JP2001062573A - Laser marker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser marker, wherein controllability related to checks of printing contents with a visible radiation trace function is improved and time required till completion of printing is reduced when the printing contents are newly inputted or inputted for revision. SOLUTION: This laser marker is equipped with a head part, a controller and a console 3, and the console 3 has a touch panel installed on a display screen. The display of a setting mode is provided with a toggle-type guide laser button 31 for switching/setting effect or non-effect of a visible radiation trace function. When the condition that the visible radiation trace function is effective is set by the push button 31, every time when push buttons for newly inputting or revisedly inputting the printing contents including a reduction button, an enlargement button and a moving button to top/bottom and right/left are pushed, the visible radiation trace function is automatically carried out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for printing a surface of an object by using a laser in accordance with a printing content such as a size and a position of a printing character inputted using an operation panel. The present invention relates to a laser marker having a visible light tracing function of tracing print contents on the surface of an object using an output visible light laser.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser marker of this type is an apparatus for marking characters or the like on the surface of an object such as resin, wood, metal, etc. using a laser beam. By heating the surface of an object such as resin, wood, metal, etc. with a laser beam emitted from a laser having a relatively high output such as a CO ₂ laser or a YAG laser, and locally discoloring or deforming the surface Perform marking of characters and the like.

As a method of deflecting a laser beam along a character or the like to be marked, a method called vector scan is usually used. This is a method in which the deflection of the laser beam in the X and Y directions is simultaneously controlled using a galvano scanner, thereby moving the laser beam along a character or a line drawing. In order to perform marking efficiently and in a short time, a trajectory with one stroke is selected as much as possible.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the entire configuration of a laser marker. The laser marker includes a head unit 1, a controller 2, and a console 3. The head unit 1 has a built-in laser oscillator and scanner, and is installed so as to face an object 4 to be marked. Controller 2
It has a microprocessor and a memory for controlling the laser oscillator and scanner of the head unit 1. The console (that is, the operation panel) 3 is composed of a liquid crystal display and a transparent touch panel, and has a size of a character to be marked,
It is used to set the contents of the marking such as the position (hereinafter, referred to as print contents). The controller 2 calculates the optimum trajectory of the laser beam in accordance with the print content set by the console 3, and controls the laser oscillator and scanner of the head unit 1 based on the trajectory.

Some laser markers have a visible light tracing function. This is a function of tracing the contents of printing on the surface of a target object using a weak output visible light laser beam emitted from a semiconductor laser before performing printing processing using a CO ₂ laser or a YAG laser. Thus, before the printing process is actually performed, the print content can be confirmed on the surface of the target object. Since the size, position, etc. of the characters finally printed on the surface of the target object are traced by the visible light laser as they are, more specific and reliable compared to the case where the printed contents are confirmed only by the display on the console 3 The print contents can be confirmed at the same time.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show display examples of the console 3 in a conventional laser marker having a visible light tracing function. FIG. 2 is a display of a setting mode for setting print contents such as character size and position, and FIG.
4 is a display of a test mode for performing visible light tracing (guide laser printing). A plurality of modes including these modes include a tag at the right end of the display screen (for example, setting tag 11).
Alternatively, it is switched by pressing the test tag 12).

In the display of the setting mode shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of push buttons for switching setting contents are displayed at the lower end of the screen. In the illustrated example, the image button 13 is in a pressed state, and this is indicated by the inverted display of the image button 13. Correspondingly, a character string (or mark) to be printed is displayed as a thumbnail in the circular window 14 on the left side of the screen. On the right side, the set values of the printing start coordinates (X, Y) are displayed, and below them, a total of six push buttons of an enlargement button, a reduction button, and a button for moving up, down, left and right are displayed. ing. When these push buttons are pressed, the circular window 14
Is enlarged or reduced, or moves up, down, left and right. In this way, when the new input or the correction input of the print content is completed, the display changes to the test mode shown in FIG. 3 by pressing the test tag.

