JP7482403B2 - Laser Processing Equipment - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a laser processing device equipped with an expander into which laser light from a laser oscillation unit is incident.

Various technologies have been proposed for the above-mentioned laser processing device. For example, the technology described in the following Patent Document 1 is a laser processing device including a laser oscillator that emits laser light, a beam expander that expands the beam diameter of the laser light emitted from the laser oscillator, a galvanometer scanner that reflects the laser light that has passed through the beam expander with a mirror to change its direction, and a converging lens that converges the laser light from the galvanometer scanner, and is characterized in that it includes a laser light source unit in which the beam expander is integrally assembled to the surface of the light emission port side of the laser oscillator, and a scanner unit in which the galvanometer scanner is housed in a housing and has an opening at a location of the housing opposite the beam expander, and the laser light source unit is detachably attached to the housing of the scanner unit.

JP 2012-222242 A

Depending on the relative positions of the components that make up the laser processing device, a mirror separate from the galvano scanner may be required to direct the laser light emitted from the beam expander to the galvano scanner. In such cases, if the beam expander is replaced with the separate mirror disposed opposite the beam expander, depending on the relative positions of the separate mirror and the attachment point of the beam expander relative to the laser oscillator, the separate mirror may get in the way and interfere with the beam expander replacement work.

Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above points, and provides a laser processing device that is easy to replace the expander that faces the first mirror.

This specification discloses a laser processing device comprising: a laser oscillation unit that oscillates a laser beam; an expander that is fixed to the laser oscillation unit by a first screw that screws into the laser oscillation unit from a first direction and that outputs the laser beam incident from the laser oscillation unit in the first direction; a first mirror that faces the expander in the first direction and reflects the laser beam incident from the expander in a second direction; a second mirror that faces the first mirror in the second direction and reflects the laser beam incident from the first mirror in a third direction that is twisted from the first direction; and a scanning unit that scans the laser beam incident from the second mirror toward a workpiece, and in which at least one of the first screws has a first virtual columnar region that is an extension of the head surface of the first screw in the first direction that does not overlap with the first mirror.

According to the present disclosure, the laser processing device has excellent workability in replacing the expander that faces the first mirror.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the laser processing apparatus with a housing cover removed. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the laser processing apparatus with an inner cover removed. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the laser processing apparatus with the galvanometer scanner removed. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the laser processing apparatus. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a base, an inner cover, a galvanometer scanner, a galvanometer substrate, and wiring of the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an inner cover of the laser processing apparatus. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a laser oscillation unit, an expander, and an inner cover of the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a laser oscillation unit, an expander, and an inner cover of the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the laser processing apparatus with the housing cover removed. FIG. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a modified example of the pedestal member of the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 13 is a front view showing a modified example of the pedestal member of the laser processing apparatus. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the inner cover of the laser processing device.

The laser processing device of the present disclosure will be described below based on a specific embodiment with reference to the drawings. In each of the drawings used in the following description, some of the basic configuration is omitted, and the dimensional ratios of each part depicted are not necessarily accurate. In the following description, the front-back direction, up-down direction, and left-right direction are as shown in each drawing.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the laser processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment includes a base 10 .
On the base 10, there are provided a laser oscillation unit 12, an inner cover 14, a main board (not shown) fixed to a bracket 16, a galvano board 18, a frame 20, a rear board 22, and a power supply unit (hereinafter referred to as "PSU") 24, etc.

The laser oscillator unit 12, the main board, the galvano board 18, the frame 20, the rear board 22, and the PSU 24 are assembled on the base 10 using hexagon socket screws 26 or mounting screws 28, etc.

The main board and rear board 22 are boards for controlling the laser processing device 1 .
The galvano substrate 18 is a substrate for controlling a galvano scanner (reference numeral 70 in FIG. 2) described later. A rear substrate 22 is fixed to the upper part of the frame 20. An exhaust fan (not shown) is provided inside the frame 20. Furthermore, the frame 20 is provided with a communication connection port 202, a PC connection port 204, an AC inlet 206, a turnkey 208 which is a power switch, and a cable tie 210, and the like, the relative positions of which will be described later. The PSU 24 supplies power to the laser processing apparatus 1.

