JP3254430B2 - Laser marker device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a laser marker device that irradiates a laser beam onto a work to print characters, figures, and the like on the work. The present invention relates to a laser marker device arranged on the way.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 13 shows an example of a conventional laser marker device. The laser marker device 1 is arranged in the middle of a conveying line 2 in which a plurality of works are conveyed in one direction at an interval, and within a printing area 50 of a predetermined size where the works sequentially pass the irradiation point of laser light. It is possible to move. When the sensor 24 provided in the middle of the line 2 detects the passage of the work, the detection signal is used as a trigger to perform a printing process on the work from the time when the work enters the print area 50 to the time when the work is completed. Do.

[0003]

By the way, the laser marker device requires a predetermined time for the printing process, and usually, the work is conveyed with an interval between the works corresponding to the predetermined time. Therefore, normally, the next work does not reach the printing area during the printing process. However, rarely, there are cases where the workpieces are conveyed in a state where the distance between the workpieces is close. In such a case, while the work is being printed, the next work arrives at the print area, and the work cannot be printed. In order to cope with this, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 13, an image processing device 4 for detecting a work of non-printing processing is provided downstream of the laser marker device 1, but this requires a high cost and a wide installation. There was a problem that space was required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is intended to accurately and easily detect an abnormality that printing by a laser beam is not performed normally at a low cost and without requiring an installation space. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser marker device capable of performing the above.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is arranged such that a plurality of works are arranged in the middle of a transport line in which a plurality of workpieces are transported in one direction at an interval, and a laser beam is emitted. By moving the irradiation point within a printing area of a predetermined size where the work passes sequentially, the printing process by the locus of the irradiation point on the work from the time the work enters the printing area until the work is completed An input unit that captures a print trigger signal, which is output when a sensor arranged in the middle of the transport line detects the passage of a workpiece as a reference for timing when printing processing on the workpiece is started, and the input unit prints the laser marker When a trigger signal is received, the print processing section that immediately performs print processing on the work and, when the input section receives the print trigger signal, whether the print processing section is performing print processing are detected. And, characterized in was a print abnormality detection unit for printing abnormality output if subjected to printing processing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a plurality of works are arranged in the middle of a transfer line in which the works are conveyed in one direction at an interval, and have a predetermined width so that the works sequentially pass through the irradiation point of the laser beam. By moving the work within the printing area, a laser marker that performs a printing process based on the trajectory of an irradiation point on the work during the time from when the work enters the printing area to when the work is completed is disposed in the middle of the transport line. An input unit that captures a print trigger signal that is output when the sensor detects the passage of a workpiece as a reference of a timing at which a print process on the workpiece is started.
Measure the time from when the input unit captures the print trigger signal until the next capture of the print trigger.If the time is shorter than the time from the start to the end of the print process, It is characterized in that a printing abnormality detection unit for performing printing abnormality output is provided.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the print processing section provided in the laser marker device starts the print processing on the workpiece immediately after the print trigger signal from the sensor provided on the transport line is input to the input section. The printing process is completed in a predetermined time, and this operation is repeated every time a print trigger signal is received. However, when the next print trigger signal is input to the input unit while the print processing unit is performing print processing due to the closeness between the workpieces, the print error detection unit detects this and detects a print error. Perform output.

The print processing unit provided in the laser marker device starts a print process on the work when a print trigger signal from a sensor provided on the transport line is input to the input unit, and the print processing unit starts the print processing for a predetermined time. The printing process is completed with, and this operation is repeated every time a print trigger signal is received. However, if the time between the input unit receiving the print trigger signal and the next capture of the print trigger is shorter than the time from the start to the end of the printing process due to the closeness between the workpieces, the print abnormality detection unit When this is detected, a printing error output is performed.

[0009]

As described above, claims 1 and 2 have been described.
According to the invention, since a printing abnormality is also detected by using a printing trigger signal from a sensor provided on the transport line in order to activate the laser marker device, an image processing device is not separately provided as in the related art, so that low It is possible to accurately and easily detect a printing error at a low cost without requiring an installation space.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <First Embodiment> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. The laser marker device to which the present invention has been applied uses the transport line 2 shown in FIG.
It is arranged in the middle of. A plurality of works are continuously sent to the transport line 2 from right to left in FIG. A sensor 24 is provided in the middle of the transport line 2, and a print trigger signal is output when the head of the work approaches the position opposed to the sensor 24. The sensor 24 includes a photoelectric sensor, a limit switch, an encoder, and the like. In addition, the sensor 24
May be integrated into the laser marker device.