In the test mode display of FIG. 3, it is possible to instruct the execution of the trace function by the visible light laser.
By pressing the guide laser single shot print button 15 or the guide laser continuous print button 16, either one-time tracing or continuous display by repeated tracing can be selected. Thereafter, by pressing the start (TRG) button 17, the visible light trace is started. YA
By pressing the push button of the G laser printing 18 and selecting the YAG laser printing, it is possible to perform actual printing in this test mode. The display of the print processing mode can be selected from the menu button 19 on the upper right.

[0009]

The visible light tracing function as described above traces and prints the contents of a print in almost the same state as when the print processing is actually performed on the surface of the object. While it can be done more reliably,
There is a disadvantage that the time required until finally printing is long. In other words, if the step of executing visible light tracing is inserted between the step of setting the print contents using the console (operation panel) and the step of executing printing with the high-power laser, the printing is completed by that amount. Takes longer.

[0010] In particular, when the result of confirming the print content by the visible light trace function is not satisfactory, the visible light trace is executed again after correcting the print content.
The time until printing is completed is further increased. In the above example, the display of the console 3 is returned from the test mode shown in FIG. 3 to the setting mode shown in FIG. 2, and after the print content is corrected, the display is returned to the test mode shown in FIG. Execute the optical trace function and check the print contents after correction. Until the confirmation result is satisfactory, the correction of the print content and the confirmation of the print content by the visible light trace function are repeated.

Conventionally, a wait time of up to several seconds is required depending on the number of characters between the time when the print contents are set (ie, new input or correction input is completed (determined)) and when the print contents are traced on the surface of the object. It was necessary to secure. This waiting time corresponds to the time required for the controller 2 to calculate the optimum trajectory of the laser beam in accordance with the set print contents and develop the coordinates into coordinates. In addition, when the operator is unfamiliar, it is liable that the correction of the print contents and the confirmation of the print contents by the visible light tracing function are frequently repeated.
The operation may be bothersome.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems and improves the operability of confirming the print contents by the visible light tracing function at the time of new input or correction input of the print contents, and also requires the completion of printing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser marker with a reduced time.

[0013]

According to the present invention, there is provided a laser marker comprising: a size of a print character input by using an operation panel;
According to the print content such as the position, before performing the printing process using the laser on the surface of the object, it has a visible light tracing function of tracing the print content on the surface of the object using a low output visible light laser. A laser marker, characterized in that at each input operation, the printed content at that time is traced on the surface of the object by a visible light laser without waiting for completion of new input or corrected input of the printed content. . Note that the trace of the print content by the visible light laser may be traced only once, but it is preferable that the trace of the same locus is repeatedly executed so that the print content is continuously displayed on the surface of the object.

Instead of instructing the execution of the visible light tracing function after completing (fixing) the new input or correction input of the print content as in the prior art, the input operation is performed for the new input or correction input of the print content. Is performed, the print content at that time is traced. For example, each time a key for moving the print position of a character string is pressed, a trace is made at a new print position by visible light. As a result, the operability is improved and the time required for completing printing is reduced.

In the configuration of the present invention, every time an input operation is performed, a calculation process or the like for obtaining the optimum trajectory of the laser beam is executed in accordance with the set print contents (new input or corrected input). In recent years, the processing speed of microprocessors (or numerical processors) has been remarkably improved, and even if such arithmetic processing is performed for each input operation,
Problems such as long key input delays have been eliminated.

Further, it is preferable that every time an input operation is performed, the print content at that time is displayed on the display unit of the operation panel and traced on the surface of the object by the visible light laser. Further, a switching means for switching between enabling and disabling the visible light tracing function is provided, so that the trace of the print content by the visible light laser is executed only when the visible light tracing function is set to be effective. Is preferred. For example, it is preferable that a push button for setting whether to enable or disable the visible light tracing function is provided on the operation panel.

