TW201908853A - Assembling apparatus and method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembling apparatus for assembling an optical module has a barrel holder driven to move upwardly and downwardly for assembling lens into a barrel. Different stages with different forces are applied to the barrel holder. In addition, test images may be collected to further adjust a barrel and a holder, which may be components of a mobile phone or others with a camera.

Description

 Assembly device and method thereof  

The present invention relates to an assembly apparatus and method therefor, and more particularly to an assembly apparatus and method for assembling an optical component.

When the camera appears on a variety of electronic devices, it is necessary to accurately assemble the optical components of the camera. Typically, a single cylinder is used to support multiple lenses. The lens barrel is mounted on the bracket and provides an image sensor to receive images through the barrel. It is important to fit a plurality of lenses into the barrel and to accurately assemble the barrel to the corresponding bracket.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the assembly device is designed to assemble an optical module. The optical module includes a lens barrel that houses a plurality of lenses. In order to limit unnecessary random light, a light shielding component such as SOMA may be placed between the lens barrels.

The assembly device can include a lens collector and a barrel support.

The lens collector is designed to take a lens from a tray plate to assemble to the lens barrel. When a lens barrel needs to be mounted with multiple lens barrels, there may be multiple lens collectors in one assembly device. In addition, there may be two or more sets of such designs for assembling two or more barrels at the same time.

The lens collector moves the lens over the barrel support. The barrel support design then has a positioning drive for moving the barrel upward to match the controlled strength and position driven by the lens.

In some embodiments, when the barrel support is controlled to move upward to engage the lens, there are successive introduction phases and major assembly phases. In the introduction phase, a first force is applied to the barrel support through the positioning drive. In the main assembly phase, a second force is applied to the barrel support through the positioning drive. The first force is smaller than the second force. For example, at the introduction stage, the force may be 300 g/cm 2 , and in the main assembly stage, the force may be 2000 g/cm 2 to 3000 g/cm 2 .

In order to provide a precise control effect, the positioning drive may comprise a servo motor having a corresponding drive mechanism, like a series of links with balls for driving the barrel support with a controlled speed and force, up or towards Move down. Using an optical measuring device, this positioning drive can be controlled with an accuracy level of 0.01 mm.

In some cases, when the lens collector is not fully aligned with the lens holder. For example, the surface of the lens supported by the lens collector is not parallel to the surface of the barrel. In this case, when the lens is inserted into the lens barrel, an inclination angle may be generated between the lens and the lens barrel. In order to make the assembly more reliable, the barrel support can be moved down a certain distance, rotated, and then the lens is re-engaged. By changing the barrel body at an angle and then applying a force thereon, the lens can be assembled more reliably. This method can be used more than once. In other words, the barrel support can be rotated at a plurality of angles for sequentially engaging the barrel with a plurality of angles. To prevent damage, the support frame may move down to match the lens again before changing another angle.

As described above, a measuring device can be provided on the lens barrel holder to measure the moving distance of the lens barrel holder. When a plurality of lenses and other components are stacked one after another into a cylinder, each operation may correspond to a measured distance. By calculating a plurality of measured distances, the relative distance of the lenses can be obtained. Such results can be fed back to the control of the lens holder. In other words, for example, by pressing an additional force on the lens barrel or lens. Any undesired errors can be adjusted if possible.

In other cases, the lens collector can have adjustment means that adjust the relative angle relative to the barrel support. For example, it can be applied to several adjustment screws that adjust the angle of the lens collector. The operator can adjust these adjustment screws to ensure that the lens collector is better aligned with the lens holder.

In some cases, the collimator can be first aligned with the barrel support, and then the aligned collimator is further used to adjust the adjustment of the lens collector for aligning the lens collector and the barrel support The relative angle between the two. Such collimators have a source of illumination to emit movable light within the collimator and then move further to the corresponding optical component. For example, a mirror receives the transmitted light if the collimator is completely parallel to the frame placed with the optical component before being guided to the sensor. Otherwise, the collimator will be adjusted to an angle until the collimator is aligned with the barrel support. After the collimator is aligned with the barrel support, the lens collector is adjusted to align with the collimator, indirectly ensuring that the lens collector is aligned with the barrel support.

