JP2002090145A - Laser marking device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact, precise and inexpensive laser marking device which has a simple structure, receives no mechanical resistance, and dispenses with a control circuit. SOLUTION: This laser marking device comprises a laser unit 10 as light source, a unit holder 12 for enclosing the laser unit, a vessel 16 for housing the unit holder, and a liquid 18 contained in the vessel to impart a buoyancy to the unit holder. The unit holder retains a prescribed attitude by the buoyancy, and the laser unit emits a horizontal beam or vertical beam. A weight 14 is mounted on the unit holder, so that the unit holder retains the prescribed attitude even if the vessel is inclined. The weight is formed of a conductive material, a magnet 24 is fixed to the vessel, and the weight 14 is placed within the magnetic field formed by the magnet 24 to brake the unit holder 12 by the eddy current generated in the weight. The vessel may have a spherical shape to house the liquid and the unit holder in the spherical vessel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of building a building or partitioning a room from a wall surface to a ceiling surface or a floor surface with a laser beam.
"Roku" on the vertical reference line or wall
More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanism for maintaining a unit holder for holding a laser unit in a predetermined posture.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser beam is originally a light beam having an elliptical cross section, but is converted into a single vertical ray by passing through a collimating lens and a cylindrical rod lens whose axis is horizontal. Further, by passing through a collimating lens and a cylindrical rod lens whose axis is vertical, a single horizontal ray is obtained. The laser marking device utilizes a laser projector for projecting such a vertical ray or a horizontal ray.For example, a unit holder is supported by a gimbal mechanism using a bearing, and a laser projector is provided at a predetermined position of the unit holder. A laser unit is supported. The unit holder is held in a predetermined posture without inclination by the gimbal mechanism, whereby a correct vertical ray or horizontal ray can be projected.

A conventional laser marking device uses a gimbal mechanism using a bearing or the like as described above in order to hold a unit holder in a predetermined posture. However, the gimbal mechanism needs to use a bearing or the like to support the unit holder in a pendulum shape, and since the unit holder is generally supported via two orthogonal axes, the structure becomes complicated. At the same time, there is a problem that the gimbal mechanism is bulky for the size of the unit holder. In addition, since there is no mechanical resistance, the unit holder may deviate from a predetermined posture and may not be able to project a vertical ray or a horizontal ray with high accuracy. On the other hand, if the mechanical resistance of the gimbal mechanism is reduced as much as possible to improve the accuracy, there is a problem that the mechanical strength is reduced and the gimbal mechanism is weakened to external force such as impact.

Since the gimbal mechanism has the above-mentioned problems, a gimbal mechanism is provided by using an electronic gyro provided with a tilt sensor and controlling the tilt of the unit holder in accordance with a detection signal of the tilt sensor. There is also proposed a laser marking device that eliminates the need. According to the laser marking device using the electronic gyro, the weak point of the gimbal mechanism can be eliminated. However, since control is performed so as to correct the inclination of the unit holder based on the output of the inclination sensor, there is a disadvantage that it takes a relatively long time until the unit holder takes a predetermined posture. Also, since the accuracy of the tilt sensor and the accuracy of the control circuit are reflected in the attitude control accuracy, it is necessary to use high-precision parts to obtain a high-precision laser marking device, which increases costs. There are difficulties.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has a simple structure, a compact structure, no mechanical resistance, and high accuracy. An object of the present invention is to provide a low-cost laser marking device that does not require a control circuit.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention,
A laser unit as a light source, a unit holder enclosing the laser unit, a container housing the unit holder, and a liquid housed in the container and giving buoyancy to the unit holder, wherein the unit holder has a predetermined posture by buoyancy. In particular, the laser unit emits a horizontal ray or a vertical ray. The unit holder is
It takes a predetermined posture at a position where a line connecting the center of gravity and the center of buoyancy is a vertical line, and is stabilized. There is no mechanical resistance between the liquid and the unit holder.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, a weight is attached to the unit holder, and the unit holder can take a predetermined posture even when the container is inclined. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the weight is made of a conductive material, a magnet is fixed to the container, and the weight is placed in a magnetic field formed by the magnet, and is generated on the weight. The unit holder is braked by the eddy current. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the third aspect, the magnet is fixed to the outside of the container.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, at least the laser beam passage is made of a transparent material. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the invention, the unit holder has an auxiliary weight for adjusting the horizontal and vertical degrees. The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the container has a spherical shape, and the liquid and the unit holder are housed in the spherical container.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a laser marking device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. First, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. In FIG. 1, a base 20 has three legs 22 on its lower side.
Is installed. The legs 22 are individually adjusted in the amount of protrusion from the base 20 so that the base 20 is kept substantially horizontal. A container 16 formed in a conical shape extending upward is fixed to the upper side of the base 20. The container 16 accommodates the liquid 18 and the unit holder 12.

