FI110552B - Method and apparatus for producing a notice board illuminated with optical fibers - Google Patents

Description

110552

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CREATING A FIBER-LIGHTED DISPLAY BOARD

The invention relates to a method according to claim 1 and to a device according to claim 7 for producing a display panel illuminated with optical fibers.

There are prior art optical fiber display panels in which the optical fibers are hand-threaded into pre-drilled holes, fixed to holes and cut to a suitable length so that they often extend from the light source behind the panel to the panel. The construction of such boards is slow and expensive because the number of optical fibers to be processed is several hundred. In addition, workers are exposed to adhesive vapors when they have to attach optical fibers to the holes in the board.

The method and the device according to the invention solve the problem that occurs unexpectedly and the invention is characterized by what is stated in the appended claims.

One of the main advantages of the invention is the degree of automation achieved by using a position-controlled transfer device, such as a coordinate table, whose transfer movements are programmable. The device can then po-j '· | track holes in the board for any pattern and make ·: ·; ' transfer movements for insertion of optical fibers in the aforementioned holes. By means of an adhesive film to be glued to the underside of the board, the optical fibers can be locked in a simple manner in each of their respective holes. As a fiber optic feeder, a wire feeder for a wire welding machine suitable for the purpose without modification can be used. A simple short-motion electric actuator can be used to cut the fiber optic: · '. 1

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows a diagonal view of a device for placing optical fibers on a display board.

2 110552

Fig. 2 shows a feeding and cutting device.

Figure 3 is a sectional and enlarged view of the cut.

Fig. 1 shows a coordinate table formed by the longitudinal guides 1 and the transverse guides 2, on which the fixing part 3 can be moved above the display board 8. The coordinate table is known per se and includes software devices for predetermining the movements and stops of the device in the X-Y plane. Thus, the movements of the fastener 3 can be pre-programmed on the surface of the board 8, e.g., for drilling holes 13 first. The holes 13 are drilled to obtain the desired pattern when the optical fibers with the illuminating ends are placed in the holes. In the second step, the device passes through the same holes again and places the optical fibers in the holes. Repeat accuracy is maintained when Table 8 is not removed from its clamps during or between operations. In the figure, a fiber optic feed and cutter device is provided on top of the fastener part 3, having a fiber-optic coil 5 and the rotary motors required for the feed device and also for rotating the coil 5, if necessary. Below the attachment part 3 is a feeding tip 6 and a cutting blade and blade actuator 7.

; ··; Figure 2 is a description of an input event and a cut-off. The light: fiber feeder is a wire feeder for a wire welding machine with feed rollers 14. The feeder body 15 is: partially cut. The optical fiber 11 comes from the coil 5, passes through the feed tip 6 and passes through the hole 13 in the panel 8 and is fed until the optical fiber has the desired length below the display panel 8. When the drill has been secured in place of the feed tip 6 while making the holes, and the device makes the same X-Y plane displacements a second time, light comes on. after drilling the holes, an adhesive film 10 is glued to the underside of the board. The electric cut-off device 7 cuts the optical fiber before moving the device to the next hole. The fiber optic cut-off length can also be programmed into the feeder system.

Fig. 3 shows on a larger scale the cutting head 6 and the recess therein for the movement of the blade 9. Naturally, the cutting blade can be placed still much closer to the surface of the board. The tip 6 has a recess at least in the upstream direction of the blade 9 for successful cutting and for the tip portion to guide the optical fiber as far as possible towards the hole 13. It is also easy to add a device to the tip which, after cutting, still pushes the optical fiber up to the surface of the board, for example.

In one embodiment, the fastener portion 3 may comprise both a feed tip 6 and a hole drilling device simultaneously. In this case, one or both of them may be in a separate transfer device, whereby they may be moved to a position determined by the coordinates in the fixture 3 so that they work in the correct position on the X-Y plane.

In another embodiment, both have a fixed position in the clamp 3, but the X-Y shift automation knows the fixed coordinate difference between them and takes it into account when moving the device to the drilling position and the optical fiber. the feed station. When using adhesive film 10, it is preferred that; the holes are made first, then the adhesive film is fixed to the underside of the board and finally the fiber is fed into the holes.

The invention is not limited to the following embodiment, but many modifications are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the appended claims.

Claims (8)

A method for producing a display panel (8) illuminated with optical fibers (11), comprising: positioning the illuminating ends of the optical fibers through the display panel at desired locations on the display panel, characterized in that: - the panel (8) is tear (11) is inserted through a movable placement device into a hole (13) formed from the front of the board through the rear of the board to the desired length and cut off by a cutting device (7,9) substantially near the front surface of the board (8). Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that an adhesive surface film (10) attached to the surface of the board is attached to the hole (13) to lock the truncated fiber (11) into which the fiber (11) is attached. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adhesive film (10) is fixed to the surface of the board after the holes (13) have been made. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the optical fiber punctures the adhesive membrane (10) when the optical fiber is inserted into the hole (13). 4, 110552 Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the perforation, positioning and positioning. . a coordinate-controlled transfer device is used to convey the cutting device (4,5,6,7) on the surface of the board (8). 110552 5 Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a fiber-optic feeder (4,5,14), a fiber-optic cut-off device (7,9) and means for making a hole (13) in mounted on a part. Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that the aperture device of the hole (13) is replaceable in place of the optical fiber input and cutting tip (6). Device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the device is programmable for making hole patterns on the board (8) and for inserting optical fibers of the desired length in the holes. t · · · • • »» • i * 1 i »· •» »· t t 1 1 #» 1 »» I 1 1 '»• ♦ *» · 6 110552