KR101838148B1

KR101838148B1 - Ball feeding device for lens module and ball assembling apparatus with the same

Info

Publication number: KR101838148B1
Application number: KR1020150090213A
Authority: KR
Inventors: 김흥열
Original assignee: 주식회사 액트로
Priority date: 2015-06-25
Filing date: 2015-06-25
Publication date: 2018-03-14
Also published as: KR20170000955A

Abstract

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball-feeding device for a lens module and a ball-assembling device for a lens module, which can prevent ball friction and foreign matter from being generated in a ball-
A ball feeding apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention includes: an actuator; An ascending / descending member configured to be vertically movable up and down by the actuator; A penetration hole is formed in the vertically upper portion of the ascending / descending member so that a plurality of balls for the lens module are contained therein and at least a part of the region of the ascending / Ball container; And an adsorption bed provided at an upper end of the ascending / descending member and configured to vacuum-adsorb one of a plurality of balls for lens module contained in the ball container when the ascending / descending member penetrates into the ball container by the ascending operation do. In the ascending / descending operation of the ascending / descending member, the ball for the lens module, which is attracted to the adsorption table, is exposed to the upper space of the remaining non-adsorbed balls for the lens module.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a ball feeding device for a lens module, and a ball assembly device for a lens module having the ball feeding device.

The present invention relates to a ball assembly apparatus, and more particularly, to a ball assembly apparatus for supplying a ball used for a lens module, a ball for a lens module comprising a pickup apparatus for receiving a ball from the feeding apparatus, To an assembling apparatus.

In recent years, along with the development of electric and electronic terminals such as a smart phone or a smart pad, a miniature camera, that is, a small lens module is mounted together in such an electric and electronic terminal, and a means for adjusting focus is generally installed in such a lens module.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a main configuration for performing focus adjustment in the configuration of a small lens module mounted on a conventional electric / electronic terminal. 1, the conventional lens module 1 includes a housing (not shown), an AF carrier 6 disposed inside the housing, and a lens holder 6 disposed inside the autofocus carrier 6 A lens barrel 2 having an optical system 3 such as a lens disposed on an outer surface of the autofocus carrier 6 and adapted to adjust the position of the lens barrel 2 in the vertical direction 4).

A ball array 7 is inserted between the lens barrel 2 and the autofocus carrier 6 so that the ball array 7 inserted in the lens barrel 1 is slid on the lens barrel 1 2) can be smoothly adjusted in the vertical direction.

Specifically, two first balls 5a and two second balls 5b are alternately arranged along the longitudinal axis of the lens module 1 in one area between the lens barrel 2 and the autofocus carrier 6, The first ball 5a and the second ball 5b are arranged alternately along the longitudinal axis of the lens module 1 in the diagonal direction so that a pair of ball arrays 7 are inserted and arranged. For reference, the first ball 5a and the second ball 5b are separated from each other on the basis of their diameters, and the first ball 5a is configured to have a larger diameter than the second ball 5b. The reason why the balls 5a and 5b having different diameters are inserted is to smoothly guide the position of the barrel 2 in the vertical direction while at the same time minimizing the number of contact points of the ball.

As described above, the lens module is provided with a plurality of balls, which are assembled into a product by injecting balls into the lens module using a ball assembly device.

Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a ball assembly device for a conventional lens module. Fig. 7 (a) shows a state before the ball feed of the conventional ball feeding device, and Fig. 7 will be.

7 (a) and 7 (b), a conventional ball assembly device for a lens module includes a ball feeding device 100 for supplying balls to be assembled to the lens module 1, And a ball pick-up device 120 for receiving the ball 8a to be supplied to the lens module 1.

The conventional ball feeding apparatus 100 includes a plurality of balls 8 in a ball container 110 and a ball outlet 8 formed at a lower end of the ball container 110 so as to allow the balls 8 to be discharged to the outside 115 are formed to pass through. The vertical lower region of the ball container 110 is provided with a ball supply plate 120 which is reciprocatable in the horizontal direction (i.e., the X-axis direction).

When one of the plurality of balls 8 in the ball container 110 is discharged to the outside of the ball outflow opening 115 by gravity, the conventional ball feeding device 100 having the above- 8a fall down toward the receiving groove 125 of the ball feeding plate 120 provided at the vertical lower portion of the ball container and are received in the receiving groove 125.

When the discharge ball 8a is seated in the receiving groove 125, the ball supply plate 120 is moved to the ball pick-up device 120 side so as to provide the ball 8a to the vertically falling ball pick- do.

