Reset Device

Abstract

To provide a reset device capable of individually shifting a laser diode bar and a spacer to a predetermined housing place by surely cutting a spattering film formed on a side surface in a state where the laser diode bar and the spacer are laminated, without damaging the laser diode bar.SOLUTION: A reset device 100 alternately detaches a laser diode bar 60 and a spacer 70 by a suction collet 21 from a lamination body of the laser diode bar and the spacer mounted on a mounting tool 11 and shifts them to a predetermined housing place 51. The suction collet sucks the laser diode bar or the spacer positioned onto the uppermost in the lamination body, and is moved in a direction in the main surface, thereby cutting a spattering film 90 formed on a side surface of the lamination body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application relates to a reset device that separates and removes individual laser diode bars and spacers from a stack in which laser diode bars and spacers are stacked alternately as one form of a laser diode manufacturing process, after a sputtering process is performed all at once on the sides of the stack.In particular, this application relates to a reset device that can separate thin and highly brittle laser diode bars without damaging them. [Background technology]

[0002] With the spread of disc-type recording media such as Blu-ray Discs (BD), DVDs, and CDs, as well as optical communications, laser diodes, which are used to write and read data to and from these recording media and to send and receive data via optical communications, are becoming increasingly popular.

[0003] Laser diodes can emit highly coherent, intense light by injecting current into the pn junction and oscillating the resulting light, but in order to achieve laser oscillation, the end faces must be made into reflective mirror surfaces (cleavage planes), and the cross sections cut out from the wafer must be subjected to a sputtering process.To improve manufacturing efficiency, this sputtering process is carried out by stacking multiple laser diode bars, which are rod-shaped before being individually cleaved and made into laser chips, with their sides aligned, to form a laminate, and then processing the sides of the stack all at once.

[0004] A loading jig called a bar holder is used to stack multiple laser diode bars and spacers alternately and with their sides aligned, and the laser diode bars and spacers stored in separate locations are transferred and stacked using a suction collet to form a stack, after which the sides of the stack are subjected to a sputtering process. A removal device (reset device) is then used to sequentially remove the laser diode bars and spacers from the stack of laser diode bars and spacers with sputtered films formed on their sides and transfer them to their respective storage locations, obtaining individual laser diode bars. These laser diode bars are then cleaved to obtain individual laser diodes.

[0005] As a reset device for individually removing each laser diode bar and spacer from a stack of the laser diode bar and spacer with a sputtered film formed on the sides of the laser diode bar and spacer, a reset device has been proposed in which the spacer, which is longer than the laser diode bar, is pressed and bent at both ends downward in the stack to cut the sputtered film formed across the laser diode bar and spacer, and then the laser diode bar and spacer are removed alternately using a collet that vacuum-sucks the spacer and spacer (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-306098 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The above-mentioned conventional reset device takes advantage of the fact that the spacer is longer than the laser diode bar by using a separation pusher to press both ends of the spacer downward toward the stack, bending it, and cutting the sputtering film at the interface between the laser diode bar and the spacer, thereby making it possible to remove the laser diode bar and spacer individually.

[0008] However, with the recent advances in technology for increasing information density using higher-frequency laser light, the thickness of laser diodes used has become thinner, inevitably leading to thinner laser diode bars becoming mainstream. When such thin laser diode bars are stacked alternately with spacers, the spacing between the spacers in the stacking direction, which is the thickness of the laser diode bar, becomes narrower. As a result, the spacers do not bend as much when their ends are pushed downward toward the stack. In particular, when a laser diode bar is placed on the top layer, even when both ends of a spacer located below the laser diode bar are pushed downward, the spacer does not bend sufficiently, resulting in a problem in which the sputtered film is not cut at the interface between the laser diode bar and the spacer. Furthermore, the force applied by the separation pusher to the stack of laser diode bars and spacers bending them downward toward the stacking direction has also resulted in damage to the thin laser diode bars.

[0009] The present application aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and aims to provide a reset device that can reliably cut the sputtering film formed on the side of a stacked laser diode bar and spacer without damaging the laser diode bar, and can transfer the laser diode bar and spacer individually to a designated storage location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above problem, the reset device disclosed in the present application is a reset device that uses a suction collet to alternately remove the laser diode bars and spacers from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a mounting jig and transfer them to a predetermined storage location, and is characterized in that the suction collet adsorbs the laser diode bar or spacer located at the top of the stack and moves it in a direction within its main surface, thereby cutting the sputtering film formed on the side of the stack. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] With the above-described configuration, the reset device disclosed herein moves the laser diode bar and spacers in the direction of their principal surfaces while they are held by a suction collet used when removing the laser diode bar and spacers from the stack and transferring them to a storage location, thereby cutting the sputtered film. Therefore, even for thin laser diode bars compatible with high frequency bands, deformation caused by the force applied when cutting the sputtered film can be effectively avoided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view for explaining the overall configuration of a reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an image diagram for explaining the configuration of the bar holder of the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the bar holder, the suction collet, and the laser diode bar to be removed in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a first state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 5]FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating a second state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a third state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a fourth state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating a fifth state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view illustrating the shape of the tip portion of the suction collet in the reset device according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the positional relationship between the bar holder, the suction collet, and the laser diode bar to be removed in the reset device of the modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a first state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device of the modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a second state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device of the modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a third state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device of the modified example. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a fourth state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device of the modified example. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a fifth state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the bar holder in the reset device of the modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The reset device disclosed herein is a reset device that uses a suction collet to alternately remove laser diode bars and spacers from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a mounting jig and transfers them to a predetermined storage location, and the suction collet adsorbs the laser diode bar or spacer located at the top of the stack and moves it in a direction within its main surface, thereby cutting the sputtering film formed on the side of the stack.

