Patent Abstract:
An apparatus for manufacturing a collimator by attaching a glass tube assembly, which includes a pigtail having a fiber, and a GRIN lens, which is coaxially arranged with the pigtail, into a metal sleeve having a tube shape. The apparatus includes a supporting part, a sleeve grip part connected to the supporting part and having at least one holder for disposing the metal sleeve therein, a fiber chucking part provided above the sleeve grip part and chucking the fiber, and a lift unit lifting and lowering the fiber chucking part to control the glass tube assembly inserted in the metal sleeve to move up and down along a longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve. With this configuration, the glass tube assembly is conveniently fixedly fitted into the metal sleeve.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-7991, filed Feb. 14, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator having a glass tube assembly and a metal sleeve, and more particularly, to an apparatus for automatically assembling the glass tube assembly into the metal sleeve.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    A collimator is an optical communication device transforming light received from a light source into a beam of parallel rays. The collimator is usually employed as a component in a variety of equipment, such as optical communication equipment and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which is in need of parallel rays.  
           [0006]    As shown in FIG. 1, a collimator  10  generally includes a pigtail  12  and a GRIN (gradient index) lens  14  which are arranged along a coaxial line, a glass tube  15  accommodating and supporting the pigtail  12  and the GRIN lens  14 , and a metal sleeve  16  protecting the glass tube  15  in an outside thereof.  
           [0007]    The pigtail  12  is made of glass, and a fiber  13  forming an incidence path of the light is provided in one end part of the pigtail  12 , through which the light is transmitted. In the other end part of the pigtail  12  is formed a first inclined part  12   a  having a predetermined inclination angle with a plane having the coaxial line.  
           [0008]    Further, the GRIN lens  14  disposed coaxially with the pigtail  12  is provided with a second inclined part  14   a  in one end corresponding to the first inclined part  12   a  of the pigtail  12 . The first inclined part  12   a  of the pigtail  12  and the second inclined part  14   a  of the GRIN lens  14  are disposed obliquely to the plane to face each other.  
           [0009]    To manufacture the collimator  10  having the above configuration, the GRIN lens  14  is first inserted into the glass tube  15 , and fastened therein. Herein, the one end of the GRIN lens  14  which is formed with the second inclined part  14   a  is located inside the glass tube  15 , and the other end thereof protrudes from the glass tube  15  by a predetermined length.  
           [0010]    After the GRIN lens  14  is fixedly attached to and supported by one side of the glass tube  15 , the pigtail  12  is inserted in the other side of the glass tube  15 . Herein, the one end part of the pigtail  12  which is formed with the first inclined part  12   a  is inserted inside the glass tube  15  to mate with the second inclined part  14   a  of the GRIN lens  14  which has already been supportedly inserted inside the glass tube  15 .  
           [0011]    At this time, the first inclined part  12   a  of the pigtail  12  is disposed to be parallel to the second inclined part  14   a  of the GRIN lens  14  through an aligning process so as to obtain desired optical properties. Further, if the alignment between the pigtail  12  and the GRIN lens  14  complies with predetermined conditions of the desired optical properties, the pigtail  12  is fixedly attached to an inside of the glass tube  15 .  
           [0012]    Thereafter, the glass tube  15  accommodating and supporting the GRIN lens  14  and the pigtail  12  is inserted into the metal sleeve  16  having a tube shape, and then the glass tube  15  is fastened (fixedly coupled) to the metal sleeve  16  by applying an epoxy resin  17  to one end of the metal sleeve  16 , so as to complete the manufacturing process of the collimator  10 .  
           [0013]    However, the conventional collimator  10  has been manually manufactured . That is, a combining process of assembling the glass tube  15  accommodating the pigtail  12  and the GRIN lens  14  with the metal sleeve  16  is manually performed . As a result, it is inconvenient and takes much time in manufacturing the collimator, thereby decreasing a productivity thereof. Moreover, a manufacturing efficiency and a reliability of the collimator are remarkably decreased.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the above and other problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator having a glass tube assembly and a metal sleeve.  
           [0015]    Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator, in which not only a reliability of the collimator is increased but also a manufacturing time period of the collimator is reduced, thereby increasing the productivity thereof.  
           [0016]    Additional objects and advantageous of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.  
           [0017]    These and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator by fastening or fixedly attaching a glass tube assembly including a pigtail having a fiber and a GRIN lens coaxially arranged with the pigtail to a metal sleeve having a tube shape . The collimator manufacturing apparatus includes a supporting part, a sleeve grip part connected to the supporting part and having at least one holder holding the metal sleeve therein, a fiber chucking part provided above the sleeve grip part and chucking the fiber, and a lift unit lifting and lowering the fiber chucking part to control the glass tube assembly to be inserted in the metal sleeve along a longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve.  