The inner cover 14 is disposed on the base 10 and surrounds the tip of the expander (reference number 30 in FIG. 2), the pedestal member (reference number 50 in FIG. 2), the galvanometer scanner (reference number 70 in FIG. 2), the fθ lens (reference number 80 in FIG. 2), etc., which will be described later. The inner cover 14 is in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped with an open bottom surface, and has a partition wall 82, a notch 84 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), a right extension portion 86, and a left extension portion 88, etc. The partition wall 82 constitutes the rear surface of the inner cover 14. The notch portion 84 is an opening formed by bending a part of the left side of the lower side of the partition wall 82 outward. A detailed description of the partition wall 82 and the notch portion 84 will be given later.

The right-side extension 86 extends from the lower edge of the right surface of the inner cover 14 to the right along the base 10. The right-side extension 86 is provided with a pair of fixing holes 87. The left-side extension 88 extends from the lower edge of the left surface of the inner cover 14 to the left along the base 10. The left-side extension 88 is provided with a pair of fastening slits 90. In each of the fixing holes 87 and each of the fastening slits 90, a hexagon socket head screw (reference numeral 94 in FIG. 9) described below is threaded through each of the fixing holes 87 and each of the fastening slits 90 and screwed into the base 10. As a result, the inner cover 14 is fixed to the base 10 while placed on the base 10. A detailed description of each of the fastening slits 90 will be given later.

A housing cover (not shown) is attached to the base 10 and the frame 20 by the same type of mounting screw (not shown) as the mounting screw 28. The housing cover covers the laser oscillator unit 12, the inner cover 14, the main board, the galvano board 18, the frame 20, the rear board 22, the PSU 24, etc. on the base 10.

2 to 4 show the laser processing device 1 with the inner cover 14 removed from the base 10. Reference numeral 11 denotes a screw hole provided on the base 10 into which the above-mentioned hexagonal socket screw (reference numeral 94 in FIG. 9), i.e., a screw for fixing the inner cover 14 to the base 10, is screwed. Reference numeral 212 denotes a cable tie provided on the frame 20.

The laser oscillation unit 12 emits laser light R and is composed of a CO2 laser, YAG laser, or the like housed in a roughly rectangular case. An expander 30 protrudes from the front of the laser oscillation unit 12. The expander 30 adjusts the light diameter of the laser light R incident from the CO2 laser, YAG laser, or the like, and emits the adjusted laser light R in the forward direction D1.

The expander 30 has a generally cylindrical shape, and a fixing flange 32 is integrally provided at its circular rear end, extending outward along the front surface of the laser oscillator unit 12. Three hexagonal socket screws 34 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the fixing flange 32, which are threaded into the front surface of the laser oscillator unit 12 from the forward direction D1 through the fixing flange 32. This fixes the expander 30 to the laser oscillator unit 12. An intermediate flange 36 is integrally provided on the side of the expander 30, extending outward along the circumferential direction. Of the three hexagonal socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillator unit 12, the leftmost hexagonal socket screw 34 and the rightmost hexagonal socket screw 34 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

A pillar member 50 is provided on the base 10 on the forward direction D1 side of the expander 30. The pillar member 50 has a pillar body 52, a fixing part 54, a first mirror 56, and a second mirror 58. The pillar body 52 has a generally flat plate shape that is long in the vertical direction, and is erected on the base 10 along the vertical direction.

At the upper end of the leg column body 52, the first mirror 56 is rotatably mounted by a rotation mechanism 60 in a position facing the expander 30 in the forward direction D1. The rotation mechanism 60 is composed of a rotation bolt 61 parallel to the left and right directions, which is passed through the leg column body 52 and the first mirror 56 in parallel to the left direction D3. In other words, the first mirror 56 is positioned facing the expander 30 in the forward direction D1 by the rotation bolt 61 of the rotation mechanism 60, and can rotate around the left direction D3 as the rotation axis.

The first mirror 56 has a mirror surface 57 that reflects the laser light R. The first mirror 56 is fixed to the upper end of the pedestal body 52 by a pivot bolt 61 of a pivot mechanism 60 so that the mirror surface 57 is oriented to reflect the laser light R from the expander 30 in the downward direction D2.

A second mirror 58 is attached to the lower end of the pillar body 52 in a position facing the first mirror 56 in the downward direction D2 while being placed on the base 10. The second mirror 58 has a mirror surface 59 that reflects the laser light R. The mirror surface 59 is inclined so as to face the downward direction D2 as it approaches the left direction D3. As a result, the laser light R from the first mirror 56 is reflected by the mirror surface 59 of the second mirror 58 in the left direction D3, which is twisted from the forward direction D1. The mirror surface area of the mirror surface 59 of the second mirror 58 is larger than the mirror surface area of the mirror surface 57 of the first mirror 56.