According to the conventional ball feeding apparatus 100, the ball feeding plate 120 reciprocates in the X-axis direction in order to provide the ball 8a placed in the receiving groove 125 to the ball pick-up apparatus 120 The ball 8b waiting in the ball outlet 115 of the ball container 110 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the ball supply plate 120 to continuously generate friction, (Scratches or the like) of the first and second electrodes 8a and 8b.

In addition, foreign matter is generated due to ball wear or damage (scratches or the like) described above, and problems such as ball striking and jamming are caused by such foreign matter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a ball feeding device for a lens module capable of preventing ball friction and foreign matters generated during a ball feeding process of a ball assembly device, And a ball assembly for a lens module having the same.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ball feeding apparatus for a lens module, including: an actuator; An ascending / descending member configured to be vertically movable up and down by the actuator; A penetration hole is formed in the vertically upper portion of the ascending / descending member so that a plurality of balls for the lens module are contained therein and at least a part of the region of the ascending / Ball container; And an adsorption bed provided at an upper end of the ascending / descending member and configured to vacuum-adsorb one of a plurality of balls for lens module contained in the ball container when the ascending / descending member penetrates into the ball container by the ascending operation do. In the ascending / descending operation of the ascending / descending member, the ball for the lens module, which is attracted to the adsorption table, is exposed to the upper space of the remaining non-adsorbed balls for the lens module.

In order to accomplish the above object, a ball assembly device for a lens module according to the present invention includes a ball-picking device for a lens module and a ball pick-up device for receiving a ball from the ball-feeding device and assembling the ball to the lens module . The ball pick-up apparatus includes a transfer robot capable of reciprocating in the X-axis direction; An up-down unit installed on the X-axis transfer robot and reciprocating in the Y-axis direction; And a pick-up unit installed on the up-down unit and taking over the balls for the lens module adsorbed on the adsorption bands.

According to the ball dispensing apparatus for a lens module and the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module having the same, it is possible to efficiently perform a ball insertion and assembly process without loss of tact time, It is possible to fundamentally eliminate the problem of ball friction and foreign matter generated in the ball feeding process, thereby improving the stability and yield of the process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a main configuration for performing focus adjustment in a configuration of a small lens module mounted on a conventional electric / electronic terminal; FIG.
2 is a schematic view showing a cross-sectional structure of a ball feeding device for a lens module according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 is an operational state diagram schematically showing a ball adsorption and ascending operation of the ascending / descending member of Fig. 2; Fig.
4 is a schematic view of a ball pick-up apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an operational state diagram schematically illustrating a first ball take-over operation of the ball assembly device for a lens module according to the present invention; FIG.
FIG. 6 is an operational state diagram schematically showing a first ball input and a second ball take-over operation of the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention; FIG.
Fig. 7 (a) is a view schematically showing a state before a ball feed of a conventional ball feeding apparatus. Fig.
7 (b) is a view schematically showing a ball feeding operation of a conventional ball feeding apparatus;

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "having" and the like refer to the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

Also, in the present specification, the term " above or above "means to be located above or below the object portion, and does not necessarily mean that the object is located on the upper side with respect to the gravitational direction. It will also be understood that when an element such as a region, plate, or the like is referred to as being "above or above another portion ", this applies not only to the presence or spacing of another portion & And the like.

Also, in this specification, when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" with another element, the element may be directly connected or directly connected to the other element, It should be understood that, unless an opposite description is present, it may be connected or connected via another element in the middle.

Also, in this specification, the terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

In the following, preferred embodiments, advantages and features of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A ball assembly apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention is an apparatus for assembling a ball used in a lens module into a lens module and assembling the lens module. The ball assembly includes a ball feeding device for supplying a ball for a lens module, And a ball pick-up device for inputting and assembling the lens module to the lens module.

First, a description will be made of a lens module to be a ball assembly object of the lens module ball assembly device of the present invention, and then, a ball-feeding device and a ball-pick-up device constituting the ball assembly device for a lens module according to the present invention will be described.

1, the lens module 1, which is an object of the ball assembly of the ball assembly device of the present invention, includes a housing (not shown), an autofocus carrier (AF Carrier) 6 disposed inside the housing, A lens barrel 2 disposed inside the focus carrier 6 and provided with an optical system 3 such as a lens therein and a lens barrel 2 disposed opposed to the outer surface of the autofocus carrier 6 to adjust the position of the lens barrel 2 in the vertical direction That is, a focus adjustment).

The ball assembly device of the present invention is an apparatus for automatically performing a process of assembling the ball array 7 to a product by putting the ball into the lens module 1 a plurality of times.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a cross sectional structure of a ball feeding device for a lens module according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an operational state diagram schematically showing a ball attraction and ascending operation of the ascending / descending member of FIG.

