An automatic coupling and alignment device for fiber optic collimators

Abstract

This invention discloses an automatic coupling and alignment device for fiber optic collimators, relating to the field of optical communication technology. It includes an instrument rack, a five-axis motion structure, and a calibration auxiliary structure. The calibration auxiliary structure is looped around the arm of the five-axis motion structure that performs optical device support, and includes a first ring, a second ring, and a ring tube arranged axially. This invention employs a progressive curing compensation scheme. First, uniform dispensing is achieved via hydraulic drive. Then, low-power pre-curing is performed to initially shape the adhesive. Subsequently, a rotating ring is used to detect and correct minute displacements caused by adhesive shrinkage. Finally, high-power complete curing is achieved. This effectively solves the technical problems of fiber misalignment caused by UV adhesive curing shrinkage and residual stress generated by forced fine-tuning in traditional processes. It realizes a closed-loop operation of dispensing, pre-curing, detection and calibration, and final curing, significantly improving the coupling and alignment accuracy of fiber optic collimators, product yield, and long-term operational reliability of the devices.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of optical communication technology, specifically to an automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator. Background Technology

[0002] As a core passive optical component in high-speed optical communication modules, automotive lidar, industrial laser processing, fiber optic sensing, and quantum optics systems, fiber optic collimators play a crucial role in collimating and shaping the diverging beam of optical fibers and efficiently connecting optical paths in free space. The coupling and alignment accuracy of these devices directly determines the insertion loss of optical signals, beam parallelism, and the overall stability of the optical path operation. They are a core process carrier in the mass production manufacturing of various optoelectronic systems. Currently, with the continuous expansion of digital infrastructure, autonomous driving, and precision laser manufacturing industries, and the large-scale deployment of 400G / 800G high-speed optical modules, the market demand for multi-channel, miniaturized, and high-power fiber optic collimators is steadily increasing. The industry as a whole is continuously evolving towards large-scale standardized and multi-category flexible production. This is further supported by advancements in precision motion control, machine vision imaging, real-time optical power feedback detection, and intelligent positioning. With mature and well-developed supporting technologies such as optimization algorithms, the optoelectronic component packaging and manufacturing field is gradually upgrading to fully automated production lines. The industry has formed a stable demand for standardized, high-precision, high-consistency, and high-speed production equipment for the fiber optic collimator coupling process. The fiber optic collimator coupling assembly requires multi-dimensional micron-level spatial and angular collaborative positioning. Relying on automated equipment equipped with multi-axis precision displacement platforms, high-definition visual positioning modules, real-time optical power acquisition units, and closed-loop intelligent control systems, it can adapt to the coupling and alignment operations of collimator products with different diameters, focal lengths, and single and dual channels. This fully matches the trend of large-scale intelligent manufacturing upgrades in the optoelectronic industry chain, provides complete automated process support for the stable mass production of various high-end optoelectronic devices, and simultaneously promotes the standardization of passive optical device packaging processes and the continuous improvement of production efficiency.

[0003] However, in conventional automatic coupling alignment devices for fiber optic collimators, the shrinkage of the adhesive material during the curing of UV adhesive causes a micrometer-level relative displacement of the aligned fiber. The usual practice is to perform supplementary light-based fine-tuning after curing, but by this time the adhesive has hardened, and forcibly pulling the fiber back to its original position will introduce long-term residual stress at its root, affecting the reliability and lifespan of the device.

[0004] To address this, an automatic coupling and alignment device for fiber optic collimators is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automatic coupling and alignment device for fiber optic collimators, so as to solve the problem of misalignment caused by glue curing after collimator coupling and alignment mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: an automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator, comprising:

[0007] Instrument rack;

[0008] A five-axis motion structure is symmetrically assembled on the surface of the instrument rack;

[0009] The calibration auxiliary structure is looped around the end of the arm of the five-axis motion structure supported by the optical device;

[0010] The calibration auxiliary structure includes a first ring, a second ring, and a ring tube, which are arranged axially from left to right along the collimator or optical device interface, from the position where the collimator or optical device is coupled to the direction of the five-axis motion structure.

