Patent Publication Number: US-2015061310-A1

Title: Suction device

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to handling devices. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In optics communications, manufacturing an optics communications module usually use a suction device to vacuum-lift an optical coupling lens, and place the optical coupling lens assembly in a circuit board. But the process is unstable and has low accuracy for manufacturing an optics communications module. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a suction device and a workpiece, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is cross section view of a suction device along line—in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a bottom wall of a suction device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of a suction device of  FIG. 1  vacuum-lifting a workpiece. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view of a bottom wall of a suction device, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view of a bottom wall of a suction device, according to one embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view of a bottom wall of a suction device, according to one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     A definition that applies throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “comprising, ” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
     The present disclosure is described in relation to a suction device. 
     A first embodiment of a suction device  100  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 . The suction device  100  includes a sucking plate  10 , a vacuum suction pipe  20 , and two guide boards  30 . The suction device is used to suck a workpiece  200 . In one embodiment, the workpiece  200  is a light emitting coupling lens and includes a surface (sucking surface  202 ) that can be vacuum-lifted. 
     The sucking plate  10  is a rectangular cuboid and includes a bottom wall  12 , a top wall  14 , four side walls  16 , and a ventilated cavity  18 . The top wall  14  is opposite to the bottom wall  12  of the sucking plate. The top wall  14  and the bottom wall  12  are parallel to each other. Four side walls  16  are interconnected between the top wall  14  and the bottom wall  12 , and are connected to each other end to end. The ventilated cavity  18  is surrounded by the bottom wall  12 , the top wall  14 , and the four side walls  16 . 
     The bottom wall  12  is rectangular and includes four edges  120 . A shape of the bottom wall  12  is equal to the sucking surface  202  and the bottom wall  12  is positioned to align with the sucking surface  202 . A number of sucking holes  122  are positioned to the bottom wall  12  and are in communication with the ventilated cavity  18 . The number of sucking holes  122  is uniformly distributed on the bottom wall  12  and can be used to achieve a mechanical equilibrium after the sucking plate  10  has sucked the workpiece  200 . For example, the number of sucking holes  122  includes a first sucking hole  122  which is positioned to a center H of the bottom wall  12  and the first sucking hole  122  is surrounded by others. In one embodiment, five sucking holes  122  are uniformly distributed on the bottom wall  12 , and one of five sucking holes  122  is positioned to a center H of the bottom wall  12  and is surrounded by four sucking holes  122 . The layout of the sucking holes  122  is generally circular. In another embodiment, the sucking holes  122  can have a regular or an irregular shape, and include triangular, rectangular, and oval shapes. 
     The top wall  14  is rectangular. A connecting hole  142  is positioned to a center of the top wall  14 . The connecting hole  142  is connected to the ventilated cavity  18 . 
     The vacuum suction pipe  20  is connected to the connecting hole  142  of the top wall  14 . The vacuum suction pipe  20  is configured to draw air from the ventilated cavity  18 . When the sucking plate  10  is sucking the workpiece  200 , the vacuum suction pipe  20  draws air from the ventilated cavity  18  and the number of sucking holes  122  is in communication with the ventilated cavity  18 . Air pressure between the bottom wall  12  and the workpiece  200  is decreased and the sucking plate  10  can suck the workpiece  200  to the bottom wall  12 . 
     Two guide boards  30  are positioned at two of the four edges  120  of the bottom wall  12 , opposite to each other. The guide boards  30  are inclined to the bottom wall  12  in the direction away from the bottom wall  12  and the distance between the two guide boards  30  increases away from the top wall  14 . In one embodiment, an angle θ between a guide board  30  and the bottom wall  12  is equal to 135°. In another embodiment, the angle θ between a guide board  30  and the bottom wall  12  is more than 90° and less than 180°. The angle θ comprises a range between 95° and 170° and the angle θ may be different between the two guide boards  30 . 
     If the suction device  100  is substantially aligned with the sucking surface  202  at first, when the suction device  100  sucks the workpiece  200 , the vacuum created can draw the sucking surface  202  to the bottom wall  12 . If the suction device  100  is not aligned with the sucking surface  202  at first, in the example of  FIG. 4 , a space  90  exists between the sucking surface  202 , the bottom wall  12 , and the guide boards. The vacuum suction pipe  20  draws air continuously from the ventilated cavity  18  and the space  90 , causing air pressure of the space  90  to decrease further. The sucking surface  202  is drawn closer and closer to the bottom wall  12  along the guide boards  30  until the workpiece  200  is adhered, correctly aligned, to the suction device  100 . 
     A first embodiment of the suction device  100  provides a solution to increase the accuracy of the alignment between the workpiece  200  and the suction device  100  at directions of the surface normal vectors of the guide boards  30 . More precisely, the suction device  100 , comprising the vacuum suction pipe  20  of the suction device  100 , draws air from the ventilated cavity  18 , attracting the workpiece  200  to make contact with the bottom wall  12  and the guide boards  30 . The shape of the bottom wall  12  being equal to that of the sucking surface  202 , the increasing vacuum brings the sucking surface  202  into correct alignment with the bottom wall  12 . 
     A second embodiment is shown in  FIG. 5 , to increase the accuracy of the alignment in two directions. Suction device  150  is similar to the suction device  100 . Alternatively, the suction device  150  comprises four guide boards  35 . Each one of the guide boards  35  is connected to one of the four edges  120  of the bottom wall  12 . 
     A third embodiment is shown in  FIG. 6 , and increases the accuracy of the sucking of a triangular sucking surface. Suction device  300  is similar to the suction device  100 . Alternatively, the suction device  300  comprises a triangular prism of a sucking plate  50  and three guide boards  60 . Each one of the guide boards  60  is connected to one of three edges  520  of a bottom wall  52 . The bottom wall  52  includes four sucking holes  522  in uniform distribution on the bottom wall  52 . 
     A fourth embodiment is shown in  FIG. 7 , and increases the accuracy of sucking a five-sided sucking surface. Suction device  400  is similar to the suction device  100 . Alternatively, the suction device  400  comprises a pentagonal prism of a sucking plate  70  and five guide boards  80 . Each one of the guide boards  80  is connected to one of five edges  720  of a bottom wall  72 . The bottom wall  72  includes six sucking holes  722  in uniform distribution on the bottom wall  72 . 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a suction device. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.