[0014] By configuring in this manner, the reset device disclosed in the present application can cut the sputtering film formed on the side surface while the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed is being adsorbed by the adsorption collet that transfers it.

[0015] In this specification, the term "direction within the principal plane of the laser diode bar or spacer" refers to the extending direction of the principal plane of the laser diode bar or spacer, i.e., the plane perpendicular to the thickness direction. The term "direction within the principal plane" refers to the approximate principal plane direction, and includes directions tilted up to 10° from the principal plane upward in the stack.

[0016] In the reset device having the above configuration, it is preferable to have a retaining member disposed close to the side surface of the laser diode bars and spacers other than the laser diode bar or spacer located at the top of the stack, opposite to the side surface facing the mounting jig. By doing so, the spacers and laser diode bars other than the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed can be prevented from moving forward, and the sputtering film formed on the side surface can be reliably cut.

[0017] The direction within the main surface can also be the width direction of the laser diode bar and the spacer, or the direction within the main surface can be the length direction of the laser diode bar and the spacer.

[0018] Furthermore, it is preferable that the tip of the suction collet has a hook-shaped portion that faces the side of the laser diode bar or the spacer, thereby supporting the side of the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed and effectively preventing the laser diode bar or spacer from being deformed by an undesired external force.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable that the tip of the suction collet is provided with a first tip and a second tip that is movable relative to the first tip. This allows the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed to be moved in two directions within its main surface, and the sputtered film can be cut without applying unnecessary load to the laser diode bar or spacer.

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the reset device disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] (Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a reset device according to this embodiment.

[0022] The reset device 100 shown in Figure 1 individually removes laser diode bars and spacers, which have been sputtered on their sides while they are stacked alternately, from the stack mounted on a bar holder and moves them to a designated storage location.

[0023] The resetting device 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a central stage 10, a first transport unit 20, an intermediate stage 30, a second transport unit 40, and a mounting stage 50. The resetting device 100 according to this embodiment includes two sets of integrated transfer mechanisms for the first transport unit 20 to the mounting stage 50, which are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a left-right center line 1 passing through the central stage 10. The first transfer mechanism on the right side of the drawing transfers the laser diode bars from the central stage 10 to the mounting stage 50 on the right side, and the second transfer mechanism on the left side of the drawing transfers the spacers that have been stacked alternately with the laser diode bars in the bar holder from the central stage 10 to the mounting stage 50′ on the left side.

[0024] In the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, the first transfer mechanism that removes the laser diode bars from the bar holders and moves them to the mounting stage and the second transfer mechanism that removes the spacers from the bar holders and moves them to the mounting stage are identical in configuration, differing only in the target members that are removed and transferred. For this reason, in this specification, the members that make up the second transfer mechanism that transfers the spacers are given the same names as the members of the transfer mechanism that transfers the first laser diode bars, namely, the first transport unit 20', the intermediate stage 30', the second transport unit 40', and the mounting stage 50', and are distinguished by adding a single quotation mark (') to the reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of each member will be omitted as appropriate.

[0025] The reset device 100 according to this embodiment has two bar holders (11, 12) serving as mounting jigs on the central stage 10. This arrangement is efficient because, while the laser diode bar and spacers are being removed from one bar holder 11 (12) and transferred to the mounting stage 50 (50'), another laminate for which the sputtering process has been completed can be mounted on the other bar holder 12 (11). For this reason, the arrows A and A' indicating the movable ranges of the first feeders 20 (20') are set so that the laser diode bar and spacers can be transferred from either of the two bar holders 11 (12) to the left and right intermediate stages 30 (30').

[0026] Furthermore, in the reset device according to this embodiment, the sputtering film formed on the side surface of the stack of laser diode bars and spacers is cut by moving the laser diode bars or spacers in a direction within the main surface of the laser diode bars or spacers while they are held by the suction collets 21, 21' of the first transport units 20, 20', which transfer the laser diode bars or spacers from the bar holders 11, 12 to the intermediate stage 30. Details of the cutting of the sputtering film while they are held by the suction collets 21, 21' and the process of removing the laser diode bars and spacers from the stack mounted on the bar holders 11, 12 by the suction collets 21, 21' will be described later.

[0027] 1, and are equipped with suction heads 21, 21' and cameras 22, 22' that confirm the positions of the laser diode bars or spacers. Based on images taken by cameras 22, 22', suction heads 21, 21' confirm the positions and angles of the laser diode bars and spacers on bar holders 11, 12, and the positions of suction heads 21, 21', and are controlled so that the tips of suction heads 21, 21' accurately suction the laser diode bars or spacers to be transferred, cut the sputtered film, and then transfer them to intermediate stages 30, 30'.

[0028] The intermediate stage 30 is positioned between the central stage 10 equipped with the bar holders 11, 12 and the mounting stages 50, 50' on which the recovery members 51, 51' containing the removed laser diode bars and spacers are placed, and functions as a relay point for changing the angle of the main surfaces of the laser diode bars and spacers removed from the bar holders 11, 12 by the first conveying units 20, 20' and transferring them to the recovery members 51, 51' placed on the mounting stages 50, 50'.

