Method, jig, and apparatus for machining rod lenses

Details Method, jig, and apparatus for machining rod lenses Method, jig, and apparatus for machining rod lenses

2002-01-25

2003-10-21

Nguyen, Dung Van (Department: 3723)

Abrading

Abrading process

Glass or stone abrading

C451S240000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06634933

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method, jig, and apparatus for machining rod lenses.
In the prior art, a method for manufacturing a rod lens is described in, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 7-89161. Referring to
FIG. 3
, the manufacturing method is performed to manufacture a rod lens
11
having parallel end surfaces
63
,
20
a
and an inclined surface
20
b
, which is inclined relative to the end surfaces
63
,
20
a
by angle &thgr;. The prior art manufacturing method will now be discussed with reference to
FIGS. 1 and 2
.
Referring to
FIG. 1A
, a plurality of mother rod lenses
11
A are held in a frame
12
, which includes two glass plates
13
. The two sides of the frame
12
are each fixed to a frame spacer
14
. This forms a lens assembly sheet block
15
. In this state, the mother rod lenses
11
A are arranged so that their axes are aligned along a straight line
10
. The lens assembly sheet block
15
is then cut into lens assembly sheets
18
, each having a desired thickness L. The cut surfaces of each lens assembly sheet
18
are then polished to form parallel polished surfaces
16
,
17
(refer to FIG.
1
B).
Referring to
FIG. 2A
, machining sheets
61
,
62
, which are glass plates or the like, are fixed to the polished surfaces
16
,
17
with an adhesive. Then, the machining sheet
61
is polished to form a polished surface
61
a,
which is inclined relative to the polished surface
16
of the lens assembly sheet
18
by angle &thgr; (FIG.
2
B). Subsequently, the machining sheet
62
is polished parallel to the polished surface
61
a
to form the inclined surface
20
b
on each rod lens
11
(FIG.
2
C). The machining sheets
61
,
62
are then removed from the lens assembly sheet
18
. The remaining surface
20
a
of each rod lens
11
adjacent to the inclined surface
20
b
is then machined and mirror finished so that it has a predetermined length A. Finally, the rod lenses
11
are removed from the frame
12
. Each rod lens
11
is shaped as shown in FIG.
3
.
However, when performing the above process, the adhering of the machining sheets
61
,
62
to the lens assembly sheet
18
and the polishing of the sheets
61
,
62
consume time. Thus, mass-production is difficult and manufacturing costs are high. Further, since the machining sheets
61
,
62
are fixed to the lens assembly sheet
18
with an adhesive, the thickness of the resulting adhesive layer is not uniform. This leads to another shortcoming in which the angle &thgr; of the inclined surfaces
20
b
and the length A of the remaining surfaces
20
a
are not constant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method, jig, and apparatus for machining rod lenses that has satisfactory machining accuracy and enables mass-production.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method for machining rod lenses. The method includes preparing a plurality of lens assembly sheets, each holding at least a row of rod lenses. The plurality of lens assembly sheets are arranged on a plurality of holding surfaces defined on a jig. The plurality of holding surfaces are inclined relative to a reference surface of the jig by a predetermined angle. The method also includes clamping each of the lens assembly sheet with a clamp to hold the lens assembly sheet so that optical axes of the rod lenses are inclined relative to a direction perpendicular to the reference surface by the predetermined angle, grinding the plurality of lens assembly sheets, and polishing the plurality of lens assembly sheets.
A further perspective of the present invention is a method for arranging rod lenses to grind and polish the rod lenses. The method includes preparing a plurality of lens assembly sheets, each holding at least a row of rod lenses. The plurality of lens assembly sheets are arranged on a plurality of holding surfaces defined on a jig. The plurality of holding surfaces are inclined relative to a reference surface of the jig by a predetermined angle. The method also includes clamping each of the lens assembly sheet with a clamp to hold the lens assembly sheet so that optical axes of the rod lenses are inclined relative to a direction perpendicular to the reference surface by the predetermined angle.
A further perspective of the present invention is a machining jig used to perform at least one of grinding a rod lens and polishing a rod lens. The rod lens is fixed in a lens assembly sheet. The jig includes a reference surface, and a support arranged on the reference surface and having a holding surface on which the lens assembly sheet is held. The holding surface is inclined relative to the reference surface by a predetermined angle.
A further perspective of the present invention is an apparatus for machining a rod lens fixed in a lens assembly sheet. The apparatus includes a machining jig used to perform at least one of grinding the rod lens and polishing the rod lens. The jig includes a reference surface and a support arranged on the reference surface and having a holding surface for holding the lens assembly sheet. The holding surface is inclined relative to the reference surface by a predetermined angle. The apparatus also includes an index table on which the machining jig is arranged.
A further perspective of the present invention is an apparatus for machining a rod lens fixed in a lens assembly sheet. The apparatus includes a machining jig used to perform at least one of grinding the rod lens and polishing the rod lens. The jig includes a reference surface and a support arranged on the reference surface and having a holding surface for holding the lens assembly sheet. The holding surface is inclined relative to the reference surface by a predetermined angle. The apparatus also includes a table on which the machining jig is arranged.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 1551995 (1925-09-01), Lovenston
patent: 4502457 (1985-03-01), Marron
patent: 7-89161 (1988-06-01), None
patent: 63251157 (1988-10-01), None
patent: 2002255580 (2002-09-01), None

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