In the visible light tracing function, the trace of the print content by the visible light laser is repeatedly executed, so that the print content is continuously displayed on the surface of the object,
In addition, it is preferable that the tracing by the visible light laser is performed at a speed higher than the moving speed of the laser beam at the time of printing. Depending on the material of the object, the output of the printable laser, and the like, the moving speed of the laser beam at the time of printing may be considerably slow. In such a case, by making the speed of tracing by the visible light laser faster than the moving speed of the laser beam at the time of printing, continuous display by repeated tracing utilizing the afterimage effect of the human eye becomes effective.

In a second configuration of the laser marker according to the present invention, an operation panel is composed of a display device (for example, a liquid crystal display panel) and a transparent touch panel provided on the screen, and the surface of the object is processed using a laser. A laser marker configured to switch the display of the display device (display of usable push buttons and the like) for each mode such as a setting mode for inputting the contents of printing to be performed and a printing mode for instructing execution of printing processing. In the setting mode, when new input or correction input of the print content is performed, the print content is traced by the visible light laser on the surface of the object without switching the display of the display device. . That is, instead of switching the display from the setting mode to another mode such as the test mode after completing the setting of the print content and instructing the execution of the visible light tracing function as in the conventional case, the display in the setting mode is not changed. Can execute the visible light tracing function. Thereby, operability is improved.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The laser marker according to the present embodiment includes a head 1, a controller 2, and a console 3, similarly to the conventional laser marker shown in FIG. These components are connected to each other by a cable, and signals are exchanged with each other.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the head unit 1. As shown in FIG. The head unit 1 includes a laser oscillator 11, a scanner 12, a semiconductor (visible light) laser 13, a half mirror 14, a microprocessor 15, and a communication port 16.

The laser oscillator 11 is a CO ₂ laser or Y
It is composed of an AG laser and outputs a laser beam for locally heating the surface of the object and performing printing processing by discoloration or deformation. The scanner 12 includes a horizontal deflecting device 12a for deflecting the laser beam output from the laser oscillator 11 in the horizontal direction and a vertical deflecting device 12b for deflecting the laser beam in the vertical direction.
And The laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 11 reaches the surface of the object 4 through the half mirror 14 and the scanner 12. Then, by the operation of the scanner 12,
A laser beam spot moves on the surface of the object 4 along a trajectory where marking (printing) of characters or the like is to be performed.

The semiconductor (visible light) laser 13 outputs a visible light (red) laser beam with a weak output in order to realize a visible light tracing function. After the optical path of the visible light laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser 13 is bent by the half mirror 14, it reaches the surface of the object 4 through the same optical path as the laser beam from the laser oscillator 11. Therefore, the spot of the visible light laser beam also moves on the surface of the object 4 along the trajectory where marking (printing) of characters and the like is performed by the scanner 12.

The microprocessor 15 has a communication port 1
The laser oscillator 11 or the semiconductor laser 13 and the scanner 12 are controlled in accordance with a command given from the controller 2 via the controller 6. For example, the scanner 12 is controlled so that the laser beam is moved with a single stroke along the character or line drawing of the marking. Further, the laser oscillator 11 or the semiconductor laser 13 is controlled so as to stop the output of the laser beam during the pause period from one stroke to the next stroke.
However, the head unit 1 may not be provided with the microprocessor 15 but may be provided with only the laser oscillator 11 or the drive circuit for driving the semiconductor laser 13 and the scanner 12 in accordance with a signal from the controller 2.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the controller 2. The controller 2 has a communication port 2 for transmitting and receiving commands and data to and from the head unit 1.
1, a microprocessor 22, a memory 23, and an I / O port 24 for connection to the console 3. The memory 23 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory) for storing processing programs and data executed by the microprocessor 22.