Furthermore, a fixing part 54 extending in the front-rear direction is protruded from the lower end of the leg pillar body 52 while placed on the base 10. A pair of hexagon socket head screws (63 in FIG. 6) described below are threaded through the fixing part 54 and screwed into the base 10. This fixes the leg pillar member 50 to the base 10.

A galvanometer scanner 70 is provided on the base 10 to the left of the leg member 50 in the direction D3. The galvanometer scanner 70 has an X-axis galvanometer mirror 72, a Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74, a galvanometer X-axis motor 76, and a galvanometer Y-axis motor 78. The X-axis galvanometer mirror 72 reflects the laser light R from the second mirror 58 to the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74. The Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74 reflects the laser light R from the X-axis galvanometer mirror 72 to the fθ lens 80 described below.

The galvano X-axis motor 76 and the galvano Y-axis motor 78 are attached to the galvano scanner 70 so that their motor shafts are perpendicular to each other, and the X-axis galvano mirror 72 and the Y-axis galvano mirror 74 attached to the tip of each motor shaft face each other on the inside. The galvano X-axis motor 76 and the galvano Y-axis motor 78 are connected to the galvano substrate 18 by wiring (reference number 19 in FIG. 8) described below. As a result, the galvano X-axis motor 76 and the galvano Y-axis motor 78 rotate the X-axis galvano mirror 72 and the Y-axis galvano mirror 74 by controlling the rotation of the galvano substrate 18, and perform two-dimensional scanning of the laser light R.

Below the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74, an fθ lens 80 is fitted into a through hole in the base 10. The fθ lens 80 focuses the laser light R from the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74 onto the workpiece W, which is positioned below the fθ lens 80.

Therefore, in the laser processing device 1, the laser light R oscillated by the laser oscillation unit 12 passes through the expander 30, the first mirror 56, the second mirror 58, the X-axis galvanometer mirror 72, the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74, and the fθ lens 80, and is scanned two-dimensionally on the workpiece W. As a result, an image such as a character or a figure is marked (printed) on the workpiece W.

The first imaginary columnar region V1 shown in FIG. 2 is formed by extending the head surface of the lowest hexagonal socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1 out of the three hexagonal socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12. The lowest hexagonal socket screw 34 is disposed in a position on the fixing flange 32 of the expander 30 such that the first imaginary columnar region V1 does not overlap with the first mirror 56, which is in a position to reflect the laser light R from the expander 30 in the downward direction D2.

Figures 5 to 7 show the laser processing device 1 with the inner cover 14 and the galvano scanner 70 removed from the base 10. As shown in Figure 6, in the laser processing device 1, the pedestal member 50 is arranged so that the optical path length L1 of the laser light R between the expander 30 and the mirror surface 57 of the first mirror 56 in the forward direction D1 is shorter than the optical path length L2 of the laser light R between the mirror surface 57 of the first mirror 56 and the mirror surface 59 of the second mirror 58 in the downward direction D2.

The second imaginary columnar region V2 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is an extension of the head surface of each hexagonal socket head screw 63 for fixing the leg member 50 to the base 10 in the screwing direction (up and down direction) of each hexagonal socket head screw 63. Each hexagonal socket head screw 63 is disposed in the fixing portion 54 of the leg member 50 at a position where the second imaginary columnar region V2 does not overlap with the leg member body 52 of the leg member 50.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the inner cover 14 is fixed onto the base 10 while surrounding the galvanometer scanner 70 and the like, the partition wall 82 constituting the rear surface of the inner cover 14 is disposed between the galvanometer scanner 70 and the galvanometer substrate 18. As a result, the partition wall 82 blocks the space between the galvanometer scanner 70 and the galvanometer substrate 18.

Furthermore, the wiring 19 that connects the galvano scanner 70 and the galvano substrate 18 is passed through the cutout 84 of the partition wall 82. A buffer material 15 is wound around a part of the wiring 19. The buffer material 15 is loaded into the cutout 84 on the base 10. In other words, the buffer material 15 is disposed between the wiring 19 and the cutout 84. The buffer material 15 may be provided as a covering material for the wiring 19. The wiring 19 is omitted in the above-mentioned Figures 1 to 7.