The laser marker device can move the irradiation point of the laser beam emitted from the laser transmitter 10 within the printing area 50 on the transport line 2 by, for example, the galvanometer 11. The print area 50 is designed in consideration of the specifications of the galvanometer 11, the print quality, and the like.
The size is fixed. Then, the laser marker device performs the printing process by moving the irradiation point on the work from when the work enters the printing area 50 to when the work is completely passed.

The galvanometer 11 includes a pair of galvanometer mirrors 12, 12. One of the galvanometer mirrors 12 can be vertically shifted by a driving unit 13, and the other galvanometer mirror 12 is driven. By means 13 the angle can be shifted laterally. As a result, the laser light is emitted from both galvanomirrors 12, 1
2, the laser beam can be changed in two directions, and the irradiation point of the laser beam moves two-dimensionally on the work.

A controller 14 is connected to the galvanometer 11, and the controller 14 is provided with a galvanometer control circuit 16 for controlling the galvanometer 11 and a drive circuit 15 for the laser oscillator 10, as shown in FIG. ing. The controller section 14 includes a control section 17 corresponding to the “print processing section” of the present invention, a print trigger detection circuit 18 corresponding to the “input section”, and an abnormality determination circuit 19 corresponding to the “print abnormality detection section”. Is provided, and the control unit 17 includes:
A print data output unit 20 is connected, and a memory 21 is connected to the print data output unit 20.

The memory 21 stores print data relating to characters and figures to be printed. The print data output unit 20 sequentially calls out print data from the memory 21 in accordance with a command from the control unit 17 and outputs it to the galvano control circuit 16. Then, the print data output unit 20 returns a data output end signal to the control unit 17 when all the print data has been output. The print trigger detection circuit 18 captures the print trigger signal from the sensor 24 as a reference for the timing for starting the printing process.

The control section 17 is set so as to immediately execute a printing process when the print trigger detecting circuit 18 receives a print trigger signal. Here, the printing process according to the present embodiment roughly means that a laser drive signal is given to a laser drive circuit 15 to drive the laser oscillator 10 and
This means that a data output start signal is given to the print data output section 20 to sequentially output print data to the galvano control circuit 16, which will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The abnormality determination circuit 19 receives signals from the control unit 17 and the print trigger detection circuit 18. Then, based on a signal from the control unit 17, for example, when a predetermined judgment voltage is held at the H level or the L level and the print trigger signal is received from the print trigger detection circuit 18 while the predetermined judgment voltage is held at the L level, Generates a print error signal.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When the laser marker device is started, the control unit 17
It operates according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, in STEP 1, the control unit 17 first outputs a print start enable signal to the abnormality determination circuit 19. Then, the abnormality determination circuit 19 holds the determination voltage at the H level in a predetermined manner. Then, the process proceeds to STEP 2 where the print trigger detection circuit 1
8 waits for the timing at which the print trigger signal is captured.

Next, when the transport line 2 is activated, the work moves from the upstream of the line 2 toward the laser marker device. When the head of the work approaches the position opposite to the sensor 24 provided in the middle of the transport line 2, the sensor 24 outputs a print trigger signal. here,
In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the sensor 24 is disposed at the upstream end of the print area 50, and outputs a print trigger signal of the laser marker device at the timing when the work enters the print area 50. This is given to the print trigger detection circuit 18. This timing is indicated by time T1 in FIG. 4. At this time T1, a print trigger signal is sent from the print trigger detection circuit 18 to the control unit 17 and the abnormality determination circuit 19. Then, the control unit 17 determines “YE” in STEP2.
S "branch. Further, at time T1, the abnormality determination circuit 19 that has received the print trigger signal holds the determination voltage at the H level, and therefore does not output a print abnormality signal even if it receives the print trigger signal.

