JP3443133B2 - Lens centering device and centering method - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens centering device and a lens centering method used for joining lenses to each other, for fixing lenses to lens frames, to a mirror assembly, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a document relating to the above-mentioned lens centering device, there is Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 58-162110. The technique described in this publication will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view from the front showing a main part of a conventional automatic eccentricity adjusting device. A bearing 52 is mounted in a circular hole formed at a central position on the upper surface of a support base 51 in the shape of a cup as shown in the figure. In order to mount the lenses 58 and 59 on the center of the upper surface of the bearing 52, a support frame 53 having a recess formed in a size corresponding to the outer diameter of the lens is inserted into the inner peripheral surface of the bearing 52. It is rotatably attached. At the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the support frame 53, a flange-shaped step portion that is formed to project outward is provided, and a gear 56 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the support frame 53. The drive motor 55 is disposed in the gear 5 and the rotation shaft of the drive motor 55 is provided on the upper end of the support base 51 so as to project from the tip end of the gear 5
It is configured to mesh with 4.

The rotation of the drive motor 55 is transmitted to the support frame 53 via a gear 54. A centered lens 57, to which a lower lens 58 and an upper lens 59 are attached, for rotation of the two lenses (that is, adjustment for adjusting the optical axis) is rotated in the upper surface concave portion of the support frame 53, It is designed to align the lenses. Also,
On the outer peripheral surface of the support frame 53, a support plate 60 for mounting pulse motors 61 arranged at intervals of 120 degrees is mounted, and an output shaft 62 configured to project in the radial direction of each pulse motor 61. A push rod 63 configured to reciprocate so as to come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the upper lens 59 of the centered lens and push in the radial direction is continuously provided at the tip end of the. Also,
A measuring device (eccentricity measuring device) 64 serving as an eccentricity measuring unit for measuring the eccentricity of the adjusted lens 57 is disposed above the optical axis of the adjusted lens 57 shown in the figure. Furthermore,
On the right side of the measuring instrument 64, a control device 65 for driving and controlling the pulse motor 61 according to the value of the eccentricity amount by the measuring instrument 64.
Is provided.

(Operation) The operation of the prior art having the above configuration will be described. First, when the adjusted lens 57 is placed on the support frame 53 and the drive motor 55 is turned on, the support frame 53 rotates via the gears 54 and 56. The rotation of the support frame 53 also rotates the lens to be adjusted 57, and the eccentricity measuring device 64 measures the amount of eccentricity, that is, the amount of misalignment. If the deviation is larger than the predetermined deviation, the control device 65 automatically drives the pulse motor 61 to adjust the relative position of the center of the lens 57 (optical axis of each lens). It

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional lens centering device for adjustment, since the pulse motor is used as the drive source of the centering jig, the cemented lens which requires high precision. In the alignment such as
The vibration generated from the pulse motor during centering adversely affected the accuracy. In addition, the space occupied by the pulse motor in the centering portion is unnecessarily large, and there is a problem in that it is impossible to make the structure compact.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it provides a high-precision, high-quality lens having a compact centering device and a vibration-free centering operation. An object of the present invention is to provide a lens centering device and a lens centering method which can be manufactured well.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a support frame which is mounted on a support base and on which a lens to be adjusted is placed and which is rotatable, a drive source for rotating the support frame, and the above-mentioned center to be adjusted. Utilizes eccentricity measuring means for measuring the amount of eccentricity of the lens and bending deformation by thermal deformation means made of shape memory alloy arranged at equal intervals around the lens to be adjusted based on the eccentricity amount information from the eccentricity measuring means. Then, the lens centering device is provided with a centering jig for centering the lens to be adjusted and a control means for controlling the bending deformation by the thermal deformation means.
Further, according to the present invention, an adjusted lens is placed on a support frame rotatably mounted on a support table, the adjusted lens is rotated together with the support frame, and the eccentric amount of the adjusted lens due to this rotation is adjusted. Based on this eccentricity amount information, the bending amount of each of the heat-deformable means made of a plurality of heat-deformable shape memory alloys arranged at equal intervals around the lens to be adjusted is individually controlled to measure Centering of the lens for centering by adjusting the relative position of the lens to be adjusted and the support frame through the thermal deformation means for bending the outer peripheral surface of the core lens or the outer peripheral side edge of the lens surface by the thermal deformation. Is the way.

