JP2000098203A - Optical parts vertical type boundary surface matching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and stably perform surface matching of optical parts. SOLUTION: When a second optical parts W2 is clamped by a clamping device 13 of an upper end of a support body 9 provided on a disk 11 decantably supported by a liquid bearing 7 while turning its connection surface upward, and the connection surface is pressed to a first optical parts W1, and the surface matching is performed, since the disk 11 is decantable freely, the disk 11 and the support body 9 are moved so that the connection surface of the second optical parts W2 is in contact closely with the connection surface of the first optical parts W1, and the surface matching is performed easily and surely. At this time, since the balance of the disk 11 is held by angular adjusting mechanisms 25A, 25B, 25C provided on the positions nearly trisecting the disk 11, the stable surface matching is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vertical alignment device for optical components, and more particularly, to an optical component assembly device and a mounting device for connecting a plurality of optical components. The present invention relates to a vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for optical components used for performing the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an optical component assembling apparatus or a mounting apparatus for connecting a plurality of optical components, it is important to precisely adjust the so-called surface alignment for aligning the connection end faces of the optical components to be connected. A part boundary alignment apparatus is used.

Conventionally, in this optical component boundary surface aligning apparatus, as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 7-230026, one optical component to be aligned is replaced with a spherical air bearing or the like. When the optical axis is the Z axis, the optical component is mounted on a disk or the like which is supported so as to be tiltable about the X axis and the Y axis orthogonal to the Z axis, and the boundary surface of the optical component is made to substantially coincide with the center of the spherical surface. Since the disk or the like on which the one optical component is mounted is tiltable, when the boundary surface of the other optical component is pressed against the boundary surface of the one optical component, the boundary surface of the one optical component and the other optical component are pressed. The interface of the parts will be close together. Such an optical component boundary surface aligning device includes a horizontal type in which the optical component is set horizontally and a vertical type in which the optical component is set vertically, and a vertical type is generally superior in stability. It is said that.

[0004]

However, in such a vertical-type optical component boundary surface alignment apparatus, a disk or the like on which the optical component is mounted is disposed substantially horizontally, and a support projecting vertically upward from the center thereof. Optical components in the vertical direction (vertical)
Although the disc can be operated relatively stably because it is set to the disc, the disc etc. need to move freely with a smaller force, so the optical components are relatively large even if the balance is slightly lost in the free state. There is a problem that it is inclined and that accurate alignment cannot be performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to pay attention to the above-mentioned prior art, and it is possible to easily and stably carry out surface alignment of an optical component. It is to provide a device.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, an apparatus for vertically aligning an optical component according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a first optical component and a second optical component which are vertically opposed to each other. In a vertical Sakai interface aligning device for optical components, in which the first and second optical components face each other by pressing the connecting surfaces facing each other, the second optical component can be tilted in a substantially vertical state. And an angle adjusting mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle of the tilting member in a free state.

Accordingly, the second optical component supported by the tilting member is placed near a desired angular position in the free state by the angle adjusting mechanism, and the connection surfaces are accurately aligned.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the tilting member supports the second optical component at an upper end thereof. A disk having a support at the center and being a part of a spherical surface such that the connection surface of the second optical component is located substantially at the center, and a fluid bearing is used to blow pressure fluid from both upper and lower sides of the disk to float. It can be supported in a state, and can be prevented from tilting by spraying a pressurized fluid only from one side of the disk.

Therefore, when the connection surface of the second optical component supported by the support is pressed against the fixed connection surface of the first optical component, the disk tilts in the direction in which the two connection surfaces coincide. Then, the meeting is performed. At this time, the disk is tiltably supported by the fluid bearing, and after the surface matching, the movement of the disk is fixed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component according to the second aspect, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism adjusts the outer circumference of the disk to approximately three degrees. The disk or the support is provided between the support and the fluid bearing at a separating position.

Therefore, when the first optical component and the second optical component are surface-matched, the disk supporting the second optical component is:
The balance of the disk is maintained by an angle adjustment mechanism provided at a position that substantially divides the disk into three, and stable surface matching is performed.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for vertically aligning optical components according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein two of the angle adjusting mechanisms are arranged in the outer circumferential direction of the disk. And the disk is adjustable in the radial direction, and the other is adjustable only in the radial direction.

Accordingly, the position and inclination of the disk and the support in the radial direction of the disk are adjusted by the three angle adjustment mechanisms, and the angle of the outer periphery of the disk, that is, the angle about the optical axis of the second optical component is adjusted by two angle adjustment mechanisms. Adjusted by mechanism.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component according to the second aspect, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism makes the outer circumference of the disk substantially equal to four. The fluid bearing is provided between the disk or the support and the fluid bearing at a separating position.

