JP2002361450A - Method and device for laser beam machining - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam machining device with which a groove is easily and surly formed on the surface of an instrument panel and to decrease the cost of the device by simplifying the structure of the device. SOLUTION: A mask 18 is supported via a supporting rod 17 for a laser head 14 which is optically connected to a laser oscillator 12. A laser beam B emitted from the laser oscillator 12 is set at, for example, 100 watt, the laser beam B is passed through a lens 15, a mask 18 is irradiated with the laser beam B and the laser beam is passed through a small hole 18a formed on the mask 18. A panel P is irradiated with the passed laser beam Ba which is attenuated to around 30 watt. The groove Pa is having a prescribed depth is formed with the passed laser beam Ba.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing method and apparatus for forming grooves and recesses while leaving a desired thickness in a plate-like work.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, an automobile is equipped with an airbag system for safety measures, and an instrument panel accommodating instruments of the automobile is provided with a separate member having an airbag lid formed thereon. Alternatively, an airbag lid is formed on the instrument panel itself.

[0003] The airbag lid is opened by the pressure when the airbag is inflated, and guides the airbag to the occupant side. The groove is formed leaving a small thickness.

As a method of laser processing a groove on the back surface of the instrument panel, a method has been proposed in which the thickness of the panel is measured by a measuring device and then the intensity of a laser beam corresponding to the thickness is output.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional laser processing method of the groove of the instrument panel not only requires an expensive apparatus for measuring the thickness of the panel, but also uses a laser corresponding to the thickness of the panel. It is very difficult to change the intensity of the beam. Even if the low output of the low output oscillator is controlled according to the laser processing speed, the time required to reach the actual irradiation output becomes long, and it is difficult to obtain a desired low laser output in a desired shape. There was a problem. 20-30 for groove processing of instrument panel
In spite of the fact that only a weak laser beam of about watts needs to be applied, when a high-output laser oscillator is used, there is a problem that it is more difficult to obtain a stable low output therefrom.

In order to obtain a laser beam with a low irradiation output, a pulse oscillation mode is conceivable. However, in the pulse oscillation, the average output is weak, but the local output is too strong like a sewing machine needle and a small hole may be formed in the panel. was there.

For the above reasons, a laser beam having a small laser beam diameter and a low irradiation output has been desired for processing a groove in an instrument panel for an air bag. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and can easily and reliably form a large number of recesses or grooves while leaving a desired thickness in a plate-like work, and reduce the processing cost. Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing method and an apparatus capable of providing an apparatus at low cost.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to the first aspect of the present invention is directed to a laser beam of a laser oscillator, which passes through a lens and passes through a small hole of a mask in an optical path away from the beam focal point. In the laser processing method of processing a work by irradiating the work with a laser beam that has passed through the laser beam, the output of the laser beam is set to 80 to 150 watts, and the intensity of the transmitted laser beam transmitted through the small hole of the mask is reduced to 10 watts. The gist of the invention is to irradiate and process a workpiece in a state of being set to 50 watts.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the mask is provided with a single small hole, and the transmitted laser beam transmitted through the small hole is scanned on the work to form a groove on the surface of the work. The point is that processing is performed.

[0010] The invention described in claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In the mask, a number of small holes or continuous through-grooves are provided in advance based on the processing shape of the work, and the laser is transmitted through each of the small holes or through-grooves while the mask is placed on the surface of the work. The gist of the invention is that a large number of recesses or grooves are formed on the surface of the work by irradiating a beam.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the work is processed by irradiating the work with a laser beam transmitted from a laser oscillator through a lens and passing through a small hole of a mask into an optical path distant from the beam focus through a lens. In the laser processing apparatus, an output control means for setting the output of the laser beam to 80 to 150 watts is provided, and the intensity of the transmitted laser beam is attenuated to 10 to 50 watts through the small holes of the mask. That is the gist.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the fourth aspect, a cooling means for cooling the mask during a laser processing operation of the work is provided. According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth or fifth aspect, a shielding plate for shielding the laser beam reflected from the mask is provided near the nozzle of the processing head, and the shielding plate has a beam focus of the laser beam. The gist is that a small hole is provided at a position substantially corresponding to.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, a heat absorbing material is provided on a surface of the mask.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a laser processing apparatus for processing a groove in an instrument panel will be described below with reference to FIGS.