2 and 3, a ball feeding apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention includes a frame 30, an actuator 40, an ascending / descending member 10, a ball container 20, a suction table 13, And a pump (not shown).

The frame 30 of the present invention corresponds to a body provided with various structures for realizing lifting and lowering of the lifting body 10 and control of the ball lifting device. Here, the various structures for controlling the lifting and lowering of the elevator 10 and the control of the ball assembling device are not limited to the elevating and lowering motions of a predetermined object such as an actuator, a cross roller guide, a snap ring, a ball bush, a gear box, an LM guide, A known configuration necessary for implementing the control thereof can be employed.

The actuator (40) of the present invention is a structure for generating the operation of the ascending / descending body (10) by using electricity, hydraulic pressure or compressed air. The actuator 40 is configured to move the ascending / descending member 10 up or down in the vertical vertical direction in response to a command signal from the control unit. Specifically, the actuator 40 is controlled so as to cause a lift-up operation of the ascending / descending member 10 when the pickup device approaches a feeding device, which will be described later. When the pickup device receives the ball for the lens module after approaching to the feeding device, (10).

The ball container 20 of the present invention is provided with a receiving space 25 therein to accommodate a plurality of balls 5 for the lens module in the receiving space 25. The ball container 20 is disposed at a vertically upper portion of the ascending / descending member 10, and a penetration hole 21 is formed in the bottom portion of the ball container 20 so that the receiving space of the ball container 20 communicates with the outside.

The penetration hole 21 is formed in a part of the ball container 20 which includes at least the upper region of the ascending and descending member 10 when the ascending / So that it can be inserted into the accommodation space 25. Therefore, the inner diameter or the cross-sectional area of the penetration hole 21 is set to be larger than the outer diameter or the cross-sectional area of the ascending / descending member 10, so that there is a clearance between the outer surface of the ascending / descending member 10 and the inner surface of the penetration hole 21.

The clearance is formed to have a fine dimension (preferably, several millimeters or less), and friction does not occur to the inner surface of the intrusion hole 21 during the lifting / lowering operation of the lifting body 10, The ball 5 for the lens module is configured not to flow out through the penetration hole 21.

The elevator 10 of the present invention is configured to be vertically vertically movable up and down by an actuator 40 so that a part of the balls 5 for a plurality of lens modules contained in the ball container 20 can be moved upward and downward, And supplies it to the apparatus.

According to a preferred embodiment, the ascending / descending member 10 is formed in a columnar shape having a longitudinal axis in the longitudinal direction (i.e., vertical direction), the lower end portion is connected to the actuator 40, (13).

When the ball pick-up device approaches the ball feeding device, the ascending / descending member 10 ascends by the actuator 40 to enter the ball container 20 through the penetration hole 21, The ball 5 'for the lens module adsorbed on the adsorption table 13 is separated from the remaining non-adsorption balls 5 by the adsorption of the ball 5' And is driven to be exposed to the outside.

That is, during the lifting operation of the ascending / descending member 10, the balls for the lens module adsorbed on the adsorption table 13 are moved to the upper space spaced vertically from the space in which the remaining non-adsorbed lens module balls are located, It can be distinguished from the remaining balls adsorbed and exposed.

Preferably, the additional lifting action of the lifting body 10 is such that the lifting action is stopped when the adsorption table 13 provided at the upper end of the lifting body 10 reaches the level of the top surface of the bowl 20 .

When the ball for a specific lens module is provided in the upper region of the ball container 20 by the above-mentioned lifting operation, the ball pick-up device moving to the upper region of the ball container 20, When the ball for the lens module is completed, the ascending / descending body 10 moves downward in the vertical downward direction and returns to the original position.

The adsorption table 13 of the present invention is provided at the upper end of the ascending / descending member 10 so that when the ascending / descending member 10 penetrates into the ball container 20 by the ascending operation, And one of the balls for the lens module of the lens module is vacuum-adsorbed.

According to the preferred embodiment, the adsorption column 13 is constituted to include a hollow tubular structure, and at least a part of the tubular structure is configured to protrude in the vertical upper direction on the upper end of the ascending / descending body 10. In this case, when the ascending / descending member 10 penetrates into the ball container 20, one lens module ball 5 'is sucked and fixed on the upper end of the adsorption table 13.

When the vacuum pump is driven, the suction chamber 13 is connected to the vacuum pump. In particular, when the ball for the lens module is mounted on the upper end of the custom tube, Can be adsorbed and fixed by a vacuum force.

