JP2002219586A - Laser marking device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rational laser marking device which detects a focus of a laser beam by a simple means, and dispenses with applying the wasteful marking. SOLUTION: In the laser marking device for applying the marking on a medium by polarizing the semiconductor laser beam by a optical lens by providing the optical lens on a carriage 3 moving on an X-Y stage, a through hole 10 is bored on the adjacent position so as to be parallel with the radiating direction of the laser beam 6 irradiated from the optical lens to the carriage 3, and a shaft 9 vertically movable against the carriage 3 is equipped to the bored part. A bush is provided on the lower end of the shaft 9, and on the upper end thereof, a stopper 12 is clamped by a position adjusting screw 13. And between the stopper 12 and the upper face of the carriage 3, a spring 14 is provided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a marking device using a semiconductor laser.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 1 shows a laser marking device which emits a laser beam 6 from a carriage 3 which moves on an XY stage 2 which has been previously developed. In this example, a semiconductor laser is mounted on a control device 1. The optical fiber cable 5 guides the laser light 6 to the lens guide 4 on the carriage 3.

FIG. 2 shows the internal structure of the lens guide 4 on the carriage 3. The laser light 6 of the semiconductor laser is easily diffused, so that an optical lens 7 such as a collimator lens is guided by an optical fiber cable 5. Between the exit of the laser light 6 and the medium 8, the laser light 6 is arranged on the medium 8 at a position where the laser light 6 is focused.

However, the focal point of the laser beam 6 is not always on the medium 8 due to the change in the shape of the medium 8, and in such a case, marking is performed while raising and lowering the elevator, etc. Had to set a new focus. That is, for this setting, one defective marking product had to be produced.

In addition, setting the focus while checking the marking state each time means that the operator cannot obtain an accurate focal length, so that extra energy is used to perform the marking, and the life of the semiconductor laser is shortened. This was the cause of shortening time.

[0006]

Accordingly, the present invention provides a rational laser marking apparatus which detects the focal point of the laser beam, which is the above problem, by simple means and eliminates the need for unnecessary marking. It is a subject.

[0007]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a first invention is to provide an optical lens on a carriage for moving an XY stage, and to use this optical lens for semiconductors. In a laser marking device that polarizes laser light and performs marking on a medium, a hole that is parallel to the irradiation direction of the laser light that has been exposed to the medium from the optical lens is drilled in an adjacent position on the carriage, and the carriage is A vertically movable shaft is attached to the perforated portion, and the shaft normally has a means for retracting upward, and when the shaft is lowered, the lowest point of the lower end of the shaft is the polarized laser. A laser marking device characterized in that a stopper is provided at a position where it stops at the position of the focal point of light.

[0008] In a second aspect based on the first aspect,
A sensing device for providing an elevating device capable of changing the distance between the XY stage and the medium, and detecting that the lower end of the shaft is located at the lowest point by a shaft capable of elevating the carriage provided on the XY stage. Wherein the lifting device is controlled according to a state of the shaft reaching the medium.

[0009]

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment of the present invention, and 9 is a shaft which is inserted into a through hole 10 provided on the side of a lens guide 4 mounted on the carriage 3 so as to be able to move up and down. , 11 is a bush attached to the lower end of the shaft 9, 12 is a stopper clamped on the upper end of the shaft 9 with a position adjusting screw 13, and 14 is a spring. In addition,
FIG. 3 shows a state where the shaft 9 is pushed down with a finger.

Normally, the shaft 9 is retracted by being urged upward by a spring 14, but when the stopper 12 is pushed downward and comes to a position where the stopper 12 is stopped on the carriage 3, the bush 11 is moved. The distance between the carriage 3 and the lower end of the bush 11 can be adjusted by positioning the stopper 12 with the position adjusting screw 13 so that the lower end of the bush 11 becomes equal to the laser light focal position.

When actually marking the medium 8, the stopper 12 is pushed down to the end with a finger or the like, and the medium 8 is pressed down.
By adjusting the height to touch the lower end of the bush 11,
Media marking at the laser beam focus position becomes possible,
At the time of marking, if the finger holding the stopper 12 is released, the bush 11 is retracted upward by the spring 14, so that it does not hinder the horizontal movement of the carriage at the time of marking.

FIG. 4 shows the means for adjusting the position of the stopper 12. At this time, the focal position can be obtained by receiving the laser beam 6 with the optical sensor 15 and obtaining the maximum value thereof. By fixing the position of the stopper 12 with respect to the shaft 9 by the position adjusting screw 13, the operator can clearly indicate the laser light focal position.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view showing another embodiment of the present invention, in which a shaft screw 16 is screwed into a screw hole 17 formed on the carriage 3. The upward retreat can be performed by rotating the shaft screw 16.