As shown in FIG. 9, a hexagonal socket head screw 94 is passed through each fastening slit 90 provided in the left extension portion 88 of the inner cover 14 from above. Each fastening slit 90 is provided along the left-right direction in which the partition wall 82 extends. The width 92 of each fastening slit 90 is smaller than the diameter 97 of the head 96 of the hexagonal socket head screw 94, but is larger than the diameter 99 of the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket head screw 94. Therefore, the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket head screw 94 is passed through each fastening slit 90 with a gap. In contrast, the head 96 of the hexagonal socket head screw 94 cannot pass through each fastening slit 90 and abuts against the left extension portion 88.

The partition 82 also has an insertion hole 100 on its right side into which the tip portion of the expander 30 is inserted. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the diameter 102 of the insertion hole 100 is made larger than the diameter 38 of the expander 30, but smaller than the diameter 40 of the intermediate flange 36 of the expander 30. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, when the tip portion of the expander 30 is inserted into the insertion hole 100 of the partition 82, the intermediate flange 36 of the expander 30 abuts against the partition 82.

As shown in FIG. 12, the rear surface of the frame 20 is provided with an exhaust port 200 in addition to the above-mentioned communication connection port 202, PC connection port 204, AC inlet 206, turnkey 208, and cable ties 210, 212. The exhaust port 200 is disposed rearward of the exhaust fan (not shown). Above the exhaust port 200, the communication connection port 202 and PC connection port 204 are disposed side by side in the left-right direction. To the left of the exhaust port 200, the AC inlet 206 and turnkey 208 are disposed side by side in the up-down direction.

The cable tie 210 is disposed between the PC connection port 204 and the exhaust port 200, diagonally above and to the right of the exhaust port 200. This allows the wiring (not shown) extending from the communication connection port 202 or the PC connection port 204 to be tied with the cable tie 210 and prevented from hanging down outside the exhaust port 200. The cable tie 212 is disposed between the AC inlet 206 and the exhaust port 200, diagonally below and to the left of the exhaust port 200. This allows the power cord (not shown) extending from the AC inlet 206 to be tied with the cable tie 212 and prevented from hanging down outside the exhaust port 200. In this way, each cable tie 210, 212 ensures the performance of the exhaust fan (not shown) described above.

As described above in detail, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, of the three hexagonal socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12, the first imaginary columnar region V1, which is obtained by extending the head surface of the lowest hexagonal socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1, does not overlap with the first mirror 56 that faces the expander 30 in the forward direction D1. Therefore, it is easy for an operator to apply a hexagonal wrench (not shown) to the head surface of the lowest hexagonal socket screw 34 from the forward direction D1. Therefore, the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment has excellent workability in replacing the expander 30 that is facing the first mirror 56.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, the optical path length L1 of the laser light R between the expander 30 and the mirror surface portion 57 of the first mirror 56 in the forward direction D1 is shorter than the optical path length L2 of the laser light R between the mirror surface portion 57 of the first mirror 56 and the mirror surface portion 59 of the second mirror 58 in the downward direction D2. Therefore, the amount of deviation of the optical path of the laser light R between the expander 30 and the mirror surface portion 57 of the first mirror 56 is suppressed to be smaller than the amount of deviation of the optical path of the laser light R between the mirror surface portion 57 of the first mirror 56 and the mirror surface portion 59 of the second mirror 58. This makes it possible to make the mirror area of the mirror surface portion 57 of the first mirror 56 smaller than the mirror area of the mirror surface portion 59 of the second mirror 58. As a result, it is easier to prevent the first mirror 56 from overlapping the first virtual columnar region V1.