[0011] Preferably, the first ring member has a coaxially formed annular first circulation channel on the side away from the axis, and the outer ring surface of the first ring member has an interface communicating with the first circulation channel. The interface is connected to a pumping device for safe fluids such as hydraulic oil through an elastic pipe. The first ring member has multiple stepped limiting slots arranged in a ring array along the axis, communicating with the interior of the first circulation channel. A dispensing rod is slidably disposed inside each slot, and the side of the dispensing rod has a sealing ring to maintain a seal. A ring plate is interference-fitted onto the surface of the dispensing rod, and a first spring is elastically connected between the ring plate near the axis of the first ring member and the end wall of the slot where the dispensing rod is located. One end of the dispensing rod protrudes from the inner ring surface of the first ring component, and the core of the dispensing rod has a through liquid hole. The dispensing rod is threaded with a dispensing head for dispensing at the end near the core. The end of the dispensing rod away from the core is integrally equipped with a capsule with elastic telescopic capability, and the capsule has a built-in spring for elastic support. The end face of the capsule is integrally connected with a one-way telescopic connecting tube with elastic telescopic capability. The other end of the one-way telescopic connecting tube is rigidly connected to the mounting hole port that is opened in the first ring component along the core and connects the first circulation channel to the outside. The outer port of the mounting hole is threaded with a one-way valve that opens into the one-way telescopic connecting tube.

[0012] Preferably, the second ring member is connected to the space where the dispensing rod is located via a plurality of connecting tubes arranged in a ring array along the axis on the side closer to the first ring member. When the dispensing rod is pressed and moves toward the axis, the first circulation channel is temporarily connected to the connecting tubes. The second ring member has a coaxially formed second circulation channel on the side away from the axis, and the second circulation channel is connected to the first circulation channel via the connecting tubes. The inner ring surface of the second ring member is equipped with a low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly that is in the same position and in the same quantity as the dispensing rod.

[0013] Preferably, a boss is welded to the lower part of the ring surface near the five-axis motion structure of the second ring member, and a progressive piston rod is rigidly connected to the platform of the boss along the center symmetrically. A manifold is opened through the axis of both progressive piston rods. The pipe ends of the manifold extend towards each other inside the boss and then pass downward. A one-way valve that opens into the manifold is threaded inside the manifold. The progressive piston rod slides within a stepped open channel opened inside the assembly. A second spring is sleeved on the rod of each progressive piston rod to elastically connect the piston with the inner wall of the channel. The channels where the two progressive piston rods are located are connected on the side away from the boss. The assembly is connected to the interface of the second circulation ring through an interface pipe that connects to the channel where the progressive piston rods are located on the side.

[0014] Preferably, the assembly is rigidly connected to the surface of the five-axis motion structure and is located below the collimator or optical component clamp, and the upper side of the second ring is rigidly connected to the five-axis motion structure with a freely telescopic rod.

[0015] Preferably, the annular tube has a partitioned liquid passage inside, and the outer annular surface of the annular tube has an interface that communicates with the liquid passage. The interface is connected to the interface at the junction of the liquid passage at the bottom of the boss through a pipeline.

[0016] Preferably, a hydraulic piston is slidably defined inside the fluid passage of the annular tube, and an annular spring is elastically connected between the hydraulic piston and the fluid passage partition plate inside the annular tube. An interface for hydraulic oil input is provided on the outer annular surface of the annular tube near the end of the fluid passage, and the interface is connected to the recovery interface of the pumping equipment through a pipeline. A circumferential ring is slidably fitted on the inner annular surface of the annular tube, and the circumferential ring is integrally connected to the hydraulic piston through a connecting rod. A sealing ring is provided on the surface of the annular tube where it contacts the circumferential ring to maintain a seal. An open annular channel is provided on the inner annular surface of the annular tube corresponding to the connecting rod of the circumferential ring and the hydraulic piston. At least one camera module and at least one high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly are bolted to the inner annular surface of the circumferential ring.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0018] 1. The present invention, through the axially progressive arrangement of the first ring and the second ring, allows for low-power pre-curing by a low-power UV lamp assembly immediately after the dispensing rod completes the dispensing. This enables the colloid to undergo initial cross-linking and shaping while retaining trace plasticity, effectively avoiding micron-level displacement of the optical fiber caused by the drastic shrinkage during UV adhesive curing. It also eliminates the residual stress problem caused by forced fine-tuning after curing, significantly improving the long-term reliability and service life of the device.

