Apparatus for etching multiple surfaces of luminaire reflector
AssigneeGenlyte Thomas Group LLC
InventorThomas V. Daily
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for etching multiple surfaces of a hydroformed powder coated luminaire reflector is described. The system includes a laser, one or more high speed scan heads, a laser marking station and a conveyance device. The system positions a reflector into optical alignment with the scan heads to allow permanent etching of the surface thereof.
Claims18
A luminaire reflector marking station, comprising:
- a laser marking station having a conveyor infeed area and a conveyor outfeed area and a conveyor extending between said infeed and said outfeed;
- a first laser scan head optically connected to a laser, said first laser scan head directing a laser beam into said laser marking station;
- a bell shaped luminaire reflector passing through said laser marking station on said conveyor, said reflector held in an alignment position with said scan head by a pallet transport movable between said infeed and said outfeed;
- wherein said laser etches indicia on either an interior curved side of said luminaire or an exterior curved side of said luminaire;
- wherein said laser marking station has a second scan head, said laser optionally optically coupled to both said first scan head and said second scan head by a laser beam switch.
A laser etching station for marking a curved surface of a powder coated luminaire reflector, comprising:
- a conveyor extending through a laser etching station;
- a laser optically connected to a first scan head, said first scan head positioned adjacent an aperture in said laser etching station, said scan head directing a laser beam into said laser etching station;
- a first side door and a second side door actuatable to open and close on said laser etching station;
- a powder coated luminaire reflector positioned in an optical path of said laser within said laser etching station;
- wherein the focal point of said laser beam emitted by said first scan head is optimized along a curved plane of an interior surface of said reflector.
A laser ablating station for ablating the surface of a luminaire reflector, comprising:
- a conveyor passing a powder coated reflector through a laser ablating station;
- a filtered or opaque enclosure forming said laser ablating station, said station having a conveyor infeed and conveyor outfeed;
- an upper scanning head and a lower scanning head both in optical connectivity to a laser and focusing said laser onto a curved surface of said luminaire reflector;
- a laser beam switch allowing said laser be switched to either said upper scanning head or said lower scanning head.
A system for laser ablating an interior surface of a powder coated luminaire reflector, comprising:
- a conveyor having a path through a laser ablation station;
- a plurality of walls surrounding said laser ablation station;
- a first laser lens system for directing a laser to said reflector;
- an optical sensing mechanism electronically connected to a control subsystem to determine when a reflector is positioned in optical alignment with said first laser lens system;
- said system further comprising a second laser lens system for directing said laser to a second position on said reflector;
- wherein said first lens system is optically aligned to an interior curved surface of said reflector;
- where said second lens system is optically aligned to an exterior surface of said reflector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.