Assembly of electronic and optical devices

An assembly tool apparatus includes a manipulator having a range of motion defined by a plane and an axis that is substantially normal to the plane, a jig having an assembly surface operative to move from a first orientation relative to the axis to a second orientation relative to the axis, a first tool tip operative to engage with and be positioned by the manipulator, and a second tool tip operative to engage with and be positioned by the manipulator.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the assembly of electronic and optical devices, and more specifically, to the assembly of electronic and optical devices at oblique angles.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Previous electronic assembly tools are designed to assemble components on horizontal surfaces. Such tools are often capable of aligning components in an x-y plane parallel to a planar working surface or jig. Such tools are capable of applying a precise force while assembling the components along a z-axis, normal to the x-y plane.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an assembly tool apparatus includes a manipulator having a range of motion defined by a plane and an axis that is substantially normal to the plane, a jig having an assembly surface operative to move from a first orientation relative to the axis to a second orientation relative to the axis, a first tool tip operative to engage with and be positioned by the manipulator, and a second tool tip operative to engage with and be positioned by the manipulator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference now toFIG. 1, a prior art arrangement of an assembly tool100and a jig106is illustrated. The assembly tool100includes a manipulator102that is operable to move in the X-Y plane and along the Z-axis. The manipulator102is connected to a tool tip104that is removable, and may be exchanged with other tool tips. The tool tip104is operable to secure and manipulate a first component101having a mating surface105using any suitable securing methods such as, for example, pneumatic suction, or a mechanical securing fixture. A jig106is arranged in the assembly tool100and is operative to secure a second component103on a planar surface108of the jig106. In operation, the jig106remains substantially stationary, while the manipulator102is used to pick up the first component101precisely position the first component101relative to the second component103in the X-Y plane. Once the first component is positioned in the X-Y plane, the manipulator102positions the first component101to engage with or contact a mating surface107of the second component103by moving the first component101relative to the second component103along the Z-axis. The assembly tool100is capable of precisely maintaining the position of the first component101relative to the second component103in the X-Y plane while applying a precise force to the first component101along the Z-axis. The precise force along the Z-axis is used to affect the assembly or joining of the first component101with the second component.

The use of the assembly tool100described above is effective when assembling components having substantially planar mating surfaces that may be assembled by applying a force substantially normal the planar surfaces. However, it is desirable to assemble some components by applying a force at an oblique angle to the mating surfaces. The assembly tool100is designed to apply a precise force along the Z-axis, as opposed to applying a precise force in the X-Y plane, and typically does not provide adequate control of a force applied in the X-Y plane. Thus, a method for assembling components by applying a force at an angle oblique to the substantially planar mating surfaces is desired.

FIG. 2illustrates the assembly tool100in an arrangement similar to the arrangement described above inFIG. 1. However, a second component203includes a feature that defines a corner205that is operative to engage a corner201of the first component101. It is desirable to apply a force during assembly along the line220that defines an oblique angle (θ) relative to the planar mating surface107of the second component203. Though the illustrated embodiment shows the corners201and205, the embodiments described herein are not limited to assembling components having corners of any shape. For example, any type of components having any shape may be assembled using the embodiments and methods below to provide a precise force at an oblique angle relative to one of the mating surfaces.

Methods and apparatuses operative to apply a precise force at an oblique angle relative to one of the mating surfaces of components are described inFIGS. 3-8below. In this regard,FIG. 3illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a jig302that is arranged in an assembly tool100. The second component203is shown disposed on a substantially planar assembly surface307of the jig302. The component203may be held in place on surface307using any suitable securing methods such as, for example, pneumatic suction, or a mechanical securing fixture. The manipulator102is connected to the tool tip104having an engagement surface301that defines a plane relatively parallel to a planar surface305of the first component101. The tool tip104has secured the first component101to the engagement surface301.

FIG. 4illustrates the deposition of the first component101on the assembly surface307of the jig302. In this regard, the manipulator102positions the first component on a portion of the assembly surface307, and the securing means of the tool tip104releases the first component101. The component101may be secured on surface307using any suitable securing methods such as, for example, pneumatic suction, or a mechanical securing fixture.

FIG. 5illustrates the repositioning of the jig302such that the jig302is arranged at a desired angle for assembly. The manipulator102replaces the tool tip104with a tool tip402that has an engagement surface401that defines a plane that is at an oblique angle (A) relative to the Z-axis of movement of the manipulator102. The jig302is repositioned such that the assembly surface307is arranged at the oblique angle θ relative to the Z-axis of movement of the manipulator102and is parallel to the engagement surface401of the tool tip402. The repositioning of the jig302changes the alignment of the first component101and the second component203such that the planar surface305of the first component101is substantially parallel to the engagement surface401of the tool tip402.

