US 6,144,397 A · Laser marking method and an apparatus thereof

Abstract

A laser marking method and an apparatus thereof which realize stamp processing with a beautiful appearance and a high precision, without reducing the manufacturing efficiency. The laser marking method comprises a step of sequentially displaying divisional patterns each corresponding to one scanning line of a first deflector, a step of sequentially scanning the divisional patterns with a laser beam from a laser oscillator by the first deflector, and a step of moving a stamp position on a work surface for every one of scanning transmission beams respectively transmitted through the divisional patterns, in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, by a second deflector, thereby to synthesize and stamp the divisional patterns. The laser beam from the laser oscillator is divided into two or more sections in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the laser beam, and the two or more sections of the laser beam divided are partially superposed to equalize an energy distribution at least in one direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the laser beam transmitted through the mask.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A method for laser marking a workpiece with a stamp, comprising the steps of:

generating a laser beam;
dividing the laser beam into two or more sections each of which has an optical axis extending in a direction different than that of the laser beam and then at least partially superposing the laser beam sections;
sequentially displaying divisional patterns on a mask which can display a marking pattern, each divisional pattern corresponding to one scanning line of a first deflector;
deflecting the superposed laser beam sections with a first deflector and sequentially scanning the divisional patterns with the superposed laser beam sections to create transmitted scanning beams;
with a second deflector, moving a stamp position on a surface of the workpiece in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction for every one of the scanning transmission beams transmitted through the divisional patterns displayed on the mask, thereby to synthesize and stamp the divisional patterns onto the workpiece, the superposed laser beam sections having an equalized energy distribution in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of the transmitted scanning beams.

2 more elements

A laser marking apparatus for marking a workpiece with a stamp, comprising:

a laser oscillator;
a first deflector which deflects a laser beam generated by the laser oscillator causing the laser beam to scan in a first direction;
a mask on which are sequentially displayed divisional patterns constituting a stamp pattern, each divisional pattern corresponding to one scan line of the laser beam from the first deflector;
a light divide/superpose means which effectively divides the laser beam deflected by the first deflector into beam sections, each of which has an optical axis extending in a direction different than that of the laser beam and at least partially superposes the beam sections, the superposed laser beam sections having an equalized energy distribution in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction of transmission of the beam sections;
a controllable second deflector which further deflects scanning beams transmitted through the mask thereby to mark the divisional patterns onto a surface of the workpiece;
a controller operatively connected to the second deflector to cause said second deflector to deflect the scanning beams in a direction of the divisional patterns for every divisional pattern thereby to effectuate the marking of the workpiece with the stamp constituting a synthesis of the divisional patterns and the scan lines of the first deflector.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser marking method and an apparatus thereof

Life of this patent

Laser marking method and an apparatus thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21