JP2002292483A - Laser marking device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser marking device capable of easily adjusting not only printing positions of the whole character group but also printing positions of each character when the same characters are printed repeatedly. SOLUTION: Printing pattern data corresponding to the printing pattern to print repeatedly and a plurality of printing positions data corresponding to the printing position of the printing pattern are grasped and memorized by the prescribed standard coordinate and deviation therefor and both compensation of the standard coordinate and compensation of deviations are enabled by entering compensation values from the console 110.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser marking device having a galvanomirror capable of two-dimensionally scanning a laser beam.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a laser marking device is provided with a pair of galvanometer mirrors arranged in the optical path of laser light,
A console for inputting marking information and a CPU for processing the input marking information are provided. When inputting marking information such as printing pattern and printing position of characters / symbols / figures to be printed on the console, the CPU converts characters / symbols / figures etc. to predetermined line elements before starting marking based on the input marking information. In addition, coordinate data for marking each line element is generated in advance in consideration of the information about the printing position, and is stored in the memory.

[0003] To start marking, CP
U converts the coordinate data sequentially taken out of the memory into a voltage signal and supplies the voltage signal to the galvanomirror, whereby the galvanomirror is driven and the laser beam is scanned on the work.
A desired print pattern is printed on the surface of the work.

By the way, when characters and symbols are printed on a work by using this type of laser marking device, the same characters and symbols are used.
There are cases where it is desired to repeatedly print symbols and the like at different positions.
In this case, in the conventional laser marking device, when a character / symbol to be printed and its position are input, the CPU immediately divides the character / symbol / figure into predetermined line elements and takes into account information about the printing position. Then, coordinate data for marking each line element is generated in advance, and this is stored in a memory.

[0005]

However, in order to correct the printing position of the entire group of characters and symbols to be repeatedly printed, it is necessary to modify each data (characters to be printed and characters to be printed).
The symbol and its print position) must be re-input or corrected, and the correction requires a great deal of trouble.

However, if the entire area in which the same characters and symbols are repeatedly printed is grasped collectively as one group, it is easy to correct the printing position of the entire group. A problem arises in that the printing position of a symbol or the like cannot be partially corrected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a laser marking device and a data generation method thereof capable of easily adjusting a printing position when repeatedly printing the same characters and symbols. With the goal.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is a laser light source, and a galvano lamp provided in the optical path of the laser light source to reflect the laser light and irradiate the work with the laser light. A mirror, data setting means for inputting data relating to a print pattern such as characters, symbols, and figures to be printed and its print position; and coordinate data for printing the data based on the input print pattern data. A laser comprising: a data generating means for generating; and a galvano mirror control means for printing a desired print pattern by giving a signal to the galvanomirror based on the coordinate data and scanning the laser light on the work. In the marking device, the data generating means includes print pattern data corresponding to the print pattern to be repeatedly printed and Storage means for grasping and storing a plurality of print position data corresponding to the print position of the print pattern based on predetermined reference coordinates and deviations therefrom, and a correction value input for inputting a correction amount of the print position of the print pattern Means for correcting both the reference coordinates and the plurality of deviations with respect to the print position data stored in the storage means in accordance with a value input by the correction value input means. It has features. The correction means needs to be able to correct the reference coordinates and a plurality of deviations, but it is not necessary to correct both the reference coordinates and all the deviations when actually using this laser marking device. In this case, only the reference coordinates or the deviation may be corrected. Also,
When correcting the deviation, only a part of the deviation may be corrected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the storage means of the first aspect of the present invention, the predetermined reference coordinates for storing each print position data of the print pattern are set at arbitrary positions in the print area. It has a characteristic in the place where it is the coordinate origin. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the storage means according to the first aspect of the present invention, predetermined reference coordinates when the storage means stores each print position data of the print pattern are stored in the print pattern group repeatedly printed. The feature is that the coordinates of the print position of one of the print patterns are used.

