JP2006239703A - Laser beam machining apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam machining apparatus capable of changing the spot diameter while preventing the size thereof from being increased. <P>SOLUTION: A laser beam marking device 10 as a laser beam machining apparatus comprises a laser beam source 12 to emit laser beams, a plurality of beam expanders 33a-33c which are capable of increasing the diameter of the laser beams at a predetermined magnification and different in magnification from each other, galvanometer mirrors 25, 26 to change the direction of the laser beams from the beam expanders, and an fθ lens 27 to condense the laser beams from the galvanometer mirror 26 and irradiate them on a workpiece. A holding part 31 to hold the beam expanders 33a-33c is capable of changing one beam expander by another having different magnification. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus.

  Conventionally, there is a laser processing apparatus that processes an object with a laser. For example, a laser marking device marks various characters, symbols, figures, etc. on the surface of an object to be marked made of various materials such as metal, resin, ceramic, semiconductor, paper, and glass. Such a laser processing apparatus is provided with a galvanometer mirror to scan a laser beam in two dimensions, and irradiates two galvanometer mirrors with a laser beam from a laser light source via a beam expander. The angle of one galvanometer mirror is controlled to scan (scan) in one direction and a direction orthogonal to the surface of the object (work).

There are various types of objects to be processed by the laser processing apparatus, and conditions (processing depth and processing width) for processing the objects are also various. Conventionally, in order to cope with such various processes, there has been an object that is configured to vary the spot diameter of the laser beam irradiated onto the object. For example, in Patent Document 1, the objective lens has a different magnification. What can be exchanged is disclosed. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 discloses a technique in which the focal position is changed by moving the objective lens up and down to change the spot diameter on the object. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-228561 discloses an apparatus in which an aperture is provided on the laser beam path and the size of the laser beam passage region is changed. Patent Document 4 discloses a technique that changes the spot diameter by changing the distance between the lenses of the beam expander.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-040067 JP 53-09797 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-253041 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 07-116869

  However, if the objective lens is exchanged as in Patent Document 1 or moved as in Patent Document 2, the distance to the optical scanning unit changes, so that the processing area changes, and this processing area is changed. Since the correction must be performed so that the predetermined processing area is obtained, the configuration becomes complicated. In particular, in the configuration of exchanging as in Patent Document 1, since a plurality of lenses covering the processing area are provided and can be exchanged, the laser processing apparatus itself becomes large.

  Moreover, in the thing of patent document 3, since it is the structure which cuts a part of laser beam from a laser light source, a laser beam cannot be utilized effectively. Further, in Patent Document 4, since the spot distance is changed by changing the lens separation distance, the laser processing apparatus is increased in size in the optical path length, and a lens driving system is required to change the lens separation distance. As a result, the size of the laser processing apparatus becomes very large as a whole. Further, when the distance between the lenses of the beam expander is changed, the emitted light of the beam expander does not become parallel light, so that the focus of the laser light is shifted. For this reason, when drawing a character, processing defects such as blurring of a line drawn by a laser beam occur.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laser processing apparatus capable of changing a spot diameter while preventing an increase in size.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention includes a laser light source that emits laser light, a beam expander that expands the diameter of the laser light at a predetermined magnification, and a laser from the beam expander. A laser processing apparatus comprising: a galvanometer mirror that changes the direction of light; and a focusing lens that converges the laser light from the galvanometer mirror and irradiates the target, and processes the target with laser light, The beam expander is configured to be exchangeable with other beam expanders having different magnifications.

  Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the beam expander is configured to be exchangeable with another beam expander having a different magnification, the laser light emitted from the laser light source can be emitted by an aperture or the like. Since the object is irradiated without any energy loss, it is possible to change the spot diameter without energy loss. It is not necessary to move the lens constituting the beam expander along the optical axis of the laser beam, and no lens driving system is required. Therefore, the spot diameter can be changed while preventing an increase in size. In addition, since the position of the lens that focuses the laser light is not changed, the distance from the galvanometer mirror is not changed and the processing area does not change, so that a configuration such as correction is unnecessary.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of beam expanders having different magnifications are held, and the plurality of beam expanders are provided so as to be movable along their arrangement direction.

  Therefore, according to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a holding portion formed to hold a plurality of beam expanders having different magnifications and to be movable along the arrangement direction of the plurality of beam expanders. Since it is provided, the spot diameter can be easily changed. Further, since the holding unit is merely moved in the arrangement direction of the beam expanders, the beam expanders can be exchanged in a short time.

