermal expansion of all components has been completed and stabilized. Coupling alignment is performed under thermal steady state, without generating new thermal deformation, fundamentally eliminating the curing drift problem. Moreover, after coupling alignment, only a short period of heat preservation and curing is required, without additional heating waiting time, significantly shortening the process cycle and enabling continuous production.

[0051] The carrier clamps and supplies power. The preheated optical module is transferred from the transport module 6 to the coupling carrier module 7 for clamping, positioning and power supply. After the positioning carrier 71 of the coupling carrier module 7 completes the positioning and clamping of the optical module, the power supply interface 72 is aligned with the tail of the optical module to realize plug-in power supply. The positioning carrier 71 is provided with a mechanism for adjusting its position and attitude to facilitate the coupling operation.

[0052] Pre-coupling and lens coupling: While the optical module FA pre-coupling module 9 pre-couples the optical module and FA, the six-axis coupling module 10 clamps the lens from the lens carrier module 11 and couples it with the optical module. Since the optical module FA pre-coupling and optical module lens coupling are existing technologies, they will not be described in detail here.

[0053] After secondary positioning and return to the tray, the coupled optical modules are first transported by the transport module 6 to the heating platform 5 for secondary positioning, and then transferred from the heating platform 5 to the tray. The first positioning plate 54 of the positioning module can move along the X-axis, and the second positioning plate 55 can move along the Y-axis. Since the optical modules are distributed at intervals along the Y-axis on the heating plate 52, the movement of the first positioning plate 54 along the X-axis can push all the optical modules. On the second positioning plate 55, multiple positioning rods 56 are fixedly connected at equal intervals. The positioning rods 56 are parallel to the X-axis. Driven by the second positioning plate 55, the positioning rods 56 can push the optical modules to fit against the side wall of the positioning block 57, thereby completing the unification of the positioning reference of the optical modules in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, which facilitates their return to the tray.

[0054] The tray is returned to the storage bin 3 after it is full of coupled optical modules. Then, it is returned to the storage bin 3 by the pick-and-place module 4. When the slide block 43 moves close to the storage bin 3, the end of the push block 45 abuts against the outside of the tray, thereby pushing the tray into the storage bin 3 along the X-axis. Then, the storage bin 3 moves down as a whole, causing the hook 44 to disengage from the tray, making it easy for the hook 44 to retract to drag the next tray.

[0055] Specifically, when the optical module gripper 63 picks up and places the optical module on the tray, the heating plate 52 of the heating platform 5 moves along the X-axis to the inside of the gantry bracket 61 to avoid obstruction. When picking up and placing the optical module on the heating platform 5, its heating plate 52 moves along the X-axis to directly above the pick-up and place module 4. Driven by the displacement axis 53, the heating plate 52 can retract or move out of the cavity inside the gantry bracket 61 along the X-axis, which increases the equipment's compatibility with materials and maximizes the saving of equipment space. When it retracts, it can avoid the transport module 6 picking up and placing the optical module on the tray. When it moves out, it can provide preheating material for the optical module or temporarily store the coupled optical module. This structure saves space to the extreme and can minimize the space occupied by the equipment. More equipment can be placed in the same factory area.

[0056] As described above, when gripping the optical module in the tray, if the top-view module 15 detects that the optical module is placed backwards, the optical module gripper 63 can rotate 180 degrees to adjust its posture, ensuring that after being transported to the positioning carrier 71 of the coupling carrier module 7, the power supply interface 72 is aligned with the tail of the optical module for plug-in power supply. Furthermore, when changing the optical module on the positioning carrier 71, the empty gripper first removes the coupled optical module from the positioning carrier 71, and then the other gripper places the optical module to be coupled into the positioning carrier 71.

[0057] During the secondary positioning and tray return process, the optical modules can be positioned one by one on the heating plate 52 and then transferred to the tray sequentially. Alternatively, after the heating plate 52 is filled with finished optical modules, all the optical modules can be uniformly repositioned and then placed back onto the tray in pairs, thus improving the tray return efficiency.