A laser oscillator 12 constituting the laser processing apparatus 11 is provided with a reflection mirror 13 via a guide tube for a laser beam B (not shown). The reflection mirror 13
The laser head 14 via a guide tube (not shown).
Is provided. A laser light irradiation nozzle 15 is connected to the tip of the laser head 14. The laser head 14 accommodates a lens 16 and a laser oscillator 12.
The laser beam B output from is transmitted and focused, and is output from the tip of the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15 to the outside.

An instrument panel P is mounted on the upper surface of a processing table T of the laser processing device 11.
A mask 18 is horizontally supported by the laser head 14 via a support rod 17, and a small hole 18a is formed in the center of the mask 18.

The mask 18 is provided with a jacket 18b, and cooling water is circulated from a water source 19 through a water supply pipe 20 into the jacket 18b. The small hole 18a is formed on the optical axis of the laser beam B. A shielding plate 21 is horizontally supported at an intermediate position in the vertical direction of the support rod 17, and a small hole 21a is formed at the center thereof so as to be positioned on the optical axis. The beam focus Bf of B corresponds.

The laser head 14, the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15, the support rod 17, the mask 18, and the shielding plate 21
Irradiates the transmitted laser beam Ba transmitted through the small hole 18a of the mask 18 onto the upper surface of the panel P supported integrally on the processing table T onto the upper surface of the instrument panel P.

The reflecting mirror 13 and the laser beam irradiating nozzle 15 are moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction along a predetermined moving path in a horizontal plane by an X-Y-axis driving device (not shown). . Also, the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15
Is vertically moved by a Z-axis driving device (not shown), and is held at a predetermined height from the instrument panel P. Further, the laser oscillator 1
The output intensity of the second laser beam B is set, for example, in the range of 80 to 150 watts by a control device (not shown) as output control means. The intensity of the transmitted laser beam Ba transmitted through the small hole 18a of the mask 18 is 1
It is designed to be attenuated in the range of 0 to 50 watts.

Next, a method of processing a groove Pa having a predetermined depth on the upper surface of the panel P by using the laser processing apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the output intensity of the laser beam B output from the laser oscillator 12 is set to, for example, 100 watts, and a mask 18 is supplied from a water source 19 through a water supply pipe 20.
The cooling water is supplied and circulated in the jacket 18b of the cooling medium. In this state, the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15 is moved along a desired path by an X, Y, and Z axis driving device (not shown) while irradiating the upper surface of the panel P with the transmitted laser beam Ba transmitted through the small hole 18a of the mask 18. A groove Pa having a predetermined pattern is formed on the upper surface of the panel P.

The intensity of the transmitted laser beam Ba is determined by the mask 1
8 through the small holes 18a to form a small beam. For example, if the beam power is 100 watts, the intensity of the beam Ba is attenuated to 30 watts. For this reason, the groove P of the panel P
a is formed only to a predetermined depth while leaving a predetermined thickness.

Next, the effects of the laser processing apparatus configured as described above will be described together with the configuration. (1) In the above embodiment, the output intensity of the laser beam B is set to approximately 100 watts, and the mask 18 is arranged downstream of the beam focal point Bf output from the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15. Then, the laser beam B is transmitted through the small holes 18a to irradiate the panel P with the transmitted laser beam Ba reduced to 30 watts so as to form the groove Pa. Therefore, the intensity of the laser beam B required for processing the groove Pa can be appropriately attenuated by a simple configuration, and the processing of the groove Pa can be performed quickly and reliably, and the processing cost can be reduced. Can be.