The console 3 is composed of a liquid crystal display device and a transparent touch panel provided on the screen, and sets print contents such as the size and position of characters to be marked and instructs execution of printing or visible light tracing. Used for The laser marker of the present embodiment is shown in FIGS.
A plurality of modes including a setting mode are switched and displayed by tag switching, similarly to the conventional laser marker described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a display example in the setting mode of the console 3 provided in the laser marker of the present embodiment. Unlike the display in the setting mode of the conventional example shown in FIG. 2, the guide laser button 31 is provided in the display of FIG. The guide laser button 31 is a push button for enabling the execution of the visible light tracing function without changing the display mode of the console 3 without changing the display of the setting mode.

The guide laser button 31 is a toggle type push button for switching whether or not to execute a visible light tracing function (guide laser function). In the state of FIG. 6, the visible light tracing function is invalid, and in this state, the guide laser button 31
When the button is pressed, the display is highlighted in the same manner as the image button 32 of the plurality of push buttons arranged at the lower end of the screen, and the visible light trace function is enabled. When the guide laser button 31 is further pressed, the visible light tracing function of FIG. 6 returns to a disabled state.

When the state where the visible light tracing function is enabled by the guide laser button 31 is set, the visible light tracing is performed every time the push button is operated in this setting mode for new input or correction input of the print content. The function is performed automatically. For example, when the rightward movement button 33 is pressed in order to slightly move the printing position to the right, the visible light tracing function is automatically executed each time the button is pressed, and a new movement after moving to the surface of the object 4 is performed. A print character string is traced at the print position. The print character string (or mark) displayed inside the circular window 34 on the left side of the display screen of the console 3 also moves by a predetermined amount at the same time.

When the visible light tracing function is disabled by the guide laser button 31, even if the push button is operated for new input or correction input of the print content,
The visible light trace function is not automatically executed,
Only the print character string displayed inside the circular window 34 on the left side of the display screen changes. In this case, the guide laser button 3
Only when 1 is pressed, the visible light trace of the print content stored at that time may be executed.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the microprocessor 22 in the setting mode.
In step # 101, it is checked whether or not a print content input button relating to new input or correction input of print content has been pressed. The print content input buttons include push buttons for correcting the print content, such as the reduction, enlargement, and movement buttons shown in FIG.

If the print content input button is not pressed,
In step # 112, it is checked whether the tag button has been pressed. The tag buttons are characters, setting, common, printing, saving, and changing tags arranged at the right end in the display of FIG. When a tag is pressed, the display mode is switched in step # 113 according to the pressed tag, and the process proceeds to each display mode. If neither the print content input button nor the tag button has been pressed, the flow returns to step # 101 to wait for the input of the push button.

If the print content input button is pressed, the print content newly entered or corrected is stored in the memory 23 in step # 102. The print content is displayed in the circular window 34 on the left side of the display screen of the console 3 in step # 103. The circular window 34 indicates a printable range, and it is necessary to store the print content inside the circular window 34. The portion protruding from the circular window 34 is not printed.

In the next step # 104, it is checked whether or not the visible light tracing function is set to be enabled by the guide laser button 31. If the visible light tracing function is not set to a valid state, the process returns to step # 101. That is, the newly input or corrected input print content is displayed in the circular window 34 on the left side of the display screen of the console 3.
And no visible light trace to the surface of the object 4 is performed.

If it is determined in step # 104 that the visible light tracing function is enabled, the process proceeds to step # 105.
The visible light tracing function is executed by the subsequent processing.
First, in step # 105, the printing order of the print character string is determined. The optimal order is determined so that the deflection angle (movement of the beam spot) of the laser beam by the scanner is as small as possible.

In the next step # 106, the font of each character is read. The character font is composed of straight lines and elliptical arcs, and is stored in the memory 23 in advance as a set of data such as a start point, an end point, a focus, and a curvature.

In the next step # 107, the spot trajectory of the laser beam is determined. In accordance with the order determined in step # 105 and the font of each character read in step # 106, make one stroke as much as possible.
A spot trajectory is determined. The period (timing) when laser output should be stopped between one stroke and the next stroke
Is also determined.

In the next step # 108, the spot trajectory of the laser beam determined as described above is converted into time-series coordinate data.
(First in first out) are sequentially stored in the memory.