[0019] 2. This invention uses the inner circumference of the ring tube to drive the camera module and the high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly to rotate synchronously. This allows for multi-angle panoramic inspection after pre-curing, timely detection and correction of minor displacement deviations caused by colloid shrinkage. After secondary alignment confirmation, full-area high-power complete curing is then performed. This realizes the coupled alignment connection operation of dispensing, pre-curing, inspection and calibration and final curing, which greatly improves the coupling alignment accuracy and product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the calibration auxiliary structure of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a radial cross-sectional view of the calibration auxiliary structure of the present invention along the third ring;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a radial cross-sectional view of the calibration auxiliary structure of the present invention along the second ring;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a radial cross-sectional view of the calibration auxiliary structure of the present invention along the first ring member;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the calibration auxiliary structure of the present invention along the axial direction;

[0026] Figure 7 For the present invention Figure 6 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0027] In the picture:

[0028] 1. Instrument rack;

[0029] 2. Five-axis motion structure;

[0030] 3. Calibration auxiliary structure; 31. First ring component; 311. First circulation loop; 312. Dispensing rod; 3121. Capsule; 3122. One-way telescopic connecting tube; 313. Dispensing head; 314. First spring; 315. Connecting tube rack;

[0031] 32. Second ring component; 321. Second circulation loop; 322. Low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly;

[0032] 33. Ring tube; 331. Camera module; 332. High-power ultraviolet lamp assembly; 333. Circumferential ring; 334. Hydraulic piston; 335. Ring spring;

[0033] 34. Assembly parts; 341. Advancing piston rod; 342. Check valve; 343. Second spring; 344. Manifold. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] Please see Figures 1 to 7 This invention provides a technical solution for an automatic coupling alignment device for fiber optic collimators:

[0036] An automatic coupling alignment device for an optical fiber collimator, comprising:

[0037] Instrument rack 1 has through holes evenly distributed on its surface for assembly.

[0038] The five-axis motion structure 2 is symmetrically mounted on the surface of the instrument frame 1, and its end is equipped with a clamp for elastically holding the straightener.

[0039] The calibration auxiliary structure 3 is looped around the arm end of the five-axis motion structure 2 supported by the optical device;

[0040] The calibration auxiliary structure 3 includes a first ring 31, a second ring 32, and a ring tube 33. The first ring 31, the second ring 32, and the ring tube 33 are arranged axially from left to right along the collimator or optical device interface, from the position directly coupled to the collimator or optical device towards the direction of the five-axis motion structure 2.

[0041] The first ring member 31 has an annular first circulation channel 311 coaxially formed on the side away from the axis. The outer ring surface of the first ring member 31 has an interface that communicates with the first circulation channel 311. The interface is connected to a pumping device for safe liquids such as hydraulic oil (selected according to actual needs) through an elastic pipe. The interior of the first ring member 31 has multiple stepped limiting slots arranged in an annular array along the axis, which communicate with the interior of the first circulation channel 311. A dispensing rod 312 is slidably disposed inside each slot. The side of the dispensing rod 312 has a sealing ring to maintain a seal. The surface of the dispensing rod 312 is interference-fitted with a ring plate. A first spring 314 is elastically connected between the ring plate near the axis of the first ring member 31 and the end wall of the slot where the dispensing rod 312 is located. The end of the dispensing rod 312 near the axis protrudes into the inner ring of the first ring member 31. The ring-shaped dispensing rod 312 has a through liquid hole at its shaft core, and a dispensing head 313 for dispensing is threadedly fitted at the end of the dispensing rod 312 near the shaft core. The end of the dispensing rod 312 away from the shaft core is integrally equipped with a capsule 3121 with elastic telescopic capability, and a spring for elastic support is built into the capsule 3121. The end face of the capsule 3121 is integrally connected with a one-way telescopic connecting tube 3122 with elastic telescopic capability. The other end of the one-way telescopic connecting tube 3122 is rigidly connected to the mounting hole port that is opened in the first ring 31 along the shaft core ring array, which connects the first circulation ring 311 with the outside. The outer port of the mounting hole is threadedly equipped with a one-way valve 342 that opens into the one-way telescopic connecting tube 3122. The one-way valve 342 is connected to the glue supply equipment through the pipeline.

