Wire feeding and attaching system for camera lens suspensions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294141-A1
Application number	US-201615086871-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A wire feeding and bonding tool and method for attaching wires to a component having first and second spaced-apart wire attach structures. Wire from a supply is fed through a capillary having at least a linear end portion with a feed opening. The capillary is positioned with respect to the component to locate a first portion of the wire extending from the feed opening adjacent to the first wire attach structure, and the wire is attached to the first attach structure. The capillary is moved with respect to the component along a wire feed path to feed the wire from the first wire attach structure to the second wire attach structure and to locate a second portion of the wire extending from the feed opening adjacent to the second attach structure. The wire is attached to the second wire attach structure, and cut from the supply.

First claim

1 . A wire feeding and bonding tool, including:
a support to hold a component to which a wire is to be attached, wherein the component has at least first and second spaced-apart wire attach structures to which a wire can be attached, and wherein a first wire axis extends between the first and second wire attach structures; a wire feed system including:
a capillary having an end portion with a feed opening, wherein a wire to be attached to the wire attach structures can be fed through the capillary and extend from the feed opening;
a stage for moving the capillary with respect to the support about one or more axes to position the capillary and a wire extending from the feed opening;
an attachment tool positioned with respect to the support to attach the wire to the attach structures; a cutting tool positioned with respect to the support to cut the wire; and a control system coupled to the stage, the attachment tool and the cutting tool, wherein the control system:
actuates the stage to position the capillary with portions of the wire extending from the feed opening presented at the first and second wire attach structures;
actuates the stage to move the capillary along a wire feed path and feed the wire from the first wire attach structure to the second wire attach structure with the wire emerging from the feed opening sufficiently coaxial with the wire axis to reduce damage to the wire;
actuates the attachment tool to attach the wire to the first and second attach structures; and
actuates the cutting tool to cut the wire.

2 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 wherein:
the capillary includes a linear end portion; and
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary with the linear end portion sufficiently coaxial with the wire axis to reduce damage to the wire.

3 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 2 wherein all or substantially all of the capillary is linear.

4 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 and further including a capillary clamp mounted to the stage, to releasably hold the capillary.

5 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 wherein the component has crimp wire attach structures, and further wherein:
the control system actuates the stage to position the capillary with portions of the wire extending from the feed opening extending into the crimps; and
the attachment tool comprises at least one punch to deform the crimps so the crimps engage the portions of the wire therein.

6 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 and further including a tensioning apparatus to apply tension to the wire.

7 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 wherein:
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary away from the first wire attach structure along a first portion of the wire feed path that is generally linear; and
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary during a second portion of the wire feed path that is generally perpendicular to the first portion of the wire feed path, and wherein the second portion of the wire feed path is shorter than the first portion of the wire feed path.

8 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 7 wherein the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary through a looping path during the second portion of the wire feed path.

9 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 , wherein the control system:
actuates the stage to position the capillary with an end of the wire extending from the feed opening adjacent to the first wire attach structure; actuates the attachment tool to attach the end of the wire adjacent to the first wire attach structure to the first wire attach structure; actuates the stage to move the capillary along the wire feed path after the wire is attached to the first attach structure, and to position a portion of the wire extending from the capillary adjacent to the second wire attach structure; actuates the attachment tool to attach the portion of the wire adjacent to the second wire attach structure to the second wire attach structure; and actuates the cutting tool to cut the portion of the wire attached to the second attach structure from a portion extending from the feed opening.

10 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 9 wherein the component has first and second crimp wire attach structures, and further wherein:
the control system actuates the stage to position the capillary with the wire extending from the feed opening into the crimps; and
the attachment tool comprises at least one punch to deform the crimps so the crimps engage the portions of the wires therein.

11 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 10 wherein:
the attachment tool comprises first and second punches;
the control system actuates the first punch to deform the first crimp; and
the control system actuates the second punch to deform the second crimp.

12 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 11 wherein:
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary away from the first crimp along a first portion of the wire feed path that is generally linear; and
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary during a second portion of the wire feed path that is generally perpendicular to the first portion of the wire feed path to position the wire within the second crimp, and wherein the second portion of the wire feed path is shorter than the first portion of the wire feed path.

13 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 12 wherein the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary through a looping path during the second portion of the wire feed path.

14 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 11 wherein the component has at least third and fourth crimp wire attach structures, and wherein a second wire attach axis that is non-collinear with the first wire attach axis extends between the third and fourth crimps, and further wherein:
the tool further includes a support actuator coupled to the control system to rotate the support with respect to the wire feed system; and
the control system:
actuates the support actuator to rotate the support and component held thereon;
actuates the stage to position the capillary with an end of the wire extending from the feed opening into to the third crimp;
actuates the first punch to deform the third crimp and attach the wire to the third crimp;
actuates the stage to move the capillary along the wire feed path after the wire is attached to the third crimp, and to position a portion of the wire extending from the capillary into the fourth crimp;
actuates the second punch to deform the fourth crimp and attach the wire to the fourth crimp; and
actuates the cutting tool to cut the portion of the wire attached to the fourth crimp from a portion extending from the feed opening.

15 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 14 wherein the control system actuates the support actuator to rotate the support and component held thereon about ninety degrees.

16 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 9 and further including a tensioning apparatus to tension the wire.

17 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 9 wherein
the capillary includes a linear end portion; and
the control system actuates the stage to move the capillary with the linear end portion sufficiently coaxial with the wire axis to reduce damage to the wire.

18 . The wire feeding and bonding tool of claim 1 wherein the component has at least third and fourth wire attach structures, and wherein a se

Assignees

• Hutchinson Technology

Inventors

• Davis Michael W
• Scheele Bryan J
• Scheele Daniel W
• Ashwill Andrew H
• Crane Matthew D

Classifications

• H04N23/687

  by shifting the lens or sensor position · CPC title

• G02B27/646

  compensating for small deviations, e.g. due to vibration or shake (movement of one or more optical elements for control of motion blur in cameras, projectors or printers G03B2205/0007; image stabilisation in cameras peculiar to the presence or use of an electronic image sensor H04N23/68) · CPC title

• G02B7/08

  adapted to co-operate with a remote control mechanism · CPC title

• B21F45/00

  Wire-working in the manufacture of other particular articles (of pins, needles, nails, hairpins B21G; of chains B21L) · CPC title

• G03B2205/0076

  using shape memory alloys · CPC title