Clamp, cooling system and aging device

Abstract

This application relates to a fixture, a cooling system, and an aging apparatus. The fixture includes a body and multiple clamping members. The body defines a cooling cavity for the flow of coolant. The body has an inlet and an outlet respectively connected to the cooling cavity. The clamping members are spaced apart on the outer wall of the body, and each clamping member and the body define a receiving groove for accommodating a laser. Each clamping member has at least one through-hole on its side wall, connecting to the external environment, through which the laser's electrodes pass. This application uses water cooling technology to cool the laser mounted on the clamping members, and the laser can be powered normally through the through-hole, unaffected by the coolant, thus improving the accuracy of the aging test.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of laser aging test technology, and in particular to a fixture, cooling system and aging device. Background Technology

[0002] Aging tests for lasers are a crucial part of their production, research and development, and quality control. They aim to screen out lasers that fail early, assess their expected lifespan, and obtain important information such as performance degradation patterns, thereby ensuring the reliability and stability of products in practical applications.

[0003] The laser itself generates heat when it is working, which causes the temperature of the testing environment to rise, thus making the test results inaccurate due to temperature. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a fixture, cooling system, and aging device to address the problem that the laser generates heat during operation, which leads to an increase in the test environment temperature and thus affects the accuracy of the test results.

[0005] According to one aspect of this application, a clamp is provided, the clamp comprising:

[0006] The body defines a cooling chamber for the flow of coolant, and the body has an inlet and an outlet respectively connected to the cooling chamber.

[0007] Multiple clamping members are disposed at intervals on the outer side wall of the body. Each clamping member and the body define a receiving groove for accommodating a laser. The side wall of each clamping member is provided with at least one through hole communicating with the external environment for the electrodes of the laser to pass through.

[0008] In one embodiment, the body includes a support portion, the support portion including a support surface on the side opposite to the cooling cavity, and a plurality of clamping members are disposed at equal intervals along a first direction on the support surface.

[0009] In one embodiment, a plane perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a reference plane, and the projection of the bearing surface onto the reference plane is an arc or a straight line.

[0010] In one embodiment, two through holes are provided on the sidewall of the receiving groove. The two through holes are respectively located on opposite sides of the clamping member along the first direction. One of the two through holes is used to pass through the first electrode of the laser, and the other of the two through holes is used to pass through the second electrode of the laser.

[0011] In one embodiment, the clamp further includes an electrical connector disposed within the channel of the through hole and used for inserting the electrode of the laser, wherein the electrical connectors of two adjacent clamps are connected in series.

[0012] In one embodiment, the inlet and the outlet are respectively located at opposite ends of the body along a first direction.

[0013] In one embodiment, the clamp further includes an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe, which are respectively disposed on the outer side wall of the body. The inlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through the inlet port, and the outlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through the outlet port.

[0014] In one embodiment, the clamp further includes at least one connecting portion disposed on the periphery of the body, the connecting portion having a connecting hole.

[0015] According to another aspect of this application, a cooling system is provided, including the clamp described in any of the above embodiments, the cooling system including a heat exchanger, the output end of the heat exchanger being connected to the cooling chamber through the liquid inlet, and the input end of the heat exchanger being connected to the cooling chamber through the liquid outlet.

[0016] According to another aspect of this application, an aging apparatus is provided, including the clamp described in any of the above embodiments.

[0017] The aforementioned fixture, cooling system, and aging device utilize water cooling technology to cool the laser mounted on the clamping component. Furthermore, the clamping component has through holes for the laser electrodes to pass through, ensuring that the coolant does not interfere with the laser electrodes' electrical conduction during water cooling, allowing the laser to be powered normally and undergo aging tests. This effective water cooling of the laser improves the accuracy of the aging test. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the fixture in one embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clamp for providing an electrical connector in one embodiment of this application.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0021] 10. Fixtures;

[0022] 1. Body; 11. Bearing surface; 2. Clamping component; 21. Receiving groove; 3. Electrode; 4. Electrical connector; 5. Connecting part; 51. Connecting hole; F1. First direction. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0024] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0025] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are 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" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; 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; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0029] Lasers generate self-heat during operation. In aging tests, the combined effect of increased ambient temperature and laser self-heating makes temperature control more difficult, easily leading to temperature fluctuations and affecting the accuracy of test results. Furthermore, high-temperature environments can also affect the performance of components such as photodiodes used to measure optical power, potentially altering their response characteristics and linearity, thus increasing measurement errors.