[0029] As will be described later, in the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, the bar holders 11 and 12 on which the laser diode bars and spacers, which are alternately stacked and have sputtering films formed on their side surfaces, are placed are arranged on the central stage 10 with the stacking direction (the direction in which the laser diode bars and spacers are stacked) tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the vertical axis. Meanwhile, the recovery members 51 and 51′ for recovering the removed laser diode bars and spacers are placed on the upper surfaces of the mounting stages 50 and 50′ so that their placement surfaces are horizontal. Therefore, the angles of the main surfaces of the laser diode bars and spacers need to be changed during transfer from the bar holders 11 and 12 to the recovery members 51 and 51′. However, a method that allows the angle of the suction head to be changed during transfer would result in a complex suction head configuration. For this reason, the reset device 100 of this embodiment is provided with an intermediate stage 30, on which the angles of the main surfaces of the laser diode bar and spacer are changed from the inclined state on the bar holders 11, 12 to a horizontal state when placed on the recovery members 51, 51'.

[0030] Specifically, in the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, the intermediate stage 30 has a bar mounting stage 32 attached to a rotation shaft extending from a guide mechanism 31, an actuator 33 that rotates this rotation shaft, and a camera 34 that monitors the laser diode bar placed on the bar mounting stage 32. First, with the upper surface of the bar mounting stage 32 at the same inclination angle as the inclination angles of the main surfaces of the laser diode bar and spacer on the bar holders (11, 12), the suction collet 21 of the first transport unit 20 transfers the laser diode bar from the bar holders (11, 12) on the central stage 10 onto the bar mounting stage 32. Then, the actuator 33 makes the upper surface of the bar mounting stage 32 horizontal, and the second transport unit 40 transfers the laser diode bar to a recovery member 51 placed on the mounting stage 50.

[0031] As with the laser diode bars described above, the spacers are transferred from the bar holders (11, 12) on the central stage 10 onto the mounting stage 32' by the suction collet 21' of the first transport unit 20' with the upper surface of the mounting stage 32', which changes the angle of the spacers on the intermediate stage 30' located on the left side in Fig. 1, at the same inclination angle as the inclination angle of the bar holders (11, 12). After that, the upper surface of the mounting stage 32' is made horizontal by the actuator 33', and the spacers are transferred to the recovery member 51' arranged on the mounting stage 50' by the second transport unit 40'.

[0032] In addition, like the first conveying units 20, 20', the second conveying units 40, 40' are equipped with suction heads 41, 41' that suction the laser diode bars or spacers and cameras 42, 42' that check the condition of the laser diode bars or spacers, and are controlled so that the position of the laser diode bars or spacers on the mounting stages 32, 32' can be confirmed and accurately suctioned by the suction heads 41, 41', and the laser diode bars or spacers can be accurately placed in the specified position on the recovery members 51, 51'.

[0033] The mounting stages 50, 50' are equipped with recovery members 51, 51' that recover diode bars or spacers that have been individually removed from the stack. In the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, gel pack trays that can accommodate a plurality of substantially square gel packs (six in the example of FIG. 1) made of a special gel-like polymer material or the like are used as the recovery members 51, 51'. In addition to the gel pack trays described above, circular recovery stages 52, 52' on which a plurality of laser diode bars or spacers are arranged in an array like a silicon wafer, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, can also be used as the recovery members 51, 51'.

[0034] It should be noted that the configuration of the reset device described above using Figure 1 is merely one example, and it goes without saying that the specific configuration of the reset device can take various forms as long as the laser diode bar and spacer can be individually removed from the stack mounted on the bar holder and each can be transferred to a specified recovery member.

[0035] In particular, the configuration adopted in the above-mentioned reset device 100, which has two bar holders for mounting the laminate, and the configuration in which the intermediate stage and the loading table are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides around the central stage on which the bar holders are arranged, are configurations for improving manufacturing efficiency and are not essential configurations for the reset device disclosed in the present application.

[0036] Next, we will explain the configuration of the bar holder on which the stack of laser diode bars and spacers is mounted in the reset device of this embodiment, and the configuration and operation of the suction collet provided in the first conveying unit that removes the laser diode bars and spacers. As mentioned above, the two bar holders and two first conveying units of the reset device of this embodiment all have the same configuration, so below we will explain the process of removing the laser diode bars from the first bar holder by the first conveying unit in Figure 1.

[0037] Furthermore, the drawings used in the following explanation are intended to clearly explain how to remove the laser diode bar and spacer from a laminate mounted on a bar holder, and therefore the sizes of the laser diode bar, spacer, and other components do not necessarily reflect their actual sizes.

[0038] 2 and 3 are conceptual diagrams showing a state in which a laser diode bar is being removed from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers held by a bar holder in the reset device according to this embodiment.

[0039] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the bar holder from the side where the laminate of laser diode bars and spacers is mounted, and Figure 3 shows a view from the stacking direction of the laminate of laser diode bars and spacers.

[0040] 2 and 3 show a state in which the laser diode bar located at the top of the stack is pulled out in the direction of arrow I shown in the figures.

[0041] In the following description, the stacking direction of the laser diode bars and spacers mounted on the bar holder 11, i.e., the stacking direction when forming the laser diode bars and spacers stack (the direction of arrow C in FIG. 2), will be referred to as the upper side (upper side), and the direction in which the laser diode bars and spacers are sequentially removed from the stack (the direction of arrow D in FIG. 2) will be referred to as the lower side (lower side). Furthermore, the left-right direction of the bar holder 11 is defined as viewed from the side of the laser diode bars and spacers stack, with the direction of arrow E in FIG. 2 being the left side (left side) and the direction of arrow F being the right side (right side). Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface 11a on which the stack is mounted on the bar holder 11, the direction of arrow G in FIG. 2, which is the side on which the laser diode bars and spacers stack is located, will be referred to as the forward direction (near side), and the opposite direction, i.e., the direction of arrow H in FIG. 2, will be referred to as the rear direction (rear side).

