Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi – Process – With assembly or disassembly
Patent
1996-05-15
1999-05-04
Ramsey, Kenneth J.
Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi
Process
With assembly or disassembly
445 66, G09F 1300
Patent
active
058997881
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a display board illuminated with fiber optic elements.
Previously known are display boards accomplished with optical fibers, where the optical fibers have been, by hand, threaded into holes drilled in advance, fastened into the holes and cut to size so that they reach from the light source, often placed behind the board, to the board. Production of such boards is often time-consuming and expensive, because the number of optical fibers to be handled amounts to hundreds. Further, the worker is exposed to glue vapor in fixing the fibers to the board.
The method and apparatus according to this invention solve the actual problem in a surprising way and the invention is characterized in what is presented in the enclosed patent claims.
The major advantages of this invention can be considered the level of automation, which is reached by using a locally steered transfer gear, as for instance a coordination table, the transfer motions of which can be programmed. Thus it is possible to drill with the apparatus holes for any desired illuminated figure in the board and repeat the movements in order to install the optical fibers into respective holes. By means of an adhesive film to be fixed on the board underside, each optical fiber can be secured by simple means into its matching hole. As fiber feeding apparatus the wire feeding device of a wire welding machine applicable to the procedure can be applied without change. For fiber cutting a simple short-motion electrically actuated cutting device can be used.
In the following the invention is disclosed with reference to the enclosed drawing, where
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a device for positioning of optical fibers on a display board;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, partially sectional and enlarged side elevation view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, partially sectional, enlarged side elevation view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 1 shows a coordination table formed by means of longitudinal guides 1 and transverse guides 2, on which table attaching part 3 can be moved above display board 8. Previously, the coordination table is known in itself and it includes programming devices, by means of which movements and stops to be done with the apparatus on the X-Y level can be determined in advance. Accordingly, the motions of attachment part 3 can be programmed in advance on board 8 surface, in order to drill holes 13, for instance. Holes 13 are drilled so that the wanted illustrated figure is produced when optical fiber ends are put into the holes. In the second stage the same holes are travelled over again while feeding optical fibers into them. Accuracy of the repeated procedure is retained if the board is not released from its brackets during and between different steps. In the drawing, there is on attachment part 3 an optical fiber feeding and cutting device with an optical fiber reel 5 and under protecting cap 4 any motors required for reel 5 rotation. On the underside of attachment part 3 there is a feeding tip 6, a cutting blade and a blade moving device 7.
FIG. 2 illustrates the feeding procedure and cutting. A wire feeding device of a wire welding machine equipped with feeding roles 14 is used to feed optical fiber 11. Optical fiber 11 comes from reel 5, travels through feeding tip 6 and goes through the board 8 hole 13 and is fed until a desired length of it extends from the underside of display board 8. When a drill has been fastened to the apparatus in place of feeding tip 6 in order to make the holes, and when the same X-Y level transfers are done for the second time, the optical fiber threaded through the feeding tip hits hole 13, exactly. When the hole is drilled through an adhesive film 10 on the underside of the board, the fiber bursts through the film, forming a collar section on the fiber and the glue inside the collar adheres to the fiber, becomes cured, and secures the optical fiber in the hole. Electrically actuated cutting device 7 cuts
REFERENCES:
patent: 3866290 (1975-02-01), Norcross
patent: 4745525 (1988-05-01), Sheehy
patent: 5040320 (1991-08-01), Reidinger
patent: 5066085 (1991-11-01), Gimbutas et al.
patent: 5101466 (1992-03-01), Reidinger
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