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 for polishing optical waveguides, comprising a polishing disk having a plug socket for holding a plug with an optical waveguide, a polishing platform for receiving an abrasive, a positioning device for relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform between a polishing position and a set-up position, the polishing machine adapted 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 or to the polishing disk; 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 or of the polishing disk, the application nozzles being spaced equidistantly along a circumference of the polishing platform or the polishing disk, and respective cleaning jets of the application nozzles being directed at a surface of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk; further including a liquid reservoir or dry ice reservoir, a metering pump, a supply line, a metering valve and at least one application nozzle of the application nozzles form a modular cleaning unit removably disposed outside or within a housing of the polishing machine.

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

3. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning device has an application nozzle of the application nozzles 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 and the polishing disk.

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

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

7. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning device has a holder, the holder having a mount for detachably holding the polishing disk, the mount being realized with a magnet for force-fitting holding or with a coupling for form-fitting holding of the polishing disk.

8. The polishing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the mount permits an inclination of the polishing disk at an angle of up to 2° relative to the polishing platform, the positioning device having a force gauge for determining a contact pressure between the polishing disk and the polishing platform.

9. The polishing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the polishing disk comprises a connecting protrusion which is detachably connectable to the mount (21).

10. The polishing machine according to claim 7, characterized in that a channel for conducting dry ice to a passage opening of the polishing disk is formed in the mount.

11. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the polishing machine has a metering device for applying rinsing liquid to the polishing platform, 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.

12. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the polishing disk or of the polishing platform is coated with an amorphous carbon layer.

13. The polishing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the polishing machine 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 by means of a handling device of the changer device.

14. A method for polishing optical waveguides using a polishing machine, an end of an optical fiber of an optical waveguide being polished, a plug with the optical waveguide being held in a plug socket of a polishing disk, an abrasive being received on a polishing platform, the polishing disk and the polishing platform being moved relative to each other from a set-up position into a polishing position by means of a positioning device, the polishing disk and the polishing platform being moved relative to each other in a polishing movement when in the polishing position; wherein the method includes: applying dry ice to the polishing platform or to the polishing disk by means of a cleaning device having a nozzle array composed of application nozzles, the application nozzles being disposed adjacent an edge of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk, the application nozzles being spaced equidistantly along a circumference of the polishing platform or the polishing disk, and respective cleaning jets of the application nozzles being directed at a surface of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk, and further including a dry ice reservoir, a metering pump, a supply line, a metering valve and at least one application nozzle forming a modular cleaning unit removably disposed outside a housing of the polishing machine.

15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that dry ice is applied before or after execution of a polishing movement.

16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the dry ice sublimates at a surface of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk and pollutants of the surface are removed from the surface.

17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that a flow of used cleaning gas is formed, which flows from a center toward an edge of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk.

18. The method according to according to claim 14, characterized in that relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform, changing of polishing pads, execution of the polishing movement or metering of the dry ice is controlled by means of a control device of the polishing machine.

Description

Brief Description of the Drawing Figures

(1) FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a polishing machine according to the disclosure;

(2) FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the polishing machine including an array of application nozzles; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the polishing machine of FIG. 2.

(4) FIG. 4 is a lower perspective view of a polishing disk of the polishing machine of FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the polishing machine of FIG. 1 including a passage opening.

(6) Hence, in particular, a flow of used cleaning gas which flows from a center toward an edge of the polishing platform and/or of the polishing disk may be formed. For example, the dry ice may be applied in the center or middle of the polishing platform and/or of the polishing disk, causing gas produced by sublimation to expand from the center toward the edge. The dry ice can also be applied to an edge of the polishing platform and/or of the polishing disk in such a manner that opposite flows of used cleaning gases meet in the center and hit the opposite center of the polishing platform or of the polishing disk, from where they are discharged toward the edge.

(7) By means of a controlling device of the polishing machine, relative positioning of the polishing disk and of the polishing platform, changing of polishing pads, execution of the polishing movement and/or metering of the rinsing liquid can be controlled. In principle, the controlling device can also be used to control other functions of the polishing machines. By using the controlling device, a polishing process or a sequence of polishing processes can be executed fully automatically. In addition to a metering of rinsing liquid, rinsing liquid may be metered in order to obtain high-quality polished surfaces.

(8) If the polishing machine has a metering device, the controlling device can also be used to control a metering function of the polishing machine.

(9) Advantageous embodiments of the method are apparent from the description of features of the claims dependent on device claim 1.

(10) Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.

(11) FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 show 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.

(12) 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.

(13) Polishing machine 10 has a cleaning device comprising a cleaning unit 23 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.

(14) Furthermore, polishing machine 10 can have a metering device including a metering pump 28 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.

(15) It is particularly advantageous for the cleaning device to have a plurality of application nozzles 24, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this case, larger surfaces can be cleaned in less time. For example, the polishing platform 15 and the polishing disk 13 can also be cleaned simultaneously if the application nozzles 24 are disposed in such a manner that their core jets act in opposite directions. For example, the cleaning device can have a nozzle array 25 composed of application nozzles 24, in which case the application nozzles can be disposed adjacent and outside an edge of the polishing platform 15 and/or of the polishing disk 13, and their respective cleaning jets can be directed at a surface of the polishing platform 15 and/or of the polishing disk 13. The nozzle array 25 can be designed in such a manner that that the application nozzles 24 are disposed adjacent to the edge and equidistant along a circumference of the polishing platform 15 and/or of the polishing disk 13. The respective cleaning jets of the application nozzles 24 can extend within a space between the polishing platform 15 and the polishing disk 13 in the set-up position and can be directed at the surface of the polishing platform 15 and/or of the polishing disk 13 in such a manner that substantially the entire surface can be cleaned by the respective cleaning jets. During a cleaning process, the application nozzles 24, which are disposed in the shape of a ring about the polishing platform 15 and/or the polishing disk 13 in that case, may also be moved along the edge, i.e. radially, or be pivoted axially. Furthermore, the polishing 15 platform and/or the polishing disk 13 may also be turned during a cleaning process so as to clean the respective surfaces as completely as possible by means of the cleaning jets.

(16) As also shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning device 23 can have a liquid reservoir or dry ice reservoir 27, a metering pump 28, a supply line 29, a metering valve 30, an application nozzle 24 and a controller 26 for dry ice. The reservoir 27 can be a temperature-insulated tank for liquid carbon dioxide, for example. The metering pump 28 can be used to pump and meter the carbon dioxide. The supply line 29 can be used to supply the application nozzle 24 with liquid carbon dioxide and compressed air. The metering valve 30 can be used to meter or set an amount of dry ice or liquid carbon dioxide and compressed air. The controller 26 can be used for open-loop and closed-loop control of the components mentioned. The controller 26 can also be formed by a control device 12 present already for controlling the polishing machine 10.

(17) The liquid reservoir or the dry ice reservoir 27, the metering pump 28, the supply line 29, the metering valve 30 and the application nozzle 24 can form a modular cleaning unit 23 which can be removably disposed outside a housing of the polishing machine 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This allows a conventional polishing machine to be retrofitted with the cleaning unit 23 or allows a polishing machine to be configured in such a manner from the start that the cleaning unit 23 can be easily added to it. Furthermore, the cleaning unit 23 can be easily replaced with a new cleaning unit in the event of a defect in this case.