The unit holder 12 has an oval cross section by cutting the top and bottom of a sphere on a horizontal plane. The unit holder 12 encloses a laser unit 10 as a light source at the upper center thereof, and the laser unit 10 is integrated with the unit holder 12. A weight 14 is attached to a lower portion of the unit holder 12. The unit holder 12 is made of a material that receives buoyancy by the liquid 18 and can float by the buoyancy. Then, the unit holder 12
Maintain a posture such that a line connecting the center of gravity and the center point of buoyancy forms a vertical line. Since the weight 14 is attached to the lower portion of the unit holder 12, even when the container 16 is inclined, the predetermined posture in which the weight 14 is located on the lower side is stably maintained. As the liquid 18, water, various oils, and the like can be used.

The laser unit 10 has a laser light source such as a semiconductor laser and an optical system for emitting the laser light as a substantially parallel light beam, or an optical system such as a cylindrical rod lens for spreading the laser light vertically or horizontally. Have. FIG. 1 illustrates a light flux B1 that emits laser light vertically upward and a light flux B2 that emits laser light vertically downward. The unit holder 12 and the weight 14 have a space for passing the light flux B2.
The light beam B1 is emitted as it is from the laser unit 10 exposed on the upper surface of the unit holder 12, and the light beam B2 is transmitted and emitted through the bottom of the transparent unit holder 12. The unit holder 12 may be made entirely of a transparent body, only its lower part is made of a transparent body, or
Only the lower part where the laser light is transmitted may be made transparent.

The weight 24 is made of a conductive material such as copper. One donut-shaped magnet 24 is fixed to the upper part of the base 20, and the upper surface of the magnet 24 is
Is the same as the upper surface of the. The shape of the magnet 24 is not limited to a donut shape, but may be a disk shape, a partial arc shape, or any other appropriate shape, and a plurality of these may be used. The magnetic field formed by the magnet 24 passes through the bottom of the unit holder 12 and reaches the weight 14. Therefore, when the weight 14 swings together with the unit holder 12, an eddy current is generated in the weight 14, and the eddy current generates a torque in a direction opposing the swing. This torque becomes a braking force, and the unit holder 12 is quickly stopped and maintained in a predetermined posture. Unit holder 1
2 is maintained at a predetermined position, the light flux B
1, B2 is emitted in a vertical line, or the luminous flux is extended in the vertical or horizontal direction, draw a vertical line on the wall of the building on the optical path of the laser light, floor or ceiling continuous with this wall, Or draw a horizontal line on the wall.

Note that the unit holder 1 is
It is desirable that the position of the container 2 does not deviate. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the container 16 and the unit holder 12 are brought into point contact. Occurs, and the unit holder 12 cannot be held in a correct posture. Therefore, a slight gap is formed at a position where the container 16 and the unit holder 12 are closest to each other, and the size of the container 16 and the unit holder 12, the amount of the liquid 18, and other design factors are set so that the liquid 18 is interposed in this gap. Conditions should be set.

According to the embodiment described above, the unit holder 12 enclosing the laser unit 10 is provided with buoyancy by the liquid 18 contained in the container 16, and the buoyancy causes the unit holder 12 to assume a predetermined posture. As compared with the conventional laser marking device using a gimbal mechanism or an electronic gyro, the structure is simple and compact, and there is no mechanical resistance and high accuracy.
A control circuit is not required, and a low-cost laser marking device can be obtained.