[0042] One side of the second ring 32 is rigidly connected to the first ring 31 through multiple connecting tubes 315 arranged in a ring array along the axis. The second ring 32 is connected through the space where the dispensing rod 312 is located via the connecting tubes 315. When the dispensing rod 312 is pressed and moves toward the axis, the first circulation channel 311 is temporarily connected to the connecting tubes 315. The second ring 32 has a coaxially formed second circulation channel 321 on the side away from the axis. The second circulation channel 321 is connected to the first circulation channel 311 via the connecting tubes 315. The inner ring surface of the second ring 32 is equipped with a low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 322 that is in the same position and in the same quantity as the dispensing rod 312. The low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 322 can be assisted in heat dissipation during operation by hydraulic oil.

[0043] A boss is welded to the lower part of the annular surface of the second ring 32 near the five-axis motion structure 2. The platform of the boss is rigidly connected to an advancing piston rod 341 symmetrically along its center. A manifold 344 is formed at the axis of each of the two advancing piston rods 341. The ends of the manifolds 344 extend towards each other inside the boss and then extend downwards. A one-way valve 342, opening in one direction into the manifold 344, is threaded into the interior of each manifold 344. The advancing piston rods 341 slide within a stepped open channel inside the assembly 34. Each piston rod 341 is fitted with a second spring 343 for elastic connection between the piston and the inner wall of the channel. The channels where the two piston rods 341 are located are connected on the side away from the boss. The assembly 34 is connected to the interface of the second circulation channel 321 through the interface connecting the side of the piston rod 341 to the channel. The assembly 34 is rigidly connected to the surface of the five-axis motion structure 2 and is located below the collimator or optical component clamp. The upper side of the second ring 32 is rigidly connected to the five-axis motion structure 2 with a freely telescopic rod.

[0044] During operation, the five-axis motion structure 2, combined with real-time optical power feedback, achieves coupling alignment. After the insertion loss stabilizes and meets the standard, each axis is locked. The calibration auxiliary structure 3 then performs a curing compensation process. The hydraulic pumping equipment delivers constant-pressure hydraulic oil to the first circulation loop 311 on the outer periphery of the first ring 31 through the elastic pipeline. The oil pressure squeezes each capsule 3121 and the built-in support spring, causing the capsule 3121 to shrink in volume and expel the internal UV adhesive. The adhesive is then evenly applied to the coupling joint through the micro-hole of the dispensing head 313 via the central passage of the dispensing rod 312. During dispensing, the one-way telescopic connecting tube 3122 stretches synchronously. After the capsule 3121 is compressed to the desired position, it is released. By blocking and connecting the pipe rack 315, the first circulation loop 311 and the second circulation loop 321 form a through oil circuit. Hydraulic oil flows into the second circulation loop 321 of the second ring 32 through the pipe rack 315, and then into the cavity of the advancing piston rod 341 in the assembly 34. The oil pressure pushes the advancing piston rod 341 to compress the second spring 343 and feed it axially to the five-axis motion structure 2 on the opposite side. After the second ring 32 is fed to the designated position, the oil pump maintains pressure and stops. The low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 322 in its inner ring is started to pre-cur the low-power adhesive at the coupling point, so that the adhesive is initially shaped and retains a small amount of plasticity to avoid large shrinkage.