           [0018]    According to an aspect of the present invention, the sleeve grip part includes a fixed block formed with the holders recessed along a lengthwise direction thereof, and a movable block having one end rotatably combined with one end of the fixed block and the other end removably combined with the other end of the fixed block to hold and support the metal sleeve in the holders.  
           [0019]    According to another aspect of the present invention, inside the movable block is provided a buffer member buffering and supporting the metal sleeve.  
           [0020]    According to another aspect of the present invention, in the other end of the fixed block is formed a slit, and in the other end of the movable block is formed a locking pin inserted into and releasing from the slit selectively.  
           [0021]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the locking pin is rotatably combined with the other end of the movable block.  
           [0022]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the fiber chucking part includes a fixed bracket having a first chucking plate, a movable bracket having one end rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed bracket and the other end removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket, and a second chucking plate chucking the fiber in cooperation with the first chucking plate of the fixed bracket.  
           [0023]    According to another aspect of the present invention, in the other end of the movable block is provided a magnet removably coupled to the other end of the fixed block.  
           [0024]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the collimator manufacturing apparatus includes a fiber guiding block incorporated with and supported by the supporting part, disposed between the fiber chucking part and the sleeve grip part, and having at least one fiber passing part through which the fiber passes.  
           [0025]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the lift unit includes a lifting block combined to the fiber chucking part and moving up and down together with the fiber chucking part, a pair of supporting blocks having one end slidably engaged with the lifting block and the other end supported by the supporting part, a cam provided between the supporting blocks above the lifting block and having an asymmetric curvature having a variable radius so as to lift and lower the lifting block at a predetermined height due to rotation thereof, and a link part linked to the cam and rotatably supported by the pair of supporting blocks and having opposite ends exposed to an outside of the supporting blocks.  
           [0026]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the collimator manufacturing apparatus includes an elastic member provided between the fiber guiding block and the lifting block to maintain the lifting block to be spaced-apart from the fiber guiding block. A handle is provided in the link part.  
           [0027]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the supporting part is provided with a winding part partially winding the free end part of the fiber thereon. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0028]    These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a collimator;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for manufacturing the collimator of FIG. 1;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 3 illustrates a partial operation of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate processes of manufacturing the collimator in order in the apparatus of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.  
         [0034]    The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout, and repetitive descriptions will be partially avoided as necessary. Herein, the configurations of the collimator described referring to FIG. 1 will be incorporated herein.  
         [0035]    According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a supporting part  20 , a sleeve grip part  30  gripping a metal sleeve (tube)  16 , a fiber chucking part  40  chucking a fiber  13  of a glass tube assembly  19 , and a lift unit  60  vertically lifting and lowering the glass tube assembly  19  disposed inside the metal sleeve  16  at a predetermined height in a lengthwise direction parallel to the metal sleeve  86  and the glass tube assembly  19 .  
         [0036]    The supporting part  20  supports the sleeve grip part  30 , a fiber guiding block  50 , etc., and is provided with a winding part  22  partially winding a free end part of the fiber  13  thereon.  
         [0037]    The sleeve grip part  30  is provided with a plurality of holders  31   a  holding and supporting the metal sleeve  16  therein. The sleeve grip part  30  is provided with five holders  31   a . Therefore, five glass tube assemblies  19  can be inserted into five metal sleeves  16  at once. However, the sleeve grip part  30  may be provided with more or less than the five holders  31   a.    
         [0038]    The sleeve grip part  30  includes a fixed block  31  formed with the holders  31   a , and a movable block  32  rotatably combined with the fixed block  31 . The holders  31   a  are recessed along the lengthwise direction of the fixed block  31 . Therefore, the metal sleeves  16  are each fitted to the holders  31  of the fixed block  31 , and then the movable block  32  is rotated to be combined with the fixed block  31 , thereby preventing the metal sleeves  16  from being separated from the holders  31   a.    
         [0039]    Herein, between the movable block  32  and the fixed block  31  are provided a first hinge part  34  rotating the movable block  32  against the fixed block  31 , and a locking part  37  locking the movable block  32  to the fixed block  31 .  
         [0040]    The first hinge part  34  includes a hinge pin  34   a  provided in one end of the movable block  32 , and a hinge hole (not shown) provided in one end of the fixed block  31  so as to rotatably support the hinge pin  34   a . Herein, the hinge hole may be directly provided in the fixed block  31  or as shown in the accompanying drawing, formed in a first dummy block  35  provided in the one end of the fixed block  31 .  