FIG. 6illustrates the arrangement of the assembly tool100following lifting the first component101from the assembly surface307by the tool tip402.

FIG. 7illustrates the arrangement of the assembly tool100following the alignment of the first component101with the second component203in the X-Y plane.

FIG. 8illustrates the deposition or joining of the mating surface802of the first component101on or with the mating surface807of the second component203by positioning the first component101relative to the second component203along the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102, and applying a desired precise force along the Z-axis. The positions of the assembly surface307, the mating surface802of the first component101, and the mating surface807of the second component203relative to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102provide for the application of force by the manipulator102along the Z-axis at the oblique angle θ relative to the assembly surface307, the mating surface802of the first component101, and the mating surface807of the second component203. Following the deposition of the first component101on the second component203, the first component101may be released from the tool tip402. The jig302may be repositioned such that the assembly surface307is substantially orthogonal to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102as shown inFIG. 4, and the tool tip402may be replaced by the tool tip104(ofFIG. 2). The assembled first component101and second component203may be lifted by the tool tip104and placed in a desired location. A second set of components may be placed on the jig302in the arrangement shown inFIG. 4, and the process described above may be repeated.

FIG. 9illustrates an alternate exemplary method for assembling the first component101and the second component203. In this regard, the first component101is placed in a desired position on the second component203using the tool tip104while the jig302is arranged such that the assembly surface307is substantially orthogonal to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102.

FIG. 10illustrates the replacement of the tool tip104with the tool tip402, and the repositioning of the jig302such that the assembly surface307is arranged at an oblique angle relative to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102.

FIG. 11illustrates the application of a force along the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102that is operative to slide or push the first component at an oblique angle relative to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102into a desired position on the second component203and, if desired affect the joining of the first component101with the second component203.

The jig302of the illustrated embodiments may include any suitable assembly having an assembly surface307. The jig302may include, for example a planar assembly surface307arranged on an actuator that is operative to change the orientation of the assembly surface307relative to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102from an orthogonal orientation to an oblique angle that is parallel to the engagement surface401of the tool tip402.

The components101and203may include any type of components including, for example, electronic, or electrical components, or optical components such as optical fiber array packaging components.

In this regard,FIG. 12illustrates an arrangement of the assembly tool100that includes components of an optical fiber array assembly that have been manipulated in a similar manner as described above inFIGS. 3-7. The optical fiber array assembly includes a first component1201that is secured by the tool tip402and a second component1203that is arranged on the assembly surface307of the jig302. The first component1201of the illustrated embodiment includes at least one optical fiber and may include an optical fiber ferrule. The optical fiber may include a glass (SiO2 with core region doped with various elements such as Ge) and polymers. The second component1203may include at least one groove to secure an optical fiber. The second component1203may include a polymer, a dielectric (SiO2, Al2O3, AlN), or a semiconductor material (Si, Ge, GaAs, InP, GaInAsP). The groove include, for example, a U-shaped groove or V-shaped groove. Once the first component has been lifted by the tool tip402, the assembly tool100is operative to assemble the first component1201and the second component1203of the optical fiber assembly in a similar manner as described inFIG. 8above.

FIGS. 13-15illustrate an alternate exemplary method for assembling components of an optical fiber array. The optical fiber array assembly includes a first component1201and a second component1203that are arranged on the assembly surface307of the jig302while the assembly surface is arranged in a substantially horizontal position. The first component includes a ferrule portion1301and a fiber portion1303. A single fiber portion is shown inFIGS. 13-15for simplicity while an optical fiber array may include a plurality of fiber portions disposed at a uniform pitch between 150 and 500 um and preferably 250 um. In operation, once the second component is arranged on the assembly surface307using similar methods as described above, the first component is placed on the assembly surface such that each fiber portion1303engages a groove1305(e.g., a U-shaped groove or a V-shaped groove) (ofFIG. 14) using the manipulator102(ofFIG. 1).FIG. 14illustrates a top view of the first component1201and the second component1203along the line14(ofFIG. 13).

FIG. 15illustrates the application of a force along the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102that is operative to slide or push the first component1201at an oblique angle relative to the Z-axis of motion of the manipulator102into a desired position on the second component1203and, if desired affect the joining of the first component1201with the second component1203. The relative motion of the first component1201to the second component1203moves the fiber portion1303into a desired position in the grove1305.