[0042] 2, the bar holder 11 of the reset device 100 according to this embodiment has a mounting surface 11a, with which the side surfaces of the laminate of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 come into contact, inclined at a predetermined angle α with respect to the horizontal direction. Also, on this mounting surface 11a, there is a support surface 11b, which is formed orthogonal to the mounting surface 11a, i.e., inclined at (90°-α)° with respect to the horizontal direction, and which supports the lower surface of the laminate of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70.

[0043] Here, the inclination angle α of the mounting surface 11a is preferably 15° to 45°. If the inclination angle α is smaller than 15°, the next stack may fall forward when peeling immediately after resetting, and if the inclination angle α is larger than 45°, the positioning of the stack becomes unstable. Note that the inclination angle α is preferably set optimally depending on the shape (length, width, thickness) and number of stacked laser diode bars 60.

[0044] In the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 (71, 72) mounted on the reset device 100 described in this embodiment, the thick spacer 72 is arranged at the bottom, and a first laser diode bar 60 is arranged on this thick spacer 72, and a first thin spacer 71 is arranged on top of that, and then a second laser diode bar 60, a second thin spacer 71, and so on, alternately stacked in this order. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the thick spacer 72 located at the bottom of the stack is arranged on a support surface 11b that protrudes perpendicularly from the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11.

[0045] In this way, by arranging the thick spacer 72 at the bottom of the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 (71, 72), the alternating stack of laser diode bars 60 and thin spacers 71 is formed on the thick spacer 72, and the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 (71, 72) can be easily handled when moving to the process of forming a sputtering film after being stacked in a stacking device, or when moving to the sputtering process and further to a reset device for the stack on which the sputtering film has been formed.

[0046] Here, the laser diode bar 60 loaded on the bar holder 51 has, for example, a width (W: see FIG. 3) of 150 μm, a length (L: see FIG. 3) of 20 mm, and a thickness (not shown) of 100 μm. The spacer 71 is generally made of silicon or the like, and has, for example, a width W of 140 μm, a length L of 25 mm, and a thickness of 100 μm, while the thick spacer 72 has, for example, a width W of 140 μm, a length L of 25 mm, and a thickness of 2000 μm. To avoid complicating the drawings, the widths W and lengths L of the laser diode bars and spacers are all shown in the following figures as being the same.

[0047] Furthermore, in the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, the stack of the laser diode bar 60 and the spacer 70 (71, 72) is mounted on the bar holder 11 so that the sputtering film (not shown in Figures 2 and 3) formed continuously on the side of the stack faces the front side (G direction), i.e., so that the sputtering film does not come into contact with the mounting surface 11a.

[0048] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the bar holder 11 has a recess 11c of a predetermined width formed in the middle of the left-right direction of the mounting surface 11a, which is inclined at an angle α with respect to the horizontal plane, and the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 (71, 72) placed on the support surface 11b of the bar holder 11 has its side (the side on which the sputtering film is not formed) abutting against the mounting surface 11a at both ends in the length L direction, but the side in the central part in the length L direction has the recess 11c formed therein, so it does not abut anywhere.

[0049] 3, the tip of the suction collet 21 of the first transport section 20, which suctions and transfers the laser diode bar 60, is divided into two parts in the left-right direction, and suction ports 22 formed on each of the two tip parts, with the tip exceeding the width W of the laser diode bar 60, are adapted to suction the approximately central part in the width direction of the main surface of the laser diode bar 60. Each of the two divided tip parts of the suction collet 21 is formed with a hook-shaped part 23 that extends downward (in the direction D) from the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11 and can come into contact with the side surface on the far side (in the direction H) of the laser diode bar 60 to be suctioned.

[0050] The width of the tip of suction collet 21 is smaller than the width of recess 11c formed in mounting surface 11a of bar holder 11, so when suction collet 21 advances to the rear, its tip enters recess 11c and can abut against the rear side surface of laser diode bar 60 that suctions hook-shaped portion 23. Therefore, when suction collet 21 is pulled out in the direction of arrow I in the figure, the hook-shaped portion presses against the rear side surface of laser diode bar 60, and the sputtering film formed on the front side surface of the laminate can be cut.

[0051] In this embodiment, the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11 has a slit 51d formed in the portion that abuts against the side of the stack of the left and right laser diode bars 60 and the spacers 70 (71, 72), allowing the back side of the stack to be adsorbed. This prevents the stack from tipping forward when mounted on the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11.

[0052] The reset device 100 described in this embodiment also includes a top cover 80 (shown in FIG. 2 by a two-dot chain line to clearly show the state of the stack) that abuts against both left and right end portions of the front side of the stack placed on the bar holder 11. As will be described later, when the laser diode bars 60 and spacers 71 are sequentially removed from the stack, the relative positional relationship between the stack and the top cover 80 changes, and the top cover presses down on the front side of the next spacer 71 or laser diode bar 60 stacked immediately below the laser diode bar 60 or spacer 71 being removed by the suction collet 21, as well as the multiple laser diode bars 60 and spacers 71 located further below that. Therefore, only the laser diode bar 60 or spacer 71 being removed is pulled out toward the front by the suction collet 21, which reliably cuts the sputtered film at the boundary with the next spacer 71 or laser diode bar 60, ensuring reliable removal of the uppermost laser diode bar 60 or spacer 71 from the stack.

[0053] Next, the process of sequentially removing the laser diode bars 60 and the spacers 71 from the laminate in the reset device 100 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 4 to 8. Note that in Figures 4 to 7, the laser diode bars 60 to be removed are shown in black for ease of understanding.