The invention described in claim 3 includes a holding portion for holding one beam expander, and the holding portion is configured to be detachable from the base member.
Therefore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the holding unit that holds one beam expander is provided, and the holding unit is configured to be detachable from the base member. For this reason, since there is no movable part and a beam expander can be changed, a laser beam can be irradiated to an object stably.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a laser processing apparatus capable of changing the spot diameter while preventing an increase in size.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1A is a partial front sectional view of the laser marking device 10 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

  A laser marking device 10 as a laser processing device includes a base member 11 formed in a rectangular plate shape. On the base member 11, a laser light source 12 including a laser oscillator that emits laser light, and a laser light target. An optical unit 13 for irradiating the object W (see FIG. 2) is placed and fixed. The laser marking device 10 includes a cover member 14 that covers the laser light source 12 and the optical unit 13. The cover member 14 is formed, for example, in a box shape or a substantially box shape from a metal material, a resin material, or the like, and is detachable from the base member 11.

The laser light source 12 is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the base member 11 is the emission direction, and laser light is emitted from the laser light source 12 toward the optical unit 13.
The optical unit 13 includes a head base member 21, and the head base member 21 is fixed on the base member 11.

  A holding unit 22 is fixed to the head base member 21, and the holding unit 22 holds a first drive unit 23 and a second drive unit 24. A first galvano mirror 25 (X-galvano mirror) is fixed to the output shaft of the first drive unit 23, and a second galvano mirror 26 (Y-galvano mirror) is fixed to the output shaft of the second drive unit 24. Yes. The first drive unit 23 controls the rotation angle of the first galvanometer mirror 25, and the second drive unit 24 controls the rotation angle of the second galvanometer mirror 26. The holding unit 22 changes the direction of the laser light from the laser light source 12 to one direction by the first galvanometer mirror 25, and the laser light reflected by the first galvanometer mirror 25 is changed by the second galvanometer mirror 26. The first drive unit 23 and the second drive unit 24 are held so as to be changed in a direction orthogonal to the reflection direction by the first galvanometer mirror 25. The laser light emitted from the laser light source 12 is reflected by the first galvanometer mirror 25 and the second galvanometer mirror 26 so as to travel toward the head base member 21.

  The head base member 21 is formed with a through hole 21a that is substantially centered on the laser light reflected by the first galvanometer mirror 25 and the second galvanometer mirror 26. An fθ lens 27 is provided as a focusing lens for irradiating the object W. The base member 11 is formed with an opening 11 a that exposes the fθ lens 27 below the base member 11.

  A holding portion 31 is provided between the laser light source 12 and the first galvanometer mirror 25, and the holding portion 31 is fixed on the head base member 21. The holding unit 31 is provided with a rotating plate 32. The rotating plate 32 is rotatably supported along a plane orthogonal to the laser beam emitted from the laser light source 12, and is held so as not to be rotatable by a holding mechanism (not shown) such as a screw at a predetermined angular position. It has become. A plurality (three in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1B) of beam expanders 33a, 33b, and 33c are fixed to the rotating plate 32. These beam expanders 33a to 33c are provided in order to spread the laser light emitted from the laser light source 12 into a parallel light flux having a constant magnification (ratio of the emitted light diameter to the incident light diameter). Further, the beam expanders 33a to 33c are set so that the magnifications are different from each other. Therefore, the holding unit 31 is configured to be able to exchange a plurality of beam expanders 33a to 33c having different magnifications.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the laser marking device 10.
The setting unit 41 outputs processing information (for example, information such as characters and figures to be marked) for the object W, and the control unit 42 outputs a control signal corresponding to the processing information to the drive circuit 43. The control unit 42 controls the oscillation of the laser light source 12.

  The drive circuit 43 controls driving of the drive units (first drive unit and second drive unit) 23 and 24. For example, a motor is used as the drive units 23 and 24, and the drive circuit 43 generates a drive signal for driving the drive units 23 and 24 based on an input control signal.

  Laser light emitted from the laser light source 12 is spread into parallel light having a predetermined emission diameter (beam diameter) by one beam expander (for example, a beam expander 33a), reflected by galvanometer mirrors 25 and 26, and an fθ lens. 27 is condensed on the object W. Then, the rotation angles of the galvanometer mirrors 25 and 26 are controlled by the drive units 23 and 24, and the laser light applied to the object W is scanned two-dimensionally along the surface of the object W.

  In the laser marking device 10 of the present embodiment, a plurality of beam expanders 33 a to 33 c having different magnifications are held by the holding unit 31 in a replaceable manner. Therefore, the diameter of the parallel light (beam diameter) emitted toward the galvanometer mirrors 25 and 26 is changed by exchanging the beam expander. For this reason, the spot diameter of the laser beam irradiated to the target object W is changed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) The holder 31 is configured such that the beam expander to be used can be replaced by rotating the rotating plate 32 to which the plurality of beam expanders 33a to 33c having different magnifications are attached. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to move the lens constituting the beam expander along the optical axis of the laser beam, the spot diameter can be changed while preventing an increase in the size of the laser marking device. Further, since the laser light emitted from the laser light source 12 is applied to the object W without being struck by an aperture or the like, there is no energy loss. Further, since the position of the fθ lens 27 for focusing the laser light is not changed, the distance from the galvano mirror is not changed, and the processing area does not change, so that a configuration such as correction is unnecessary.

