JP2008265344A - Color marking method using laser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color marking method using laser, which can cheaply and economically exhibit a color pattern. <P>SOLUTION: In this color marking method, a metal plate, a metal foil or a metal powder is approached to the rear surface of a transparent or semitransparent material such as glass, plastic and ceramics in a contact or non-contact state and irradiated with laser beam from the surface of the material to carry out color marking on the rear surface of the material. By this color marking method, a complicated pattern can be automatically and effectively drawn on the rear surface or in the inside of a transparent or semitransparent material such as glass, plastic and ceramics at a low cost by irradiating the laser beam once or several times. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method of forming a color pattern using a laser on a non-metallic back surface or inside, or producing an artistic pattern.

A processing method for coloring a metal surface, transparent or translucent glass, plastic, ceramics, or the like by processing a character, a pattern, etc. There are methods such as painting, printing, etching and blasting.
However, most of these methods are performed manually, and are difficult in terms of mass productivity and quality uniformity.

It is also known that when a heat source such as a flame or laser is applied to the metal surface or the like, the metal surface is discolored.
For example, as described in Patent Document 1, there is a method in which a metal surface is irradiated with a laser and the irradiated surface is heat-treated in a reactive gas. However, in this method, the effect of irradiating the metal surface with the laser may be partially reduced by the heat treatment in the reactive gas.
In addition, as described in Patent Document 2, there is a method of forming a color and a pattern by irradiating a pure titanium metal surface with a laser in air containing nitrogen. However, this method has a drawback that it cannot express a delicate color because it simply irradiates a laser on a pure titanium metal surface.
Further, there is a method in which titanium is vapor-deposited on the surface of the substrate, the titanium coating is oxidized, a part thereof is converted into a titanium oxide coating, and the surface is patterned by laser irradiation.

In addition, two layers of the base layer and the upper layer are applied on the substrate, and only the upper layer is sublimated with a laser and the base layer is exposed to the surface, so that only the portion irradiated with the laser has a different color (color of the base layer). There is a way to express.
However, this method has a drawback that it is troublesome and costly.

  In addition, there is a method of converging laser light inside glass to generate bubbles at the focal point to generate a pattern, but it is difficult to produce colors, and coloring elements such as barium strontium and copper are contained in the glass There is a method of adding color to color the inside of the glass, but there is a problem that the cost becomes high. In addition, there is a problem that there is no method for effectively producing colors on the back surface of glass or the like. There is also a problem that there is no method of emitting light from the inside of the processed material.

On the other hand, regarding the coloration of metal, the formation of an oxide film by anodic oxidation is already known. To express a certain character, pattern, etc. using such a principle, a portion other than the expression portion is a resin film. It is necessary to immerse this in an electrolyte solution and flow an electric current after masking with, for example, a problem in terms of practicality.
JP-A-6-212451 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-41662

  The present invention is intended to solve such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a laser color marking method capable of expressing a color pattern in detail at low cost.

  In the present invention, a metal plate, a metal foil, a metal powder, and a metal wire are brought into contact or non-contact with each other on the back surface or inside of transparent or translucent glass, plastic, or ceramics, or embedded or sandwiched, and laser is emitted from the surface. This is a color marking method in which color marking is performed on the back surface or inside by irradiating. In the present invention, by selecting the metal, the distance between the metal and glass, plastic, ceramics, etc., and changing the laser current value, irradiation time, number of repetitions, beam spot size, focal length, pulse frequency, laser wavelength, etc. , Surface deposition / transfer, or surface removal, and various color markings.

  According to the present invention, a complex pattern is automatically and efficiently drawn at a low cost on a back surface or inside of transparent or translucent glass, plastic, or ceramics by irradiating a laser once or a plurality of times. I can do it. Thereby, the added value of the product can be enhanced by various and fine colors by color marking.

  As an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, a metal plate, a metal foil, or a metal powder 7 is brought into contact or non-contact with the back surface of a transparent or translucent glass, plastic, or ceramic material. In this method, color marking is performed on the back surface by irradiating a laser beam from the surface of the material. This method is characterized in that it uses a metal plate, metal foil, or metal powder laser deposition / transfer action. In this case, it is possible to carry out construction in air at atmospheric pressure and in a decompression vessel. In addition, the atmosphere under atmospheric pressure and reduced pressure can be carried out under a gas such as argon, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, or a combination thereof. It becomes possible to obtain a color tone.

  In this embodiment, color marking is performed by surface removal such as metal surface deposition, scribing / trimming, or the like, which is an irradiated portion of the non-metallic back surface, or by reaction. Alternatively, it is possible to give the surface high conductivity and heat conductivity by performing the above treatment.

  Moreover, after heat-treating a metal plate, metal foil, or metal powder, color marking can be performed using this method, and heat treatment can be performed again after laser irradiation.

  As another embodiment of the present invention, a metal plate, metal foil, metal powder, or metal wire is embedded or sandwiched in a transparent or translucent material 6, and a laser 5d is irradiated from the material surface. This is a method of performing color marking in the material. This method makes it possible to three-dimensionally obtain various color tones by reacting with transparent or translucent glass, plastic, or ceramic material itself, or a gas component and metal confined therein. When a metal plate, a metal foil, or metal powder is sandwiched, a plurality of materials can be sandwiched, and a back side material can be an opaque material.

  It is also possible to heat-treat a material such as a metal plate, metal foil, metal powder, or metal wire, and then perform color marking with a laser using this method to obtain a three-dimensional image in the material.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the color marking method to a metal etc. It is a schematic diagram which shows the method of carrying out color marking on the surfaces, such as a metal. It is a schematic diagram which shows the method of carrying out the color marking on the back surfaces, such as a nonmetal concerning this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Input editing device (PC)
2 Laser Controller 3 Optical Fiber 4 Cable 5 Laser Oscillator 5a Laser Medium 5b Q Switch 5c Mirror 5d Laser Light 5e Galvano Scanner 5f fθ Lens 6 Work 7 Metal Plate or Metal Foil or Metal Powder 8 Work Table 9 Glass Fiber

Claims (2)

  Color marking on the back surface of a transparent or translucent glass, plastic or ceramic material by bringing a metal plate, metal foil or metal powder into contact or non-contact and irradiating a laser from the surface of the material. How to do.   By embedding or sandwiching a metal plate, metal foil, metal powder or metal wire in a transparent or translucent glass, plastic or ceramic material, and irradiating a laser from the surface of the material, color marking is made in the material. How to do.

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