Method and apparatus for cylindrical coordinate laser engraving
AssigneeRocky Mountain Instrument Co.
InventorsYoung Key Kwon, Ashot Mesropian, Kwang Min Lee, Sergey Soboley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus including a system for cylindrical or polar coordinate movement of a material or laser beam whereby the material is engraved with an image upon a rotary table. The rotary table is connected to a translation stage. The movement of the translation stage is coordinated with the rotation of the rotary table and the firing of the laser to effectively allow engraving of a material in a series of concentric circles. The system allows high-speed and high-resolution laser engraving. The system is also simpler and cheaper than conventional X-Y methods and apparatus. The method and apparatus are useful for photographic quality laser engraving.
Claims38
A laser engraver comprising:
- a laser having a controllable beam;
- a rotating workpiece table mounted on a translation stage which functions to controllably move said rotating workpiece table in a single axis normal to said beam;
- a controller which moves said translation stage a predetermined distance upon completion of a revolution of said rotating workpiece table in accordance with a location of a known point;
- and
- said controller further comprising a laser beam command to fire at a predetermined time corresponding to the known point on said rotating workpiece table, thereby forming an engraving on a workpiece similar to an image in the controller.
A method for cylindrical coordinate laser engraving comprising:
- converting a visual image to be engraved to a black and white pixel image;
- storing said black and white pixel image in a controller;
- placing a workpiece on a rotary table;
- rotating the table;
- controlling with said controller a laser beam source to fire normal to said workpiece at predetermined points derived from said black and white pixel image on said workpiece to engrave one circular line of said visual image;
- translating said rotary table radially a desired distance after each revolution of said material;
- engraving the next line of said visual image;
- continuing the rotating and translating until an engraving is of the visual image complete;
- and
- stopping the rotating.
A laser engraver comprising:
- a laser having a controllable beam;
- a workpiece table mounted on a translation stage whereby said workpiece table is controllably moved in a single axis normal to said beam;
- a rotatable lens housing having a plurality of lenses functioning to controllably rotate said lenses whereby said controllable beam is controllably applied to a material on said workpiece table;
- a controller which moves said translation stage a predetermined distance upon completion of a revolution of said rotatable lens housing in accordance with the location of a known point;
- and
- said controller further comprising a laser beam command to fire at a predetermined time corresponding to a known point on a material on said workpiece table.
A method for cylindrical coordinate laser engraving comprising:
- converting a visual image to be engraved to a black and white pixel image;
- storing said black and white pixel image in a controller;
- placing a workpiece to be engraved on a moveable table;
- rotating a lens housing through which a laser beam source emits a laser beam;
- controlling with said controller said laser beam source to fire normal to said workpiece at predetermined points derived from said black and white pixel image to engrave one circular line of said visual image;
- translating said table a distance after each revolution of said lens housing;
- engraving the next line of said visual image;
- alternately rotating said lens housing and translating said table until an engraving of the visual image is complete;
- and
- stopping the rotation of said lens housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.