When the elevating member 10 is further provided with a pointed portion 11 on the upper end of the elevating member 10, 11 so as to protrude vertically upward.

According to a preferred embodiment, the adsorption bands 13 are separated from each other by two (hereinafter referred to as a first adsorption zone and a second adsorption zone) spaced apart from each other on the periphery of the sharp- One of the balls for the lens module housed in the ball container 20 when the ascending / descending member 10 penetrates into the ball container 20 by the ascending operation is vacuum-adsorbed to the first adsorption table, Is attracted to the second adsorption table by vacuum.

The pointed portion 11 of the present invention is provided at the upper end of the ascending / descending body 10, and may be formed into a conical shape whose diameter decreases from the lower side to the upper side, or a polygonal cone whose sectional area decreases from the lower side to the upper side.

The pointing unit 11 is configured such that the ball for lens module contained in the ball container 20 is lifted on the upper surface of the ascending / descending member 10 during the ascending operation of the ascending / descending member 10, And serves to prevent the user from climbing to the upper area of the ball container 20 together with the ball and being provided to the pickup device side.

4 is a schematic view of a ball pick-up apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention. 4, the ball pick-up apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention includes transfer robots 50 and 80, an up-down unit 60, and a pick-up unit 70.

According to a preferred embodiment of FIG. 4, the transfer robot 50 of the present invention is a device capable of reciprocating in the X-axis direction. The transfer robot 50 includes an X-axis rail 80, And a movable unit 50 configured to be movable in the left-right direction along the X-axis rail 80 and capable of controlling the movement.

The up-down unit 60 of the present invention is a device installed on the X-axis transfer robot and reciprocating in the Y-axis direction. 4, the up-down unit 60 is mounted on the front face of the movable unit 50 of the X-axis transfer robot, and is movable in the Y-axis direction reciprocating motion through an actuator such as an air cylinder or a linear motor and its control .

The pick-up unit 70 according to the present invention is a device for taking over the balls provided from the ascending / descending member 10 and inputting the balls to the lens module. The pick-up unit 70 is configured in the form of fine nozzles including tubules, , Or a robot including a forceps may physically press the ball and hold it.

4, the pick-up unit 70 is installed on the lower end of the up-down unit 60, and when the down-down unit 60 is lowered in the Y-axis direction, Down unit 60 is moved in the Y-axis direction in accordance with the upward movement of the up-down unit 60 in the Y-axis direction and then moved to the position where the lens module is located by the transfer robot.

Hereinafter, the ball insertion and assembly operation by the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. FIG. 5 is an operational state view schematically illustrating a first ball take-over operation of the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross- Fig. 2 is an operation state diagram schematically showing a takeover operation.

For reference, the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module according to the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 includes a pair of ball feeding apparatuses and a pair of ball pick-up apparatuses. The first ball 5a is contained in the ball container 20a of the ball feeding device (hereinafter, referred to as a first ball feeding device) located on the right side of FIG. 5, The second ball 5b having a diameter smaller than that of the first ball 5a is contained in the ball container 20b.

In the above configuration, when the ball pick-up device (hereinafter referred to as the first ball pick-up device) positioned on the right side of FIG. 5 is moved to the upper part of the first ball feeding device, 10a are lifted up by the actuator 40 and enter the ball container 20a through the penetration hole 21 so that the first ball 5a 'is adsorbed and fixed by the adsorption table 13a, So that the first ball 5a 'adsorbed on the adsorption table 13a is positioned in the upper space spaced vertically upwards in the space where the remaining nonadsorbed first balls 5a are located.

When the first ball 5a 'is provided in the upper region of the ball container 20a by the above operation, the first ball 5a' moves to the upper region of the ball container 20a of the first ball- The pick-up unit 70a passes through the first ball 5a 'located in the upper space.

6, the elevator 10a of the first ball feeding device moves downward in the vertical downward direction to return to the original position, and the first ball pick-up device is moved The first ball 5a 'provided from the first ball feeding device by moving the pick-up unit 70a in the Y-axis direction through the up-down unit 60a after the robot 50a moves the X- ) Into the lens module 1.

On the other hand, when the first ball pick-up device moves to the location where the lens module 1 is located, the pick-up unit 70b of the second ball pick-up device is simultaneously moved by the transfer robot 50b Moves up to the top of the ball container 20b in the X-axis direction, and then moves down by the up-down unit 60b.

After receiving the second ball 5b 'from the ascending / descending member 10b of the second ball feeding device through the same process as the first ball pick-up device described above, The first ball 5a 'and the second ball 5b' are alternately put into the lens module 1 by putting the second ball 5b 'provided from the second ball feeding device into the lens module 1 So that it can be assembled.

