JP2000101180A - Semiconductor laser-heating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor laser-heating device for ensuring the reproducibility of an application position in heating output and aiming light output. SOLUTION: A device is provided with a light output measuring instrument 11 for measuring light output for a supply current to a semiconductor laser 1, a data retention means 70 where storage means 70a-70c of the measurement data are provided, and an operation means 70e for calculating the correction coefficient of light output from the measurement data. In this case, the device is provided with a controller for calculating the threshold current of the semiconductor laser 1 from the operation means 70e and for setting the supply current to the semiconductor laser, when light is to be outputted as aiming light to a calculated threshold current or less.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser heating apparatus capable of locally heating using the optical output of a semiconductor laser.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, using a semiconductor laser, this light energy output is input to an optical fiber, the light energy output is condensed, and a non-contact local area suitable for soldering or removal of a thin polyurethane wire film. Semiconductor laser heating devices have begun to be widely used as heating devices.

A conventional semiconductor laser heating device will be described below. In the block diagram shown in FIG. 3, reference numeral 1 denotes a semiconductor laser in which the light receiving end of the main fiber portion 2b of the optical fiber 2 is incorporated. Reference numeral 9 denotes an aiming light source, in which the light receiving end of the branching portion 2c of the optical fiber 2 is incorporated. Reference numeral 3 denotes a lens unit, in which a chemical lens system for condensing the light energy output from the emission end 2a of the optical fiber 2 is incorporated. Reference numeral 4 denotes a constant current power supply circuit for setting a current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a current detector for detecting a current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1 by the constant current power supply circuit 4, and reference numeral 6 sets a heating output to a desired value. An optical output setting device 7 controls the constant current power supply circuit 4 to adjust the current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1 so that the output value of the output setting device 6 becomes the output value of the output setting device 6 by the controller.

[0004] Reference numeral 10 denotes a constant current power supply circuit for setting a current to be supplied to the aiming light source 9, and reference numeral 11 denotes an aiming light commander.
When a command signal is output from the controller 1, the controller 7 controls the constant current power supply circuit 10 to supply a constant current to the aiming light source 9.

In the conventional semiconductor laser heating apparatus configured as described above, at the time of heating output, the constant current power supply circuit 4 is controlled by the output signal of the current detector 5 so as to become the set value of the light output setter 6. By adjusting the current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1, the light energy output of the semiconductor laser 1 is made constant. The optical energy output of the semiconductor laser 1 passes through the optical fiber 2, exits from the exit end 2a, is condensed by the lens unit 3, and irradiates the object to be heated.

Since the light energy output of the semiconductor laser 1 is constant, the light energy output applied to the object to be heated is also constant. At the time of confirming and adjusting the irradiation position of the heated section and the height of the lens unit 3 and the irradiation section, an aiming light (guide light) having a safe output level to the human body is output. At the time of aiming light output, the constant current power supply circuit 10
A more constant current is supplied to the aiming light source 9, and the light energy of the aiming light source 9 is
, And exits from the exit end 2a, is condensed by the lens unit 3, and irradiates the object to be heated with a safe level output to the human body.

[0007]

In the above-mentioned conventional semiconductor laser heating apparatus, the optical output of the aiming light source 9 is controlled. 2b and a branching portion 2c in which the light receiving end is incorporated into the aiming light source 9.

Further, in order to ensure the accuracy of confirmation and adjustment of the irradiation position of the heated part by the aiming light source 9 and the height of the lens unit 3 and the irradiation part, as shown in the optical fiber configuration diagram shown in FIG. In addition, it is necessary to select the optical fiber at the light receiving end so that the optical fiber located at the center of the optical fiber 2 at the optical fiber irradiation end 2a becomes the branching portion 2c incorporated into the aiming light source 9.

In addition, an aiming light source 9 and a constant current power supply circuit 10 are required separately from the semiconductor laser 1.

An object of the present invention is to solve these conventional problems.

[0011]

In order to achieve this object, the present invention is directed to a semiconductor laser for outputting light energy, and a constant current for supplying at least two values of current to the semiconductor laser. A power supply circuit; a controller for outputting a signal for setting a supply current to a constant current power supply circuit; and a calculating means for calculating a threshold current of the semiconductor laser; and a threshold for determining one value of the supply current. It is a semiconductor laser heating device that makes the current value or less.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical output measuring device for measuring an optical energy output of a semiconductor laser, and a storage unit for storing a signal from the optical output measuring device and outputting the stored value to an arithmetic unit. The semiconductor laser heating device according to claim 1, further comprising:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the semiconductor laser heating apparatus according to the second aspect, wherein the correction coefficient of the light energy output is calculated by the calculating means together with the threshold current of the semiconductor laser.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the semiconductor laser and outputting the detected value to a constant current power supply circuit and a controller is provided. It is a semiconductor laser heating device of the description.