Therefore, when the first optical component and the second optical component are surface-matched, the disk supporting the second optical component is adjusted at an angle which is provided at a position which substantially divides the disk into four equal parts. The balance of the disk is maintained by the mechanism, and stable surface matching is performed.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component, wherein one of two sets of angle adjusting mechanisms opposed to each other is provided. Are adjustable in the outer peripheral direction of the disk and in the radial direction of the disk, and the other set is adjustable only in the radial direction.

Accordingly, the position and inclination of the disk and the support in the radial direction of the disk are adjusted by the four angle adjusting mechanisms, and the angle of the outer periphery of the disk, that is, the angle around the optical axis of the second optical component is adjusted by two angle adjustments. Adjusted by mechanism.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for vertically aligning an optical component according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism comprises a tension spring. Is provided.

Therefore, the angle of the disk is adjusted by the tension spring without impairing the tiltability.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first optical component W1 and a second optical component W2, which are opposed to each other and abut against each other.
1 shows an optical component vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus 1 according to the present invention for performing surface alignment in the connection. In this vertical boundary surface alignment apparatus 1 for optical components, the lower side in FIG.
An air bearing 7 as an example of a fluid bearing including the lower bearing 3 and the upper bearing 5 is provided.

The air bearing 7 is a disc 1 as an example of a tilting member having a support 9 vertically upward at the center.
In the vicinity of the outer periphery of the disk 11, an inner surface and an outer surface are formed of two spherical surfaces having the same center and different radii, and have a constant thickness. A clamp device 13 for clamping the second optical component W2 is provided at an upper end portion of the support 9 and the second optical component W2 is clamped by an air cylinder 15 provided in the clamp device 13. As a result, the second optical component W2 is clamped such that the connection surface at the upper end thereof is located substantially at the center of the sphere constituting the disk 11.

An air supply path 17A for supplying air to the air cylinder 15 to clamp the optical component W2;
An air supply path 17B (partially omitted from the drawing) for unclamping the optical component W2 is provided from the lower bearing 3 through the disk 11 to the inside of the support body 9 to the air cylinder 15.

Each of the upper bearing 5 and the lower bearing 3 has a hydrostatic fluid pocket 19 sandwiching the disk 11 therebetween.
Is provided at an appropriate position so as to oppose, and supplies air through the air supply paths 21 and 23 to support the disk 11 in a floating state so as to be tiltable.

Referring to FIG. 2, the outer peripheral portion of the disk 11 has springs 25A, 25B, 2 as an example of an angle adjusting mechanism at approximately three equal (120 °) positions.
5C, it is pulled outward and slightly upward, and is attached to the upper bearing 5 via an adjustment screw 27. Of these, any one of the springs 25A can adjust only the strength of the spring 25A, and the other two springs 25B and 25C can also adjust the strength of the spring 25 and the direction along the outer periphery of the disk 11. ing.

The above-mentioned springs 25A, 25B,
25C is provided between the outer periphery of the disk 11 and the upper bearing 5, but may be provided between the support 9 and the upper bearing 5.

With the above configuration, the vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus 1
When the connection surface of the second optical component W2 whose connection surface is clamped upward by the clamp device 13 is pressed against the fixed connection surface of the first optical component W1, the spring 25
A, 25B, and 25C each pull the disk 11 outward, and the connection surface of the second optical component W2 is
The angle around the optical axis is also adjusted by adjusting the orientation of the springs 25B and 25C in the outer peripheral direction of the disk 11 while maintaining the angle position substantially parallel to the connection surface of the first disk 1.

Therefore, when the connection surface of the first optical component W1 and the connection surface of the second optical component W2 are pressed against each other, the connection surface of the second optical component W2 is connected to the connection surface of the first optical component W1. It is exactly face-to-face.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be embodied in other modes by making appropriate changes. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the disk 11 is used as an example of the tilting member has been described. In addition, for example, a tilting member rotatable in the Y-axis direction is provided on a tilting member rotatable in the X-axis direction. The tilting member provided may be the tilting member described above. Alternatively, the above-mentioned tilting member may be a convex spherical member that is supported by a concave spherical roller bearing so as to be tiltable around the X axis and the Y axis.

The first optical component W1 and the second optical component W
It is also possible to provide a mechanical fixing means for stopping the movement of the disk 11 after the completion of the surface matching of 2, so that the state of the surface matching can be reliably maintained. For example, the above-mentioned springs 25A, 25B, 25C
A shaft is provided along the inner space of the shaft, and the shaft is rotatably and slidably supported at the time of face matching, and a bearing for fixing the shaft is provided on the upper bearing 5 or the lower bearing 3 after face matching. It is also possible to provide the disk 11 by fixing the shaft by the bearing after the surface matching is completed.

Alternatively, by adjusting the air blown to the disk 11 and supplying air to, for example, only one of the air supply paths 21 and 23, the disk 11 can be moved to the upper bearing 5 or It is also possible to press against the lower bearing 3 and fix it so as not to move.