It is preferable that two adsorption bands 13a are provided on the ascending and descending member 10a of the first ball feeding apparatus and two adsorption bands 13b are provided on the ascending and descending member 10b of the second ball feeding apparatus, When the first ball-feeding device and the first ball-pick-up device (or the second ball-feeding device and the second ball-pick-up device) Can be simultaneously inserted into two places of the lens module.

Meanwhile, the ball assembly apparatus for a lens module of the present invention may further include a vision inspection apparatus. In this case, in the case of one-time processing, that is, when the first ball or the second ball is provided and the projection inspection apparatus The state is checked and confirmed.

While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described and illustrated above using specific terms, such terms are used only for the purpose of clarifying the invention, and it is to be understood that the embodiment It will be obvious that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Such modified embodiments should not be understood individually from the spirit and scope of the present invention, but should be regarded as being within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

5: Ball for lens module 10:
11: Point of sharpening 13:
20: ball container 21: penetration hole
30: Frame 40: Actuator
50: transfer robot 60: up-down unit
70: Pickup unit

Claims

An apparatus for supplying a ball to be assembled to a lens module,
Actuator; An ascending / descending member configured to be vertically movable up and down by the actuator; A penetration hole is formed in the vertically upper portion of the ascending / descending member so that a plurality of balls for the lens module are contained therein and at least a part of the region of the ascending / Ball container; And an adsorption bed provided at an upper end of the ascending / descending member and configured to vacuum-adsorb one of a plurality of balls for lens module contained in the ball container when the ascending / descending member penetrates into the ball container by the ascending operation And the ball for the lens module, which is attracted to the adsorption table during the lifting operation of the lifting body, is exposed to the upper space of the balls for the remaining non-adsorbed lens module,
Wherein the suction cup includes a hollow tubular portion, at least a part of the tubular portion protruding from the upper end of the lifting body,
Further comprising a pointed portion provided at an upper end of the ascending / descending member and having a smaller diameter or a smaller sectional area from the lower side toward the upper side,
Wherein at least a portion of the tubule is protruded on the pointed portion. &Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > 11. < / RTI >

delete

The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the attraction bands are divided into a plurality of spaced apart from each other on the periphery of the pointed portion, and when the ascending / descending member penetrates into the ball container by the lifting action, a part of the balls for a plurality of lens modules contained in the ball container Wherein the plurality of adsorption units are vacuum-adsorbed to the plurality of adsorption units one by one.

The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a vacuum pump connected to the adsorption column for generating a vacuum atmosphere in the hollow of the tubule.

An apparatus for assembling a ball into a lens module,
A ball pick-up device for supplying a ball for a lens module, and a ball pick-up device for receiving a ball from the ball-picking device and assembling the ball to the lens module,
The ball-
An actuator; An ascending / descending member configured to be vertically movable up and down by the actuator; A penetration hole is formed in the vertically upper portion of the ascending / descending member so that a plurality of balls for the lens module are contained therein and at least a part of the region of the ascending / Ball container; And an adsorption bed provided at an upper end of the ascending / descending member and configured to vacuum-adsorb one of a plurality of balls for lens module contained in the ball container when the ascending / descending member penetrates into the ball container by the ascending operation and,
Wherein the lifting body is configured to expose a ball for lens module adsorbed on the adsorption table in the upper space of the balls for the remaining non-adsorbed lens module during the lifting operation,
The ball pick-
A transfer robot capable of reciprocating movement in the X-axis direction; An up-down unit installed on the X-axis transfer robot and reciprocating in the Y-axis direction; And a pick-up unit installed on the up-down unit for picking up a ball for a lens module which is attracted to the adsorption table.

The method according to claim 6,
In the ball assembly for a lens module,
When the up-down unit is transported to the upper portion of the ball container by the transport robot, the ball for the lens module adsorbed on the adsorption table is exposed in the upper space by the ascending operation of the ascending /
Wherein the up-down unit is lowered in the Y-axis direction when the ball for the lens module is exposed in the upper space, and the pick-up unit takes over the ball for the lens module exposed in the upper space. Ball assembly device.

8. The method of claim 7,
Wherein the ball feeding device includes a first ball feeding device having a first ball for a lens module and a second ball feeding device having a second ball for a lens module having a diameter smaller than that of the first ball,
Wherein the ball pick-up device comprises a first ball pick-up device for receiving the first ball from the first ball-feeding device and a second ball-pick device for receiving the second ball from the second ball-
Wherein the first ball pick-up device and the second ball pick-up device alternately operate so that the first ball and the second ball are alternately arranged in the lens module, Ball assembly for modules.