JP2008155246A - Laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser beam machine which is easily and simply carried to perform a soldering work, can prevent laser beams from being leaked to the outside and is high in safety. <P>SOLUTION: This laser beam machine is provided with a laser beam source 11 for emitting a laser beam, and a condensing lens 12 for condensing and emitting to a solder and an object B to be soldered, thereby soldering the soldered parts of the object B to the parts to be soldered. The condensing lens 12 is housed in a casing 13 having a size which can be held manually and also a hood 14 for preventing the laser beam emitted from the condensing lens 12 toward the object B from leaking to the outside is attached to the casing. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing machine capable of performing soldering using laser light.

  Conventionally, for example, in the field of mounting electronic components on a printed circuit board, an electric soldering iron has been widely used. However, with this electric soldering iron, it may be difficult to perform a fine soldering operation on a very small component. Further, when the soldering work increases, the soldering iron tip becomes useless, and the soldering work must be frequently replaced, and the replacement work is complicated. In particular, in the case of lead-free solder, since the melting point is high, the tip of the solder tends to be consumed and must be frequently replaced.

  In recent years, in order to eliminate thermal damage to electronic components and improve the accuracy of soldering positions derived from manual work, the laser beam is squeezed narrowly into a beam shape to make contactless and short time Development of a laser processing machine that can be heated and soldered is desired.

  FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional laser beam machine. This laser processing machine includes a heating laser light source 101 in a lamp house 100, reflecting mirrors 102, 102a, and 102b that serve to reflect and collect the laser light from the heating laser light source 101, and the reflecting mirror. Lenses 103 and 104 for concentrating the laser light reflected by 102, 102a, and 102b on the solder 5 are disposed, and the focused laser light is irradiated onto the solder 105 (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  Further, as a conventional laser processing machine, for example, the one described in Patent Document 2 is also known. As shown in FIG. 6, this laser processing machine includes a mounting head 202 that moves up and down while holding a lead component 201, a positioning stage 204 that holds a substrate 203 and positions the substrate 203 with respect to the lead component 201, and a mounting head. A bonding tool 207 that lowers 202 and mounts the lead component 201 on the substrate 203 and then presses the leads 205 of the lead component 201 to the electrodes on the substrate 203 one by one, and a plurality of laser heads that irradiate the leads 205 with laser light 208, a vertically movable slide table 210 to which the bonding tool 207 and the laser head 208 are fixed, a laser light source 211, an optical fiber 209 for introducing laser light oscillated by the laser light source 211 into the laser head 208, and the whole And a control unit 212 for controlling the operation of

In this laser processing machine, the laser beam excited in the laser light source 211 according to an instruction from the control unit 212 is applied to the lead 205 from the laser head 208, and the lead 205 is soldered to the electrode by solder applied on the electrode in advance. Is done.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-168860 (FIG. 1) JP-A-8-172261 (FIG. 2)

  Since the laser processing machines as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are generally stationary types in which both apparatuses are large and it is difficult to freely change the installation place, a predetermined work place is provided. Can only be soldered. Furthermore, the soldering apparatus using these lasers, etc. from the viewpoint of safety, that is, there is a risk of causing leakage of the laser beam to the outside. The “classification” of “standard” (C6802) is required to satisfy classes 3B-4.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a highly safe laser processing machine that can be easily carried and easily operated and can prevent laser light from leaking to the outside.

  In order to achieve the above object, a laser processing machine according to the present invention is a laser processing machine including a laser light source that emits laser light, and a condensing lens that condenses and irradiates the laser light, The condenser lens is housed in a casing, and the casing has a protective cover capable of shielding laser light, and detects that the protective cover has come into contact with a contacted object provided in the vicinity of the workpiece. It is in providing the contact detection means to do. Thereby, it can know reliably that the laser processing machine contacted the process target object. In addition, since the protective cover can prevent the laser light from leaking outside, a highly safe laser processing machine can be realized.

  In addition, the laser processing machine according to the present invention preferably includes light guide means for guiding laser light emitted from the laser light source to the condenser lens. As a result, the laser light source side can be installed, for example, in another place near the commercial power supply, so that it is only necessary to store the condensing lens in the casing, and the casing can be further downsized.

  Further, in the laser processing machine according to the present invention, the protective cover includes the contact detecting means on a front end surface thereof, and the laser beam is emitted upon receiving a signal that the front end surface of the protective cover contacts the contacted object. It is desirable. As a result, the laser beam can be reliably avoided from being emitted in an unexpected situation, and the safety is further enhanced.

  In the laser processing machine according to the present invention, the front end surface of the protective cover has a concave portion corresponding to the convex portion of the contacted object, and the contact detecting means is installed in the concave portion. Is desirable.

  In the laser processing machine according to the present invention, it is desirable that the length of the protective cover is substantially the same as the focal length of the condenser lens. Thereby, the focal length can be easily adjusted.

  In addition, the laser processing machine according to the present invention preferably includes an irradiation position confirmation unit for grasping the irradiation position of the laser beam on the object. Thereby, for example, if the irradiation position confirmation means is constituted by a CCD or the like, the object to be irradiated with the laser light inside the protective cover can be confirmed by an image or the like.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, while being able to know reliably that the laser beam machine contacted the workpiece, a laser beam can be prevented from leaking outside and a safer laser beam machine can be provided.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 shows a laser beam machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The laser beam machine 1 melts solder, for example, and solders a desired soldering part such as a lead (the solder and the soldering part are called “objects”) to a predetermined soldering part (for example, an electrode). And includes a laser light source 11, a condensing lens 12, a casing 13 for housing the laser light source 11 and the condensing lens 12, and a hood 14 attached to the open end of the casing 13. ing.

The laser light source 11 emits a laser beam as a heat source for melting the solder. In this embodiment, the optical path through which the laser beam passes and the irradiation position can be confirmed with the naked eye so that safety can be achieved. Therefore, a semiconductor laser (LD) that emits laser light having a wavelength (λ) in the visible light region is used. As an example, the operation of the laser light source 11 is controlled by a control unit 15 installed inside the casing 13 as shown in FIG.

  When the laser light from the laser light source 11 is incident, the condenser lens 12 converges the beam diameter of the laser light toward the object B and melts the solder at a desired portion. In the present embodiment, the casing 13 It is installed in the vicinity of the front end side to which the internal hood 14 is attached. The condenser lens 12 affects the length of the hood 14 to be described later. Therefore, in consideration of the focal length that facilitates the soldering operation, in other words, the soldering operation can be easily performed. It may be determined in consideration of the length of the hood.

  In the case of this embodiment, the casing 13 is formed in an appropriate shape such as a substantially cylindrical shape or a substantially rectangular tube shape. In particular, in the present invention, in order to use the laser processing machine as a handy type, It has an outer diameter, length, and weight that can be held by a person (for example, one hand). The casing 13 is formed of a light shielding material having an appropriate light shielding rate so that laser light emitted from the laser light source 11 can be prevented from leaking outside from the casing 13.

  The hood 14 constitutes a protective cover, is fixed to the tip of the casing 13, and is formed in a substantially skirt shape in which the tip side where the laser light travels is expanded and spread, The front end of the hood 14 can come into contact with a contacted object C described later in a stable state. As shown in FIG. 1, the hood 14 has a length (H) from the base end portion to the tip end portion that is substantially equal to the focal length (f) of the condenser lens 12. When the object B is brought into contact with the vicinity of the object B, the position of the object B and the vicinity of the focal position where the laser light from the condenser lens 12 is just collected and the object B substantially coincide with each other.

  In addition, as described above, the hood 14 is formed of an appropriate transparent or translucent member so that the laser light can be visually confirmed (or the laser light emission state). Has been.

As shown in FIG. 3 (A), the hood 14 of the present embodiment is provided with contact detection means 16 at the tip for detecting contact with an object C in the vicinity of the object B, for example, a printed circuit board. Yes. The contact detection means 16 has a function as a switch means for turning on / off the laser light source 11 and receives a signal that detects that the contact detection means 16 has contacted the contacted object C. The laser light source 11 is activated to emit laser light. In this embodiment, this contact detection means 16 is comprised with the piezoelectric element as an example, and the output of this piezoelectric element is connected to the input of the control part. Accordingly, when the object B is not covered with the hood 14, for example, in an unexpected situation such as when the hood 14 is directed in the air, it is possible to prevent the laser light from being irradiated, and safety is improved. improves.
In the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the front end of the hood 14 has a concave portion 14A that fits into the convex portion C1 of the contacted object C, and the light emitting portion 16A and the light emission are provided in the concave portion 14A. You may install the contact detection means 16 comprised by the light-receiving part 16B which receives the light from 16A of parts.

  The controller 15 controls the operation of the laser light source 11 and, as described above, starts the operation of the laser light source 11 only when the detection signal from the contact detection means 16 is input.

Next, the operation of the laser beam machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described.
First, the hood 14 is brought into contact with the contacted object C so as to surround the vicinity of the object B to be soldered. Then, a detection signal is output from the piezoelectric element of the contact detection means 16. Thereby, in the control part 15, it is in the state by which the leakage of the laser beam to the exterior was prevented by inputting a detection signal, and between the condensing lens 12 and the target object B is substantially in a focal distance. Detect. And the control part 15 outputs a control signal to the laser light source 11, and the laser light source 11 starts an action | operation. As a result, the laser beam is condensed by the condenser lens 12, irradiated onto the solder of the object B, etc., and melted, and the soldering operation is performed safely and reliably.

  Further, in order to finish the soldering operation, the hood 14 may be separated from the contacted object C (in a non-contact state). Thereby, since the output of the detection signal from the piezoelectric element of the contact detection means 16 stops, the output of the control signal from the control unit 15 stops and the operation of the laser light source 11 stops immediately. After that, when the melted solder is cooled, the bonding partner is fixed with the solder.

  Therefore, according to the laser processing machine 1 according to the present embodiment, the provision of the hood 14 can prevent the leakage of laser light to the outside, so that safety is improved and safety standards (“Laser Product Safety in JIS”) are improved. It becomes possible to satisfy classes 3B to 4) of “standard” (C6802). Further, the laser processing machine 1 according to the present embodiment can hold the casing 13 with the other hand while holding the object B such as a soldering part or solder with one hand, so that manual repair is possible. Easy soldering work. In addition, unlike conventional electric soldering irons, soldering can be performed without bringing the tip of the solder into contact with the solder, so that the components contained in the solder will not stick to the tip of the solder, etc. This eliminates the need for solder removal and replacement work on the soldering iron tip.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a laser beam machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the present embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant description.
FIG. 4 shows a laser beam machine 2 according to the present embodiment. The laser beam machine 2 generally includes a main body portion 2A, a head portion 2B, and an optical fiber F disposed therebetween. I have.

  The main body 2A includes a plurality of laser light sources 22, an optical fiber 23 into which laser beams from these laser light sources 22 are respectively incident, and these optical fibers 23 in a housing 21 installed on a predetermined base D. A coupler 24 to be coupled and the above-described optical fiber F (extra length portion) having a base end connected to the coupler 24 are provided.

The laser light source 22 includes two types of lasers having different powers (outputs), that is, a first semiconductor laser (LD) 22A and a second semiconductor laser (LD) 22B. For example, an object to be joined with solder. According to the condition of B, the semiconductor laser (LD) can be switched and used properly. As an example, the first semiconductor laser 22A is of low power, and emits red (long wavelength; λ _A ) laser light that is small in energy. On the other hand, as an example, the second semiconductor laser 22B emits blue (short wavelength; λ _B ) laser light having high power and high energy.
The operation of the first semiconductor laser (LD) 22A and the second semiconductor laser (LD) 22B is controlled by a control unit (not shown), and either one is operated by operating a switching means such as a switch (not shown). The user can appropriately select whether to operate the semiconductor laser (LD).

  The coupler 24 sends any laser beam emitted from either the first semiconductor 22A or the second semiconductor laser 22B and transmitted through the optical fiber 23 to the same optical fiber F.

  The head portion 2B includes a casing 13 in which only the condensing lens 12, which is a minimum necessary optical component, is accommodated in consideration of usability when the user grips it with his hand and uses it freely. As in the first embodiment, the casing 13 is provided with a hood 14 that forms a protective cover at the tip. Further, although not shown in the figure, the casing 13 is provided with a contact detection means 16 at the tip of the hood 14 as in the first embodiment.

  The optical fiber F transmits laser light emitted from the laser light source 22 inside the main body 2 </ b> A to the condenser lens 12 inside the casing 13. As described above, the optical fiber F has a certain length of extra length so that the head portion 2B can be freely moved and used within a certain range from the housing 21 of the main body portion 2A. It is.

  Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the first semiconductor laser (LD) 22A and the second semiconductor laser (LD) 22B can be switched and used according to the size of the object B to be soldered. As a result, the object B to be soldered can be used not only in a small size but also in a large size to a certain extent even though it is a handy type laser processing machine, and the application range of the object to be soldered is expanded.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the gist of the present invention.

  For example, in order to realize a high-power laser processing machine, the laser light source installed in the main body portion 2A of the second embodiment uses light having a shorter wavelength than the second semiconductor laser 22B (mainly as a laser light source). A high-power laser light source that emits (laser light), that is, a laser light source that emits a shorter wavelength than blue (in other words, near-ultraviolet light outside the visible light range, etc.). As the irradiation position confirmation means for confirming the irradiation position of the main laser beam that is not visible, long-wavelength laser beam, that is, guide light (auxiliary laser beam) of color (wavelength in the visible light range) that is easy to confirm with the naked eye is emitted. A low-power semiconductor laser or the like may be used. In this case, as the hood 14 serving as a protective cover, in order to allow only the auxiliary laser light to pass therethrough, the auxiliary laser light has a smaller light shielding rate (in other words, a higher transmittance) than the main laser light. It is preferable to form using. In this case, the auxiliary laser light is irradiated to the same irradiation position of the same object along the same optical path as the main laser light.

  With this configuration, the main laser light from one laser light source cannot be confirmed with the naked eye because it is outside the visible light range, but the auxiliary laser light from the other semiconductor laser that is simultaneously emitted is used as a guide, that is, the hood 14 While confirming the auxiliary laser beam with the naked eye from the outside, the irradiation position of the main laser beam can be confirmed. Therefore, the soldering operation of the object B by the high energy laser beam can be performed safely and reliably.

  Further, for example, in order to grasp the irradiation position of the laser beam to the object B, a part of the inner peripheral surface of the hood 14 or the tip of the casing 13 which is a protective cover of the first and second embodiments. A monitor mechanism such as a CCD and an image fiber may be attached to a portion that avoids the condenser lens, and an image captured by the monitor mechanism may be confirmed on a monitor provided outside the casing 13 or the like. In that case, the hood 14 may be opaque so that the inside cannot be visually confirmed from the outside.

  Since the laser processing machine of the present invention can be miniaturized, it can be easily carried and soldered easily, and the laser beam can be prevented from leaking to the outside so that safety standards can be satisfied. Therefore, it is useful as a handy type laser processing machine with high safety.

It is a schematic structure figure showing a laser beam machine concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of a laser beam machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the concrete structure of the contact detection means of the laser beam machine concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention, (B) is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the contact detection means. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the laser processing machine which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the conventional laser processing machine. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the other conventional laser processing machine.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2 Laser processing machine 11 Laser light source (semiconductor laser)
12 Condensing lens 13 Casing 14 Hood (Protective cover)
14A Concave part 15 Control part 16 Contact detection means 16A Light emitting part 16B Light receiving part 2A Main body part 2B Head part 21 Housing 22 Laser light source 23 Optical fiber 24 Coupler f (Condensing lens) Focal length B Object C Contact object F Optical fiber H Hood length

Claims (6)

A laser processing machine comprising: a laser light source that emits laser light; and a condenser lens that collects and irradiates the laser light,
The condenser lens is housed in a casing,
The casing has a protective cover capable of shielding laser light,
A laser processing machine comprising contact detection means for detecting that the protective cover is in contact with an object to be contacted provided in the vicinity of the object to be processed.   The laser processing machine according to claim 1, further comprising a light guide unit configured to guide laser light emitted from the laser light source to the condenser lens.   The said protective cover is provided with the said contact detection means in the front end surface, The said laser beam is radiate | emitted in response to the signal which the front end surface of the said protective cover contacted the said to-be-contacted object. The laser beam machine described in 1. The front end surface of the protective cover has a concave portion corresponding to the convex portion of the contacted object,
The laser processing machine according to claim 3, wherein the contact detection unit is installed in the recess.   The laser processing machine according to claim 1, wherein a length of the protective cover is substantially the same as a focal length of the condenser lens.   6. The laser processing machine according to claim 1, further comprising irradiation position confirmation means for grasping an irradiation position of the laser beam on the object.

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