         [0041]    The locking part  37  includes a slit  37   a  formed in a second dummy block  36  provided in the other end of the fixed block  31 , and a locking pin  37   b  provided in the other end of the movable block  32  to be selectively inserted into and released from the slit  37   a . Herein, the locking pin  37   b  is rotatably combined to the other end of the movable block  32 .  
         [0042]    Thus, the locking pin  37   b  is released from the slit  37   a  by rotating, and then the movable block  32  is rotated outwardly from the fixed block  31  about an axis of the first hinge part  34 . Thereafter, the metal sleeves  16  are each inserted into the holders  31   a , and the movable block  32  is rotated toward the fixed block  31 . Then, the locking pin  37   b  is locked to the slit  37   a , thereby preventing the metal sleeves  16  fitted to the holders  31   a  from being separated from the holders  31   a.    
         [0043]    At this time, when the movable block  32  is rotated toward the fixed block  31 , the movable block  32  pushes the metal sleeve  16  against the fixed block  31 . If the movable block  32  presses the metal sleeve  16 , the glass tube assembly  19  made of glass and inserted in the metal sleeve  16  can be broken. Therefore, it is desirable that inside the movable block  32  is provided a buffer member  33  buffering and supporting the metal sleeve  16 .  
         [0044]    On the other hand, besides the above configurations, the locking part  37  may include a magnet provided in the other end of the movable block  32  and removably coupled to the other end of the fixed block  31 . In this case, the other end of the fixed block  31  includes a magnetic body corresponding to the magnet of the locking part  37 .  
         [0045]    The fiber chucking part  40  includes a fixed bracket  41  having a first chucking plate  41   a  and a movable bracket  42  having a second chucking plate  42   a . The movable bracket  42  has one end rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed bracket  41 , and the other end removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket  41 . The second chucking plate  42   a  of the movable bracket  42  chucks the fiber  13  in cooperation with the first chucking plate  41   a  of the fixed bracket  41 .  
         [0046]    Herein, between one end of the movable bracket  42  and one end of the fixed bracket  41  is provided a second hinge part  43 . The second hinge part  43  is similar to the above-described first hinge part  34  provided between the movable block  32  and the fixed block  31 , and therefore repetitive description will be avoided.  
         [0047]    In the other end of the movable bracket  42  is provided a magnet  44  removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket  41 . Thus, in a state that the fiber  13  is disposed on the first chucking plate  41   a  of the fixed bracket  41 , the movable bracket  42  is rotated toward the fixed bracket  41  about an axis of the second hinge part  43  and locked onto the fixed bracket  41  when the magnet  44  is magnetically coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket  41 . As a result, the fiber  13  is chuked between the first and second chucking plates  41   a  and  41   b . Herein, it is possible that between the first and second chucking plates  41   a  and  41   b , a buffer member  45  is provided so as to prevent the fiber  13  chucked between the first and second chucking plates  41   a  and  41   b  from being damaged.  
         [0048]    Between the fiber chucking part  40  and the sleeve grip part  30  is provided the fiber guiding block  50  supported by the supporting part  20 . The fiber guiding block  50  is provided with a plurality of fiber passing parts  50   a  through which the fiber  13  passes.  
         [0049]    On the other hand, the lift unit  60  includes a lifting block  61  combined with the fiber chucking part  40  to move up and down together with the fiber chucking part  40 , a pair of supporting blocks  63  having one end slidably engaged with the lifting block  61  and the other end supported by the supporting part  20 , a cam  64  rotatably disposed between the supporting blocks  63  above the lifting block  61  and having an asymmetric curvature with a variable radius, and a link part  65  linked to the cam  64  and rotatably supported by the pair of supporting blocks  63  and having opposite ends exposed to an outside of the supporting blocks  63 .  
         [0050]    In the link part  65  is provided a handle  67 , and between the fiber guiding block  50  and the lifting block  61  is provided an elastic member (not shown) elastically maintaining the lifting block  61  to be spaced-apart from the fiber guiding block  50 .  
         [0051]    Therefore, if a user holds the handle  67  to rotate the link part  65  at a predetermined angle to allow a long radius part of the cam  64  to push an upper part of the lifting block  61 , the lifting block  61  moves down toward the fiber chucking part  40  and away from the supporting block  63  due to a rotation of the cam  64  as shown in FIG. 5A. On the contrary, if the user holds the handle  67  to reversely rotate the link part  65  to allow a short radius part of the cam  64  to push the upper part of the lifting block  61 , the lifting block  61  is restored to an original position by an elastic force of the elastic member as shown in FIG. 4A. Thus, according to a movement of the lifting block  61 , the glass tube assembly  19  moves up and down inside the metal sleeve  16  along the longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve  16  as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B.  