(2) In the above embodiment, the jacket 18b is provided inside the mask 18, and cooling water is circulated through the jacket 18b. Therefore, the beam focus Bf
The mask 18 can be prevented from being overheated by the laser beam B applied to the upper surface of the mask 18 from above, and the life of the mask 18 can be extended.

(3) In the above embodiment, the support rod 17
Is provided, the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15 can be prevented from being abnormally heated by the laser beam B irradiated and reflected on the upper surface of the mask 18, and the durability of the laser light irradiation nozzle 15 can be improved. Can be enhanced.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the mask 18 is mounted on the upper surface of the panel P without being supported by the support rod 17. The through groove 18c of the mask 18 is
The laser beam B output from the laser beam irradiating nozzle 15 is radiated along the through groove 18c in advance at a large number of positions based on a pattern to be formed on the surface of the panel P in advance. A concave portion Pb having a desired depth is sequentially formed by the laser beam B transmitted to the panel P side, and a square-shaped burst concave portion is formed as a whole.

In this embodiment, the mask 18 is
Since the laser beam B is radiated in a state of being placed on the upper surface of the laser beam, the laser processing device 11 does not need to be moved together with the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15, and the laser processing operation can be easily performed.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, a large number of through grooves 18c are formed in the mask 18 to form a pattern of a predetermined shape. A long hole (through groove) in a shape of a circle may be provided.

The present invention may be applied to a plate-shaped synthetic resin product other than the instrument panel P. Although the shielding plate 21 is provided to protect the laser head 14 and the laser beam irradiation nozzle 15, the shielding plate 21 may be omitted by using a heat absorbing material on the surface of the mask 18. Examples of the heat absorbing material include carbon, asbestos, and gypsum.

[0029]

As described in detail above, the present invention can easily and reliably form a large number of recesses or grooves while leaving a desired thickness in a plate-like work, and reduce the processing cost. And the device can be provided at low cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a laser processing apparatus embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an instrument panel processed by the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of an instrument panel processed by the apparatus of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 laser oscillator, 15 laser beam irradiation nozzle, 18
... Mask, 18a ... Small hole, 18b ... Jacket, 21 ...
Shield plate, P: instrument panel, Pa: groove.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A laser processing method for processing a work by irradiating a work with a laser beam transmitted from a laser oscillator through a lens and passing through a small hole of a mask into an optical path distant from a beam focus, wherein the laser A laser processing method comprising: setting a beam output to 80 to 150 watts; and irradiating a workpiece with the intensity of a transmitted laser beam transmitted through the small hole of the mask to 10 to 50 watts to perform processing. . 2. A laser according to claim 1, wherein the mask is provided with a single small hole, and a laser beam transmitted through the small hole is scanned on the work to perform groove processing on the surface of the work. Processing method. 3. The mask according to claim 1, wherein the mask is provided with a large number of small holes or continuous through grooves in advance based on the processing shape of the work, and the mask is placed on the surface of the work. A laser processing method for irradiating a transmission laser beam to each of the small holes or through-grooves so as to process a large number of recesses or grooves on the surface of the work. 4. A laser processing apparatus for processing a work by irradiating a work with a laser beam transmitted from a laser oscillator through a lens and passing through a small hole of a mask into an optical path distant from a beam focus, wherein the laser A laser processing apparatus comprising output control means for setting the beam output to 80 to 150 watts, and configured to transmit through the small holes of the mask to attenuate the intensity of the transmitted laser beam to 10 to 50 watts. 5. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising cooling means for cooling the mask during a laser processing operation on the workpiece. 6. The processing head according to claim 4, further comprising a shielding plate provided near the nozzle of the processing head for shielding a laser beam reflected from the mask, and the shielding plate substantially corresponds to a beam focus of the laser beam. Laser processing equipment with small holes in the position. 7. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a heat absorbing material is provided on a surface of the mask.