[0008]

[Function] Place the centered lens on the support frame of the support base,
The drive source is operated to rotate the support frame, and the eccentricity measuring means measures the magnitude of the eccentricity of the adjusted lens. A shape memory alloy that utilizes thermal deformation automatically by the control means when the amount of eccentricity is greater than a predetermined constant amount of eccentricity.
A centering high-precision lens can be manufactured by controlling the centering operation of the lens to be adjusted by a centering jig having a thermal deformation means by bending deformation of the lens and adjusting the relative position of the lens to be adjusted. .

[0009]

First Embodiment A specific example of the lens centering device of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view from the front showing a main part of a lens centering device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a part of the operation of the centering jig shown in FIG. A hole is bored in the center of a support base 1 in the shape of a cup shown in the figure, and a bearing 2 is inserted and mounted in the hole. Further, a cylindrical support frame 3 is continuously mounted on the upper surface of the bearing 2. Although not shown, the support frame 3 has a base end portion connected to a drive motor (drive source) and is rotatable via a bearing 2.

As shown in the figure, screw holes are formed on the upper surface of the support base 1 having a circular bottom portion in which the cup is turned down, at equal intervals on the circumference of the circle. Then, the L-shaped arm 6 is mounted by tightening the bolt 8 inserted and penetrated into the hole formed in the base end portion of the L-shaped arm 6. A temperature control plate 10 using a Peltier element is attached to the inner wall surface of the tip of each arm 6. Inside the temperature control plate 10, a base of the bending arm 9 which is made of a Ni—Ti type shape memory alloy stored so as to be deformed in an arc shape in the axial direction (inner diameter direction) and which functions as a heat deforming means. The ends are fitted.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a strain gauge 7 for detecting the amount of bending by the bending arm 9 is attached to the outer surface of the bending arm 9 to form a centering jig 5.

In addition, at the upper position on the optical axis of the centered lens 4 where the center (optical axis) is adjusted, the eccentric amount of the optical axis of the centered lens 4 (the amount of deviation from the optical axis) is set. An eccentricity measuring device 11 for measuring is provided. In addition, at the lateral position of the eccentricity measuring device 11, that is, the intermediate position between the centering jig 5 and the lateral side of the eccentricity measuring device 11, the eccentricity measuring device 11 measures the size of the misalignment of the centered lens 4. , The bending arm 9 formed of a shape memory alloy is bent by heating or cooling with the temperature control plate 10 of the centering jig 5 based on the value, and the strain attached to the bending arm 9 7 in total
The bending amount, direction, etc. are individually controlled based on the value of
A control device 12 for adjusting the centering of the adjusted lens 4 is provided.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above structure will be described. First, when the centered lens 4 is placed on the upper surface of the support frame 3 and a drive motor (not shown) is turned on, the support frame 3 rotates. By this rotation, the eccentricity measuring device 11 measures the misalignment of the lens 4 to be adjusted, that is,
Measure the amount of misalignment. In this case, the adjusted lens 4
When the amount of eccentricity is larger than a predetermined amount of deviation, current is automatically supplied to the temperature adjustment plate 10 of the centering jig 5 which is evenly arranged on the outer peripheral surface side of the lens 4 to be adjusted by the control device 12. Flows and deforms the bending arm 9 made of a shape memory alloy by heating or cooling, and the bending amount, direction, etc. are individually determined by the value of the strain gauge 7 attached to the bending arm 9. By controlling, the tip end of the bending arm 9 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the lens 4 to be adjusted, and the lens 4 to be adjusted is moved from the horizontal direction which is the direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the lens 4 to perform centering. Adjustments are made and high-precision centering is performed. According to the configuration and operation of the present embodiment described above, since the centering adjustment of the centered lens 4 is configured to be pressed and moved in the horizontal direction by the centering jig 5, the total height of the centering jig 5 can be reduced. since it has become possible to the entire apparatus compact.

[0013]

Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the lens centering device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view from the front showing a main part relating to a second embodiment of the lens centering device of the present invention. In the drawings, the same members, shapes and configurations as those of FIGS. 1 and 2 used in the description of the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The difference between the present embodiment and the above-mentioned first embodiment is the same as the structure of the centering jig of the centered lens 4 as shown in FIG. Is. Therefore, the description in the present embodiment will be limited to the description of the centering jig which is the difference.