Furthermore, in order to ensure that the center of the lens is aligned with the barrel, and other lenses can also be inserted into the barrel, there may be one or more push rods. Each push rod can be made of two collection members that are spring driven. The two collecting members clamp one lens and have different forces to cause their springs to push the lens with different forces. This will align the lens with the edge of the end of the lens collector. When all the lenses are aligned with the edges of the corresponding lens collector, the lenses are also aligned with each other, so the lens holder can be adjusted under such conditions.

In this design, there may be multiple lens collectors for collecting a plurality of lenses to be assembled into the lens barrel, respectively. There are alignment devices with multiple push rods. Each push rod corresponds to a lens for urging the lens to align with a corresponding lens collector edge.

The push rod has two springs of different forces for pushing the corresponding lens to one edge of the corresponding lens collector.

Furthermore, the lens collector can have an attractive force for collecting different components from the lens. For example, an air driven pump can be used to generate low air pressure to create suction to attract and attach the lens.

In order to control such an assembly device, there may be a corresponding software code control device, such as a control circuit or a microcomputer. The control device can provide the operator with a plurality of parameter sets having different assembly parameters. For example, an operator operating the assembly device can set up a display for obtaining operator input and output. The operator can select one type of optical component to be inserted into the lens barrel during operation, and the control device provides the operator with several options to select from. After the operator selects the corresponding option, the corresponding parameters are set and the operator does not need to enter all the parameters for operating the assembly. This reduces operational complexity and cost and improves user experience and performance.

Different sets of parameters have different driving forces and drive speeds for driving the barrel support up or down. Such parameters can be further changed by the operator providing a table through the control device. For example, an operator can edit related parameters using a popular table editor such as Excel or Google Tools. Such forms can be edited directly on the control device or edited from other machines. The table is sent to the control device and decoded to generate corresponding parameters to control the lens collector and barrel support.

In some barrels, the lens has a sloped angle surface and the two lenses are in contact at the respective angled surface. When the barrel holder is driven to fit the corresponding lens, the barrel holder is controlled by measuring a plurality of distances. When the corresponding lens is assembled to the lens barrel, multiple distances can be used as assembly parameters for different stages.

In summary, the above embodiment provides an effective assembly device.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, an assembly apparatus for mounting a lens barrel to a support such as a mobile phone electronic device having a camera is provided. This assembly device can be used as a machine in a production pipe. In this embodiment, the lens barrel with the lens is further fitted to a holder that can have OIS (anti-shake) or simply further supports the image sensor.

A lens in the lens barrel is used to direct an external image through the lens barrel to the image sensor. However, when the lens barrel having the lens is assembled to the holder, it is not necessary to mount the image sensor. This embodiment can be used to automatically align the lens barrel with the lens to the holder.

The assembly device has a lens illumination pattern that emits an optical image to a lens barrel having a traversing path. The traversing path is opposite to the lens image receiving path for collecting external images on the image sensor. In other words, the chart is placed on the same side as the original image sensor. The illumination chart, for example on a transparent slide having some alignment marks thereon, emits a chart image through the lens barrel. For collecting image data corresponding to an optical image, at least one camera is placed at a position for capturing a chart image. For more efficient processing, several cameras with low resolutions can be used instead of high resolution cameras to collect a portion of the chart image. By analyzing the captured image, an undesired tilt angle between the barrel and the holder can be detected. Such problems can be sent back to the control device of the assembly device to adjust the relative assembly position between the lens barrel and the support. Such an operation can be performed multiple times, which means that after adjusting the relative assembly position, the camera can be activated again to capture image data. The control device then adjusts the relative assembly position again. Finally, when the image data meets predetermined criteria, the control device will secure the barrel and holder.

The lens barrel and the holder can be fixed with ultraviolet-curable glue. In other cases, the lens barrel can be fixed with a corresponding screw structure or other mechanism.

As described above, multiple cameras can be positioned at different locations to receive image data corresponding to different portions of the optical image. The illumination map can be a transparent chart illuminated with a light source.

101‧‧‧X-Y-Z-axis robot arm

102‧‧‧ lens collector

103‧‧‧Attraction

104‧‧‧Cylinder support

105‧‧‧ platform

11‧‧‧Mirror tube

100‧‧‧ lens

111‧‧‧Support receiving lens

201‧‧‧Mirror tube

202‧‧‧ lens

203‧‧‧ lens

204‧‧‧ lens

205‧‧‧Additional component 205

301‧‧‧ lens

302‧‧‧ lens

3011‧‧‧ pointing angle

3012‧‧‧ pointing angle

41‧‧‧Support

42‧‧‧Mirror tube

421‧‧‧ lens

422‧‧‧ lens

45‧‧‧Lighting diagram

451‧‧‧Light source

401‧‧‧ camera

402‧‧‧ camera

403‧‧‧ camera

404‧‧‧ camera

431‧‧‧ glue

432‧‧‧ glue

Fig. 1 is a view for explaining an assembling device.