In the next step # 109, time-series coordinate data is sequentially read from the FIFO memory, and step # 1 is executed.
At 10, the coordinate data is converted into a voltage to be applied to the scanner 12. As described above, the scanner 12 has the horizontal deflecting device 12a for deflecting the laser beam in the horizontal direction and the vertical deflecting device 12b for deflecting the laser beam in the vertical direction. Each of the deflecting devices has a deflection angle proportional to the applied voltage. Deflects the laser beam.

In the last step # 111, the scanner 12
In addition, the semiconductor laser 13 is controlled, and the trace of the print content is performed on the surface of the object 4 by the visible light (red) laser. However, in the laser marker of the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the microprocessor 22 of the controller 2 sends commands and data for controlling the scanner 12 and the semiconductor laser 13 from the communication port 21 to the head unit 1. Just transmit it. The microprocessor 15 of the head unit 1 that has received the command and the data,
The scanner 12 and the semiconductor laser 13 are controlled.

The processing from step # 105 to step # 110 is executed when printing is performed on the surface of the object 4 with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator (CO ₂ laser or YAG laser) 11. The processing is basically the same as the above. Then, if the laser oscillator 11 is controlled in place of the semiconductor laser 13 in step # 111, the printing process is actually performed. However, in order to execute the visible light tracing function, step # 10 is performed.
When the processing from Step 5 to Step # 110 is executed, it is not necessary to execute the same processing again in the subsequent print processing. The laser oscillator 11 may be controlled using the time-series coordinate data and the like obtained in the processing from step # 105 to step # 110.

In the example described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 in the description of the prior art, the input mode of the print content input button and the screen of the print content are not set in the setting mode in FIG. Only display processing is performed. Then, the test tag (12 in FIG. 2) is pressed and the test mode (FIG. 3) is pressed.
When the process shifts to, a process corresponding to the process from step # 105 to step # 108 in FIG. 7 is executed in the background. Further, when the execution of the visible light tracing function is instructed in the test mode (when the start button 17 is pressed after the guide laser single shot 15 or the guide laser continuous printing 16), the steps from step # 109 in FIG. A process corresponding to the process of # 111 is executed.

It is not always necessary to match the moving speed of the visible light laser with the moving speed of the printing laser. Rather, as in the second control example described below, it may be preferable to make the moving speed of the visible light laser faster than the moving speed of the printing laser.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control example (second control example) in the case of performing continuous display utilizing the afterimage effect by repeated tracing. In step # 201, it is checked whether the tag button has been pressed. If a tag is pressed, step # 2 is performed according to the pressed tag.
At 13, the display mode is switched, and the process proceeds to each display mode.

In step # 202, it is checked whether or not a print content input button relating to correction input of print content has been pressed. When the print content input button is pressed, the print content stored in the memory 23 is updated in step # 203, and the print content is displayed in the circular window 34 on the left side of the display screen of the console 3 in step # 204. You. Thereafter, the processing shifts to the processing related to the trace function from step # 205.

If the print content input button is not pressed in step # 202, the print content stored in the memory 23 is not updated, but the display with the same print content (step # 204) and the visible light trace (Step # 205 and subsequent steps) are executed.

At step # 205, it is checked whether or not the visible light tracing function is set to a valid state. Only when the function is set to valid, the visible light tracing from step # 205 is executed. The processing from step # 205 to step # 212 is the same as the processing from step # 104 to step # 111 in FIG. 7 described in the control example described above.

In this embodiment, since the trace by the visible light laser is repeatedly performed, the print contents are continuously displayed on the surface of the object 4 by the afterimage of the human eye. At this time, in order to make continuous display by the afterimage effect effective, it is necessary to set the moving speed of the visible light laser to a minimum speed at which the afterimage phenomenon occurs. On the other hand, depending on conditions such as the material of the object 4 and the output of the printable laser, the moving speed of the laser beam at the time of printing may be considerably slow. Therefore, by setting the moving speed of the visible light laser to a speed higher than the moving speed of the laser beam at the time of printing processing, that is, a speed equal to or higher than the minimum speed at which the afterimage phenomenon occurs, continuous display using an afterimage effect by repeated tracing is performed. Becomes effective.