[0045] In summary, by arranging the first ring 31 and the second ring 32 in an axially progressive manner, the low-power UV lamp assembly 322 can perform low-power pre-curing immediately after the dispensing rod 312 completes the dispensing. This allows the colloid to undergo initial cross-linking and shaping while retaining trace plasticity, effectively avoiding the micron-level displacement of the optical fiber caused by the drastic shrinkage during UV adhesive curing. This eliminates the residual stress problem caused by forced fine-tuning after curing, significantly improving the long-term reliability and service life of the device.

[0046] As one embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the annular pipe 33 has a partitioned liquid passage inside, and the outer ring surface of the annular pipe 33 has an interface that communicates with the liquid passage. The interface is connected to the interface at the junction of the liquid passage 344 at the bottom of the boss through a pipeline. A hydraulic piston 334 is slidably limited inside the liquid passage of the annular pipe 33, and an annular spring 335 is elastically connected between the hydraulic piston 334 and the liquid passage partition plate inside the annular pipe 33. An interface for hydraulic oil input is arranged on the outer ring surface of the annular pipe 33 near the end of the liquid passage, and the interface is connected to the recovery interface of the pumping equipment through a pipeline. A peripheral ring 333 is slidably fitted on the inner ring surface of the annular pipe 33, and the peripheral ring 333 and the hydraulic piston 334 are integrally connected by a connecting rod. The ring tube 33 is connected to the surface of the ring tube 333 that is in contact with the circumferential ring 333. A sealing ring is provided to maintain the seal. The inner ring surface of the ring tube 33 is provided with an open ring channel corresponding to the connecting rod of the circumferential ring 333 and the hydraulic piston 334. At least one camera module 331 and at least one high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 332 are connected to the inner ring surface of the circumferential ring 333 by bolts. Thus, under hydraulic drive, the hydraulic piston 334 can compress the ring spring 335 to drive the circumferential ring 333 to rotate carrying the camera module 331 and the high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 332, so as to realize the ring-shaped calibration of the position after the fiber collimator is pre-cured and the complete curing operation. The outer ring surface of the ring tube 33 is rigidly connected to the second ring 32 with the L-shaped connecting frame.

[0047] During operation, after pre-curing, the hydraulic pump continuously pumps oil, pushing the advancing piston rod 341 to its maximum stroke. This causes the first ring 31, the second ring 32, and the ring tube 33 to be axially fed to directly above the dispensing coupling position. The increased oil pressure opens the one-way valve 342, and the hydraulic oil flows into the ring tube 33 through the manifold 344, separating the fluid path. The hydraulic oil drives the hydraulic piston 334 to compress the annular spring 335, which, through the connecting rod, causes the circumferential ring 333 to rotate nearly 360°, simultaneously driving the camera module 3. 31. The high-power UV lamp assembly 332 rotates, and the camera module 331 acquires multi-angle images of the dispensing at the coupling interface and transmits them back for analysis. If the collimator shifts due to the shrinkage of the pre-cured adhesive, the system controls the five-axis motion structure 2 to perform sub-micron level fine-tuning and re-alignment. After alignment confirmation, the pumping oil is stopped and the hydraulic oil is recovered. The pipeline is depressurized, and the hydraulic piston 334 and the circumferential ring 333 rotate back to their original positions under the elastic force of the ring spring 335. Then, the high-power UV lamp assembly 332 is started to irradiate the entire dispensing position to complete the curing.

[0048] In summary, by using the inner circumferential ring 333 of the ring tube 33 to drive the camera module 331 and the high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 332 to rotate synchronously, multi-angle panoramic inspection can be performed after pre-curing to promptly detect and correct minor displacement deviations caused by colloid shrinkage. After secondary alignment confirmation, full-area high-power complete curing is then performed. This achieves coupled alignment and connection of dispensing, pre-curing, inspection and calibration, and final curing, significantly improving the coupling alignment accuracy and product yield.