2A and 2B illustrate a lens barrel having two different viewing angles.

Figure 3 illustrates two lenses with corresponding steering angles.

Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of an assembly device.

Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the assembling device. The assembly device has a plurality of lens collectors 102. These lens collectors 102 are fixed to the X-Y-Z axis robot arm 101 which is movable in the X-Y-Z direction. In other words, the lens collector 102 can be moved to a predetermined position to obtain corresponding components to be assembled. A suction portion 103 is provided at the bottom of the lens collector 102. The pneumatic pump can be used to generate a lower air pressure within the attraction portion 103 such that the attraction portion 103 can absorb equivalent components, such as the lens 100.

The assembly device also has a cartridge holder 104 located on the platform 105. The cartridge holder 104 can be driven by a positioning drive such as a servo motor with a connecting rod and/or ball that can operate in high precision operation.

The cartridge holder 104 is for supporting the lens barrel 11 of the receiving lens 111 or other elements, for example, limiting light only through the light shielding ring of the intermediate portion thereof.

2A and 2B illustrate a lens barrel 201 having a lens or a lens barrel referred to as an optical component of a camera module. A plurality of lenses 202, 203, 204 are stacked one on another, and some additional elements 205 that allow light to pass through the intermediate opening like SOMA can also be inserted into the lens barrel 201. Figure 3 illustrates two lenses 301, 302 having pointing angles 3011 and 3012. During assembly, lens 301 is first contacted with bottom lens 32 with less force. If this is not the case, pointing angles 3011 and 3012 will ensure alignment of the two lenses 301 and 302. When this alignment is made, a greater force is applied to place the top lens 301, which will allow the lens to be better aligned.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the assembly device is designed to assemble an optical module. The optical module includes a lens barrel that houses a plurality of lenses. In order to limit unnecessary random light, a light shielding component such as SOMA may be placed between the lens barrels. The assembly device can include a lens collector and a barrel support.

The lens collector is designed to take a lens from the tray plate for assembly onto the lens barrel. When a lens cartridge needs to be mounted with multiple cartridges, there may be multiple lens collectors in one assembly device. In addition, this design of two or more cartridges can be combined into two or more sets at a time. The lens collector moves the lens over the lens holder. The barrel support is then designed with a positioning drive for moving the barrel upward to match the controlled strength and position driven by the lens.

In some embodiments, when the barrel support is controlled to move upward to engage the lens, there are successive introduction phases and major assembly phases. In the introduction phase, a first force is applied to the barrel support through the positioning drive. In the main assembly phase, a second force is applied to the barrel support through the positioning drive. The first force is smaller than the second force. For example, at the introduction stage, the force may be 300 g/cm 2 , and in the main assembly stage, the force may be 2000 g/cm 3 to 3000 g/cm 2 .

In order to provide a precise control effect, the positioning drive may comprise a servo motor having a corresponding drive mechanism, like a series of links with balls for driving the barrel support with a controlled speed and force, up or towards Move down. Using an optical measuring device, this positioning drive can be controlled with an accuracy level of 0.01 mm.

In some cases, when the lens collector is not fully aligned with the lens holder. For example, the surface of the lens supported by the lens collector is not parallel to the surface of the barrel. In this case, when the lens is inserted into the lens barrel, an inclination angle may be generated between the lens and the lens barrel. In order to make the assembly more reliable, the barrel support can be moved down a certain distance, rotated, and then the lens is re-engaged. By changing the barrel body at an angle and then applying a force thereon, the lens can be assembled more reliably. This method can be used more than once. In other words, the barrel support can be rotated at a plurality of angles for sequentially engaging the barrel with a plurality of angles. To prevent damage, the support frame may move down to match the lens again before changing another angle.

As described above, a measuring device can be provided on the lens barrel holder to measure the moving distance of the lens barrel holder. When a plurality of lenses and other components are stacked one after another into a cylinder, each operation may correspond to a measured distance. By calculating a plurality of measured distances, the relative distance of the lenses can be obtained. Such results can be fed back to the control of the lens holder. In other words, for example, by pressing an additional force on the lens barrel or lens. Any undesired errors can be adjusted if possible.