  (2) The holding unit 31 includes a rotating plate 32 that holds a plurality of beam expanders 33a to 33c having different magnifications, and rotates the rotating plate 32, that is, in the arrangement direction of the plurality of beam expanders 33a to 33c. Making them movable along. Therefore, the spot diameter can be easily changed by simply rotating the rotating plate 32 holding the beam expanders 33a to 33c. In addition, since the rotating plate 32 of the holding unit 31 is merely moved in the arrangement direction of the beam expanders 33a to 33c, the beam expander can be replaced in a short time.

(Second embodiment)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. For convenience of explanation, the same components as those in FIG.

3A is a partial front sectional view of the laser marking device 50 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 3B is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3A.
The laser marking device 50 includes a base member 11, and a laser light source 12 and an optical unit 13 a for irradiating the object W with laser light are mounted and fixed on the base member 11.

  The optical unit 13 a includes a head base member 51, and the head base member 51 is fixed on the base member 11. A holding portion 22 that holds the first galvanometer mirror 25 and the second galvanometer mirror 26 is fixed to the head base member 51.

  The optical unit 13a includes a holding unit 31a formed to be detachable from the head base member 51, and one beam expander 33a is attached to the holding unit 31a. A convex portion 52 for positioning is formed on the lower surface of the holding portion 31 a, and a concave portion 53 for positioning the convex portion 52 is formed on the head base member 51. By fitting the convex portion 52 to the concave portion 53, the posture of the holding portion 31a is always constant. The holding portion 31a is fixed to the head base member 51 by fixing means (not shown) such as a screw.

  Apart from this, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), a holding part 31b is prepared so as to be detachable from the head base member 51, and one beam expander 33b is attached to the holding part 31b. Has been. Similar to the holding portion 31a, a positioning convex portion 54 is formed on the lower surface of the holding portion 31b. The holding part 31b is formed in the same outer shape as the holding part 31a, and the convex part 54 is formed at the same position as the convex part 52. Therefore, the holding portion 31b is fixed in the same posture as the holding portion 31a by fitting the convex portion 54 to the positioning concave portion 53 formed in the head base member 51.

  The two beam expanders 33a and 33b are set to have different magnifications. The holders 31a and 31b that hold the beam expanders 33a and 33b are detachable from the head base member 51, and are formed so that the beam expanders 33a and 33b are arranged at the same position. . Accordingly, the two holding portions 31a and 31b can be exchanged, that is, a plurality of beam expanders 33a and 33b having different magnifications can be exchanged.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) A holding portion 31 a that holds one beam expander 33 a is provided, and the holding portion 31 a is configured to be detachable from the head base member 51. Therefore, since there is no movable part and the beam expander can be changed, the laser beam can be stably irradiated onto the object.

In addition, you may implement each said embodiment in the following aspects.
In the first embodiment, the beam expander to be used is configured to be exchangeable by rotating the rotating plate 32 attached with the plurality of beam expanders 33a to 33c. However, the plurality of beam expanders are linearly formed. It is good also as a structure provided with the holding | maintenance part formed so that it could move along the direction orthogonal to the laser beam attached and radiate | emitted from the laser light source 12. FIG.

  In each of the above embodiments, the head base members 21 and 51 are fixed to the base member 11, but the base member and the head base member are integrated, that is, the laser light source 12 and the optical unit 13 are integrated into one base member. It is good also as a structure fixed by attachment.

1A is a partial front sectional view showing an example of a laser marking device of a first embodiment, and FIG. The block diagram of a laser marking apparatus. (A) Front partial sectional view which shows an example of the laser marking apparatus of 2nd embodiment, (b) BB sectional drawing.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Base member, 12 ... Laser light source, 25, 26 ... Galvano mirror, 31, 31a, 31b ... Holding part, 33a-33c ... Beam expander, W ... Object.

Claims (3)

A laser light source for emitting laser light;
A beam expander that expands the diameter of the laser beam at a predetermined magnification;
A galvanometer mirror that changes the direction of laser light from the beam expander;
A focusing lens that converges the laser beam from the galvanometer mirror and irradiates an object;
A laser processing apparatus for processing the object with a laser beam,
A laser processing apparatus, wherein the beam expander is configured to be exchangeable with another beam expander having a different magnification.   2. The laser according to claim 1, further comprising: a holding unit that holds a plurality of beam expanders having different magnifications, and the plurality of beam expanders are formed to be movable along an arrangement direction thereof. Processing equipment.   The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a holding unit that holds one beam expander, wherein the holding unit is configured to be detachable from the base member.

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