[0049] Working principle: During operation, the fiber collimator to be coupled and the docking optical device are first clamped in the elastic clamps at the ends of the five-axis motion structure 2 on both sides. After the system is started, the five-axis motion structure 2 performs micron-level precision linkage of the three translation axes X / Z and the two angular axes θx / θy according to the preset optimization algorithm. The coupling alignment is completed in conjunction with the real-time optical power feedback system. When the optical insertion loss value reaches and stabilizes within the process threshold range, the system determines that the initial alignment is completed and locks the position of each axis. Then, the calibration auxiliary structure 3 is started to execute the solidification compensation process.

[0050] The hydraulic pumping equipment first pumps hydraulic oil at a constant pressure into the first circulation channel 311 around the first ring 31 through an elastic pipeline. The oil pressure first acts on the end face of each capsule 3121, continuously compressing the capsule 3121 and its internal support spring. The volume of the compressed capsule 3121 decreases, pushing the UV adhesive pre-introduced inside it outward. The adhesive passes through the through-flow liquid path in the center of the dispensing rod 312 and is finally squeezed out evenly from the micro-hole of the dispensing head 313, dripping onto the coupling position of the collimator and the optical device alignment interface. During this dispensing process, the one-way telescopic connecting tube 3122 is stretched synchronously, and the capsule 3121 that has been compressed into place will release the blockage on the port of the connecting tube frame 315, thereby realizing the connection between the connecting tube frame 315 and the inside of the first circulation channel 311. The second circulation channel 321 then forms a complete connecting liquid path with the first circulation channel 311 through the connecting tube frame 315.

[0051] Hydraulic oil then enters the second circulation channel 321 of the second ring 32 through the connecting pipe rack 315, and enters the channel where the advancing piston rod 341 is located inside the assembly 34 through the external pipe pipeline along the second circulation channel 321. Under the action of hydraulic pressure, the advancing piston rod 341 compresses the second spring 343 along the hole wall inside the assembly 34 and moves axially in the direction of the five-axis motion structure 2 on the other side. When the second ring 32 is axially fed to the original working position of the first ring 31, the hydraulic pumping equipment performs pressure holding and shutdown. At this time, the low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 322 on the inner ring surface of the second ring 32 is started, and low-power pre-curing irradiation is performed on the dispensing position between the straightener and the optical device interface, so that the colloid is initially cross-linked and shaped but retains a small amount of plasticity to avoid severe shrinkage.

[0052] After pre-curing, the hydraulic pumping equipment continues to pump in hydraulic oil. Under continuous hydraulic pressure, the advancing piston rod 341 will continue to slide along the pre-drilled channel of the assembly 34 to output to the maximum stroke, and simultaneously drive the first ring 31, the second ring 32 and the ring tube 33 to move axially in a straight line. At this time, the ring tube 33 moves to the top of the glue coupling position. As the hydraulic oil continues to be pumped in, the hydraulic pressure continues to rise. The one-way valve 342 at the inlet of the manifold 344 is opened under pressure. The hydraulic oil enters the manifold 344 through the one-way valve 342, and then enters the partitioned liquid passage inside the ring tube 33 along the external pipeline from the manifold 344.