[0015]

According to the above configuration, a light energy output of a supply current equal to or less than a threshold value can be obtained. Therefore, when light is output as an aiming light, the output is at a safe level for the human body. It has an action of controlling so that it can be performed.

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the schematic configuration diagram of this embodiment, the same components as those shown in the conventional example (FIG. 3) are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted.

The current I supplied to the semiconductor laser 1 is
(A) and the light energy output P (W) from the optical fiber 2
As shown in FIG. 2, at low current, the light energy output slightly increases with respect to the supply current due to spontaneous emission as in the case of the light emitting diode, but when the current exceeds the threshold current,
The laser effect causes the light energy output to increase rapidly and linearly with the supply current. Then, as the supply current increases, the rate of increase of the light energy output decreases. Further, in the semiconductor laser heating device, the heating power can be obtained in a current region exceeding a threshold current at which a light energy output required for heating can be sufficiently obtained by the laser action.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 denotes an output correction command device.
When a light output is corrected, a correction command is issued. Reference numeral 13 denotes a constant current setting unit which sets the current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1 to at least different currents ( _IL , _IM ) when the output correction of the semiconductor laser 1 is performed by the output correction command unit 12. 14 is a light output measuring instrument, the optical energy output from the lens unit 3 is measured, the storage means 70a of the data holding means 70c of the controller 70, 70b to the optical energy output P _L, and outputs the P _M.

The operation of the semiconductor laser heating device configured as described above will be described.

When correcting the light energy output of the semiconductor laser 1, an output correction command signal is output from the output correction command unit 12. A set current having a different value set in advance by the constant current setter 13 is supplied to the controller 70 and the constant current power supply circuit 4.
Are sequentially supplied to the semiconductor laser 1. That is, when the first set current I _L is supplied to the semiconductor laser,
Light energy output from the lens unit 3 is incorporated in the light output measuring instrument 14, the light energy output P _L is the controller 7
0 is stored in the storage means 70a, 70b, 70c. Then, after the supply of the first set current I _L, the second set current I _M is supplied to the semiconductor laser 1. As with addition of the first set current I _L, the light energy output P _M is held by the controller 70. The light energy outputs P _L and P _M are held by the controller 70 until the data is updated by the next output correction. Further, describing in detail, the light energy output P _L by the control unit 70, the supply current from the P _M, the light energy output P (W) to the semiconductor laser 1 I (A)
Is calculated by the following equation.

[0022]

(Equation 1)

The threshold current I _th is calculated by using the following equation (1).
It is calculated as P = P _L , I = I _L , or P = P _M , I = I _M. The light energy output P has the heating power by the supply current _{equal to} or more than the threshold current Ith.

Further, the supply current I _A when using the semiconductor laser 1 as aiming light is calculated by the following equation.

[0025]

(Equation 2)

[0026] Then, by a command from the output correction command unit 9, by at threshold current I _th following areas (number 1) and (Equation 2), the supply current to the semiconductor laser 1 is determined, By changing the output of the constant current power supply circuit 4 and adjusting the current supplied to the semiconductor laser 1, the light energy output from the lens unit 3 can be corrected to a safe level.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the same semiconductor laser can be used for the aiming light as at the time of heating.
The present invention has an excellent effect of realizing a semiconductor laser heating device that ensures reproducibility when confirming and adjusting the height of the lens unit and the irradiation unit.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a semiconductor laser heating device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a supply current I (A) and an optical output P of a semiconductor laser.
Characteristic diagram showing the relationship with (W)

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional semiconductor laser heating device.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a conventional optical fiber.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Semiconductor laser 2 Optical fiber 4 Constant current power supply circuit 5 Current detector 6 Optical output setting device 12 Output correction command device 13 Constant current setting device 14 Optical output measuring device 70 Controller 70a, 70b Storage means 70c Data holding means

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4E068 AH01 CA02 CB01 CK01 5F072 AB13 GG09 HH02 HH04 HH06 JJ05 KK30 YY06 5F073 AB28 BA09 EA15 GA15 GA20 GA38

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor laser for outputting light energy, a constant current power supply circuit for supplying at least two current values to the semiconductor laser, and a controller for outputting a signal for setting a supply current to the constant current power supply circuit. A semiconductor laser heating device having a calculation output stage for calculating a threshold current of the semiconductor laser, wherein one of the supply currents is equal to or less than a threshold current. 2. An optical output measuring device for measuring an optical energy output of a semiconductor laser, and storage means for storing a signal from the optical output measuring device and outputting the stored value to an arithmetic means. Semiconductor laser heating equipment. 3. The semiconductor laser heating device according to claim 2, wherein the correction coefficient of the light energy output is calculated by the calculating means together with the threshold current of the semiconductor laser. 4. The semiconductor laser heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a current detector for detecting a current flowing through the semiconductor laser and outputting the detected value to a constant current power supply circuit and a controller.