In other words, the mirror area of the mirror surface 57 of the first mirror 56 is smaller than the mirror area of the mirror surface 59 of the second mirror 58. This makes it easier for an operator to use a hexagonal wrench (not shown) to engage the three hexagonal socket screws 34 used to secure the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, the partition 82 of the inner cover 14 surrounding the first mirror 56, the second mirror 58, and the X-axis galvanometer mirror 72 and the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74 of the galvanometer scanner 70 is disposed between the galvanometer scanner 70 and the galvanometer substrate 18, thereby blocking the gap between the galvanometer scanner 70 and the galvanometer substrate 18. Therefore, even if the laser light R scanned two-dimensionally by the galvanometer scanner 70 becomes stray light unnecessary for marking (printing) processing and heads toward the galvanometer substrate 18, it is blocked by the partition 82, thereby suppressing damage to the galvanometer substrate 18 due to such stray light.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, a cushioning material 15 wrapped around a part of the wiring 19 connecting the galvano scanner 70 and the galvano substrate 18 is loaded between the wiring 19 and the notch 84 of the partition wall 82. Therefore, the gap between the wiring 19 and the notch 84 of the partition wall 82 is sealed, so that stray light unnecessary for the above-mentioned marking (printing) processing does not reach the galvano substrate 18, and damage to the galvano substrate 18 is suppressed. In addition, the intrusion of dust and the like into the inside of the inner cover 14 is suppressed.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, an insertion hole 100 into which the tip portion of the expander 30 is inserted is provided in the partition 82 of the inner cover 14. The diameter 102 of the insertion hole 100 is larger than the diameter 38 of the expander 30 and smaller than the diameter 40 of the intermediate flange 36 of the expander 30. Therefore, when the tip portion of the expander 30 is inserted into the insertion hole 100 of the partition 82, the intermediate flange 36 of the expander 30 is in contact with the partition 82. This prevents stray light unnecessary for the above-mentioned marking (printing) processing from being emitted from the insertion hole 100 to the outside of the inner cover 14, and prevents dust and the like from entering the inside of the inner cover 14 from the insertion hole 100.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, the width 92 of each fastening slit 90 provided in the left extension portion 88 of the inner cover 14 along the direction in which the partition 82 extends (left-right direction) is larger than the diameter 99 of the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket screw 94 and smaller than the diameter 97 of the head portion 96 of the hexagonal socket screw 94. Therefore, the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket screw 94 is passed through each fastening slit 90 with a gap. As a result, when fixing the inner cover 14 to the base 10 with the hexagonal socket screw 94, the operator can adjust the position of the inner cover 14 on the base 10 by moving the inner cover 14 with the hexagonal socket screw 94 passed through each fastening slit 90 in the direction in which the partition 82 extends (left-right direction) or the like. Therefore, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, the work of fixing the inner cover 14 to the base 10 is easy.

In addition, in the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment, the pedestal member 50 is fixed to the base 10 by a hexagonal socket screw 63 passed through the fixing portion 54 of the pedestal member 50. The second imaginary columnar region V2, which is an extension of the head surface of the hexagonal socket screw 63 in the screwing direction (vertical direction) of the hexagonal socket screw 63, does not overlap with the pedestal body 52 of the pedestal member 50. Therefore, it is easy for an operator to apply a hexagonal wrench (not shown) or the like to the head surface of the hexagonal socket screw 63 from above in the screwing direction (vertical direction) of the hexagonal socket screw 63. Therefore, the laser processing device 1 of this embodiment has excellent workability in replacing the pedestal member 50.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, the inner cover 14 is an example of a "cover". The galvanometer board 18 is an example of a "control board". The hexagonal socket head screw 34 is an example of a "first screw". The intermediate flange 36 is an example of a "flange". The rotation mechanism 60 is an example of a "movement mechanism". The hexagonal socket head screw 63 is an example of a "third screw". The screwing direction (up and down direction) of the hexagonal socket head screw 63 is an example of a "third screw screwing direction". The X-axis galvanometer mirror 72 and the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74 are examples of a "galvanometer mirror". The galvanometer board 18, the X-axis galvanometer mirror 72, and the Y-axis galvanometer mirror 74 are examples of a "scanning unit". The left extension portion 88 is an example of an "extension portion". The pair of fastening slits 90 are an example of a "multiple fastening portions". The hexagonal socket head screw 94 is an example of a "second screw". The forward direction D1 is an example of a "first direction". The downward direction D2 is an example of the "second direction." The leftward direction D3 is an example of the "third direction." The optical path length L1 of the laser light R between the expander 30 and the first mirror 56 in the forward direction D1 is an example of the "optical path length of the laser light between the expander and the first mirror in the first direction." The optical path length L2 of the laser light R between the first mirror 56 and the second mirror 58 in the downward direction D2 is an example of the "optical path length of the laser light between the first mirror and the second mirror in the second direction."