[0010]

According to the present invention, when the same characters / symbols are repeatedly printed, the data setting means firstly prints the print pattern of the characters / symbols / graphics to be printed and the data on the printing position. input. Then, the data generation means grasps and stores the print pattern data corresponding to the print pattern to be repeatedly printed and a plurality of print position data corresponding to the print position of the print pattern based on the predetermined reference coordinates and the deviation from the predetermined reference coordinates. Therefore,
When the print position is to be corrected for the entire group of print patterns to be repeatedly printed, the data of the reference coordinates may be corrected. When partially correcting the printing position of the printing pattern such as characters and symbols of each component, it is sufficient to correct the data of the deviation portion, and after all, it is necessary to easily adjust the printing position of the whole or part. Will be able to

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The laser marking apparatus according to the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 1 as a whole. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 210 denotes a laser light source, and a laser beam emitted from the laser light source is a galvanomirror 22.
0 changes the direction. Galvano mirror 220
Has a pair of galvanometer mirrors 220V and 220W, and one galvanometer mirror 220W
The angle can be shifted in the vertical direction by 0Y, and the angle of the other galvanometer mirror 220V can be shifted in the horizontal direction by the driving means 220X. The laser light is turned in two directions by these two galvanometer mirrors 220V and 220W, and the irradiation point of the laser light (hereinafter, referred to as “marking point”) moves two-dimensionally on the workpiece W.

The electrical configuration of the laser marker device of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 2, in which a head unit 200 including a laser light source 210 and a galvanometer mirror 220 and a controller unit 100 are provided with respective line drivers / receivers 50A. , 50B.

Reference numeral 110 in the controller unit 100
Is, for example, a console corresponding to the data setting means and the correction value input means of the present invention, and is used for inputting data on characters, figures, symbols, etc. to be marked (hereinafter referred to as "print patterns") and print positions. And input data provided on a display (not shown) can be confirmed on the screen.

Reference numeral 120 denotes data generating means, and two CPUs 121 and 122 which also function as correcting means;
A font memory 123 and a writable / readable storage means 124, which divides a print pattern into predetermined line elements based on the font memory 123 based on data input from the console 110, and stores information on a print position. In addition, coordinate data for marking each line element is generated while being stored in the storage unit 124 in consideration of the above.

Reference numeral 140 denotes a coordinate data memory,
A counter 141 is connected to the memory 142 and the memory 1
A plurality of coordinate data generated by the data generating means 120 is stored in 42. Reference numeral 130 denotes a control unit that stores the plurality of coordinate data in the coordinate data memory 140 and stores the coordinate data in the coordinate data memory 14.
Line driver / receiver 50
Output to A. Further, the control means 130 recognizes whether or not the plurality of coordinate data is coordinate data of an end point which is a start point and an end point, and outputs the plurality of coordinate data.
Further, ON / OFF of the laser light source 210 is controlled.

On the other hand, reference numeral 230 in the head section 200
Is a D / A converter, and the controller unit 10
A plurality of coordinate data sent from the 0 coordinate data memory 140 via the line drivers / receivers 50A and 50B are converted into voltages corresponding to the respective coordinate data. Code 24
Numeral 0 denotes a servo circuit corresponding to a galvanomirror control means, which drives the galvanomirrors 220 based on the voltage from the D / A conversion means 230.
(See FIG. 1). Reference numeral 250 denotes an approach state detecting means, which includes a comparator 253, a window comparator 254, an angle sensor 251 and a differentiating circuit 252. Then, a voltage corresponding to each coordinate data from the D / A conversion means 230 and the galvanomirror 22
The approach state of the marking point with respect to the coordinate data of the end point is detected based on the voltage corresponding to the drive amount of 0, and a signal is supplied to the servo circuit 240.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3A, for example, three characters "A"
The operation of this embodiment will be described by taking as an example a case where printing is repeatedly performed at a predetermined position. First, information of the character "A" to be printed and three pieces of print position data indicating three positions to be printed in the printable area surrounded by a rectangular solid line are input from the console 110. Then, as shown in FIG. 3B, the data generation unit 120 converts the data representing the print pattern “A” into, for example, the JIS code “234”.
In addition, the coordinate position data is grasped by “predetermined reference coordinates” and the deviation thereof and stored in the storage means 124. In the case of this embodiment, the coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) of the origin O located at the center of the printable area are used as the predetermined reference coordinates, and the deviation is defined on the X axis and the Y axis from the origin coordinates. deviation of _{(x 1, y} 1),
(X ₂ , y ₂ ), (x ₃ , y ₃ ), that is, the coordinates are grasped by the orthogonal coordinates with reference to the origin O and stored in the storage means 124.