[0053] After the hydraulic oil enters the annular pipe 33, it pushes the hydraulic piston 334 along the annular track to compress the annular spring 335. When the hydraulic piston 334 moves along the annular track inside the annular pipe 33 under pressure, it will synchronously drive the peripheral ring 333 to rotate in a circle through the connecting rod. The rotating peripheral ring 333 will synchronously drive the camera module 331 and the high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 332 to rotate nearly 360°. During the rotation, the camera module 331 takes multi-angle annular images of the dispensing position of the coupling interface. The image data is transmitted to the control terminal in real time for image comparison and analysis. If the collimator displacement caused by the pre-curing shrinkage of the adhesive is detected, the system can immediately control the five-axis motion structure 2 to perform sub-micron level fine adjustment to complete the precise alignment again. (The specific principle is that the image data is transmitted in real time to the industrial control computer equipped with an Intel i7 processor, and firstly, a 5x5 Gaussian Blur is executed through the cv2.GaussianBlur() function of OpenCV.) Image noise is filtered out, and then the cv2.canny() edge detection operator is called to extract the fiber end face and colloidal contour. Subsequently, cv2.cornersubPix() sub-pixel corner detection is performed to improve the edge positioning accuracy to 0.01 pixel level. The system uses the offset-free image acquired at the time of initial alignment as the reference template. The normalized cross-correlation matching algorithm is executed through cv2.matchTemplate() to calculate the pixel-level deviation between the center coordinates of the fiber end face in the current image and the reference template. Combined with the calibration coefficient of 0.3um / pixel for the telecentric lens, the actual physical offset is calculated. If the offset in the X / Y direction exceeds the ±0.5um process tolerance, the system immediately sends a position compensation vector to the ACSSPiiPlus motion controller through the EtherCAT bus. The controller drives the piezoelectric ceramic motor of the five-axis platform to perform nanometer-level closed-loop fine adjustment at a 1kHz servo update rate.

[0054] After the alignment and adjustment are confirmed, the hydraulic pumping equipment stops pumping hydraulic oil and starts the active recovery program of hydraulic oil in the hydraulic circuit. As the hydraulic oil is recovered, the pressure in the hydraulic circuit gradually decreases. The hydraulic piston 334 and the circumferential ring 333 will rotate back to their initial positions under the elastic reset action of the ring spring 335. At this time, the high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly 332 is activated to fully irradiate and cure the dispensing position with high power. At the same time, the first ring 31, the second ring 32, the assembly 34 and all the internal moving structures will return to their initial positions under the elastic restoring force of their respective springs. When the capsule 3121 is reset and expanded under the action of the internal support spring, it will cooperate with the one-way valve 342 to actively draw glue to supply the ultraviolet glue inside the equipment, complete the glue pre-filling for the next dispensing operation, and wait for the next coupling alignment operation.

[0055] It should be noted that the hydraulic pumping equipment uses an oil-resistant miniature diaphragm pump paired with SMC's ITV0010 series electro-proportional valve to achieve precise oil pressure control; the UV curing module uses Hoya's EXECURE-H-1VC low-power pre-curing lamp and USHIO's SP-9 high-power curing lamp to achieve pre-setting and complete curing of the colloid, respectively; the camera module 331 generally uses a Baslerac A2040-180km industrial camera, paired with a telecentric lens to achieve micron-level imaging resolution.

[0056] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator, comprising: Instrument rack (1); The five-axis motion structure (2) is symmetrically assembled on the surface of the instrument frame (1); Its features are: The calibration auxiliary structure (3) is looped around the arm end of the five-axis motion structure (2) supported by the optical device; The calibration auxiliary structure (3) includes a first ring (31), a second ring (32) and a ring tube (33). The first ring (31), the second ring (32) and the ring tube (33) are arranged axially from left to right along the collimator or optical device interface, from the position directly coupled to the collimator or optical device towards the direction of the five-axis motion structure (2).

2. The automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first ring member (31) has a coaxially formed annular first circulation channel (311) on the side away from the axis. The outer ring surface of the first ring member (31) has an interface that communicates with the first circulation channel (311). The interface is connected to a pumping device for safe liquids such as hydraulic oil through an elastic pipe. The first ring member (31) has a plurality of stepped limiting slots that communicate with the inside of the first circulation channel (311) in an annular array along the axis. A dispensing rod (312) is slidably arranged inside each slot. The side of the dispensing rod (312) has a sealing ring to maintain the seal. The surface of the dispensing rod (312) is press-fitted with a ring plate. A first spring (314) is elastically connected between the ring plate near the axis of the first ring member (31) and the end wall of the slot where the dispensing rod (312) is located. The end of the dispensing rod (312) near the axis protrudes from the first ring. The inner ring surface of the component (31) and the core of the dispensing rod (312) have a through liquid hole, and the dispensing rod (312) is threaded with a dispensing head (313) for dispensing at the port near the core. The end of the dispensing rod (312) away from the core is integrally equipped with a capsule (3121) with elastic telescopic capability, and the capsule (3121) is internally equipped with a spring for elastic support. The end face of the capsule (3121) is integrally connected with a one-way telescopic connecting tube (3122) with elastic telescopic capability, and the other end of the one-way telescopic connecting tube (3122) is rigidly connected to the mounting hole port that is opened along the core of the first ring component (31) to connect the first circulation ring channel (311) with the outside. The outer port of the mounting hole is threaded with a one-way valve (342) that opens into the one-way telescopic connecting tube (3122).