The present disclosure is not limited to the present embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.
For example, in this embodiment, the expander 30 is fixed to the laser oscillation unit 12 by three hexagon socket screws 34, but the expander 30 may be fixed to the laser oscillation unit 12 by at least one hexagon socket screw 34.
Furthermore, the pillar member 50 does not need to include the pivot mechanism 60. In such a modified example, the first mirror 56 cannot pivot, but at least one hexagon socket head screw 34 needs to be disposed in the fixing flange 32 of the expander 30 at a position such that a first imaginary pillar-shaped region formed by extending the head surface of the hexagon socket head screw 34 in the forward direction D1 does not overlap with the first mirror 56.

Moreover, the pedestal member 50 may be provided with a lifting mechanism for moving the first mirror 56 in the up-down direction along the pedestal body 52, instead of the rotating mechanism 60. In such a modified example, for example, the first mirror 56, which is in a first position in a posture in which the laser light R from the expander 30 is reflected in the downward direction D2, is moved downward by the above-mentioned lifting mechanism, so that the head surfaces of all the hexagon socket head screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12 are moved to a second position where each first imaginary columnar region extending in the forward direction D1 does not overlap with the first mirror 56.
The above-mentioned lifting mechanism is an example of the "moving mechanism".

As shown in FIG. 13, when the expander 30 is viewed from the front side, of the three hexagonal socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12, the lowest hexagonal socket screw 34 and the leftmost hexagonal socket screw 34 may be disposed in positions on the fixing flange 32 of the expander 30 that do not overlap with the first mirror 56 that is in a position to reflect the laser light R from the expander 30 in the downward direction D2. In such a case, similar to the first virtual columnar region V1 of the lowest hexagonal socket screw 34, the first virtual columnar region obtained by extending the head surface of the leftmost hexagonal socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1 does not overlap with the first mirror 56 that faces the expander 30 in the forward direction D1.

Furthermore, the operator rotates the first mirror 56 around the rotation axis 62 parallel to the left direction D3 using the rotation bolt 61 of the rotation mechanism 60, thereby moving the first mirror 56 from the position shown in FIG. 13 to the position shown in FIG. 14 (e.g., a position where the first mirror 56 including the mirror surface portion 57 is parallel to the left and right directions).

When the first mirror 56 is in the position shown in FIG. 14, the length L3 of the first mirror 56 in the downward direction D2 is smaller than the distance L4 in the downward direction D2 between the three hexagon socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12. Furthermore, the first mirror 56 in the position shown in FIG. 14 is interposed between the leftmost and rightmost hexagon socket screws 34 and the lowest hexagon socket screw 34 in the vertical direction.

Therefore, when viewed from the front, none of the hexagon socket screws 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillation unit 12 overlaps with the first mirror 56 located at the position shown in FIG. 14. In this case, similar to the first virtual columnar region V1 of the lowest hexagon socket screw 34, the first virtual columnar region obtained by extending the head surface of the leftmost hexagon socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1 and the first virtual columnar region obtained by extending the head surface of the rightmost hexagon socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1 do not overlap with the first mirror 56 that faces the expander 30 in the forward direction D1.

Therefore, even in the modified example shown in Figures 13 and 14, an operator can easily use a hexagonal wrench (not shown) from the forward direction D1 on each head surface of the three hexagonal socket screws 34 used to fix the expander 30 to the laser oscillator unit 12, which makes it easier to replace the expander 30 facing the first mirror 56.

Incidentally, in the above-described modified example, the position of the first mirror 56 shown in Fig. 13 is an example of the "first position". The position of the first mirror 56 shown in Fig. 14 is an example of the "second position". The length L3 is an example of the "length of the first mirror in the second direction at the second position".
The interval L4 is an example of "the interval in the second direction between the multiple first screws that fix the expander."

Also, there may be only one hexagonal socket screw 34 for fixing the expander 30 to the laser oscillator unit 12. In such a modified example, the single hexagonal socket screw 34 is disposed in a position on the fixing flange 32 of the expander 30 such that the first imaginary columnar region formed by extending the head surface of the single hexagonal socket screw 34 in the forward direction D1 does not overlap with the first mirror 56.

In addition, a pair of fastening holes 104 shown in FIG. 15 may be provided in the left extension portion 88 of the inner cover 14 instead of each fastening slit 90. In such a modified example, the diameter 106 of each fastening hole 104 is smaller than the diameter 97 of the head 96 of the hexagonal socket screw 94, but larger than the diameter 99 of the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket screw 94. As a result, the shaft portion 98 of the hexagonal socket screw 94 is passed through each fastening hole 104 with a gap. In contrast, the head 96 of the hexagonal socket screw 94 cannot pass through each fastening hole 104 and abuts against the left extension portion 88.

1: Laser processing device, 10: Base, 12: Laser oscillation unit, 14: Inner cover, 15: Cushioning material, 18: Galvano board, 19: Wiring, 30: Expander, 34: Hexagonal socket head screw, 36: Intermediate flange, 50: Pillar member, 52: Pillar body, 54: Fixing part, 56: First mirror, 57: Mirror surface part of first mirror, 58: Second mirror, 59: Mirror surface part of second mirror, 60: Rotation mechanism, 62: Rotation axis, 63: Hexagonal socket head screw, 72: X-axis galvanometer mirror, 74: Y-axis galvanometer mirror, 82: Partition, 84: Notch, 88: Left extension, 90: Fastening slit, 92: Width of fastening slit, 9 4: Hexagonal socket screw, 96: Head of hexagonal socket screw, 97: Diameter of head of hexagonal socket screw, 98: Shank of hexagonal socket screw, 98: Diameter of shank of hexagonal socket screw, 100: Insertion hole, 102: Diameter of insertion hole, D1: Forward, D2: Downward, D3: Leftward, L1: Optical path length of laser light between expander and first mirror in forward direction, L2: Optical path length of laser light between first mirror and second mirror in downward direction, L3: Downward length of first mirror at second position, L4: Downward distance of hexagonal socket screw, R: Laser light, V1: First virtual columnar region, V2: Second virtual columnar region, W: Workpiece

Claims (4)

a laser oscillation unit that emits a laser beam;
A scanning unit that scans a workpiece with a laser beam;
an expander that is fixed to the laser oscillation unit by a first screw that is screwed into the laser oscillation unit from a first direction and that outputs a laser beam incident from the laser oscillation unit in the first direction;
a first mirror that faces the expander in the first direction and reflects the laser light incident from the expander in a second direction;
a rotation mechanism that rotates the first mirror between a first position and a second position with a third direction as a rotation axis;
Equipped with
At least one of the first screws has a first imaginary columnar region formed by extending a head surface of the first screw in the first direction, the first imaginary columnar region not overlapping with the first mirror,
the first position is a position where the first mirror reflects the laser light in the second direction,
the second position is a position where the first virtual columnar region of at least one of the first screws does not overlap the first mirror;
A laser processing apparatus, characterized in that a length of the first mirror in the second direction at the second position is smaller than a distance in the second direction between the plurality of first screws that fix the expander . A plurality of the first screws are provided,
2. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first imaginary columnar region of each of the first screws does not overlap the first mirror. a second mirror facing the first mirror in the second direction and reflecting the laser light incident from the first mirror in the third direction;
an optical path length of the laser light between the expander and the first mirror in the first direction is shorter than an optical path length of the laser light between the first mirror and the second mirror in the second direction;
3. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a mirror area of the first mirror capable of reflecting the laser light from the expander is smaller than a mirror area of the second mirror capable of reflecting the laser light from the first mirror . a laser oscillation unit that emits a laser beam;
A scanning unit that scans a workpiece with a laser beam;
an expander that is fixed to the laser oscillation unit by a first screw that is screwed into the laser oscillation unit from a first direction and that outputs a laser beam incident from the laser oscillation unit in the first direction;
a first mirror that faces the expander in the first direction and reflects the laser light incident from the expander in a second direction;
a second mirror that faces the first mirror in the second direction and reflects the laser light incident from the first mirror to the scanning unit;
a rotation mechanism that rotates the first mirror between a first position and a second position with a third direction as a rotation axis;
Equipped with
At least one of the first screws has a first imaginary columnar region formed by extending a head surface of the first screw in the first direction, the first imaginary columnar region not overlapping with the first mirror,
the first position is a position where the first mirror reflects the laser light in the second direction,
the second position is a position where the first virtual columnar region of at least one of the first screws does not overlap the first mirror;
A laser processing apparatus, characterized in that a length of the first mirror in the second direction at the second position is smaller than a distance in the second direction between the plurality of first screws that fix the expander .

Images