Portable electronically controlled laser engraving machine

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a stationary workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• beam delivery means including carriage assembly means movable in X and Y directions for positioning the laser beam, said carriage assembly means including a X-carriage and a Y-carriage and wherein one of said X-carriage and said Y-carriage extends in a direction substantially parallel to said laser means, said X-carriage including an elongated first ball screw extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent of said laser means and being disposed vertically above said laser means;
• support means for supporting a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is stationary during engraving thereof using said laser beam;
• electronic means for controlling at least one of said carriage assembly and said laser beam during engraving of the workpiece;
• and
• housing means for containing said laser means, said beam delivery means and said electronic means.

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a stationary workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• beam delivery means including carriage assembly means movable in X and Y directions for positioning the laser beam, said carriage assembly means including a X-carriage and a Y-carriage and wherein one of said X-carriage and said Y-carriage extends in a direction substantially parallel to said laser means, said carriage assembly means including a carrier having a longitudinal extent substantially perpendicular to said laser means, said X-carriage including a first ball screw and a first ball nut and said Y-carriage including a second ball screw and a second ball nut and wherein said first ball nut is connected to said carrier and said second ball nut is supported by said carrier and is movable relative to said carrier;
• support means for supporting a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is stationary during engraving thereof using said laser beam;
• electronic means for controlling at least one of said carriage assembly and said laser beam during engraving of the workpiece;
• and
• housing means for containing said laser beam, said beam delivery means and said electronic means.

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a stationary workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• beam delivery means including carriage assembly means movable in X and Y directions for positioning the laser beam, said beam delivery means including mirror means and said carriage assembly including a ball screw, with at least portions of said mirror means being operatively associated with said ball screw to move in response to rotation of said ball screw;
• support means for supporting a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is stationary during engraving thereof using said laser beam;
• electronic means for controlling at least one of said carriage assembly and said laser beam during engraving of the workpiece;
• and
• housing means for containing said laser means, said beam delivery means and said electronic means.

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a stationary workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• beam delivery means including carriage assembly means movable in X and Y directions for positioning the laser beam, said beam delivery means including first, second, third and fourth mirrors and said carriage assembly means including a X-carriage, a Y-carriage and a carrier, wherein said first and second mirrors are fastened to a mounting plate disposed at an angle relative to said laser beam outputted from said laser means, said third and fourth mirrors are supported by said carrier with said third mirror being fixedly connected to said carrier and said fourth mirror being movable relative to said carrier and in which said third and fourth mirrors are moved in a X direction when said X-carriage is moved and said fourth mirror is moved when said Y-carriage is moved in a Y direction;
• support means for supporting a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is stationary during engraving thereof using said laser beam;
• electronic means for controlling at least one of said carriage assembly and said laser beam during engraving of the workpiece;
• and
• housing means for containing said laser means, said beam delivery means and said electronic means.

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a stationary workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• beam delivery means including carriage assembly means movable in X and Y directions for positioning the laser beam, said carriage assembly means including a X-carriage having a first ball screw and a Y-carriage having a second ball screw and wherein said first ball screw is substantially vertically above and parallel to said laser means and said second ball screw is substantially vertically above the workpiece, with said second ball screw being substantially perpendicular to said first ball screw;
• support means for supporting a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is stationary during engraving thereof using said laser beam;
• electronic means for controlling at least one of said carriage assembly and said laser beam during engraving of the workpiece;
• and
• housing means for containing said laser beams, said beam delivery means and said electronic means.

A laser engraving apparatus for engraving a workpiece, comprising:

• laser means for providing a laser beam;
• mirror means communicating with said laser beam for directing said laser beam along a desired path to the workpiece;
• X-carriage means for controlling the position of said laser beam in a X direction, said X-carriage means including a first ball screw and a first ball nut;
• Y-carriage means for controlling the position of said laser beam in a Y direction, said Y-carriage means including a second ball screw and a second ball nut;
• and
• carrier means movable in said X direction, said first ball nut being fixedly connected to said carrier means and said second ball nut being supported by said carrier means for movement relative to said carrier means in a Y direction;
• wherein said mirror means includes a plurality of mirrors and wherein at least one of said mirrors is fixedly connected to said carrier means and another of said mirrors is supported by said carrier means and is movable relative to said carrier means in said Y direction using said Y-carriage means.