When the unit holder 12 is floated by the liquid 18, the light beams B1 and B2 are emitted in a vertical line, or the posture of the unit holder 12 is drawn in a vertical line with high accuracy or in a horizontal line. May need to be fine-tuned. Therefore, it is preferable to provide a balance adjusting mechanism in which the unit holder 12 is provided with an auxiliary weight for adjusting the horizontal and vertical degrees. Although not shown in FIG. 1, for example, a shaft is projected from the unit holder 12 and a weight is screwed into the shaft to form a balance adjustment mechanism.
By adjusting the screwing position of the weight with respect to the shaft, the unit holder 12 including the laser unit 10 and the weight 14 is adjusted.
Since the entire position of the center of gravity is shifted, the attitude of the unit holder 12 can be finely adjusted. It is more preferable to use two sets of balance adjusting mechanisms, and to provide the respective axes in directions orthogonal to each other in a horizontal plane so that the inclination of the unit holder 12 can be adjusted from the two axial directions. The balance may be adjusted by adjusting the amount of screwing of the shaft into the unit holder 12 using the shaft itself as an auxiliary weight.

Next, another embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will be described. In FIG. 2, the base 40 has
A book leg 42 is attached. These legs 42 are configured such that the amount of protrusion from the base 40 is individually adjusted so that the base 40 is kept substantially horizontal. The base 40 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape whose upper end is open, and the upper half of a spherical container 36 is fitted into this cylindrical portion from the open upper end side, and is fixed integrally. In the container 36, a liquid 38 made of water, oil, or the like is sealed, and the unit holder 32 is housed.

In the unit holder 32, the upper end of the originally spherical member is cut off in the horizontal direction, cut in the horizontal direction from a position slightly lower than the center in the vertical direction, and moves downward from the center. The shaft 33 is formed in an elongated shape, so that the cross-sectional shape is a mushroom shape. The unit holder 32 encloses a laser unit 30 as a light source at the upper center thereof, and the laser unit 30 is integrated with the unit holder 32. A weight 34 is attached to the lower part of the shaft 33 of the unit holder 32. Lower surface of shaft 33 and weight 34
Has a part of a spherical surface.

The unit holder 32 is made of a material which receives buoyancy by the liquid 38 and can float by the buoyancy. Then, the unit holder 32 maintains the posture such that the line connecting the center of gravity and the center point of buoyancy forms a vertical line. Since the weight 34 is attached to the lower part of the unit holder 32, the predetermined posture in which the weight 34 is located on the lower side is stably maintained even if the container 36 is inclined. A bubble 4 is formed between the ceiling surface of the container 36 and the upper end surface of the unit holder 32.
6, the peripheral surface of the unit holder 32,
There is a space between the lower surface of the shaft 33 and the lower surface of the weight 34, and the inner surface of the container 36, and the size and specific gravity of the unit holder 32, the size of the container 36, The amount and specific gravity are set.

In the unit holder 32, a hole 37 is formed below the embedded portion of the laser unit 30 along a vertical central axis, and a jumper wire drawn from the laser unit 30 is formed in the hole 37. 50 passes. The jumper wire 50 passes through the packing 48 fitted at the lower end of the hole 37 and the packing 47 fitted at the lower center of the container 36, and is drawn out of the container 36. The packing 48 prevents the liquid 38 from entering the hole 37, and the packing 47 moves the liquid 3 out of the container 36.
8 from leaking out. Sufficient slack is provided in the jumper wire 50 between the container 36 and the unit holder 32 so that the unit holder 32 can float and swing with respect to the container 36 without resistance.

The laser unit 30 has a laser light source such as a semiconductor laser and an optical system for emitting the laser light as a substantially parallel light beam, or an optical system such as a cylindrical rod lens for expanding the laser light vertically or horizontally. Have. FIG. 2 illustrates a light beam B3 that emits laser light vertically upward. The light flux B3 is
After the light is emitted from the laser unit 30 exposed on the upper surface of the unit holder 32, the light passes through the ceiling of the transparent unit holder 32 and is emitted. The entire unit holder 12 may be made of a transparent body, or only the ceiling portion may be made of a transparent body. Note that the optical system such as the cylindrical rod lens may be provided outside the container 36.