[0030] In related technologies, because lasers require power to operate, they are typically cooled by air. However, air cooling is ineffective and struggles to lower the temperature effectively. This can result in a persistently high ambient temperature during testing, leading to inaccurate test results due to temperature variations.

[0031] Based on this, this application provides a fixture, a cooling system, and an aging device to effectively cool down the laser being aged, thereby improving the accuracy of the aging test.

[0032] See Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the fixture in one embodiment of this application.

[0033] The fixture provided in this application includes a body 1 and multiple clamping members 2. The body 1 defines a cooling chamber for the flow of coolant. The body 1 has an inlet and an outlet that are respectively connected to the cooling chamber. Cooled coolant is introduced into the cooling chamber through the inlet, and the coolant in the cooling chamber flows out through the outlet and is cooled, so that it can circulate back into the cooling chamber through the inlet.

[0034] Multiple clamping members 2 are spaced apart from each other on the outer side wall of the body 1. Each clamping member 2 and the body 1 define a receiving groove 21 for accommodating the laser. This confines the laser within the clamping member 2, improving the accuracy of laser positioning. The laser can be clamped and positioned simply by inserting it into the receiving groove 21, making operation convenient and facilitating subsequent testing. Simultaneously, the coolant inside the body 1 conducts heat to the laser in the receiving groove 21 through the body 1, thus cooling the laser.

[0035] The clamping member 2 has at least one through hole on its side wall, which connects to the external environment and is used to allow the laser electrode 3 to pass through. It is understood that the laser electrode 3 is passed through the aforementioned through hole, and then its corresponding electrical connection is made to power it for testing. This effectively utilizes the heat conduction of water cooling to lower its temperature without allowing the water cooling fluid to affect the electrical connection of the laser electrode 3.

[0036] This application utilizes water cooling to effectively cool the laser mounted on the clamping member 2. Furthermore, by employing through holes in the clamping member 2 for the laser electrode 3 to pass through, the coolant from the water cooling process does not interfere with the energization of the laser electrode 3, allowing the laser to be energized for aging tests. This enables the clamping device of this application to effectively improve the accuracy of aging tests.

[0037] In this embodiment, the clamping member 2 can be a cylindrical structure. The laser is inserted into the receiving groove 21 inside the cylindrical structure along its longitudinal extension direction. The cylindrical structure is advantageous because it conforms to the structural shape of most lasers. In this embodiment, the cylindrical structure can be a circular structure, and the receiving groove 21 is a groove with a circular cross-section to accommodate the TO-packaged laser and improve the clamping stability of the laser.

[0038] The laser in this application can be a TO-packaged laser, especially a TO-packaged red laser, and is not limited to the type of laser or the emission frequency. No further restrictions are imposed here.