In other cases, the lens collector can have adjustment means that adjust the relative angle relative to the barrel support. For example, it can be applied to several adjustment screws that adjust the angle of the lens collector. The operator can adjust these adjustment screws to ensure that the lens collector is better aligned with the lens holder.

In some cases, the collimator can be first aligned with the barrel support, and then the aligned collimator is further used to adjust the adjustment of the lens collector for aligning the lens collector and the barrel support The relative angle between the two. Such collimators have a source of illumination to emit movable light within the collimator and then move further to the corresponding optical component. For example, a mirror receives the transmitted light if the collimator is completely parallel to the frame placed with the optical component before being guided to the sensor. Otherwise, the collimator will be adjusted to an angle until the collimator is aligned with the barrel support. After the collimator is aligned with the barrel support, the lens collector is adjusted to align with the collimator, indirectly ensuring that the lens collector is aligned with the barrel support.

Furthermore, in order to ensure that the center of the lens is aligned with the barrel, and other lenses can also be inserted into the barrel, there may be one or more push rods. Each push rod can be made of two collection members that are spring driven. The two collecting members clamp one lens and have different forces to cause their springs to push the lens with different forces. This will align the lens with the edge of the end of the lens collector. When all the lenses are aligned with the edges of the corresponding lens collector, the lenses are also aligned with each other, so the lens holder can be adjusted under such conditions.

In this design, there may be multiple lens collectors for collecting a plurality of lenses to be assembled into the lens barrel, respectively. There are alignment devices with multiple push rods. Each push rod corresponds to a lens for urging the lens to align with a corresponding lens collector edge.

The push rod has two springs of different forces for pushing the corresponding lens to one edge of the corresponding lens collector.

Furthermore, the lens collector can have an attractive force for collecting different components from the lens. For example, an air driven pump can be used to generate low air pressure to create suction to attract and attach the lens.

In order to control such an assembly device, there may be a corresponding software code control device, such as a control circuit or a microcomputer. The control device can provide the operator with a plurality of parameter sets having different assembly parameters. For example, an operator operating the assembly device can set up a display for obtaining operator input and output. The operator can select one type of optical component to be inserted into the lens barrel during operation, and the control device provides the operator with several options to select from. After the operator selects the corresponding option, the corresponding parameters are set and the operator does not need to enter all the parameters for operating the assembly. This reduces operational complexity and cost and improves user experience and performance.

Different sets of parameters have different driving forces and drive speeds for driving the barrel support up or down. Such parameters can be further changed by the operator providing a table through the control device. For example, an operator can edit related parameters using a popular table editor such as Excel or Google Tools. Such forms can be edited directly on the control device or edited from other machines. The table is sent to the control device and decoded to generate corresponding parameters to control the lens collector and barrel support.

In some barrels, the lens has a sloped angle surface and the two lenses are in contact at the respective angled surface. When the barrel holder is driven to fit the corresponding lens, the barrel holder is controlled by measuring a plurality of distances. When the corresponding lens is assembled to the lens barrel, multiple distances can be used as assembly parameters for different stages.

In summary, the above embodiment provides an effective assembly device.

Referring to Figure 4, another embodiment is illustrated.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an assembly apparatus for assembling a lens barrel 42 to an electronic device support 41 such as a mobile phone having a camera is provided. A plurality of lenses 421, 422 may be stacked in the lens barrel 42. This assembly device can be used as a machine in a production line. In this embodiment, the lens barrel 42 or the lens barrel having the lens therein is further fitted to a holder 41 which may have OIS (anti-shake) or a holder 41 which simply supports the image sensor.

The lenses 421, 422 in the barrel are used to direct an external image through the lens barrel to the image sensor. However, when the lens barrel having the lens is assembled to the holder, it is not necessary to mount the image sensor. This embodiment can be used to automatically align the lens barrel with the lens to the holder.

