FR2850309A1 - Laser engraving and/or cutting table has working surface equipped with an assembly of mobile elements to position and retain the plate to be engraved and/or cut - Google Patents

Abstract

Table (1), for engraving and/or cutting of a plate (9) by a laser device, incorporates a working surface (2) and a delimiting reglet (3). An assembly of mobile elements is included for positioning the plate with respect to the working surface. The assembly co-operate with the reglet and is equipped with one of two types of picots, which comprise: (a) flat picots defining a plane parallel to the working surface and on which the plate rests; (b) picots for positioning the plate in this plane, constituting a stop for wedging the plate. An Independent claim is also included for a device for positioning a plate to be engraved and/or cut with respect to the engraving and/or cutting table.

Description

The present invention relates to the accessories necessary for the

  cutting and / or engraving using a laser, and more particularly on the support of the object to be worked. More specifically, the invention relates

  a table for laser engraving and / or cutting.

  We know from the state of the art tables having a honeycomb structure. In this technique, the honeycombs are placed on their edge above a device for extracting the cutting vapors from the honeycomb structure. The plate to be cut and / or engraved is placed above it. It is then possible to carry out the etching and / or cutting operations using a laser beam device. However, it may happen that the laser beam is reflected by a wing of the honeycomb and therefore marks the plate which is being cut and / or engraved. This therefore leads to an irregular and unsightly finish.

  Furthermore, it is difficult to ensure good flatness with such honeycomb supports, in particular because of the complexity of their structure.

  The object of the present invention is to provide a device which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks. In particular, the proposed device will make it possible to avoid or limit the reflection of the laser beam in order to improve the finish of the objects produced.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which makes it possible to reduce the problems of flatness, while remaining at a low cost and easy to manufacture.

  Other objects and advantages of the invention will emerge during the description which follows, which is given for information only and which is not intended to limit it.

  The invention relates to a table for engraving and / or cutting a plate using a laser device, said table comprising a work area and means for delimiting said work area, said table. being characterized in that it has a set of movable elements for positioning said plate relative to said working area, capable of cooperating with said delimitation means and provided with at least one of the following two types of pins: - suitable flatness pins defining a plane parallel to said work area and on which said plate rests, - pins for positioning said plate in said plane, constituting a stop for wedging said plate.

  The present invention also relates to a device for positioning a plate to be engraved and / or cut in relation to an engraving and / or laser cutting table, said table comprising a work area 10 delimited by two positioned strips, said device being characterized in that it consists of a set of mobile elements capable of cooperating with said strips and provided with at least one of the two said types of pins mentioned above.

  The invention will be better understood on reading the description, accompanied by the accompanying drawings, among which: - Figure 1 is a partial top view of a table according to the invention, equipped with said movable elements, - the FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the table illustrated in the preceding figure, along the section plane 11, - FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, in which a plate to be engraved is positioned positioned on said table, - Figure 4 is a sectional view of a movable element according to the invention, along the section plane IV of Figure 1, - Figure 5 is a plan seen from above of a movable element, - Figures 6a and 6b are respectively perspective views of a flatness pin and a positioning pin, - Figures 7 and 8 are partial perspective views of tables according to the invention, according to two different variants .

  First of all, the present invention relates to an engraving and / or cutting table using a laser device. It is in particular a support on which the object can be positioned, in particular a plastic plate 9, which must be cut and / or engraved.

  As shown in FIG. 1, such a table 1 includes a working area 2 as well as means 3 for delimiting said working area 2. It can for example be positioned strips, in particular 5 arranged at right angles, in which case they can serve as benchmarks.

  They can, for example, be graduated.

  According to the invention, the table 1 has a set of mobile elements 4, 5, 6 for positioning said plate 9, shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, with respect to said work area 2. Said mobile elements 4, 5, 6 are able to cooperate with the delimiting means 3 and they are provided with at least one of the following two types of pins; namely flatness pins 7 and positioning pins 8.

  The upper ends of the flatness pins 7 define between them a plane parallel to said working area 2. Said plate 9 to be etched 15 rests on said flatness pins 7, thus being placed in a plane substantially parallel to that of the area working 2.

  In the case of a rigid plate 9 and / or of a reduced size, it suffices that it rests on three flatness pins 7 so that it is perfectly stable. If the dimensions of the plate 9 are larger or if the plate 9 has a slight flexibility, it may be necessary to provide additional movable elements 6 only provided with flatness pins 7, to prevent the plate 9 from bending .