The support base 1 on the outer peripheral side of a ring-shaped support frame 3 on which an aligned lens 4 is mounted, which is continuously mounted on the upper surface of a bearing 2 provided in the center hole of the support base 1. Screw holes are drilled at regular intervals on the upper surface of each of the screw holes. For each screw hole, the holes are formed in the bent base end portion of the L-shaped arm 16. By tightening the bolt 8 that has been inserted and penetrated, each L-shaped arm 16
Are mounted vertically. Further, a temperature control plate 17 using a Peltier element is attached and attached to the L-shaped upper end surface of the arm 16, and further on the upper surface thereof,
The bending arm 18 of a rod-shaped Ni-Ti shape memory alloy, which is memorized so as to be deformed in an arc shape in the vertical direction, projects its tip in the inner diameter direction, so that the edge of the adjusted lens 4 on the outer peripheral side of the upper surface. It is arranged so as to come into contact with the upper side, and its base end portion is mounted. That is, the temperature control plate 17 is sandwiched between the arm 16 and the bending arm 18, and both are fixed.

A strain gauge 19 for detecting the bending amount of the bending arm 18 is attached to a desired position on the rod-shaped upper surface of the bending arm 18, and the whole is constructed as a centering jig 15. Further, the eccentricity measuring device 11 arranged above the adjusted lens 4 and the control device 20 for controlling the centering jig 15 constitute a lens centering device.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above structure will be described. First, the lens to be adjusted 4 is placed on the upper surface of the support frame 3, and when the drive motor (not shown) is turned on, the support frame 3 rotates. By this rotation, the eccentricity measuring device 11 measures the amount of eccentricity of the adjusted lens 4. in this case,
When the amount of eccentricity is larger than the predetermined amount of eccentricity, the control device 20 automatically causes a current to flow through the temperature adjustment plate 17 of the centering jig 15 evenly arranged on the outer peripheral side of the lens 4 to be adjusted. Then, the bending arm 18 formed of the shape memory alloy is deformed by heating or cooling, and
Each of the bending arms 18 is controlled in accordance with a value measured by a strain gauge 19 attached to the bending arm 18, that is, the bending amount, the direction, and the like, and the center of the lens 4 to be adjusted from above is controlled. The relative position of the misalignment is adjusted to center it. According to the above configuration and operation, since the centered lens 4 is adjusted by the centering jig 15 from above, the centering adjustment can be performed without being influenced by the shape of the lens side surface (edge thickness, etc.).
Further, even if the support frame is a lens frame (mirror frame) and the lens to be adjusted is dropped in the lens frame for adjustment, there is an advantage that the adjustment can be performed correspondingly.

[0018]

Third Embodiment A third embodiment of the lens centering device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view from the front showing a main part relating to Example 3 of the lens centering device of the present invention. In the drawings, the same members, shapes and configurations as those of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 used for the description of the above-described first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. To do.

The structural difference between the present embodiment and the first embodiment is that, as shown in the drawing, the structure and operation of the centering jig for the centered lens 4 are different, and the other structures are completely different. It is the same. Therefore, similarly to the second embodiment, only the points of difference in configuration in this embodiment will be described.

The support base 1 on the outer peripheral side of the ring-shaped support frame 3 on which the centered lens 4 is mounted, which is continuously mounted on the upper surface of the bearing 2 provided in the center hole of the support base 1. Screw holes are formed at regular intervals on the upper surface of each of the screw holes, and the screw holes are inserted and penetrated into the holes of the base end portion of the L-shaped arm 26 formed by bending. By tightening the bolt 8, each L-shaped arm 26 is vertically mounted. A temperature control plate 27 using a Peltier element is provided on the upper end surface of each arm 26 arranged at equal intervals on the outer peripheral side of the support frame 3 above the support base 1.
I am wearing. Further, on the upper surface of the temperature control plate 27,
Ni-Ti memorized so as to deform in an arc shape in the vertical direction
Band-shaped Bending Arm 28 Made of a System Shape Memory Alloy
The base end of is attached. That is, the temperature control plate 27 is sandwiched and mounted between the upper end surface of the arm 26 and the base end portion of the bending arm 28.