When these pieces of information are input, the data generating means 120 reads out the contents of the font memory 123 corresponding to the character "A", divides the contents into line elements, and sets the XY of the start point and end point thereof. The coordinate data on the orthogonal coordinate system is generated and output in consideration of the printing position, and is stored in the coordinate data memory 140. Here, “generating the coordinate data on the XY orthogonal coordinate system of the start point and the end point in consideration of the print position” means, for example, when the position of the start point on the font memory is (x _a , y _b ). , If the printing position is (x ₁ , y ₁ ), the position of the starting point is (x _a + x
₁ , y _b1 + y ₁ ).

At this time, it may be desired to adjust the entire positions of the three characters "A" to be printed. In this case, the mode is switched to the correction mode by a predetermined operation from the console 110, and then a desired correction value is input.
For example, when it is desired to shift in the X-axis direction, a desired value a is input in the X-direction column on the correction value input screen shown in FIG. Then, the reference coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) are corrected to (X _{0 −a} , Y ₀ ). As a result, the entire three “A” to be printed become X
It will be shifted by a on the axis. Also, three "A"
If it is desired to adjust only a specific one of the coordinates, the coordinate position data may be similarly corrected on the correction value input screen.

Next, when a switch (not shown) for starting the marking of the laser marking device is turned on, the control means 130 retrieves the coordinate data from the memory 142 and sequentially stores the coordinate data in a predetermined cycle at a D / D ratio. The signal is supplied to the galvano mirror 220 as a voltage signal via the A conversion means 230 and the servo circuit 240. Then, during this predetermined period, the galvanomirrors 220V and 220W are driven at a speed at which the marking point moves between the two positions specified by the respective coordinate data. At this time, based on the on / off signal from the control means 130, the laser light source 21
When 0 is turned on and the marking point is moved, desired characters, symbols, and figures are marked.

As described above, according to the laser marking device of the present embodiment, when the printing position is to be corrected for the entire group of three characters “A”, the data of the reference coordinates may be corrected. When the printing position is to be corrected for each character, the data of the deviation portion may be corrected. As a result, an effect is obtained in that the printing position can be easily adjusted for the whole or part.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
The form is shown. The difference from the first embodiment is that the data
Storage of data of storage means 124 in generation means 120
In the way. In the first embodiment, each print position data
Is stored at the coordinate origin (X ₀,
Y₀), But here the “reference coordinates” are repeated
One of the print pattern "A" groups to be printed
The coordinates of the print position of the pattern, for example,
(X₁, Y₁)
You. Other print positions are the print position of the first "A"
Is grasped by relative coordinates with respect to. Therefore,
When correcting the print position of the entire group as in the embodiment,
In this case, correct the reference coordinate position data and
If you want to correct the print position, correct each print position data
do it.

<Third Embodiment> FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. Here, an example is shown in which the same character "A" is repeatedly printed, for example, in a total of nine times over three columns and three lines. The print position can be specified by inputting the row pitch, the column pitch, the number of rows, and the number of columns from the console 110 on a predetermined input screen. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2B, the data generating means 120 sets the data representing the print pattern "A" together with the character code "2341" and the coordinate position data for printing the data as the reference coordinate position, for example, the origin O. Coordinates (X ₀ , Y ₀ ) and X from the reference coordinate position
Each of the deviation on the axis and Y-axis _{(x 1, y} 1) ~
It is calculated as (x ₉ , y ₉ ) and stored in the storage means 124.