The assembly device has a lens illumination pattern 45 that emits an optical image to a lens barrel having a traversing path. The traversing path is opposite to the image receiving path of the lens barrel 42 that collects the external image on the image sensor. In other words, the chart 45 is placed on the same side as the original image sensor. The illumination chart 45, for example on a transparent slide having some alignment marks thereon, emits a chart image through the lens barrel. For collecting image data corresponding to the optical image, at least one camera 401, 402, 403, 404 is placed at a position for capturing the chart image. In order to process more efficiently, several cameras 401, 402, 403, 404 with low resolution can be used instead of a high resolution camera to collect a portion of the chart image. By analyzing the captured image, an undesired tilt angle between the barrel and the holder can be detected. Such problems can be sent back to the control device of the assembly device to adjust the relative assembly position between the lens barrel and the support. Such an operation can be performed multiple times, which means that after adjusting the relative assembly position, the camera can be activated again to capture image data. The control device then adjusts the relative assembly position again. Finally, when the image data meets predetermined criteria, the control device will secure the barrel and holder.

The lens barrel and the holder can be fixed with ultraviolet-curable glue 431, 432. In other cases, the lens barrel can be fixed with a corresponding screw structure or other mechanism.

As described above, multiple cameras can be positioned at different locations to receive image data corresponding to different portions of the optical image. The illumination map can be a transparent chart illuminated with a light source.

Other related variations may be employed, but the same inventive spirit should be covered by the invention as defined by the claims.

Claims (18)

 An assembly apparatus for assembling a lens barrel to an electronic device holder, comprising: a lens illumination pattern for emitting an optical image to a path having a crossing path for use on an image sensor a barrel image receiving path for collecting an external image; at least one camera for collecting image data corresponding to the optical image; and a control device for analyzing the image data and adjusting the lens barrel and A relative assembly position between the supports for controlling the camera to capture image data after adjusting the relative assembly position for re-adjusting the relative assembly position and securing the lens barrel and the holder when the image data matches the predetermined criteria.    The assembling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said lens barrel and holder are fixed by a glue which is cured by ultraviolet rays.    The assembly apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of cameras located at different locations for receiving image data corresponding to different portions of the optical image.    The assembly apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination chart has a transparent chart illuminated by a light source.    The assembling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a lens collector for assembling a lens from the tray plate to the barrel; and a cartridge holder having a positioning driver for the lens collector After the lens is moved over the barrel support, the barrel is moved up to engage the lens with controlled strength and position, the positioning drive is controlled to move the barrel support up and down, and rotated at a controlled angle Frame.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the cartridge holder is controlled to move upward to engage the lens, the introduction phase and the main assembly phase are sequentially performed, and in the introduction phase, the first force is applied to the cartridge holder through the positioning driver Above, in the main assembly phase, the second force is applied to the cartridge holder by the positioning drive, the first force being less than the second force.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said positioning drive comprises a servo motor having a corresponding driving mechanism for driving said cartridge holder up or down at a controlled speed and force mobile.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said cartridge holder is rotated at a plurality of angles to sequentially engage said barrel at said plurality of angles.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cartridge holder is moved downward to engage the lens again before changing another angle.    The assembling apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising measuring means for measuring a plurality of distance values when the plurality of corresponding lenses are combined into said barrel, said distance values corresponding to said plurality of lenses The relative distance between them.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lens collector has adjustment means for adjusting a relative angle with respect to said barrel holder.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the collimator is first aligned with the cartridge holder, and then the aligned collimator is used to adjust the adjustment means of the lens collector for aligning the lens collector and the barrel support The relative angle between the devices.    The assembling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there are a plurality of lens collectors for respectively collecting a plurality of lenses to be assembled into the lens barrel, and there is an alignment device having a plurality of push rods, each of which corresponds to A lens for pushing the lens alignment, with an edge corresponding to the lens collector.    The assembly apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pair of springs having two different forces are pushed for pushing the corresponding lens to an edge of the corresponding lens collector.    The assembly device of claim 5 wherein the lens collector has an attractive force for collecting different components from the lens.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising control means, wherein said control means provides a plurality of parameter sets having different assembly parameters to the operator, and the different parameter sets have different driving forces and are used for driving said The drive speed at which the support moves up or down.    The assembly apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said control means provides an interface to an operator for the operator to select a parameter set and adjust details of the parameter set to control the assembly apparatus.    The assembling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said lens has an inclined angle surface, and the two lenses are in contact at a corresponding inclined angle surface, and when said roller holder is driven to assemble a corresponding lens, A plurality of distances are measured to control the roller support, and the plurality of distances are used as assembly parameters to assemble the respective lenses to the lens barrels at different stages.