[0039] In some embodiments, see Figure 1As shown, the main body 1 includes a support portion, which includes a support surface 11 on the side opposite to the cooling cavity. Multiple clamping members 2 are equally spaced along a first direction F1 on the support surface 11. This ensures that the distance between adjacent clamping members 2 is the same, which helps to guarantee good heat dissipation between the lasers and avoids localized overheating caused by excessive laser density, leading to inaccurate aging tests. It also ensures that adjacent lasers are affected by heat generation uniformly when powered on, making the aging test environment of multiple lasers as consistent as possible and improving the accuracy of the laser aging test. Simultaneously, the equally spaced arrangement helps to improve space utilization, allowing for simultaneous aging tests on multiple clamping members 2. This enables the fixture to accommodate a larger number of lasers for aging experiments within a limited space, improving experimental efficiency and meeting the needs of large-scale experiments.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, a plane perpendicular to the first direction F1 is defined as the reference plane, and the projection of the bearing surface 11 onto the reference plane is either an arc or a straight line. This allows for flexibility and adaptability in the design of the body 1, as the specific shape of the bearing surface 11 is not limited. It enables the flexible adjustment of the projection shape of the bearing surface 11 onto the reference plane according to the shape characteristics and experimental requirements of different experimental objects, thereby meeting the experimental needs of various special scenarios. This also facilitates the fitting and matching of the bearing surface 11 with different lasers, improving the stability of the clamping. It should be noted that limiting the projection of the bearing surface 11 onto the reference plane to a linear structure helps ensure that when multiple lasers are placed in their respective receiving slots 21, the environment of each laser tends to be consistent, thus improving the accuracy of the aging test.

[0041] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 1 As shown, two through holes are provided on the side wall of the receiving groove 21. These through holes in the clamping member 2 facilitate the passage of the laser electrode 3, ensuring its conductivity is not affected by the coolant and effectively solving the compatibility problem between the laser electrode 3 and the water cooling system. During the experiment, the coolant is a crucial medium for reducing the laser temperature. However, if the electrode 3 is in direct contact with the coolant, it may cause short circuits, corrosion, and other malfunctions, affecting the normal power supply of the laser and the smooth progress of the experiment. This through-hole design cleverly guides the electrode 3 to an area away from the coolant, ensuring that the laser electrode 3 can be stably powered in an environment unaffected by the coolant, thereby guaranteeing the continuous and stable conduct of the aging experiment.

[0042] Meanwhile, the design of two through holes helps reduce the risk of the two electrodes 3, or the two pins of the laser, coming into contact and causing power failure, thus affecting the test results. It's understandable that if, during testing, the two electrodes 3 of the laser come into contact with each other due to some factor, the laser will fail to power on, affecting the test progress, wasting manpower and resources, and incurring high time costs. Setting up two through holes helps to separate the two electrodes 3 of the laser, thus improving test stability.

[0043] Two through holes are respectively provided on opposite sides of the clamping member 2 along the first direction F1. One of the two through holes is used to pass through the first electrode of the laser, and the other of the two through holes is used to pass through the second electrode of the laser. In this way, the first electrode of one of two adjacent lasers along the first direction F1 extends out through the corresponding through hole and corresponds to the second electrode of the other laser extending out through the corresponding through hole. This facilitates the electrical connection between the two adjacent lasers. The corresponding through holes allow for corresponding orientation, which improves the ease of operation.

[0044] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 and in conjunction with reference Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clamp for providing an electrical connector in one embodiment of this application.

[0045] The fixture also includes an electrical connector 4, which is disposed within the channel of the through hole and is used to insert the laser electrode 3. The electrical connectors 4 of two adjacent clamping parts 2 are connected in series. It can be understood that the through hole design allows the corresponding laser electrode 3 to extend through the corresponding through hole and then be manually operated to overlap with the corresponding electrode 3 of an adjacent laser that extends out of the receiving groove 21 through the corresponding through hole, thus achieving electrical connection. However, such manual operation introduces instability.

[0046] In this embodiment, an electrical connector 4 is provided at the through hole. This means that the corresponding electrode 3 of one adjacent laser is inserted into the electrical connector 4 within the channel of the corresponding through hole, establishing a stable electrical connection with the connector 4. Similarly, the corresponding electrode 3 of the other adjacent laser is inserted into the electrical connector 4 within the channel of the corresponding through hole, also establishing a stable electrical connection with the connector 4. Thus, two adjacent lasers can establish a stable electrical connection with each other.

