Method and device for welding contacts to optical waveguides

• US 6,897,404 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Kreuzer, Helmut, Stegmayer, Gerd, Germann, Robert, Bauer, Lothar, Gerst, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Geoffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US10/409,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20040031777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 219/121.82, 385/78
• US Class Current: 219/121.63
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/381 of the ferrule type, e.g. fibre ends embedded in ferrules, connecting a pair of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3833 Details of mounting fibres in ferrules; Assembly methods; Manufacture

Abstract

A method and device for welding pin contacts and socket contacts to an optical waveguide, the welding device has a contact loading station, a contact transport carriage, a laser welding device, and an electrical control unit. The contact loading station has a socket contact transfer device and a pin contact transfer device. The contact transport carriage has a pin contact holder and a socket contact holder. The contact transport carriage is displaceable between the contact loading station and the laser welding station. The electrical control unit controls the combination and number of socket contacts and pin contacts transferred from the socket contact transfer device to the socket contact holder and from the pin contact transfer device to the pin contact holder without having to re-tool the welding device.

Claims

1. A welding device for welding socket contacts and pin contacts to an optical waveguide, comprising:

a contact loading station having a socket contact transfer device and a pin contact transfer device;

a contact transport carriage having a pin contact holder and a socket contact holder, the contact transport carriage is displaceable between the contact loading station and a laser welding station; and

an electrical control unit that controls the combination and number of socket contacts and pin contacts transferred from the socket contact transfer device to the socket contact holder and from the pin contact transfer device to the pin contact holder without re-tooling the welding device.

2. The welding device of claim 1, further comprising an optical waveguide feed funnel that introduces the optical waveguide into the socket contact held by the socket contact holder or the pin contact held by the pin contact holder.

3. The welding device of claim 1, wherein the pin contacts and the socket contacts are provided in separate strips, each of the strips having a plurality of the pin contacts or the socket contacts connected by webs.

4. The welding device of claim 3, further comprising a separating device for separating the pin contacts and the socket contacts from the strip.

5. The welding device of claim 4, wherein the separating device simultaneously separates the pin contacts and the socket contacts from the strip and conveys the pin contacts and the socket contacts into the corresponding pin contact holder or socket contact holder.

6. The welding device of claim 5, wherein the separating device includes a cutting punch, a counter-cutter, and a web holding-down device, the counter-cutter separates the web from the socket contact or the pin contact when the cutting punch moves upward to convey the pin contact or the socket contact into the respective pin contact holder or socket contact holder.

7. The welding device of claim 4, further comprising an extraction duct for removing the webs separated from the pin contacts and the socket contacts.

8. The welding device of claim 1, wherein the laser welding station includes a single displaceable laser.

9. The welding device of claim 1, wherein the socket contacts, the pin contacts, and the optical waveguides are made from plastic.

10. The welding device of claim 1, wherein the contact transport carriage has two socket contact holders and two pin contact holders arranged alternately in a direction of displacement.

11. The welding device of claim 1, wherein the socket contact holder and the pin contact holder each have a pair of clamping arms that secure the pin contact or the socket contact in the respective pin contact holder or socket contact holder.

12. The welding device of claim 1, further comprising a second contact loading station with a second contact transport carriage.

13. The welding device of claim 12, wherein the contact loading station and the second contact loading station act in a phase-displaced, push-pull manner such that when the contact transport carriage is located at the laser welding station, the second contact transport carriage is located at the second loading station and when the second contact transport carriage is located at the laser welding station, the contact transport carriage is located at the loading station.

14. The welding device of claim 13, wherein the contact transport carriage and the second contact transport carriage each have one socket contact holder and two pin contact holders.

15. A method for welding socket contacts and pin contacts to an optical waveguide, comprising:

transferring the socket contacts and the pin contacts into respective socket contact holders and pin contact holders arranged on a contact transport carriage;

displacing the contact transport carriage to position the socket contacts and the pin contacts for receipt of the optical waveguide;

welding the optical waveguide to the socket contacts and the pin contacts at a laser welding station; and

controlling the combination and number of the socket contacts and the pin contacts transferred to the socket contact holder and to the pin contact holder without re-tooling the welding device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the socket contacts and the pin contacts in separate strips, each of the strips having a plurality of the pin contacts or the socket contacts connected by webs.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising separating the pin contacts and the socket contacts from the strip.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising removing the webs separated from the socket contacts and the pin contacts with an extraction duct.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the transport carriage has two socket contact holders and two pin contact holders.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein two pin contacts are transferred to the pin contact holders.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein two socket contacts are transferred to the socket contact holders.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein one pin contact and one socket contact is transferred to the respective pin contact holder and socket contact holder.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

transferring the socket contacts and the pin contacts into respective second socket contact holders and second pin contact holders arranged on a second contact transport carriage;

displacing the second contact transport carriage to position the socket contacts and the pin contacts for receipt of the optical waveguide; and

controlling the combination and number of socket contacts and pin contacts transferred to the second socket contact holder and to the second pin contact holder without re-tooling the welding device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the transport carriage and the second transport carriage each have one socket contact holder and two pin contact holders.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein two pin contacts are transferred to the pin contact holders.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein one pin contact and one socket contact is transferred to the respective pin contact holders and socket contact holders.