[0054] FIG. 4 shows a first stage of the process of removing a laser diode bar from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a bar holder.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 4, in the first state, the tip of suction collet 21 moves perpendicular to mounting surface 11a as indicated by arrow a in Fig. 4 until hook-shaped portion 23 formed at the tip enters recess 11c formed in mounting surface 11a of bar holder 11. The position of the top surface of laser diode bar 60 to be removed (position in the direction of arrow C in Fig. 2) is detected by an optical sensor such as a laser sensor (not shown), and the tip of suction collet 21 is set to advance to a position separated from position J of this top surface by a predetermined distance K, for example, 0.5 mm.

[0056] During the process of sequentially removing the laser diode bar 60 and the spacer 71 from the stack of the laser diode bar 60 and the spacer 70 (71, 72) mounted on the bar holder 11, the stack is gently adsorbed by the slit 11d formed in the mounting surface 11a.

[0057] FIG. 5 shows a second state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the stack of the laser diode bar and spacers mounted on the bar holder.

[0058] In the second state shown in FIG. 5, the tip of the suction collet 21 moves downward from the mounting surface 11a as indicated by the arrow b in the figure, and the suction port 22 comes into contact with the upper surface of the laser diode bar 60.

[0059] At this time, the hook-shaped portion 23 at the tip of the suction collet 21 is inserted into the recess 11c formed in the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11, so when the suction port 22 abuts against the top surface of the laser diode bar 60, the hook-shaped portion 23 is positioned at the rear side of the laser diode bar 60 (direction H in Figure 2), i.e., further back on the side facing the mounting surface 11a.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a third state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the stack of the laser diode bar and spacers mounted on the bar holder.

[0061] In the third state shown in Figure 6, the suction collet 21 is adsorbing the laser diode bar 60 to be removed with its suction port 22, and the suction collet 21 is moving slightly in the direction of arrow c, which is toward the front of the mounting surface 11a (direction G in Figure 2). At this time, the amount of movement in the direction of arrow c is preferably about 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 the width of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed. In the reset device 100 described in this embodiment, as described above, the front side of the spacer 71 stacked immediately below the laser diode bar 60 to be removed is pressed by the top cover 80. Therefore, by sliding the laser diode bar 60 to be removed in the direction of its width W by about 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 of the width W, the sputtering film 90 can be cut at the boundary between the laser diode bar 60 and the spacer 70 located below it.

[0062] 6 corresponds to a view of the state of FIG. 3 as seen from the right side of the mounting surface 11a (direction F in FIG. 2).

[0063] FIG. 7 shows a fourth state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the stack of the laser diode bar and spacers mounted on the bar holder.

[0064] In the fourth state shown in Figure 7, with the laser diode bar 60 to be removed being adsorbed, the tip portion 41 of the adsorption collet first moves in the direction indicated by arrow d in the figure, away from the stack, and then moves in the direction indicated by arrow e, away from the bar holder 11.

[0065] In this way, the uppermost laser diode bar 60 can be removed from the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 (71, 72) mounted on the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11.

[0066] FIG. 8 shows a fifth stage of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the stack of the laser diode bar and spacers mounted on the bar holder.

[0067] After the top laser diode bar 60 of the stack is removed, the bar holder 11 moves upward (in the direction C in FIG. 2) along the mounting surface 11a by a predetermined width N, as shown by arrow f in FIG. 8. This predetermined width N is the width of the laser diode bar 60 that was just removed, and is controlled by an optical sensor (not shown) so that the position of arrow J in the figure is the position of the top surface of the spacer 71 located at the top of the stack.

[0068] At this time, the top cover 80 does not move, so the side of the spacer 71 located at the top of the stack becomes exposed from the upper end surface of the top cover 80, and when the spacer 71 is removed, the sputtering film 90 is reliably cut between the spacer 71 and the side of the next laser diode bar 60 loaded below it.

[0069] 4 to 8 are repeated to remove the laser diode bar 60 located at the top of the stack. The spacers 71 stacked in the stack are also removed by the first conveying unit 20' of the second transfer mechanism shown on the left side of FIG. 1 in the same process as the removal of the laser diode bar 60 shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, and are stored in the recovery member 51'.

[0070] FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing the positional relationship between the hook-shaped portion formed at the tip of the suction collet and the laser diode bar to be suctioned.

[0071] 9A and 9B are enlarged views of the portion indicated by the symbol M in FIG. 7, where FIG. 9A shows a first shape of the hook-shaped portion, and FIG. 9B shows a second shape of the hook-shaped portion.

[0072] 9, which is an enlarged view of the portion designated by the symbol M in FIG. 7, FIG. 9(a) shows the first shape of the hook-shaped portion 23, and the hook-shaped portion 23 has a substantially rectangular shape. By providing the hook-shaped portion 23 with a substantially rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 9(a), the rear side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed comes into contact with the side surface 23a of the hook-shaped portion 23, and when the suction collet moves in the direction of arrow c shown in FIG. 9(a) and FIG. 6, a force pushing the laser diode bar 60 to be removed toward the user is firmly applied, thereby enabling the sputtering film 90 to be reliably cut.