[0047] Compared to manually connecting the electrodes 3 after they extend out of the channel, the electrical connection between the lasers on the two adjacent clamps 2 is achieved through the electrical connector 4, which helps to improve the stability of the electrical connection. This makes the connection between the laser electrode 3 and the external power supply or the electrodes 3 of other adjacent lasers more convenient and stable, improves the stability of the electrical connection, reduces the contact problems caused by loose connections, and enables the laser to obtain a stable power supply, thereby maintaining its performance stability during the aging test and improving the accuracy of aging tests on multiple lasers.

[0048] Furthermore, the series connection of adjacent clamping components 2 and electrical connectors 4 enables simultaneous power-on control of multiple lasers, which is of great significance for large-scale laser aging tests. Through series connection, operators can simultaneously power and regulate multiple lasers using a single power supply or control signal, eliminating the need for individual wiring and control for each laser. This greatly simplifies the complexity of the experimental circuit, reduces the difficulty of experimental operation and the probability of errors, and improves the automation level and overall efficiency of the experiment. In addition, this series connection method facilitates the synchronous aging tests of multiple lasers, ensuring that each laser is tested under the same experimental conditions. This improves the comparability and accuracy of the test results, providing operators with more precise and efficient data support for in-depth research on the aging characteristics of lasers and evaluation of their performance reliability.

[0049] Meanwhile, the electrical connector 4 reduces the need for manual connection steps; the corresponding electrode 3 can be directly inserted into the corresponding electrical connector 4, which improves ease of operation.

[0050] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the inlet and outlet are respectively located at opposite ends of the body 1 along the first direction F1. This allows the coolant to form an orderly and efficient flow path within the cooling chamber along the first direction F1.

[0051] After the coolant flows in through the inlet, it flows evenly throughout the cooling chamber along the first direction F1, ensuring that each laser is fully and uniformly cooled. This design effectively avoids localized overheating or underheating of the coolant, maximizing cooling efficiency and ensuring that the laser remains within a stable operating temperature range during aging experiments. This is crucial for maintaining the performance stability of the laser, as excessively high temperatures can lead to performance degradation or even damage, while excessively low temperatures can affect the accuracy of the experiment.

[0052] Furthermore, the coolant flowing along the first direction F1 reduces the coolant's residence time within the cavity, lowering the risk of thermal fatigue caused by prolonged heat conduction contact with the laser. Simultaneously, this design makes the coolant flow rate and volume easier to control, allowing operators to precisely adjust coolant parameters according to different experimental needs, further optimizing experimental conditions and improving the reliability and repeatability of experimental results. Precise adjustment of coolant parameters can be achieved through pumps and proportional valves connected to external coolant pipelines.

[0053] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the fixture also includes an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe, which are respectively located on the outer wall of the main body 1. The inlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through an inlet port, and the outlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through an outlet port. Firstly, the design of the inlet and outlet connection pipes provides a convenient and stable connection channel for the inlet and outlet of the coolant, allowing the fixture to be easily connected to an external cooling system without complex piping arrangements. This greatly simplifies the assembly process of the experimental equipment and improves the efficiency of experimental preparation.

[0054] In this application, the inlet and outlet connection pipes can be designed with standardized interfaces, which gives it good compatibility and versatility, enabling seamless connection with a variety of common cooling equipment, reducing the requirements for supporting equipment, and enhancing the applicability and flexibility of the fixture.

[0055] Furthermore, the inclusion of inlet and outlet pipes facilitates the maintenance and replacement of coolant pipelines. In case of blockages or damage, the problem can be quickly located and resolved, minimizing experimental interruptions and ensuring experimental continuity. Moreover, the inlet and outlet pipes effectively prevent coolant leakage at the connection points, avoiding damage to the experimental environment and equipment and ensuring the safety of the experimental process.