[0058] In summary, this invention proposes an optical module lens coupling device that integrates a positioning module for secondary positioning of optical modules on the heating platform 5. This allows for a purely mechanical positioning method to replace the existing visual guidance positioning, unifying the material receiving benchmark. While ensuring high-precision coupling, it solves the problem of material jamming during optical module receiving, thereby improving production efficiency and product yield. Driven by the displacement axis 53, the heating plate 52 can retract or move out of the cavity inside the gantry bracket 61 along the X-axis direction. This increases the device's compatibility with materials and maximizes space savings. When retracted, it avoids the transport module 6 from picking up and placing optical modules from the tray. When moved out, it can provide preheating material for optical modules or temporarily store coupled optical modules. This structure achieves extreme space saving, minimizing the equipment's footprint and allowing for more equipment to be placed within the same factory area. Furthermore, an optical module lens coupling method is proposed, enabling the modules in the optical module lens coupling device to cooperate with each other, greatly improving the coupling efficiency between the optical module and the lens, increasing equipment capacity, and improving product yield.

[0059] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many improvements and modifications under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. These improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this 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 limitations on this invention.

[0061] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0062] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

Claims

1. An optical module lens coupling device, characterized in that, The device includes a coupling unit and a loading / unloading unit arranged independently. The coupling unit includes a coupling carrier module for clamping and powering the optical module. The loading / unloading unit includes a hopper. One side of the hopper is provided with a loading / unloading module for picking up and placing trays. The outer side of the loading / unloading module is provided with a heating platform for preheating the optical module. The heating platform is provided with a positioning module for secondary positioning of the optical module. The outer side of the loading / unloading module is also provided with a transport module for sequentially transferring the optical module between the tray on the loading / unloading module, the heating platform, and the coupling carrier module. The heating platform includes a heating plate located above the pick-and-place module. The heating plate has a positioning groove for placing the optical module. A positioning block is provided in the positioning groove. A first positioning plate and a second positioning plate are arranged opposite to each other on both sides of the positioning groove. The first positioning plate can push the optical module to abut against the inner wall of the positioning groove along the X-axis direction, and the second positioning plate can push the optical module to fit against the side wall of the positioning block along the Y-axis direction. The coupling device also includes an independent coupling platform and a frame. The coupling unit is installed on the coupling platform, the loading and unloading unit is installed on the frame, and an air flotation shock absorption system is provided below the coupling platform.

2. The optical module lens coupling device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The handling module includes a gantry bracket, on which a mounting plate that can move along the Y-axis and Z-axis is provided. Two optical module grippers for gripping optical modules are arranged opposite each other on the mounting plate, and the optical module grippers can rotate around the Z-axis.

3. The optical module lens coupling device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The heating platform also includes two support plates arranged opposite to each other. The heating plate is slidably installed on the top of the two support plates. The pick-and-place module is located between the two support plates. The support plates are also provided with a displacement shaft for driving the heating plate to move in and out of the inner side of the gantry bracket along the X-axis direction.

4. The optical module lens coupling device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The pick-and-place module includes a base plate that can move relative to the support plate along the X-axis. Two side plates for receiving the tray are arranged opposite each other on the base plate. A hook and a push block that can move synchronously relative to the base plate along the X-axis are arranged between the two side plates. The end of the hook is hooked to the inside of the tray, and the end of the push block abuts against the outside of the tray.

5. The optical module lens coupling device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A support plate is fixedly installed on the inner side of the gantry bracket. A buffer plate that can slide along the X-axis is installed on the support plate, and an NG material tray for storing NG products is installed on the buffer plate.

6. The optical module lens coupling device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The coupling carrier module is provided with an optical module FA pre-coupling module, a dispensing module and a six-axis coupling module on both sides adjacent to the loading and unloading unit, and a lens carrier module is provided on the side of the coupling carrier module opposite to the loading and unloading unit.

7. A method for coupling an optical module lens, using the optical module lens coupling device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. The pick-and-place module takes out the tray containing the optical module to be coupled from the hopper; S2. The transport module uses optical module grippers to transport the optical module from the tray to the heating platform for preheating. S3. The preheated optical module is transferred from the handling module to the coupling carrier module for clamping, positioning and power supply. S4. While the optical module FA pre-coupling module pre-couples the optical module and FA, the six-axis coupling module clamps the lens from the lens carrier module and couples it with the optical module. S5. The coupled optical module is first transported to the heating platform by the handling module for secondary positioning, and then transferred from the heating platform to the Tray. S6. After the Tray is filled with the coupled optical modules, it is sent back to the storage bin through the pick-and-place module.

8. The optical module lens coupling method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the optical module is picked up and placed on the tray by the optical module gripper, the heating plate of the heating platform moves along the X-axis to the inside of the gantry bracket to avoid obstruction. When picking up and placing the optical module on the heating platform, its heating plate moves along the X-axis to directly above the picking and placing module.

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