A strain gauge 29 for detecting the bending amount of the bending arm 28 is attached to the upper surface of the belt-shaped bending arm 28. Further, a ring member 31 is provided at the tip of the bending arm 28 so as to be slidable on the upper surface of the centered lens 4 to form a centering jig 25. An eccentricity measuring device 11 for measuring the eccentricity of the adjusted lens 4 is disposed above the optical axis of the adjusted lens 4 placed on the upper surface of the support frame 3, and the temperature control plate is also provided. 27, the strain gauge 29, and the eccentricity measuring device 11 are connected to each other, and a control device 30 for controlling the eccentricity amount of the centered lens 4 is disposed outside the device.

Next, the operation of this embodiment having the above structure will be described. First, the adjusted lens 4 is placed on the upper surface of the support frame 3, and when the drive motor (not shown) is turned on, the support frame 3 is turned on.
Rotates. With this rotation, the eccentricity measuring device 11 measures the amount of eccentricity of the lens 4 to be adjusted. In this case, when the amount of eccentricity is larger than the predetermined amount of eccentricity, current is automatically applied to the temperature adjustment plate 27 of the centering jig 25 evenly arranged on the outer peripheral side of the centered lens 4 by the control device 30. Flows and deforms the bending arm 28 formed of the shape memory alloy by heating or cooling, and at the same time, the value measured by the strain gauge 29 attached to the bending arm 28, that is, the bending amount and direction. The bending arm 28 is individually controlled in accordance with the above, and the ring 31 at the tip of the bending arm 28 is brought into contact with the upper surface of the adjusted lens 4 from above to adjust the adjusted lens 4 to the support frame 3. Centering is performed by adjusting the relative position of.

According to this embodiment having the above-mentioned structure and operation,
Since the ring arranged at the tip of the bending arm is brought into contact with the upper surface of the lens to be adjusted, the influence of scratches on the lens surface is less than that of the point contact method. Further, there is an advantage that the support frame is a lens frame (mirror frame), and it is possible to cope with the case where the centered lens is dropped into the lens frame for centering adjustment.

[0024]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the centering adjustment operation is performed from the shape memory alloy by controlling the heat.
Since the adjustment operation is performed using the thermal deformation means,
Since no vibration occurs during the centering adjustment, a high-quality lens with high centering accuracy can be manufactured with high productivity. Further, since the power of the motor or the like is not used for the adjusting operation of the centering jig having the thermal deformation means, the centering portion can be made compact, and various effects such as the degree of freedom in the configuration can be expanded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a main part of a lens centering device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of the centering jig shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a main part of a lens centering device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view from the front, showing the essential parts of Embodiment 3 of the lens centering device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view from the front showing a main part of a conventional lens centering device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 support 2 bearings 3 support frames 4 Focused lens 5,15,25 Centering jig 6,16,26 arms 7, 19, 29 strain gauge 8 volt 9,18,28 Bending arm 10, 17, 27 Temperature control plate 11 Eccentricity measuring instrument 12, 20, 30 Control equipment 31 ring

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G02B 7/00 G02B 7/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A support frame which is mounted on a support base and on which an adjusted lens is placed and which is rotatable, a drive source which rotates the support frame, and an eccentricity measurement for measuring an eccentric amount of the adjusted lens. And a bending deformation by a thermal deformation means made of a shape memory alloy arranged at equal intervals around the lens to be adjusted based on the eccentricity amount information from the eccentricity measuring device. A centering device for a lens, comprising: a centering jig for centering the core lens; and a control means for controlling the bending deformation by the thermal deformation means. 2. An eccentric lens is placed on a support frame rotatably mounted on a support base, the eccentric lens is rotated together with the support frame, and the eccentricity of the eccentric lens by the rotation is adjusted. A plurality of heat-deformable shape memory alloys, which are arranged at equal intervals around the lens to be adjusted based on the measured eccentricity information .
Individually controlling the bending amount of Ranaru thermal deformation means, an outer peripheral side edge of the outer peripheral surface or the lens surface of the object to be aligning lens through a heat deformation means bend at the thermal deformation, the support and the object to be aligning lens A method of centering a lens, which comprises performing a centering by adjusting a relative position with respect to a frame.