Patent Publication Number: US-7586696-B2

Title: Apparatus for assembling lenses

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to apparatuses for assembling lenses and, more particularly, to an apparatus for assembling lenses incorporating a tray-securing member. 
   BACKGROUND 
   An automatic assembly line for lens modules may use, for example, a robotic arm to pick up (e.g., by suction, claw or otherwise) lens elements from a lens holder such as a lens tray, and to assemble them into a lens barrel. It is important and often critical to know a precise location and orientation of each lens element, so that the robotic arm can pick up the lens elements from the lens tray. If a lens element shifts and changes its position on the lens tray, and if the lens element is picked up by suction, the amount of suction may not be enough to successfully pick up the lens element. 
     FIG. 5  illustrates a conventional apparatus for assembling lenses. The apparatus  100  includes a lens tray  10 , a support  12  and two positioning pins  14 . The lens tray  10  defines a plurality of lens-receiving holes  102  for receiving lens elements and two positioning holes  104 . The lens-receiving holes  102  are arranged in a matrix array on one surface of the lens tray  10  and the two positioning holes  104  are defined at two across corners of the lens tray  10 . The positioning pins  14  are fixed on the support  12  and correspond to the two positioning holes  104  separately. In use, the two positioning pins  14  extend through the positioning holes  104  and thus the lens tray  10  is located on the support  12 . 
   However, the lens tray  10  may be shaken by accidental contact with a foreign object. The shaking of the lens tray  10  may cause the lens elements received in the lens-receiving holes  102  to change their position. In order to assemble them accurately, the positions must be readjusted, thus wasting time, thereby reducing efficiency. 
   What is needed, therefore, is to provide an apparatus for assembling lenses that can prevent the lens tray from shaking. 
   SUMMARY 
   In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for assembling lenses includes a lens tray, a support and a tray-securing member. The lens tray defines a plurality of lens-receiving holes configured for receiving lenses and a plurality of positioning holes defined therein. The support is configured for supporting the lens tray and defines a plurality of positioning pins thereon configured for extending through the corresponding positioning holes of the lens tray. The tray-securing member includes a pressing portion defining a through hole therein and a plurality of sleeves configured for receiving the positioning pins therein. The pressing portion is configured for downwardly pressing the lens tray to prevent the lens tray from shaking. Additionally, the pressing portion defines a through hole configured for exposing the lens-receiving holes of the lens tray to an exterior. 
   Advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present assembly apparatus for lens modules, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the present apparatus for assembling lenses can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present apparatus for assembling lenses. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic, exploded isometric view of an apparatus for assembling lenses in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the apparatus including a lens tray; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the lens tray, taken along line II-II of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic, cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the lens tray of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic, exploded isometric view of an apparatus for assembling lenses in accordance with another preferred embodiment; and 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic, exploded isometric view of a conventional apparatus for assembling lenses. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe preferred embodiments of the apparatus for assembling lenses. 
     FIG. 1  illustrates an apparatus  200  for assembling lenses in accordance with a preferred embodiment. The assembling apparatus  200  can be used for assembling process of lens modules and includes a lens tray  20 , a support  22 , a plurality of positioning pins  24  and a tray-securing member  26 . 
   The lens tray  20  includes a plurality of lens-receiving holes  202  defined therein. The lens-receiving holes  202  are arranged in a matrix array and are used for receiving lens elements such as, for example, optical lenses, infra-red filters, lens barrels etc. Generally, the lens tray  20  is rectangle-shaped. The lens tray  20  defines a plurality of positioning holes  204  therein, the number of which is same as the positioning pins  24 . According to this preferred embodiment, the lens tray  20  defines four positioning holes  204  adjacent to the four corners thereof. 
   The support  22  is used for supporting the lens tray  20 . Four positioning pins  24  are attached on or integrally formed with the support  22 , and are positioned corresponding to the four positioning holes  204 . The four positioning pins  24  penetrate through the positioning holes  204  and thus the lens tray  20  is located on the support  22 . Specially, the positioning pins  24  are configured for extending through the positioning holes  204 . 
   The tray-securing member  26  includes a pressing portion  262  and four sleeves  264  and is configured for mounting on the lens tray  20 . The sleeves  264  are attached on the pressing portion  262  or integrally formed with the pressing portion  262 . Each of the sleeves  264  defines a first through hole  2642  therein and the first through hole  2642  extends through the pressing portion  262 . The pressing portion  262  is a pressing plate defining a second through hole  266  therein. The second through hole  266  is configured for exposing the lens-receiving holes  202  of the lens tray  20  to an exterior. The pressing portion  262  is disposed on the lens tray  20  and contacts the lens tray  20  on the four edges thereof. The positioning pins  24  are inserted in the four sleeves  264 . The pressing portion  262  can be selected from a high mass density material consisting of metal, alloy etc. in order to press the lens tray  20  firmly. The metal can be selected from the group consisting of copper, iron etc. The alloy can be selected from the group consisting of copper alloys, iron alloys etc. Preferably, the pressing portion  262  is stainless steel. 
     FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate two preferred configurations of the lens tray in accordance with the preferred embodiment. In  FIG. 2 , each of the lens-receiving holes  202  is a through hole that is a stepped structure defined in the lens tray  20 . In  FIG. 3 , an alternative lens tray  20 A is shown. Each of lens-receiving holes  202 A is a groove that has a stepped structure defined in the lens tray  20 A. These two lens trays  20  and  20 A can be used with different lens elements in various ways, for example, the lens tray  20  can be used with optical lenses and the lens trays  20 A can be used with lens barrels. 
   The present apparatus  200  assembling lenses includes a tray-securing member  26 , which can prevent the lens tray  20  from shaking because of depressing of the pressing portion  262  with high mass density. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , an apparatus  300  for assembling lenses is illustrated in accordance with another embodiment. The apparatus  300  includes a lens tray  30 , a support  32  and a tray-securing member  36 . The assembling apparatus  300  is similar to the assembling apparatus  200 , and the difference is that there are three of each of the positioning holes  304  defined in the lens tray  30 , the positioning pins  34  and the sleeves  364  according to the positioning holes  304 . The three positioning holes  304  are arranged on the two opposite edges of the lens tray  30 , one of which is in the middle of one edge and another two are at two ends of the other edge. 
   It is to be understood that the amount of positioning holes defined in the lens tray also can be of different amounts. Additionally, each of the sleeves  264  and  364  can cover one open end and materials of which can be same as the pressing portion  262  or  362 . 
   It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is intended to illustrate rather than limit the invention. Variations may be made to the embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed. The above-described embodiments are intended to illustrate the scope of the invention and not restrict the scope of the invention.