Apparatus and method for assembling optical module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077530-B2
Application number	US-201816652353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2018
Priority date	Oct 17, 2017
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

Provided are an apparatus and a method for assembling optical module. The apparatus includes: a working bench, a controller and a plurality of mechanical components for active alignment of optical modules; a conveying mechanism is provided on the working bench, and a plurality of fixtures are provided on the conveying mechanism with even space therebetween and are movable with the conveying mechanism; the plurality of mechanical components are configured to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions under control of the controller.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for assembling optical module, comprising:
a working bench;
a controller; and
a plurality of mechanical components for active alignment of optical modules,
wherein:
a conveying mechanism is provided on the working bench, and a plurality of fixtures are provided on the conveying mechanism with even space therebetween and are movable with the conveying mechanism;
a positional relationship between two adjacent mechanical components of the plurality of mechanical components is determined by the positional relationship between two adjacent fixtures of the plurality of fixtures;
the controller is configured to control a movement of the conveying mechanism, and control the conveying mechanism to stop every time the conveying mechanism moves over a preset distance, and control the plurality of mechanical components to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions; and
the plurality of mechanical components are configured to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions under control of the controller;
wherein:
the plurality of mechanical components include: an alignment mechanism, and a first image collecting mechanism;
the alignment mechanism is configured to place a to-be-assembled lens to a to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the alignment mechanism to obtain an optical module to be aligned, and adjust a position of the to-be-assembled lens according to an aligning instruction of the controller;
the first image collecting mechanism is configured to collect a light spot of an image generated by the optical module to be aligned and feed it back to the controller; and
the controller is configured to generate an aligning instruction according to a quality of the light spot and output the aligning instruction to the alignment mechanism.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of mechanical components include:
a manipulator,
a power supply,
and
a dispensing mechanism;
the manipulator is configured to place a to-be-assembled optical part on a fixture moved to the operating position of the manipulator;
the dispensing mechanism is configured to perform dispensing on the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the dispensing mechanism; and
the power supply is configured to supply power to the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the alignment mechanism, so that the optical module to be aligned generates an image.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein:
a power supply carrying mechanism is provided on the working bench; and
the power supply carrying mechanism is configured to carry an outputting of the power supply to a power inputting of the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the alignment mechanism.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the alignment mechanism comprises:
a first robot arm electrically connected to the controller, and
an aligning head provided on the first robot arm, the aligning head including:
a vacuum chuck or an adjustable mechanical clamp.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the alignment mechanism further comprises:
an integration mechanism that is connected with the first robot arm and is configured to integrate a plurality of aligning heads on the first robot arm.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises:
a second robot arm electrically connected to the controller, and
a UV dispensing syringe mounted on the second robot arm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the dispensing mechanism further comprises:
a second image collecting mechanism mounted on the second robot arm.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a UV lamp is provided on the alignment mechanism and electrically connected to the controller.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor is provided on each of the plurality of fixtures and configured to detect whether a to-be-assembled optical part is placed on the fixture.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the conveying mechanism comprises:
a turntable or a conveyor.

11. A method for assembling optical module applicable to the apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
controlling the conveying mechanism to stop when the conveying mechanism moves over a preset distance;
controlling the plurality of mechanical components to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions; and
controlling the conveying mechanism to move when the plurality of mechanical components complete corresponding operations respectively.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the controlling the plurality of mechanical components to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions comprises:
controlling a manipulator to place a to-be-assembled optical part on a fixture moved to the operating position of the manipulator;
controlling a dispensing mechanism to perform dispensing on a to-be-assembled optical part moved to an operating position of the dispensing mechanism;
controlling a power supply to supply power to a to-be-assembled optical part moved to an operating position of the alignment mechanism;
controlling an alignment mechanism to place a to-be-assembled lens to the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the alignment mechanism to obtain an optical module to be aligned, and controlling the alignment mechanism to adjust a position of the to-be-assembled lens according to an aligning instruction of the controller; and
controlling a first image collecting mechanism to collect a light spot of an image generated by the optical module to be aligned, and to generate an aligning instruction according to a quality of the light spot and output the aligning instruction to the alignment mechanism.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein before the controlling the plurality of mechanical components to perform corresponding operations on the fixtures moved to respective operating positions, the method further comprises:
detecting whether a to-be-assembled optical part is placed on the fixture by a sensor provided on each of the plurality of fixtures, with respect to each fixture.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein controlling a dispensing mechanism to perform dispensing on the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the dispensing mechanism comprises:
acquiring a real time image of the to-be-assembled optical part moved to the operating position of the dispensing mechanism by a second image collecting mechanism in the dispensing mechanism;
determining a dispensing position according to the real time image; and
controlling a second robot arm with a UV dispensing syringe according to the dispensing position to perform a dispensing operation.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein after generating an aligning instruction according to a quality of a light spot and outputting the aligning instruction to an alignment mechanism, the method further comprises:
lighting a UV lamp on the alignment mechanism to irradiate at a dispensing site of the to-be-assembled optical part, so as to fix the to-be-assembled lenses to obtain an optical module.

Assignees

• Goertek Inc

Inventors

• Dong nanjing
• Sun Debo

Classifications

• B23P21/008

  the assembling machines or tools moving synchronously with the units while these are being assembled · CPC title

• B23P19/10 Primary

  Aligning parts to be fitted together · CPC title

• G02B7/025

  using glue · CPC title

• B23P19/105

  using sensing means · CPC title

• B25J9/1687

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title