The weight 34 is made of a conductive material such as copper. One donut-shaped magnet 44 is fixed to the inner peripheral side of the cylindrical portion of the base 40. The magnetic field formed by the magnet 44 passes through the bottom of the unit holder 32 and reaches the weight 34. Therefore, when the weight 34 swings together with the unit holder 32, an eddy current is generated in the weight 34, and the eddy current generates torque in a direction opposing the swing. This torque becomes a braking force, and the unit holder 32 is quickly stopped and maintained in a predetermined posture. When the unit holder 32 is maintained at a predetermined position, the light beam B3 is emitted in a vertical line, or the light beam is extended in the vertical direction or the horizontal direction, and the wall of the building on the optical path of the laser light; A vertical line is drawn on the floor or ceiling connected to the wall, or a horizontal line is drawn on the wall. The shape of the magnet 44 is not limited to a donut shape, but may be a disk shape, a partial arc shape, or any other appropriate shape, and a plurality of these may be used.

The jumper wire 50 passes through the cylindrical portion of the base 40 and is connected to an electric circuit 52 mounted on the base 40. The electric circuit 52 includes a power supply circuit, a circuit for turning on / off a laser diode in the laser unit 30, and the like.

According to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 2, the unit holder 32 enclosing the laser unit 30 is accommodated in a spherical container 36 and buoyancy is given by the liquid 38 accommodated in the container 36. Because the buoyancy causes the unit holder 32 to assume a predetermined posture, the structure is simpler and more compact than the conventional laser marking device using a gimbal mechanism or an electronic gyro, and there is no mechanical resistance. A high-precision, no control circuit is required, and a low-cost laser marking device can be obtained.

Further, since the liquid 38 and the unit holder 32 are housed and sealed in the container 36, there is no fear that the liquid 38 leaks out of the container 36 even when the posture of the inking unit is inclined. In addition, air bubbles 46 are formed between the upper surface of the unit holder 32, that is, the laser light emitting surface and the ceiling surface of the container 36, so that the liquid 38 does not come into contact with the laser light emitting surface. The laser beam is not refracted unnecessarily, and an accurate laser marking device can be obtained.

[0025]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a laser unit as a light source, a unit holder enclosing the laser unit, a container for housing the unit holder, and a buoyant force provided in the container for the unit holder. Liquid, and the unit holder takes a predetermined posture by buoyancy.Thus, compared with the conventional laser marking device using a gimbal mechanism or an electronic gyro, the structure is simple, compact, and mechanical. A high-precision laser marking device with no resistance and no control circuit is required.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the weight is attached to the unit holder, and the unit holder can take a predetermined posture even when the container is inclined. High accuracy of black-out can be obtained without performing the above.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the weight is made of a conductive material, a magnet is fixed to the container, and the weight is placed in a magnetic field formed by the magnet. Therefore, even if the unit holder is shaking, it can be stopped quickly and the measurement can be speeded up.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the container has a spherical shape and the liquid and the unit holder are housed in the spherical container, the liquid leaks from the container even if the posture of the marking device is inclined. Don't worry.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of a laser marking device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the laser marking device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 laser unit 12 unit holder 14 weight 16 container 18 liquid 24 magnet 30 laser unit 32 unit holder 34 weight 36 container 38 liquid 44 magnet

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A laser unit as a light source, a unit holder that encloses the laser unit, a container that houses the unit holder, and a liquid that is housed in the container and gives buoyancy to the unit holder, A laser marking device, wherein the unit holder takes a predetermined posture by the buoyancy, and the laser unit emits a horizontal ray or a vertical ray. 2. The laser marking device according to claim 1, wherein a weight is attached to the unit holder, and the unit holder can take a predetermined posture even when the container is inclined. 3. The weight is made of a conductive material, a magnet is fixed to the container, the weight is placed in a magnetic field formed by the magnet, and the unit holder is braked by an eddy current generated in the weight. The laser marking device according to claim 2. 4. The laser marking device according to claim 3, wherein the magnet is fixed outside the container. 5. The laser marking device according to claim 1, wherein at least the passage portion of the container is made of a transparent material. 6. The laser marking device according to claim 2, wherein the unit holder has an auxiliary weight for adjusting horizontal and vertical degrees. 7. The laser marking device according to claim 1, wherein the container has a spherical shape, and the spherical container holds the liquid and the unit holder.