3. The automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second ring (32) is connected to the space where the dispensing rod (312) is located through multiple connecting tubes (315) arranged in a ring array along the axis on the side close to the first ring (31). When the dispensing rod (312) is pressed and moves toward the axis, the first circulation channel (311) is temporarily connected to the connecting tubes (315). The second ring (32) has a second circulation channel (321) coaxially opened on the side away from the axis. The second circulation channel (321) is connected to the first circulation channel (311) through the connecting tubes (315). The inner ring surface of the second ring (32) is equipped with a low-power ultraviolet lamp assembly (322) that is in the same position and in the same quantity as the dispensing rod (312).

4. The automatic coupling alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second ring (32) has a boss welded to the lower part of the annular surface near the five-axis motion structure (2), and the platform of the boss is rigidly connected to the advancing piston rod (341) symmetrically along the center. The two advancing piston rods (341) are both provided with a manifold (344) through the axis. The pipe ends of the manifold (344) extend towards each other inside the boss and then pass downward. The manifold (344) is threaded with a one-way valve (3) that opens into the manifold (344) in one direction. 42), the advancing piston rod (341) is slidably limited within the stepped open channel opened inside the assembly (34), and a second spring (343) is sleeved on the rod body of the advancing piston rod (341) to elastically connect the piston with the inner wall of the channel. The channels where the two advancing piston rods (341) are located are connected on the side away from the boss, and the assembly (34) is connected to the interface of the second circulation channel (321) through the interface matching pipe that connects the side with the channel where the advancing piston rod (341) is located.

5. The automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 4, characterized in that: The assembly (34) is rigidly connected to the surface of the five-axis motion structure (2) and is located below the collimator or optical component fixture, and the upper side of the second ring (32) is rigidly connected to the five-axis motion structure (2) with a freely telescopic rod.

6. The automatic coupling and alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ring tube (33) has a partitioned liquid path inside, and the outer ring surface of the ring tube (33) has an interface that communicates with the liquid path. The interface is connected to the interface at the junction of the bottom of the boss liquid channel (344) through the pipeline. The outer ring surface of the ring tube (33) is rigidly connected to the second ring (32) with the L-shaped connecting frame.

7. The automatic coupling alignment device for an optical fiber collimator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The internal fluid passage of the annular tube (33) is slidably limited by a hydraulic piston (334), and an annular spring (335) is elastically connected between the hydraulic piston (334) and the fluid passage partition plate inside the annular tube (33). The outer annular surface of the annular tube (33) is provided with an interface for hydraulic oil input near the end of the fluid passage, and the interface is connected to the recovery interface of the pumping equipment through a pipeline. The inner annular surface of the annular tube (33) is slidably fitted with a circumferential ring (333), and the circumferential ring (333) is integrally connected to the hydraulic piston (334) through a connecting rod. The surface of the annular tube (33) that contacts the circumferential ring (333) is provided with a sealing ring to maintain a seal. The inner annular surface of the annular tube (33) is provided with an open annular channel corresponding to the connecting rod of the circumferential ring (333) and the hydraulic piston (334). The inner annular surface of the circumferential ring (333) is connected by bolts to at least one camera module (331) and at least one high-power ultraviolet lamp assembly (332).

Images