  The positioning pins 8 constitute a stop against which said plate 9 can be wedged in the plane defined by the end of the flatness pins 7. It suffices with three non-aligned positioning pins 8 to wedge said plate properly. Preferably, these three positioning pins 8 will be sufficiently distant from each other. For example, the distance between two positioning pins 8 will be of the same order as the dimensions of the plate 9.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, said movable elements 4, 5, 6 cooperate with said strips 3 by overlapping them.

  For example, these movable elements 4, 5, 6 are in the form of strips consisting on the one hand, of a quadrangular base 10 of thickness "e" equal at least to the thickness of said strips and on the other hand , 5 of a quadrangular apex 11, which apex 11 forms with said base 10 a shoulder 12 capable of overlapping said strips 3. The dimensions of apex 11 are therefore larger than those of base 10, which gives the movable elements 4 , 5, 6 a mushroom profile.

  We can therefore distinguish on such bands two distinct zones 10 as illustrated in FIG. 5. In a first zone, indicated by hatching, said vertex 11 can overlap said strip 3. We can designate this zone as being the overlapping zone 15. It is located on the periphery of the mobile elements 4, 5, 6.

  The second zone, shown in dotted lines, can be defined a contrario as being the non-overlapping zone 14. It is the central part of said mobile elements 4, 5, 6, placed directly on the work area 2 of the table 1 and which has a total thickness greater than that of the overlapping zone 15.

  A particular element is shown in section in FIG. 3 and in another section plane, in FIG. 4.

  The flatness pins 7 are housed in orifices 17, for example through, of the non-overlapping zone 14 of the top 11 of the elements 4, 5, 6. They are arranged perpendicular to said working area and can, for example, rest directly on said work area 2. They can for example be provided movable in said orifice. In addition, the flatness pins 7 all have the same height. Their upper end therefore defines a plane substantially parallel to that of said work area 2.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6a, the flatness pins 7 consist of two cylindrical parts 72, 73 demarcated by a shoulder 30 74, which delimits the upper part 72 from the lower part 73, the latter being of a slightly smaller diameter than that of the upper part 72.

  The diameter of the lower part 73 of the flatness pins 7 corresponds to the internal diameter of the through orifices 17 in which the flatness pins 7 are housed. This characteristic, combined with the shoulder 74, makes it possible on the one hand to avoid that the flatness pins 7 do not pass through said 5 movable elements 4, 5, 6, and on the other hand, that there is a clearance between said flatness pins 7 and said orifices 17.

  In addition, the upper end 71 of the flatness pins 7 is, for example, pointed. This ensures punctual, therefore precise, contact with the underside of the plate 9.

  In this configuration, it is necessary for the length of the lower part 73 of the flatness pins 7 to be less than or equal to the total thickness of the non-overlapping zone 14 of the mobile elements 4, 5, 6. It will be recalled that the thickness total of the non-overlapping area 14 is formed by the thickness e of the quadrangular base 10 and the thickness of the vertex 1 1 quadrangular.

  The positioning pins 8 are housed in orifices 18, for example through holes located in the overlapping zone 15 of the apex 11 of said elements 4, 5, 6. They have a height sufficient for their upper end to be above that of the flatness pins 7. Thus, when the plate 9 is slid over the flatness pins 7, the positioning pins 8 can constitute a stop against which said plate 9 can be wedged.

  As illustrated in FIG. 6b, the positioning pins 8 have a structure similar to that of the flatness pins 7. They consist of an upper cylindrical part 82 demarcated from a lower cylindrical part 83 by a shoulder 84. The diameter of the upper part 82 is slightly larger than that of the lower part 83.

  By cons, the upper end 81 of the positioning pins 8 can be flat or pointed indifferently. Indeed, the contact between the plate 9 and a positioning pin 8 takes place at the level of a generatrix of the upper cylindrical part 82, tangentially and therefore punctually, and not at the level of the upper end 81 of the pins positioning 8.

  Here also the diameter of the lower part 83 of the positioning pins 8 corresponds to the internal diameter of the through orifices 18 in which the positioning pins 8 are housed. It is also a question of avoiding losing these small parts by preventing them from pass through said movable elements 4, 5, 6.

  Advantageously, said elements 4, 5, 6 are in the form of modular square pawns. All of them are provided with at least one flatness pin 7 in the non-overlapping zone 14 of their apex 11. They may moreover be provided with positioning pins 8 situated in the overlapping zone 15 adjacent to at most two consecutive sides of said pawn.

  Referring to Figure 5, there are positioning pins 8 in the overlap area adjacent to the AB side and the BC side. We can therefore consider that two consecutive sides of this pin 4 15 are materialized by the positioning pins 8.

