POLISHING MACHINE AND METHOD FOR POLISHING OPTICAL WAVEGUIDES

Abstract

The invention relates to a polishing machine (10) and to a method for polishing optical waveguides, the polishing machine comprising a polishing disk (13) having a plug socket (14) for holding a plug with an optical waveguide, a polishing platform (15) for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device (17) for relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform between a polishing position and a set-up position (16), and a drive device for executing a relative polishing movement between the polishing platform and the polishing disk in the polishing position, wherein the polishing machine has a cleaning device for applying dry ice to the polishing platform and/or to the polishing disk.

Claims

1. A polishing machine (10) for polishing optical waveguides, comprising a polishing disk (13) having a plug socket (14) for holding a plug with an optical waveguide, a polishing platform (15) for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device (17) for relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform between a polishing position and a set-up position (16), and a drive device for executing a relative polishing movement between the polishing platform and the polishing disk in the polishing position, characterized in that the polishing machine has a cleaning device for applying dry ice to the polishing platform and/or to the polishing disk.

2. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the dry ice consists of solid carbon dioxide particles.

3. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device has an application nozzle for dry ice, the application nozzle being usable to form a directed core jet of solid particles and a shell jet of compressed air coaxially surrounding the core jet from liquid carbon dioxide and compressed air.

4. The polishing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning device has a handling device for movably positioning the application nozzle in the set-up position between the polishing platform (15) and the polishing disk (13).

5. The polishing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning device has a plurality of application nozzles.

6. The polishing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the cleaning device has a nozzle array composed of application nozzles, the application nozzles being disposed adjacent and outside an edge of the polishing platform (15) and/or of the polishing disk (13) and respective cleaning jets of the application nozzles being directed at a surface of the polishing platform and/or of the polishing disk.

7. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a passage opening through which the dry ice is metered onto the polishing platform (15) by means of the cleaning device is formed in the polishing disk (13).

8. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device has a liquid reservoir or a dry ice reservoir, a metering pump, a supply line, a metering valve, an application nozzle and a controller for dry ice.

9. The polishing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the liquid reservoir or the dry ice reservoir, the metering pump, the supply line, the metering valve and the application nozzle form a modular cleaning unit which is removably disposed outside or within a housing (11) of the polishing machine (10).

10. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning device (17) has a holder (20), the holder having a mount (21) for detachably holding the polishing disk (13), the mount being realized with a magnet for force-fitting holding and/or with a coupling for form-fitting holding of the polishing disk.

11. The polishing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the mount (21) permits an inclination of the polishing disk (13) at an angle of up to 2° relative to the polishing platform (15), the positioning device (17) having a force gauge for determining a contact pressure between the polishing disk and the polishing platform.

12. The polishing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the polishing disk (13) comprises a connecting protrusion (22) which is detachably connectable to the mount (21).

13. The polishing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that a channel for conducting dry ice to the passage opening of the polishing disk (13) is formed in the mount (21).

14. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the polishing machine (10) has a metering device for applying rinsing liquid to the polishing platform (15), a passage opening through which the rinsing liquid is metered onto the polishing platform by means of the metering device being formed in the polishing disk (13).

15. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the polishing disk (13) and/or of the polishing platform (15) is coated with an amorphous carbon layer.

16. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the polishing machine (10) has a changer device, the changer device comprising a plurality of polishing pads each having an abrasive, the abrasives being different from each other, the polishing pads with the abrasives being stored in a magazine of the changer device and being arranged on and removed from the polishing platform (15) by means of a handling device of the changer device.

17. A method for polishing optical waveguides using a polishing machine (10), an end of an optical fiber of an optical waveguide being polished, a plug with the optical waveguide being held in a plug socket (14) of a polishing disk (13), an abrasive being received on a polishing platform (15), the polishing disk and the polishing platform being moved relative to each other from a set-up position (16) into a polishing position by means of a positioning device (17), the polishing disk and the polishing platform being moved relative to each other in a polishing movement by a drive device when in the polishing position, characterized in that dry ice is applied to the polishing platform and/or to the polishing disk by means of a cleaning device of the polishing machine.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that dry ice is applied before and/or after execution of a polishing movement, preferably in the set-up position.

19. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the dry ice sublimates at a surface of the polishing platform (15) and/or of the polishing disk (16) and pollutants of the surface are removed from the surface.

20. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that a flow of used cleaning gas is formed, which flows from a center toward an edge of the polishing platform (15) and/or of the polishing disk (13).

21. The method according to according to claim 17, characterized in that relative positioning of the polishing disk (13) and of the polishing platform (15), changing of polishing pads, execution of the polishing movement and/or metering of the dry ice is controlled by means of a control device (12) of the polishing machine (10).

Description

[0036] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.

[0037] The FIGURE shows a polishing machine 10 for polishing optical waveguides, polishing machine 10 comprising a housing 11 and a controlling device 12 for controlling a function of polishing machine 10. In particular, polishing machine 10 has a polishing disk 13 comprising a plurality of plug sockets 14. Polishing disk 13 is disposed opposite a polishing platform 15 of polishing machine 10 and is shown positioned in a set-up position 16 relative to polishing platform 15. A drive device (not shown) located in housing 11 can drive polishing platform 10 in a circular movement relative to polishing disk 13. A polishing pad (not shown) with an abrasive can be placed on polishing platform 15.

[0038] A positioning device 17 of polishing machine 10 has a linearly displaceable column 18 comprising an arm 19 and a holder 20 for holding polishing disk 13. Holder 20 forms a mount 21 for detachably holding polishing disk 13. An axis 22 that can be plugged into mount 21 is formed on polishing disk 13.

[0039] Polishing machine 10 has a cleaning device (not shown) for applying dry ice to polishing platform 15 and/or polishing disk 13. By means of the cleaning device, any pollutants adhering to polishing disk 13 and polishing platform 15 can be eliminated without residue in the set-up position 16 shown.

[0040] Furthermore, polishing machine 10 can have a metering device (not shown) by means of which rinsing liquid can be metered onto polishing platform 15 having the abrasive placed thereon. Rinsing liquid is supplied through a passage opening (not shown) in polishing platform 15, allowing rinsing liquid to also be applied during a polishing process.