Further, the spring as the angle adjusting mechanism is not three, but the upper bearing 5 or the lower bearing 3 which constitutes the fluid bearing with the disk 11 or the support 9 at a position which divides the outer periphery of the disk 11 into approximately four equal parts. Four may be provided between them. In this case, by making one set of two sets of springs facing each other adjustable in the outer circumferential direction and the radial direction of the disk 11, and making the other set adjustable only in the radial direction, The inclination of the second optical component W2 and the angle around the optical axis can be adjusted.

[0033]

As described above, in the optical component vertical boundary surface alignment apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, the connection surface of the second optical component supported by the tilting member can be freely adjusted by the angle adjusting mechanism. It is placed near the desired angular position in the state. As a result, highly accurate optical component surface matching can be easily performed.

In the vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component according to the second aspect of the present invention, a disk, which is a part of a spherical surface where the connection surface of the second optical component is located substantially at the center, can be tilted by a fluid bearing. Because of the supporting structure, the surface can be aligned with an extremely small force, and the movement of the disk is fixed after the alignment, so that the stable alignment can be performed.

In the vertical alignment device for optical components according to the third aspect of the present invention, when the first optical component and the second optical component are aligned, the disk supporting the second optical component may include: An angle adjustment mechanism provided at a position that substantially divides the disk into three equal parts makes it possible to maintain the balance of the disk and perform stable surface matching.

In the vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for optical components according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the disk and the support are adjusted by the three angle adjusting mechanisms in the direction toward the center of the spherical surface constituting the disk, and the two are adjusted. The disc is also adjusted in the outer peripheral direction of the disc by the two position adjustment mechanisms.
The angle around the optical axis can also be adjusted.

In the vertical alignment device for optical components according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the balance of the disk is maintained by the four angle adjusting mechanisms provided at positions that substantially divide the disk into four equal parts, and a stable surface is obtained. Matching can be performed.

In the optical component vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the disk and the supporter adjust the tilt angle of the disk by four angle adjusting mechanisms, and the light of the disk is adjusted by the two angle adjusting mechanisms. The angle around the axis can be adjusted.

In the vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for optical parts according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the disk at the time of surface alignment is pulled out at approximately three equal positions of the disk, so that the disk is stabilized. And can be tiltably supported.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a vertical boundary surface alignment apparatus for an optical component according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view seen from line II-II in FIG.

[Description of Signs] 1 Vertical boundary surface alignment device 7 Air bearing (fluid bearing) 9 Support 11 Disk (tilting member) 13 Clamping device 25A, 25B, 25C Tension spring (angle adjusting mechanism) W1 First optical component W2 Second optical component

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Shogo Serizawa, Inventor 2068-3 Ooka, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeo Yamamoto 2068-3, Ooka, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka Toshiba Machine Numazu In-house (72) Inventor Yuki Sugiura 2068-3 Ooka, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka Toshiba Machine Co., Ltd. Numazu Office (72) Inventor Yasuaki Tamura Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation 3-9-1-2 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo F-term (reference) 2H043 AB03 AB23

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A vertical type of optical component in which first and second optical components are vertically opposed to each other, and the first and second optical components face each other by pressing opposing connection surfaces. In the interface aligning apparatus, a tilting member for tiltably supporting the second optical component in a substantially vertical state and an angle adjusting mechanism for adjusting a tilt angle in a free state of the tilting member, Characteristic vertical boundary surface alignment device for optical components. 2. The tilting member is a part of a spherical surface having a support at the center for supporting the second optical component at an upper end and a connection surface of the second optical component being located substantially at the center. A disk, which can be supported in a floating state by spraying a pressure fluid from both upper and lower sides of the disk by a fluid bearing, and tilting can be prevented by spraying the pressure fluid only from one side of the disk, The vertical boundary surface alignment apparatus for optical components according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism is provided between the disk or the support and the fluid bearing at a position that substantially divides the outer periphery of the disk into three equal parts. 3. The vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component according to claim 2. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein two of the angle adjusting mechanisms are adjustable in an outer circumferential direction of the disk and in a radial direction of the disk, and the other is adjustable only in a radial direction. 4. The vertical boundary surface alignment device for optical components according to claim 3. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism is provided between the disk or the support and the fluid bearing at a position where the outer periphery of the disk is approximately divided into four equal parts. 3. The vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for an optical component according to claim 2. 6. One of two sets of angle adjusting mechanisms opposed to each other is adjustable in the outer peripheral direction of the disk and in the radial direction of the disk, and the other is adjustable only in the radial direction. 6. The vertical boundary surface alignment apparatus for optical components according to claim 5, wherein: 7. The vertical boundary surface aligning apparatus for optical components according to claim 1, wherein the angle adjusting mechanism includes a tension spring.