  There could also be positioning pins 8 on only one side, for example the AB side. For this case, it should be considered that only one side of such a pawn 5 is materialized. Finally, a pin 6 may not be provided with any positioning pin 8.

  When a pin 4, 5, 6 is provided with positioning pins 8, the corresponding sides of said pin are those which cooperate with a strip 3. Thus, a pin 4 provided with positioning pins 8 in the overlapping zone 15 adjacent to two consecutive sides will cooperate simultaneously with the two strips 3 at right angles.

  A pin 5 provided with positioning pins 8 in the overlap zone 15 adjacent to only one side of said pin will cooperate with a strip 3. A pin 6 not provided with positioning pins 8, but only with flatness pins 7, may be placed anywhere in the work area 2.

  In particular, to position the plate 9 correctly, pins 4, 5, 6 are available so that there are at least three non-aligned positioning pins 8 in the work area. Thus, once the plate 9 is pressed against said positioning pins 9, it is in a stable position.

  Advantageously, said movable elements 4, 5, 6 are 5 removable. Thus, it is possible to position them according to the size of the plate to be engraved. If the plate 9 is small and rigid, it will then be sufficient for three mobile elements, one of each type for example, to correctly position said plate. If the plate 9 to be engraved and / or to be cut is of larger size, it may be necessary in this case to use more than 10 of said movable elements.

  Figures 7 and 8 partially show two table variants according to the invention. In these two variants, the movable elements are identical to each other, but, contrary to what has been previously described, they are provided with a plurality of orifices 17, 18 in order to give rise to the various configurations required.

  The mobile elements 4a illustrated in FIG. 7 are of the square pawn type. As previously described, they consist of a base and an apex of dimensions greater than those of the base, thus defining an overlap. However, the overlap zone in this example extends only to two consecutive sides of said vertex. It is nevertheless conceivable to produce such mobile elements 4a provided with a peripheral overlap zone.

  The non-overlapping area of said movable elements 4a is provided with a plurality of through holes 17, for example forming a grid in said non-overlapping area of the movable element 4a, and intended to accommodate flatness pins 7. Similarly , the overlapping area of said movable elements 4a is provided with a plurality of orifices 18 intended to house the positioning pins 8.

  It can easily be seen that, according to this variant, a single type of mobile element 4a is sufficient to cover all of the configurations necessary to ensure the flatness and the positioning of a plate to be engraved and / or cut. As illustrated, it is possible to place flatness pins 7 and positioning pins 8 according to various positions for each movable element 4a, according to the particular needs.

  According to the same principle, the mobile elements 4b illustrated in FIG. 5 are in the form of strips, also provided with a plurality of orifices 17 capable of accommodating the flatness pins 7 at the level of a non-overlapping zone as well. that of a plurality of orifices capable of accommodating the positioning pins 8 at the level of an overlapping zone of said movable element 4b.

  Advantageously, said movable elements 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b, are metallic. This ensures better stability, especially thermal, vis-à-vis the engraving and / or cutting laser. Furthermore, for safety reasons relating to the risk of laser reflection, said mobile elements are blackened, for example anodized.

  The flatness 7 and positioning pins 8 can also be metallic.

  These parts can be manufactured, for example, by molding.

  The present invention also relates to a device for positioning a plate 9 to be engraved and / or cut with respect to a table 1 for laser engraving and / or cutting, said table 1 comprising a work area 2 delimited by two strips 3 positioned , especially at right angles. Said device is characterized in that it consists of a set of mobile elements 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b capable of cooperating with said strips 3 and provided with at least one of the two types of pins following: - flatness pins 7, capable of defining a plane parallel to said working area 2 and on which said plate 9 rests, - positioning pins 8 of said plate 9 in said plane, constituting a stop for wedging said plate 9.

  Advantageously, and according to a first variant, said mobile elements 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b are in the form of strips made up on the one hand, of a quadrangular base 10 of thickness "e" equal to at least l 'thickness of said strips 3 and on the other hand, a quadrangular apex 11, which apex forms with said base 10 a shoulder 12 adapted to overlap said strips 3: - said flatness pins 7, mobile, being housed in an orifice transverse of the non-overlapping zone 14 of the apex 11 of said movable elements 4, 5, 6 and resting perpendicularly to said work area 2, - said positioning pins 8 being located in the overlapping zone 15 of the apex 11 of said movable elements 4 , 5, 6, 4a, 4b.

  According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, said elements are in the form of removable modular square pins.

  Said pins 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b modular are provided with at least one flatness pin 7 and can be provided with positioning pins 8 15 located in the overlap zone 15 adjacent to at most two consecutive sides of said pin 4 , 5, 6, 4a, 4b.