[0056] In some embodiments, continue reading Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the fixture also includes at least one connecting part 5, which is located on the periphery of the body 1 and has a connecting hole 51. Bolts or similar structures can be used to pass through the connecting hole 51 of the connecting part 5, thereby fixing the connecting part 5 to the corresponding aging rack, other rack, or base for aging experiments. The design of the connecting part 5 helps maintain a stable position and posture of the fixture during the aging experiment, preventing displacement due to external vibrations or improper operation, which could affect the positioning accuracy of the laser and the accuracy of the experimental results. Furthermore, the design of the connecting part 5 and the connecting hole 51 simplifies and speeds up the installation and disassembly of the fixture. Operators can quickly install the fixture onto different experimental platforms according to experimental needs, or easily disassemble and store it after the experiment, improving the flexibility and efficiency of the experiment.

[0057] This application also provides a cooling system, including the fixture in any of the above embodiments. The cooling system includes a heat exchanger, the output end of which is connected to the cooling chamber through an inlet, and the input end of which is connected to the cooling chamber through an outlet. The heat exchanger circulates the coolant, ensuring that the coolant remains at a suitable temperature when entering the cooling chamber. During laser aging tests, the heat generated can be promptly dissipated, preventing performance degradation or malfunction due to overheating. This ensures the laser operates continuously at a stable operating temperature, improving the reliability and effectiveness of the aging test.

[0058] This application also provides an aging apparatus, including the fixture in any of the above embodiments. This aging apparatus enables simultaneous testing of multiple lasers, which improves testing efficiency and allows for early screening of lasers, preventing defective lasers from entering the production line and increasing maintenance costs. Furthermore, comparing multiple lasers helps to further improve testing accuracy. Simultaneously, water cooling of the lasers helps maintain them at a suitable temperature, further enhancing the accuracy of the laser aging experiment.

[0059] The fixture, cooling system, and aging device of this application utilize water cooling technology to cool the laser mounted on the clamping member 2, which improves the cooling effect on the laser and enhances the accuracy of the aging test. Furthermore, the clamping member 2 has through holes for the laser electrode 3 to pass through, preventing the coolant from affecting the energization of the laser electrode 3, allowing the laser to be powered on smoothly for aging testing while being water-cooled. This application also offers advantages such as the ability to simultaneously perform aging tests on multiple lasers, improved clamping stability for the laser, and the ability to separate the two electrodes 3 of the laser to improve test stability.

[0060] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0061] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A clamp, characterized in that, The clamp includes: The body defines a cooling chamber for the flow of coolant, and the body has an inlet and an outlet respectively connected to the cooling chamber. Multiple clamping members are disposed at intervals on the outer side wall of the body. Each clamping member and the body define a receiving groove for accommodating a laser. The side wall of each clamping member is provided with at least one through hole communicating with the external environment for the electrodes of the laser to pass through.

2. The clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body includes a support portion, the support portion including a support surface on the side opposite to the cooling cavity, and a plurality of clamping members are equally spaced from each other on the support surface along a first direction.

3. The clamp according to claim 2, characterized in that, A plane perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a reference plane, and the projection of the bearing surface onto the reference plane is an arc or a straight line.

4. The clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving groove has two through holes on its sidewall. The two through holes are respectively located on opposite sides of the clamping member along the first direction. One of the two through holes is used to pass through the first electrode of the laser, and the other of the two through holes is used to pass through the second electrode of the laser.

5. The clamp according to claim 4, characterized in that, The clamp also includes an electrical connector disposed within the channel of the through hole and used to insert the electrode of the laser. The electrical connectors of two adjacent clamps are connected in series.

6. The clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The liquid inlet and the liquid outlet are respectively located at opposite ends of the body along the first direction.

7. The clamp according to claim 6, characterized in that, The clamp also includes an inlet connection pipe and an outlet connection pipe, which are respectively disposed on the outer side wall of the body. The inlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through the inlet port, and the outlet connection pipe is connected to the cooling chamber through the outlet port.

8. The clamp according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamp also includes at least one connecting part, which is located on the periphery of the body and has a connecting hole.

9. A cooling system, characterized in that, The system includes the clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cooling system includes a heat exchanger, the output end of which is connected to the cooling chamber via the liquid inlet, and the input end of which is connected to the cooling chamber via the liquid outlet.

10. An aging device, characterized in that, Includes the clamp as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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