Automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine

Details Automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine Automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine

1999-05-11

2001-07-10

Dunn, Tom (Department: 1725)

Electric heating

Metal heating

By arc

C219S121670, C219S121680

Reexamination Certificate

active

06259057

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine, and more particularly to an electronic probe structure capable of automatically detecting the focus and applicable to a laser processing machine and the like.
The basic principle of a laser processing machine is such that an output laser beam is guided and focused onto the surface of a work piece. The focused light beam is absorbed by the material which is vaporized due to suddenly increasing temperature. Accordingly, the surface of the work piece is depressed so as to achieve a sculpturing and cutting object.
The focusing operation of a conventional laser processing machine is manually performed. The laser beam is guided by a reflecting mirror through a focusing lens to be focused at the focus of the lens. In order to position the work piece at the focuses of all different specifications of lenses, specific focusing bars with different lengths in cooperation with the specifications of the lenses are used. The focusing bar is placed in a left circular hole of the blade and a hand wheel on upper side of the machine is operated to drive three thread rods so as to lift or lower the entire processing platform and make the work piece thereon slightly contact with the focusing bar. At this time, the surface of the work piece is positioned on the focusing face of the laser beam so as to achieve the object of focusing.
There is another type of laser processing machine which employs automatically focusing measure. The left lower and right lower sides of the X, Y axes plane of the machine are respectively disposed with a transmitting sensor and a corresponding receiving sensor. After the platform is lifted and the sensors detect the work piece, the platform is then lowered to the focusing face to complete the automatically focusing operation. However, such focusing measure has many shortcomings as follows:
1. It cannot detect a bowl-shaped or irregular work piece.
2. The work piece must be fixed at a position on upper side.
3. A transparent work piece will lead to error of detection.
4. After a rotary shaft is mounted, the automatically focusing function will be lost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine, in which the work piece processing section is directly detected so that the error of focusing caused by unplanarity of the work piece is reduced.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide the above automatically focusing structure which is able to accurately focus a work piece with any material and profile ( such as irregular curve face or transparent material ).
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide the above automatically focusing structure which is able to successfully perform the detection even after the rotary shaft is mounted.
According to the above objects, the automatically focusing structure of laser sculpturing machine of the present invention includes an electronic probe structure vertically mounted on a blade seat of the laser sculpturing machine. The electronic probe structure includes a circular tube with a certain length. The top section of the probe structure is formed with a flange. An upper and a lower sections of the circular tube are respectively formed with two annular grooves for locating a locating rod of the blade seat. The circular centers of the upper and lower end faces of the circular tube are respectively disposed with openings for a first and a second inner electronic detection bars to outward extend therethrough. An electric working bench is lifted in Z axis direction to make the surface of a work piece contact with the probe. The focus of a lens memorized by a software is calculated and then the working bench is accordingly lowered to the focus face to complete the automatically focusing operation. During working,, the electronic probe structure is upward restored so as not to touch the work piece.
The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:


REFERENCES:
patent: 3583561 (1971-06-01), Wiesler
patent: 3617683 (1971-11-01), Beresford et al.
patent: 4074104 (1978-02-01), Fulkerson
patent: 5061839 (1991-10-01), Matsuno et al.
patent: 5304773 (1994-04-01), Kilian et al.
patent: 63-220990 (1988-09-01), None
patent: 2160191 (1990-06-01), None

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