In this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the printing position of the entire group can be corrected by correcting the reference coordinate position data. Further, each print position can be corrected by correcting each coordinate position data. Furthermore, to move in units of rows, the row pitch may be re-input and recalculated. To move in units of columns, the column pitch may be re-input and re-calculated.

In this embodiment, the origin O is set as the reference coordinate position. However, similar to the second embodiment, the printing position (printing position) of one of the printing patterns "A" repeatedly printed is determined. For example, each print position may be specified by relative coordinates based on the coordinates of the first print position).

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.
In addition to the following, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the third embodiment, the character A (print pattern)
Has been described as an example in which the print positions are arranged on a straight line crossing vertically and horizontally. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. May be arranged. Further, the printing positions may be arranged on concentric circles as shown in FIG. 7B, and the printing positions may be arranged on intersections of a plurality of parallel curves and a plurality of parallel straight lines as shown in FIG. Is also good. Of course, the printing position may be arranged on the intersection of a plurality of parallel curves and a plurality of diagonal straight lines as shown in FIG. 4D, and the intersection of the plurality of parallel curves as shown in FIG. The print position may be arranged above. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11F, the printing positions may be irregularly arranged on a plurality of straight lines extending in the column direction.
As shown in (G), the printing positions may be irregularly arranged on a plurality of straight lines extending in the row direction.

(2) In each of the above embodiments, an example in which a single character "A" is printed has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The body may be handled as one print pattern.

(3) In the third embodiment, the same character is developed and printed by the specified number of lines and columns. However, it is not always necessary to print all the print patterns of these characters and the like. It is not essential, and a part may be set to a non-printing state. For this purpose, in the data stored in the storage means, for example, a field for setting print permission / prohibition in association with each print position data is provided, and a print prohibition flag is input in this field. May not be printed at the print position. In addition, the permission / prohibition of the printing may be set in units of rows or columns instead of units of characters as described above.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

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

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a character print position and a data storage structure.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a correction value input screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a character printing position and a data storage structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a character printing position and a data storage structure according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a modification of the arrangement position of characters.

[Explanation of symbols]

110 ... console (data setting means, correction value input means) 120 ... data generation means 121 ... CPU (correction means) 124 ... storage means 210 ... laser light source 220 ... galvanometer mirror 240 ... servo circuit (valvano mirror control means)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Naoyuki Yamada One of the Sunkus Co., Ltd., 2431 Ushiyama-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi Prefecture (72) Inventor Takuya Kondo One of 231-Ushiyama-cho, Kasugai-shi, Aichi Prefecture F term (reference) 2C362 BA17 BB28 BB37 BB38 BB44 BB46 CB67 4E068 AB00 CB02 CD06 CE03

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A laser light source, a galvano mirror provided in the optical path of the laser light source for reflecting the laser light and irradiating the laser light onto a work, a printing pattern of characters, symbols, figures, etc. to be printed and printing thereof Data setting means for inputting data relating to a position, data generating means for generating coordinate data for printing the data based on the input print pattern data, and a signal to the galvanomirror based on the coordinate data And a galvanomirror control means for printing the desired printing pattern by scanning the laser light on the work, wherein the data generating means corresponds to the printing pattern to be repeatedly printed. Print pattern data and a plurality of print position data corresponding to the print position of the print pattern Storage means for grasping and storing the predetermined reference coordinates and the deviation with respect to the reference coordinates, correction value input means for inputting a correction amount of the print position of the print pattern, and the print position data stored in the storage means A laser marking device comprising: a correction unit that can correct the reference coordinates and the plurality of deviations according to values input by the correction value input unit. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined reference coordinates when the storage unit stores each print position data of the print pattern is a coordinate origin set at an arbitrary position in a print area. The laser marking device according to the above. 3. The predetermined reference coordinates when the storage means stores each print position data of the print pattern are coordinates of a print position of one print pattern in the print pattern group to be repeatedly printed. The laser marking device according to claim 1, wherein: