IP Library Granted Patent US 10,493,561
Granted Patent B2
US 10,493,561 · App. 15/474,181 · Granted Dec 3, 2019

Laser machining device provided with laser emitter emitting laser beam and machining chamber

Inventor: Yasuhiro Kato (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B23K26/082B23K26/0006B23K26/127B23K26/352B23K26/355B23K26/70B23K26/702B41M5/24B41M5/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,493,561
App. No.
15/474,181
Granted
Dec 3, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a laser machining device, a laser emitter is inhibited from emitting a laser beam in a stop state, and can emit the laser beam in a machining state. A controller is configured to perform: in response to detecting opening of a door of a machining chamber, bringing the laser emitter into the stop state and disabling receipt of a release command via an interface; in response to detecting closing of the door while the laser emitter is in the stop state, determining whether the laser emitter is in the machining state when the opening of the door is detected; in response to determining that the laser emitter is not in the machining state, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter; and in response to determining that the laser emitter is in the machining state, enabling the receipt of the release command via the interface.

Claims (33)

1. A laser machining device comprising:

a laser head including: a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam; and a scanner configured to scan the laser beam onto a workpiece, the laser emitter performing machining the workpiece by the laser beam in a machining state;

a machining chamber supporting the laser head and having a door, the workpiece being disposed in the machining chamber;

a detector configured to detect opening and closing of the door;

a driver configured to drive the laser emitter and the scanner;

an interface configured to receive a release command instructing to release a stop state of the laser emitter, the laser emitter being inhibited from emitting the laser beam in the stop state; and

a controller configured to perform:

(a) in the machining state, controlling the laser emitter and the scanner via the driver according to machining data;

(b) in response to detecting the opening of the door, bringing the laser emitter into the stop state and disabling receipt of the release command via the interface;

(c) in response to detecting the closing of the door while the laser emitter is in the stop state, determining whether the laser emitter is in the machining state when the opening of the door is detected;

(d) in response to determining that the laser emitter is not in the machining state, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter;

(e) in response to determining that the laser emitter is in the machining state, enabling the receipt of the release command via the interface; and

(f) in response to receiving the release command via the interface, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter.

2. The laser machining device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to further perform:

(g) in response to determining that the laser emitter is in the machining state in the determining (c), determining whether the laser emitter is in a pumped state in which the laser emitter emits substantially no laser beam; and

(h) in response to determining that the laser emitter is in the pumped state, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter.

3. The laser machining device according to claim 2 , wherein the releasing (h) releases the stop state of the laser emitter after changing the laser emitter from the pumped state to a preliminary pumped state in which the laser emitter emits no laser beam.

4. The laser machining device according to claim 2 , further comprising a memory;

wherein the controller is configured to further perform:

(i) storing an irradiation position of the laser beam on the workpiece when the bringing (b) brings the laser emitter into the stop state; and

(j) controlling the laser emitter and the scanner via the driver to resume emitting the laser beam from the irradiation position according to the machining data after the releasing (h) releases the stop state of the laser emitter.

5. The laser machining device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to further perform:

(k) in response to detecting the opening of the door, acquiring an irradiation position of the laser beam on the workpiece;

(l) identifying a subsequent irradiation position to be irradiated subsequent to the irradiation position according to the machining data;

(m) driving the scanner via the driver to irradiate the laser beam onto the subsequent irradiation position on the workpiece; and

(n) bringing the laser emitter into the stop state after driving the scanner via the driver to irradiate the laser beam onto the subsequent irradiation position on the workpiece.

6. A method of controlling laser machining with a laser machining device including: a laser head that includes: a laser emitter configured to emit a laser beam; and a scanner configured to scan the laser beam onto a workpiece, the laser emitter performing machining the workpiece by the laser beam in a machining state; a machining chamber supporting the laser head and having a door, the workpiece being disposed in the machining chamber; a detector configured to detect opening and closing of the door; a driver configured to drive the laser emitter and the scanner; and an interface configured to receive a release command instructing to release a stop state of the laser emitter, the laser emitter being inhibited from emitting the laser beam in the stop state, the method comprising:

(a) in the machining state, controlling the laser emitter and the scanner via the driver according to machining data;

(b) in response to detecting the opening of the door, bringing the laser emitter into the stop state and disabling receipt of the release command via the interface;

(c) in response to detecting the closing of the door while the laser emitter is in the stop state, determining whether the laser emitter is in the machining state when the opening of the door is detected;

(d) in response to determining that the laser emitter is not in the machining state, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter;

(e) in response to determining that the laser emitter is in the machining state, enabling the receipt of the release command via the interface; and

(f) in response to receiving the release command via the interface, releasing the stop state of the laser emitter.

Assignments (2)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 041798 FRAME: 0059. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Apr 25, 2017
From: KATO, YASUHIRO
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 042328/0425 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2017
From: KATO, YASUHIRO
To: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Reel/Frame 041798/0059 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-263844 · Dec 26, 2014 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2015085773 · Dec 22, 2015
Related Publication 20170203390A1 · Jul 20, 2017