As described above, the laser marker of the present invention
Guide laser button 3 for switching between enabling and disabling the visible light trace function in the setting mode display of console 3
When the guide laser button 31 is set to enable the visible light tracing function, the object is automatically set every time the push button is operated for new input or correction input of the print content. The trace of the print content is executed on the surface by the visible light laser beam.

However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be implemented in various forms. For example, without providing the guide laser button 31 for switching between enabling and disabling the visible light tracing function, whenever the push button is operated for new input or correction input of the print content, visible light is always applied to the surface of the object. The trace of the print content by the laser beam may be executed again.

Alternatively, instead of the guide laser button 31 as a toggle-type push button for switching between enabling and disabling the visible light tracing function, a push button for instructing execution of the visible light tracing function is provided in the setting mode display. You may. Then, only when the push button is pressed, the visible light trace of the print content stored at that time is executed. In this case, the visible light tracing function is not automatically executed every time the push button is operated for new input or correction input of the print content, but the visible light tracing function is executed while the setting mode is displayed. The effect that can be obtained is obtained.

[0052]

As described above, according to the laser marker of the present invention, at the time of new input or correction input of the print content, the print content is automatically confirmed by the visible light tracing function, or at least the console. The visible light tracing function can be executed without switching the display mode of the (operation panel). Therefore, it is not necessary to repeat the operation of inputting the print content in the setting mode and executing the visible light tracing function in the test mode until a satisfactory result is obtained, unlike the related art.
The operability is improved, and the time required for completing printing is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the entire configuration of a conventional laser marker.

FIG. 2 is a display example of a console setting mode in a conventional laser marker having a visible light tracing function.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a display example of a console test (visible light trace) mode in a conventional laser marker having a visible light trace function.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a head unit in the laser marker according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an internal configuration of a controller in the laser marker according to the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a display example in a setting mode of a console provided in the laser marker of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by a microprocessor of a controller in a setting mode.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating another example of control by the microprocessor of the controller in the setting mode.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Head part 2 Controller 3 Console (operation panel) 4 Object 11 Laser oscillator 12 Scanner 13 Semiconductor (visible light) laser 14 Half mirror 15, 22 Microprocessor 16, 21 Communication port 23 Memory 24 I / O port

Claims (5)

[Claims] According to the present invention, a weak output visible light laser is applied to a surface of an object according to a print content such as a size and a position of a print character input by using an operation panel. A laser marker having a visible light tracing function of tracing a printed content on the surface of the object using, without waiting for completion of a new input or a corrected input of the printed content, each time an input operation is performed, at that time, A laser marker characterized in that the printed content of (1) is traced on the surface of the object by the visible light laser. 2. The laser marker according to claim 1, wherein each time the input operation is performed, the print content at that time is displayed on a display section of the operation panel and traced on the surface of the object by the visible light laser. . 3. A tracing device for switching the contents of the visible light with the visible light laser only when the visible light tracing function is set to be effective. 3. The laser marker according to claim 2, wherein said laser marker is executed. 4. In the visible light tracing function, printed contents are continuously displayed on the surface of the object by repeatedly tracing the printed contents by the visible light laser, and the laser light is used for the printing process. 2. The laser marker according to claim 1, wherein tracing by the visible light laser is performed at a speed higher than a moving speed of the beam. 5. An operation panel comprising a display device and a transparent touch panel provided on a screen of the display device, wherein a setting mode for inputting a print content to be processed by using a laser on the surface of an object, a print processing mode. A laser marker configured to switch the display of the display device for each mode such as a print mode for instructing execution, wherein in the setting mode, a new input or a correction input of the print content is performed. A laser marker characterized in that a trace of a print content by a visible light laser is traced on the surface of the object without switching the display on a display device.