[0073] 9(b), the hook-shaped portion 23' of the second shape shown has a shape in which the side of the side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed forms an inclined surface 23a' that is inclined in a direction away from the side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60. By making the side surface of the hook-shaped portion 23' facing the laser diode bar 60 into an inclined surface 23a' in this way, even if the position of the rear side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60 is slightly shifted toward the rear due to variations in the size of the laser diode bar 60 in the width direction, etc., when the tip of the suction collet 21 moves in the direction indicated by arrow b in the figure, the hook-shaped portion 23' formed at the tip of the suction collet 21' can enter the rear side of the side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed. Furthermore, since the front side of the hook-shaped portion 23' is an inclined surface 23a', the side surface 23a of the hook-shaped portion 23 and the rear side surface 60a of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed do not come into contact with each other, as in the hook-shaped portion 23 shown in Figure 9(a). However, since the suction collet 21 firmly suctions the top surface of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed by the suction port 22, the sputtered film 90 can be cut at the boundary between the uppermost laser diode bar 60 and the next spacer 71.

[0074] 6, in the reset device 100 according to this embodiment, the laser diode bar 60 to be removed is adsorbed by the suction collet 21, and the suction collet 21 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow c in FIG. 6, thereby cutting the sputtering film 90. For this reason, the thickness t' of the hook-shaped portion 23 formed at the tip of the suction collet 21 is made thinner than the thickness t of the laser diode bar (and spacer 71) to be removed.

[0075] As described above, in the reset device 100 shown in this embodiment, the laser diode bar 60 or spacer 70 adsorbed by the adsorption collets 21, 21′, which remove the uppermost laser diode bar 60 or spacer 70 from a stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70, is moved in the width direction of its main surface to cut the sputtered film 90 formed on the side surface. In this way, compared to conventional reset devices that cut the sputtered film by pressing and bending the main surfaces of the laser diode bar 60 or spacer 70, it is possible to remove the laser diode bar 60 from the stack without deforming the laser diode bar 60.

[0076] Furthermore, by placing the top cover 80 on the front side of the side of the laminate, which is the removal direction, the movement or deformation of the laser diode bar 60 and spacer 70 can be effectively prevented, and the sputtering film 90 can be cut.

[0077] (Variation) Next, a modified embodiment of the reset device disclosed in the present application will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0078] The modified reset device differs from the above-described reset device in that it cuts the sputtering film formed on the side of the stack of laser diode bars and spacers by moving the laser diode bars and spacers in the length direction, which cuts the film by moving them in the width direction.

[0079] The reset device described below as a modified example differs from the device described above in the shape and operation of the tip of the suction collet, but the configuration of the bar holder and the stack of laser diode bars and spacers placed on the bar holder is the same, so the same parts as those in the reset device described above will be given the same symbols and their description will be omitted.

[0080] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the suction head of the reset device of the modified example and a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a bar holder.

[0081] Figure 10 shows the state in which the tip of the suction collet is in contact with the top surface of the laser diode bar 60 located at the top of the stack loaded on the bar holder 11, as viewed from above (direction C shown in Figure 2) on the mounting surface 11a.

[0082] As shown in Figure 10, in the modified reset device, the tip of the suction collet has two tips: a first tip 121 that suctions and transfers the laser diode bar 60 to be removed, and a second tip 131 that cuts the sputtering film 90 at the boundary between the laser diode bar 60 to be removed and the next spacer 71.

[0083] The first tip 121 has the same structure as the tip of the suction head 21 of the reset device 100 in the embodiment described above, and the tip is separated into two parts in the left-right direction, each of which has a suction port 122 that abuts against the top surface of the laser diode bar 60 and adsorbs it, and a hook-shaped part 123 that abuts against the side surface at the rear of the laser diode bar.

[0084] The second tip 131 is attached to the same base portion of the suction collet 21 as the first tip 121 and can move left and right independently of the first tip 121. The second tip 131 has a suction port 132 that suctions onto the top surface of the laser diode bar 60 and a hook-shaped portion 133 that can abut against the right side surface of the laser diode bar 60. As shown in FIG. 10 , when the suction collet 21 is fully extended toward the bar holder 11, the leading edge of the first tip 121 reaches the rear side beyond the width of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed. On the other hand, the leading edge of the second tip 131 does not extend beyond the width W of the laser diode bar 60. Therefore, although the second tip 131 is located in a portion of the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11 where the recess 11d is not formed, it does not interfere with the mounting surface 11a.

[0085] Next, a process for removing the uppermost laser diode bar 60 from the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers (71, 72) mounted on the bar holder 11 in the modified reset device will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 15. Note that in Figures 11 to 15, the laser diode bar 60 to be removed is shown in black for ease of understanding.

[0086] FIG. 11 shows a first state of a process of removing a laser diode bar from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a bar holder in a reset device according to a modified example.

[0087] 11 to 15, (a) in each figure is a view of the bar holder from the right side. (b) in each figure is a view showing the positional relationship between the stack mounted on the bar holder, the first and second tips of the suction collet, and the top cover, as seen from the front side of the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11 (direction G in FIG. 2). In (b) in each figure, the top cover 80 is indicated by a two-dot chain line to show the shape of both the left and right ends of the stack of laser diode bars and spacers.

[0088] In the first state shown in Figure 11, the first tip 121 and the second tip 131 of the suction head 21 move perpendicular to the mounting surface 11a as shown by arrow g in Figure 11 until the hook-shaped portion 123 formed on the first tip 121 enters the recess 11c formed on the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11.

[0089] As shown in Figure 11(a), the position O of the top surface of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed next (the position in the direction of arrow C in Figure 2) is grasped by an optical sensor such as a laser sensor (not shown), and the first tip 121 of the suction head 21 is set to advance to a position separated from this top surface position O by a predetermined distance P, for example, 0.5 mm.

[0090] At this time, the second tip 131 of the suction collet 21 is located on the right side at a predetermined distance from the first tip 121, as shown in Figure 11(b), and the hook-shaped portion 133 formed on the second tip 131 is located on the right outer side of the right side surface of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed.

[0091] FIG. 12 shows a second state of the process of removing the laser diode bar from the stack of the laser diode bar and spacers mounted on the bar holder in the reset device according to the modified example.

[0092] In the second state shown in Figure 12, the first tip 121 and the second tip 131 of the suction head 21 move downward from the mounting surface 11a as shown by the arrow h in the figure, and the suction port 122 of the first tip 121 and the suction port 132 of the second tip 131 come into contact with the upper surface of the laser diode bar 60.

[0093] At this time, the hook-shaped portion 123 of the first tip 121 of the suction collet 21 is inserted into the recess 11c formed in the mounting surface 11a of the bar holder 11, so that the suction port 122 is positioned at the rear side of the laser diode bar 60 (direction H in Figure 2), i.e., further back on the side of the mounting surface 11a side, while abutting against the top surface of the laser diode bar 60.

[0094] 12(b), the hook-shaped portion 133 of the second tip portion 131 of the suction collet 21 comes close to or abuts against the right side surface of the laser diode bar 60.

[0095] FIG. 13 shows a third state of the process of removing a laser diode bar from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a bar holder in a reset device according to a modified example.

[0096] In the third state shown in Fig. 13, as indicated by arrow i in Fig. 13(b), the second tip 131 of the suction collet 21 moves closer to the first tip 121, i.e., moves leftward (direction E) in Fig. 2. At this time, the suction ports 122 of the first tip 121 of the suction collet 21 do not suction the laser diode bar 60, and only the suction ports 132 of the second tip 131 suction the upper surface of the laser diode bar 60, so that only the laser diode bar 60 to be removed moves leftward relative to the entire stack. Note that this movement amount is preferably about 0.5 mm to 1 mm, or about 5% of the length of the laser diode bar 60.

[0097] In this way, by moving only the laser diode bar 60 to be removed leftward in Figure 11(b), the sputtering film 90 formed on the side surface on the near side is cut at the boundary with the next spacer 71. At this time, as shown in Figure 11(b), the hook-shaped portion 133 of the second tip 131 of the suction collet 21 is close to or abutting the right side surface of the laser diode bar 60 to be removed, so the laser diode bar 60 to be removed can be reliably moved leftward in Figure 11(b), and the sputtering film 90 can be reliably cut.

[0098] FIG. 14 shows a fourth state of the process of removing a laser diode bar from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a bar holder in the reset device according to the modified example.

[0099] 14, with the laser diode bar 60 to be removed being adsorbed, the first tip 121 and the second tip 131 of the suction collet 21 both move in the direction of arrow j shown in Fig. 14(a) to remove the laser diode bar 60 from the stack. At this time, the top cover 80 is disposed on the front side of the stack in close proximity to the front side of the laser diode bar 60 located below the spacer 71 to be removed next and the front side of the spacer 71. Therefore, even if the sputtering film 90 remains connected because it was not completely cut in the third state described above using Fig. 13, it can be reliably cut and only the laser diode bar 60 can be removed.

[0100] FIG. 15 shows a fifth state of the process of removing a laser diode bar from a stack of spacers and laser diode bars mounted on a bar holder in the reset device according to the modified example.

[0101] 15, with the laser diode bar 60 to be removed being adsorbed, the first tip 121 and the second tip 131 of the suction collet 21 both move in the direction of arrow k shown in Fig. 15(a) to remove the laser diode bar 60 from the stack. At this time, the top cover 80 is disposed on the front side of the stack in close proximity to the laser diode bar 60 located below the spacer 71 to be removed next and the front side of the spacer 71. Therefore, even if the sputtering film 90 remains connected because it was not completely cut in the third state described above using Fig. 13, it is possible to reliably cut and remove the laser diode bar 60 located at the top of the stack.

[0102] 15, as shown in FIG. 8 in the first configuration example, the bar holder 11 with the stack mounted thereon moves upward (in the direction C in FIG. 2) along the mounting surface 11a by the thickness of the laser diode bar 60 that was just removed. This movement is controlled by an optical sensor so that the position of arrow J shown in FIG. 8 coincides with the position of the top surface of the spacer 71 located at the top of the stack. Furthermore, since the top cover 80 does not move at this time, the side surface of the spacer 71 located at the top of the stack is exposed from the top end surface of the top cover 80. When the spacer 71 is removed, the sputtering film 90 is reliably cut between the spacer 71 and the side surface of the next laser diode bar 60 that is loaded below it.

[0103] In addition, in the reset device of the modified example, the shape of the hook-shaped portion 123 formed on the first tip 121 of the suction collet 21 is the same as that of the reset device 100 of the basic configuration shown in Figure 10. Furthermore, like the reset device 100 of the basic configuration described above, the thickness of the hook-shaped portion 123 of the first tip 121 and the thickness of the hook-shaped portion 133 of the second tip 131 are formed to be smaller than the thickness of the laser diode bar 60 and spacer 71 to be removed.

[0104] 11 to 15 are repeated to remove the laser diode bar 60 located at the top of the stack in the modified reset device. The spacers 71 stacked in the stack are also removed by the first transport unit 20' of the second transfer mechanism shown on the left side of FIG. 1 in the same process as the removal of the laser diode bar 60 shown in FIGS. 11 to 15, and are stored in the recovery member 51'.

[0105] As described above, in the reset device of the modified example shown in this embodiment, the uppermost laser diode bar 60 in the stack of laser diode bars 60 and spacers 70 is first moved in the lengthwise direction of its main surface, and then moved in the widthwise direction, thereby cutting the sputtered film 90 formed on the side surface of the stack. In this way, compared to conventional reset devices that cut the sputtered film by pressing and bending the main surfaces of the laser diode bar 60 and spacers 70, it is possible to remove the laser diode bar 60 from the stack without deforming the laser diode bar 60.

[0106] In the modified reset device, the laser diode bar to be removed can be moved in two directions, the lengthwise direction and the widthwise direction, of its main surface, thereby more reliably cutting the sputtering film that is continuously formed on the side of the laminate.

[0107] As described above, the reset device disclosed in the present application, when alternately removing laser diode bars or spacers from a stack in which laser diode bars and spacers are alternately stacked, cuts the sputtered film continuously formed on the side surface by moving the laser diode bars or spacers in the direction of their main surfaces using a suction collet that transfers them from the stack to a recovery member for each component. Therefore, compared to conventional reset devices that cut the sputtered film by bending the laser diode bars, it is possible to more reliably cut the sputtered film and avoid deformation of the laser diode bars.

[0108] In the above embodiment, two directions within the main surface in which the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed is moved to cut the sputtered film formed on the side surface have been described: moving it in the width direction, and moving it in the length direction and then moving it in the width direction. However, in the reset device disclosed herein, the movement direction within the main surface to cut the sputtered film is not limited to the two cases described above. The sputtered film can be cut by moving it in any direction within the main surface, such as moving it only in the length direction or moving it in an oblique direction that is neither the length nor the width direction. Furthermore, as shown in the above modified example, the movement is not limited to two directions, and the sputtered film can also be cut by moving the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed in three or more directions.

[0109] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, as an example of moving the laser diode bar and spacer to be removed in two directions within their main surfaces, a configuration was exemplified in which the suction collet has two tips, a first tip and a second tip, and the second tip can move independently of the first tip. However, in the reset device disclosed in the present application, even in the case of a configuration in which the laser diode bar and spacer to be removed are moved in two directions within the main surface direction, the suction collet may have a single tip, or may be divided into two tips and both move in the same direction.

[0110] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a configuration was exemplified in which the tip of the suction collet was provided with a hook-shaped portion that could come into contact with the side surface of the laser diode bar or spacer to be removed, but as long as the sputtering film formed on the side surface of the laminate can be cut by firmly adsorbing the laser diode bar and spacer and moving them in the main surface direction, a configuration without a hook-shaped portion at the tip of the suction collet is also possible. Similarly, as long as the sputtering film can be reliably cut, a configuration without an upper lid that can come into contact with the front side surface of the laminate is also possible.

[0111] Furthermore, compared to thin and fragile laser diode bars, spacers made of silicon or metal and capable of being formed thick may be judged to be less likely to deform when removed from the laminate. In such cases, the conditions for removing the spacers may be different from the conditions for removing the laser diode bars. For example, when removing the laser diode bars, the spacers may be moved in the direction of their main surfaces in small increments, whereas when removing the spacers, the spacers may be moved in the direction of their main surfaces in a single movement over a relatively large distance.

[0112] Furthermore, while the bar holder shown in the above embodiment has an example in which a slit-shaped suction port is formed on the mounting surface, it is also possible to imagine cases in which the slit-shaped suction port is not necessary if, for example, there is no risk of the stack of laser diode bars and spacers to be mounted tipping forward due to various conditions such as the inclination angle of the mounting surface. Furthermore, the above-mentioned configuration of the bar holder is merely an example, and there are no particular limitations on the shape of the bar holder as long as it is shaped to hold the stack so that the suction collet can move the laser diode bars or spacers in the direction of their surface to cut the sputtering film, and further so that the suction collet can transfer the laser diode bars or spacers from the stack that has been mounted.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the bar holder moves upward by a predetermined amount after the top laser diode bar or spacer is removed, but it is also possible to configure the height of the suction collet to change without changing the position of the bar holder.

[0114] The bar holder must have a flat, clean surface and be made of a material with a certain level of rigidity, so it can be made well using metallic materials such as stainless steel or iron. [Industrial Applicability]

[0115] The reset device disclosed in the present application can sequentially remove the laser diode bar and spacer from a stack of the laser diode bar and spacer placed on a mounting jig by cutting the sputtering film continuously formed on the side surface. This reset device is particularly useful as it does not cause problems such as deformation during removal even for thin laser diode bars. [Explanation of symbols]

[0116] 11 Bar holder (mounting jig) 21 Adsorption collet 51 Recovered materials (storage location) 60 laser diode bars 71 Spacer 90 Sputtering film 100 Reset Device

Claims

1. A reset device that alternately removes laser diode bars and spacers from a stack of laser diode bars and spacers mounted on a mounting jig using a suction collet and transfers the laser diode bars and spacers to a predetermined storage location, A reset device characterized in that the suction collet adsorbs the laser diode bar or the spacer located at the top of the stack and moves it in a direction within its main surface, thereby cutting the sputtering film formed on the side of the stack.

2. 2. The reset device of claim 1, further comprising a retaining member arranged adjacent to a side of the laser diode bar or spacer other than the uppermost laser diode bar or spacer in the stack opposite to the side facing the mounting jig.

3. The reset device according to claim 1 , wherein the direction within the main surface is a width direction of the laser diode bar and the spacer.

4. The reset device according to claim 1 , wherein the direction within the main plane is the length direction of the laser diode bar and the spacer.

5. 2. The reset device according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the suction collet has a hook portion that faces a side surface of the laser diode bar or the spacer.

6. 2. The reset device according to claim 1, wherein the tip of the suction collet comprises a first tip and a second tip that is movable relative to the first tip.

Images