At time T2, the control section 17 gives a signal for resetting the print start enable signal to the abnormality determination circuit 19 (STEP 3). Thereby, the abnormality determination circuit 19
Lowers the judgment voltage to the L level and holds it. Also,
The control unit 17 proceeds to STEP 4 and provides a data output start signal to the print data output unit 20.
To the laser driving circuit 1
Give 5

The print data output unit 20 that has received the data output start signal sequentially retrieves the print data from the memory 21 and supplies the data to the galvano control circuit 16. As a result, the galvanometer 11 is driven, and at this time, the laser drive circuit 15 is operated and the laser beam is emitted from the transmitter 10, so that the irradiation point of the laser beam can move on the work. Thus, predetermined characters and figures are printed. During this time, the control unit 17 goes around the loop in STEP 6 and waits for a response from the print data output unit 20 that notifies the end of the delivery of all print data. When a response notifying the end is given to the control unit 17 (time T3 in FIG. 4), the drive of the laser drive circuit 15 is ended (STEP 7, time T4 in FIG. 4), and a print start enable signal is sent to the abnormality determination circuit 19. Is output (STEP
8), end the printing process. Then, when the next print trigger signal is taken into the print trigger detection circuit 18, the same operation is repeated.

By the way, since the work is conveyed at a short interval, the interval at which the work is supplied to the laser marker device may be short. Then, the next print trigger signal is captured at time T5 in FIG. 4 while the control unit 17 is performing the printing process. However, while the control unit 17 is performing the printing process, the abnormality determination circuit 19 holds the determination voltage at the L level.
The abnormality determination circuit 19 outputs a print abnormality signal at time T5 when the print trigger signal is received. When the print abnormality detection signal is output, for example, the work may be displayed on a warning light, a monitor, or the like, or the operator may confirm the occurrence of the abnormality and remove the problematic work. Furthermore, when an abnormality is detected, the problematic work is automatically eliminated by the sequence control, or the line is automatically stopped by the sequence control, and the printout is performed on the problematic work without fail. The line can be driven again.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, in order to activate the laser marker device, the printing abnormality is also detected by using the printing trigger signal from the sensor 24 provided on the transport line 2, so that the conventional printing method is used. As described above, there is no need to separately provide an image processing device, and it is possible to accurately and easily detect a printing abnormality at low cost without requiring an installation space.

<Second Embodiment> This embodiment is shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, and a laser marker device is provided for each work.
Print processing is performed by updating the contents of print data,
The point of providing the print data creation unit 22 for that is the first
Different from the embodiment. The other configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and overlapping description will be omitted.

The print data creation unit 22 receives a signal from the control unit 17 (see FIG. 5), and prints, for example, 1, 2, 3, 4,.
The printing process is performed by counting up the numbers as shown in FIG.
The print data creation unit 22 outputs the created print data to the memory 21 and, when all the print data has been output, the control unit 1.
7 is returned with a data creation end signal. The memories 21 are provided in pairs, and the work to be printed and the print data of the work to be conveyed next are stored in separate memories 21 and 21. More specifically, at time T1 in FIG. 6, the print data output unit 20 calls the print data in the one memory 21, and during this call period,
The print data creation unit 22 receives the instruction from the control unit 17 and stores the print data of the next work in the other memory 21.
In this manner, print data is stored and called up alternately in the two memories 21. The print data creation unit 22
Finishes the data creation operation by the end of the printing process and sends a data creation end signal to the control unit 17 (time T2 in FIG. 6). The operation of the control unit 17 at this time is shown in the flowchart of FIG.

In the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the memory 21 is not expanded as compared with the case where all print data is generated in advance and stored in the memory 21. To prevent cost increase and expansion of arrangement space.

<Third Embodiment> In the second embodiment,
The printing process and the creation of print data for the next work are performed in parallel, so that the print data of the next work is prepared in advance. However, in the third embodiment, the print data is Without being prepared, print data is generated while being involved in the print processing, and the print data output unit 20 retrieves the print data from the memory 21.

The operation procedure of the control unit 17 at this time is shown in FIG. 8, which is a procedure obtained by adding STEPs 10 and 11 to the flowchart of FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. The control unit 17 executes STEP 3 described in the first embodiment.
Is passed, in STEP10, the print data creation unit 2
2 is instructed to generate print data, and while the print data creation unit 22 is generating print data, “N” in STEP 11 is executed.
The process proceeds to the branch of "O", enters a loop, and when the generation work is completed, proceeds to the branch of "YES" in STEP11. Thereafter, the operation is performed according to the procedure after STEP 4 described in the first embodiment.

<Fourth Embodiment> Hereinafter, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, a sensor 24 is provided on the transport line 2 of the present embodiment.
It is located upstream of the print area 50. Then, a predetermined time after the sensor 24 detects the passage of the work, the work enters the print area 50, and the print processing is performed.

FIG. 10 shows only a portion of the overall block diagram of the laser marker device according to the present embodiment which is different from the block diagram of the first embodiment (see FIG. 2).
That is, this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a print trigger signal is not input to the abnormality determination circuit 19. Then, when receiving the print trigger signal, the control unit 17
And operates in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 12 to detect a printing abnormality in cooperation with the abnormality determining circuit 19. That is, in the flowchart of FIG. 11, when the control unit 17 determines that the print trigger signal has been received in STEP 20, the control unit 17 starts the first timer in STEP 21, waits for a predetermined time in a loop including STEPs 22 and 23, and performs the first execution. The process proceeds to STEPs 4 and 5 described in the embodiment. Here, the predetermined time is:
This corresponds to the time from when the work is detected by the sensor 24 to when the work reaches the print area 50.

In the flowchart of FIG. 12, when the control unit 17 determines in step 30 that the print trigger signal has been captured, the control unit 17 starts the second timer in step 31 and enters the loop of steps 32 and 33. In this loop, it is possible to exit when the input of the next print trigger signal is confirmed in STEP33. Then, when exiting the loop, the count result of the second timer in STEP 32 is output to the abnormality determination circuit 19. Further, the next print trigger signal is processed according to the above-described procedure after STEP 30.

The abnormality determination circuit 19 compares the count result of the second timer with a reference value. The abnormality determination circuit 19 sends an abnormality signal when the count result of the second timer is smaller than the reference value. Here, the reference value is determined according to the time of the printing process. If the count result of the second timer is larger than the reference value, the next work is supplied to the laser marker device after the control unit 17 finishes the printing process. Then, the work can be printed. However, if the count result of the second timer is smaller than the reference value, the next work is supplied to the laser marker device before the control unit 17 finishes the printing process, and the work cannot be printed next.
Then, the fact that the printing cannot be performed is notified by the abnormal signal.

The method of calculating the reference time is as follows.
For example, the distance may be determined from the regular interval between the works and the transport speed of the line 2. Alternatively, a simulation may be performed in which the galvanometer is driven in a state where the laser is not emitted, and the time required to print one workpiece may be measured and used as the reference time. <Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, embodiments described below are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. Various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

(1) In the first to fourth embodiments, the printing position is controlled by the galvanometer. For example, the printing position is controlled by an XY table or a mask provided with a printing pattern. The present invention may be applied to

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a laser marker device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the laser marker device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a control unit.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart of each signal.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a laser marker device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart of each signal of the laser marker device.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the laser marker device.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a laser marker device according to a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram thereof.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the control unit.

FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional laser marker device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Conveyance line 17 Control unit (print processing unit) 18 Print trigger detection circuit (input unit) 19 Abnormality judgment circuit (print abnormality detection unit) 24 Sensor 50 Print area

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-64-11083 (JP, A) JP-A-5-277906 (JP, A) JP-A-60-76608 (JP, A) JP-A-2-217186 (JP) JP-A-7-156539 (JP, A) JP-A-8-323486 (JP, A) JP-A-7-33475 (JP, U) JP-A-3-76677 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B23K 26/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of works are arranged in the middle of a transfer line that is conveyed in one direction with an interval, and move within a printing area of a predetermined width through which the works sequentially pass the irradiation point of laser light. A laser marker that performs a printing process on the work based on the trajectory of the irradiation point between the time when the work enters the printing area and the time when the work finishes passing therethrough, wherein a sensor disposed in the middle of the transport line. An input unit for detecting a print trigger signal output by detecting the passage of the work as a reference of a timing for starting the printing process on the work, and, when the input unit receives the print trigger signal, the work A print processing unit that performs the print processing, and when the input unit captures the print trigger signal,
A laser marker device, comprising: a print abnormality detection unit that detects whether the print processing unit is performing a print process and outputs a print abnormality if the print process is performed. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of works are arranged in the middle of a transfer line where the works are conveyed in one direction at an interval, and move within a printing area of a predetermined width where the works sequentially pass through the irradiation point of the laser beam. A laser marker that performs a printing process on the work based on the trajectory of the irradiation point between the time when the work enters the printing area and the time when the work finishes passing therethrough, wherein a sensor disposed in the middle of the transport line. An input unit that detects a print trigger signal output by detecting the passage of the work as a reference of a timing for starting the printing process on the work; and A printing process for performing the printing process, and measuring a time from when the input unit captures a print trigger signal to when a print trigger is captured next, and the time is measured for the printing. A laser marker device comprising: a printing error detection unit that outputs a printing error when the time is shorter than the time from the start to the end of the process.