The portion corresponding to the stopper can be realized with a very simple structure by fixing the nut spacer 18 to the shaft screw 16 with a screw fastening adhesive so as to stop at the laser beam focal position.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view showing another embodiment in which the present invention is automated. 19 is a key switch with a small stroke added on a substrate 20, and 21 is a screw switch above the shaft 9 '. The combined spacer, 22 is a stopper, 23 is a solenoid, 24 is a cushion rubber attached to the tip of the solenoid, and 25 is a spring provided between the spacer 21 and the carriage 3 so as to insert the shaft 9 ′. .

The spacer 21 is pushed down by a solenoid 23 against a spring 25, and the key switch 19 is adjusted so that the key switch 19 is pushed when the stopper 22 stops on the carriage 3.

FIG. 7 is a side view of an embodiment having an elevating function for raising and lowering the XY stage itself.
6 is a stage having a function of moving the carriage in FIG. 6 in the X and Y directions, and can be moved up and down by an elevating arm 27. Reference numeral 28 denotes a stage on which the medium 8 is placed, and reference numeral 29 denotes a pulse motor for moving the lifting arm 27.

The operation of the XY stage 2 'is controlled by a controller 1' (not shown), and a marking operation is performed according to a control flowchart shown in FIG.

Now, the focal position setting command is sent to the host device or
When the operator gives an instruction with the button on the control device 1 ', the stage 26 is set to the highest position by the lifting arm 27, and the system waits for the marking medium 8' to be set on the stage 28. This detection may be performed by a command from the upper position, or a medium detection sensor may be provided on the device side.

When the medium 8 is set, the shaft 9 'is lowered by the solenoid 23, and the key switch 1 is turned on.
9 is detected. When the key switch 19 is ON, it is determined that the medium 8 'has not reached the focal length, the pulse motor 29 is rotated every step, the stage 26 is lowered, and the operation is repeated until the key switch 19 is turned OFF. When the stage 26 descends to the focal length of the laser beam with respect to the medium 8 ', the bush 11' is pushed by the medium 8 'in the next step, and the spacer 21 is moved to the cushion rubber 24.
Rises overcoming the elastic force of
F, the pulse motor 29 is reversed for one step, the solenoid 23 is turned off, and the pulse motor 2
9 stops.

The stage 26 stops at the focal position of the laser beam, the bush 11 'separates from the medium 8' and performs a marking operation.

According to this method, when marking is performed at a position where it is difficult to adjust the position of the medium to the focal position, or when the marking medium changes frequently, the position adjustment to the focal position can be performed by the extremely inexpensive means as described above. Automation becomes possible.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, a pantograph type lifting device is used, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may use another mechanism.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, by using extremely simple and inexpensive means, it is possible to eliminate the waste of marking at the time of changing the shape of the medium and to maximize the efficiency by using the laser light energy to the maximum. It is possible to provide a marking device capable of extending the life of a semiconductor laser.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a conventional semiconductor laser marking device using an XY stage.

FIG. 2 is a structural diagram inside a lens guide on a carriage inside an XY stage.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an initial adjustment method according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a partially cut-away side view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing an embodiment in which the present invention is automated.

FIG. 8 is a control flowchart for controlling the position of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control apparatus 2 XY stage 3 Carriage 4 Lens guide 5 Optical fiber cable 6 Laser light 7 Optical lens 8, 8 'Medium 9 Shaft 10 Through hole 11 Bush 12, 22 Stopper 13 Position adjustment screw 14, 25 Spring 15 Optical sensor 16 Shaft screw 17 Screw hole 18 Nut spacer 19 Key switch 20 Substrate 21 Spacer 23 Solenoid 24 Cushion rubber 26, 28 Stage 27 Elevating arm 29 Pulse motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] An optical lens is provided on a carriage for moving an XY stage, and a semiconductor laser beam is polarized by the optical lens to mark the medium. A hole that is parallel to the irradiation direction of the laser light is drilled at an adjacent position, and a shaft that can move up and down with respect to the carriage is attached to the drilled portion, and the shaft normally retracts upward. A laser marking device, comprising: a stopper provided at a position where the lowermost point of the lower end of the shaft stops at the focal position of the polarized laser light when the shaft is lowered. 2. An apparatus for raising and lowering a distance between an XY stage and a medium, wherein a lower end of the shaft is located at a lowermost point by a shaft which can be raised and lowered by a carriage provided on the XY stage. 2. The laser marking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sensing device for sensing the height of the shaft, wherein the lifting device is controlled according to a state of the shaft reaching the medium.