  When the overlapping zone 15 adjacent to one side of said pin 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b is provided with positioning pins 8, the corresponding side cooperates with one of said strips 3.

  Said modular elements can be made of hard plastic, for example by molding. The flatness and positioning pins 7 may be metallic.

  The use of a table according to the invention is fairly easy. Depending on the dimensions of the plate to be engraved and / or cut, the operator 25 places said pins 4, 5, 6, 4a, 4b on the working air 2, by using the graduated strips 3 It can for example wedge said pins against said strips 3.

  Then the operator places the plate 9 on the flatness pins 7 and pushes it against the positioning pins 8 until the plate 9 comes into abutment against them and is wedged.

  The laser engraving and / or cutting operations can then begin.

  Naturally, other modes of implementation, within the reach of ordinary skill in the art, could still have been envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

  On this subject, provision may be made, in certain cases of use, for example during cutting and / or etching of relatively large plates, anti-lifting means at the periphery of the plate 9. These means may be constituted , in particular, by a rubber washer or the like placed by force on the upper end 10 of the positioning pins 8, or else the latter may be substantially constituted by a screw whose lower end will be screwed into the pin 4, 5, 6 and the underside of the head of which will be blocked on the upper part of the plate 9, as particularly shown in FIG. 3.

Claims (10)

  1. Table (1) for engraving and / or cutting a plate (9) using a laser device, said table comprising a working area (2) and delimiting means (3) of said work area (2), characterized in that it has a set of movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) for positioning said plate (9) relative to said work area (2 ), capable of cooperating with said delimitation means (3) and provided with at least one of the following two types of pins (7, 8): - flatness pins (7) defining a plane parallel to said area working (2) and on which said plate (9) rests, - positioning pins (8) of said plate (9) in said plane, constituting a stop for wedging said plate (9).   2. Table (1) according to claim 1, wherein said delimiting means (3) are in the form of at least two strips (3) arranged at right angles, said movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a ; 4b) cooperating in overlap with said strips (3).   3. Table (1) according to claim 2, wherein said movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) are in the form of strips consisting on the one hand, of a base (10) quadrangular in height (e) equal at least to the thickness of said strips (3), and on the other hand, a quadrangular apex (11), which apex (11) forms with said base (10) a shoulder (12) suitable overlapping said strips (3): said flatness pins (7), being housed in orifices (17) located in the non-overlapping area (14) of the top (11) 25 of said elements (4, 5, 6; 4a ; 4b) and resting perpendicular to said working area (2), - said positioning pins (8) are housed in orifices (18) located in the overlapping zone (15) of the top (11) of said elements (4 , 5, 6; 4a; 4b).   4. Table (1) according to claim 3, wherein said elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) are in the form of modular square pins.   5. Table (1) according to claim 4, wherein said set of movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) comprises modular pins provided with at least one flatness pin (7) and provided with pins 5 positioning (8) located in the overlap zone adjacent to at most two consecutive sides of said pin (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b), said sides cooperating with a strip (3) if they are provided with pins positioning (8).   6. Table (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) are removable.   7. Device for positioning a plate to be engraved and / or cut with respect to a table (1) for engraving and / or laser cutting, said table (1) comprising a work area (2) delimited by two strips (3 ) positioned, said device being characterized in that it consists of a set of movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b), capable of cooperating with said strips (3), and provided with at at least one of the following two types of pins: - flatness pins (7) defining a plane parallel to said working area (2) and on which said plate (9) rests - positioning pins (8) of said plate (9) in said plane, constituting a stop for wedging said plate (9).   8. Device according to claim 7, wherein said movable elements are in the form of strips, consisting on the one hand, of a quadrangular base (10) of height (e) equal at least to the thickness of said strips ( 3) and on the other hand, a quadrangular apex (11) 25 which apex forms with said base (10) a shoulder (12) capable of overlapping said strips (3): - said flatness pins (7), mobile being housed in orifices (17) located in the non-overlapping area (14) of the top (11) of said elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) mobile and resting perpendicular to said work area (2) , - said positioning pins (8) being housed in orifices (18) located in the overlapping zone (15) of the top (11) of said movable elements (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b).   9. Device according to claim 8, wherein said elements are in the form of removable modular square pins.   10. Device according to either of Claims 8 or 9, in which said modular pins (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b) are provided with at least one flatness pin (7) and are provided with positioning pins ( 8) located in the overlap zone (15) adjacent to at most two consecutive sides of said pin (4, 5, 6; 4a; 4b), said sides cooperating with a strip (3) if they are provided with pins positioning (8).