         [0052]    The fiber chucking part  40  and the lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60  are slidably mounted on the supporting part  20  by using a guide rail and a guide groove formed on respective one of the supporting part  20 , the fiber chucking part  40 , and the lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60 . The lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60  and the supporting blocks  63  may have a respective one of the guide rail and the guide groove to allow the lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60  coupled to the fiber chucking part  40  to move in the longitudinal direction.  
         [0053]    Since the fixed bracket  41  of the fiber chucking part  40  is movably mounted on the supporting part  20  and coupled to the lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60 , another elastic member is disposed between the supporting part  20  and the lifting block  61  of the lift unit  60  or the fixed bracket  41  of the fiber chucking part  40 .  
         [0054]    With this configuration, a process of fastening (attaching) the glass tube assembly  19  to the metal sleeve  16  will be described hereinbelow.  
         [0055]    First, the locking pin  37   b  is released from the slit  37   a  by rotating upwardly, and then the movable block  32  is rotated outwardly from the fixed block  31  on the axis of the first hinge part  34 . Thereafter, the metal sleeves  16  are inserted into corresponding holders  31   a , and the movable block  32  is rotated toward the fixed block  31 . Then, the locking pin  37   b  is inserted into the slit  37   a , thereby preventing the metal sleeves  16  fitted into the holders  31   a  from being separated from the holders  31   a . At this time, the movable block  32  pushes the metal sleeve  16  against the fixed block  31 .  
         [0056]    After the metal sleeves  16  are fitted into the holders  31   a , the glass tube assemblies  19  are inserted into the corresponding metal sleeves  16 . Then, the fibers  13  each provided in the corresponding glass tube assemblies  19  are passed through the corresponding fiber passing part  50   a  of the fiber guiding block  50  and chucked by the fiber chucking part  40 .  
         [0057]    That is, the fiber  13  is disposed on the first chucking plate  41   a  of the fixed bracket  41  in a state that the movable bracket  42  is rotated outwardly from the fixed bracket  41 , and then the movable bracket  42  is rotated toward the fixed bracket  41  on the axis of the second hinge part  43  and locked onto the fixed bracket  41  by magnetically coupling the magnet  44  provided in the other end of the movable bracket  42  to the other end of the fixed bracket  41  so that the fibers  13  are chucked between the first and second chucking plates  41   a  and  41   b.    
         [0058]    After the fibers  13  are chucked by the fiber chucking part  40 , the free end parts of the fibers  13  are wound on a winding part  22  of the supporting part  20 , respectively.  
         [0059]    Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4A, the user holds the handle  67  to rotate the link part  65  at a predetermined angle to allow the short radius part of the cam  64  to push the upper part of the lifting block  61  so that the lifting block  61  moves up toward the supporting block  63  due to the rotation of the cam  64 . An enlarged view of a portion  4   b  of the sleeve grip part  30  is explained in FIG. 4B.  
         [0060]    Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the glass tube assembly  19  is lifted from the metal sleeve  16  at a predetermined height “H”, and an injection device  69  injects an epoxy resin  17  between the glass tube assembly  19  and the metal sleeve  16 .  
         [0061]    Thereafter, the user holds the handle  67  to rotate the link part  65  at a predetermined angle to allow the long radius part of the cam  64  to push the upper part of the lifting block  61  as shown in FIG. 5A. An enlarged view of another portion  5   b  of the sleeve grip part  30  is explained in FIG. 5B. The lifting block  61  moves down away from the supporting block  63  due to the rotation of the cam  64  as shown in FIG. 5B.  
         [0062]    Thus, while the glass tube assembly  19  is moved downwardly and inserted into the metal sleeve  16  completely, the epoxy resin  17  injected between the glass tube assembly  19  and the metal sleeve  16  is hardened. With this configuration, if the glass tube assembly  19  is reciprocated inside the metal sleeve  16 , the epoxy resin  17  is spread between the glass tube assembly  19  and the metal sleeve  16 , thereby fastening (fixedly attaching) the glass tube assembly  19  to the metal sleeve  16  firmly.  
         [0063]    As described above, according to the present invention, a glass tube assembly is conveniently fastened into a metal sleeve. Further, not only is the reliability of a collimator increased but also the time of manufacturing the collimator is reduced, and the plurality of collimators are produced at once, thereby increasing the productivity thereof.  
         [0064]    Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and sprit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8