Laser engraver mirror adjustment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10919111-B2
Application number	US-201816210995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 5, 2018
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

In one embodiment, a laser engraving system includes a laser transmitter and a lens assembly configured to focus a transmitted laser beam onto a workpiece supported by a workpiece support surface. A rail system movably supports a base which in turn supports a mirror and a camera. A controller is operably connected to the camera and is configured to execute program instructions stored in a memory to obtain first image data from the camera indicative of a first location of the laser beam on the mirror when the camera and the mirror are at a first rail system location, obtain second image data from the camera indicative of a second location of the laser beam on the mirror when the camera and the mirror are at a second rail system location, and output a mirror adjustment signal for the mirror based upon the first signal and the second signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser engraving system, comprising:
a laser transmitter configured to transmit a laser beam;
a workpiece support surface;
a lens assembly configured to focus the transmitted laser beam onto a workpiece supported by the workpiece support surface;
a first base supporting a first mirror and a first camera;
a rail system supporting the first base and configured to move the first base;
a memory; and
a controller operably connected to the first camera and the memory, the controller configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to
obtain a first image data from the first camera indicative of a first location of the transmitted laser beam on the first mirror when the first camera and the first mirror are at a first rail system location,
obtain a second image data from the first camera indicative of a second location of the transmitted laser beam on the first mirror when the first camera and the first mirror are at a second rail system location spaced apart, along the rail system, from the first rail system location, and
output a first mirror adjustment signal for the first mirror based upon the first image data and the second image data.

2. The laser engraving system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further operably connected to the rail system and configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the rail system to:
position the first camera and the first mirror at the first rail system location by positioning the first base at the first rail system location; and
position the first camera and the first mirror at the second rail system location by positioning the first base at the second rail system location.

3. The laser engraving system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is further operably connected to the laser transmitter and configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the laser transmitter to:
obtain the first image data by obtaining an image of the first mirror;
transmit the laser beam when the first camera and the first mirror are positioned at the first rail system location; and
transmit the laser beam when the first camera and the first mirror are positioned at the second rail system location.

4. The laser engraving system of claim 2 , wherein:
the laser engraving system includes at least one first motor operably connected to the first mirror, the at least one first motor configured to adjust an angular orientation of the first mirror with respect to the laser beam; and
the controller is further operably connected to the at least one first motor and configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the at least one first motor to adjust the angular orientation of the first mirror using the first mirror adjustment signal.

5. The laser engraving system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a graphical user interface, wherein the controller is further configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to control the graphical user interface to display user instructions based upon the output first mirror adjustment signal.

6. The laser engraving system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a second base supporting a second mirror and a second camera, wherein:
the rail system supports the second base and is configured to move the second base;
the controller is further operably connected to the second camera; and
the controller is further configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to
obtain a third image data from the second camera indicative of a third location of the transmitted laser beam on the second mirror when the second camera and the second mirror are at a third rail system location,
obtain a fourth image data from the second camera indicative of a fourth location of the transmitted laser beam on the second mirror when the second camera and the second mirror are at a fourth rail system location, and
output a second mirror adjustment signal for the second mirror based upon the third image data and the fourth image data.

7. The laser engraving system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the rail system to:
position the second camera and the second mirror at the third rail system location by positioning the second base at the third rail system location; and
position the second camera and the second mirror at the fourth rail system location by positioning the second base at the fourth rail system location.

8. The laser engraving system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the laser transmitter to:
transmit the laser beam when the second camera and the second mirror are positioned at the third rail system location; and
transmit the laser beam when the second camera and the second mirror are positioned at the fourth rail system location.

9. The laser engraving system of claim 7 , wherein:
the laser engraving system includes at least one second motor operably connected to the second mirror, the at least one second motor configured to adjust an angular orientation of the second mirror with respect to the laser beam; and
the controller is further operably connected to the at least one second motor and configured to execute the program instructions stored in the memory to control the at least one second motor to adjust the angular orientation of the second mirror using the second mirror adjustment signal.

10. The laser engraving system of claim 6 , further comprising:
a graphical user interface, wherein the controller is further configured to execute program instructions stored in the memory to control the graphical user interface to display user instructions based upon the output second mirror adjustment signal.

11. A method of operating a laser engraving system including a workpiece support surface and a lens assembly configured to focus a transmitted laser beam from a laser transmitter onto a workpiece supported by the workpiece support surface, comprising:
positioning a first base supporting a first camera and a first mirror at a first rail system location using a rail system supporting the first base and configured to move the first base;
transmitting a laser beam with the laser transmitter onto the first mirror while the first mirror is at the first rail system location;
obtaining with a controller a first image data from the first camera indicative of a first location of the transmitted laser beam on the first mirror when the first camera and the first mirror are at the first rail system location;
positioning the first base at a second rail system location spaced apart, along the rail system, from the first rail system location using the rail system thereby positioning the first camera and the first mirror at the second rail system location;
transmitting the laser beam with the laser transmitter onto the first mirror while the first mirror is at the second rail system location;
obtaining with the controller a second image data from the first camera indicative of a second location of the transmitted laser beam on the first mirror when the first camera and the first mirror are at the second rail system location;
determining with the controller first mirror adjustment data based upon the first image data and the second image data by executing with the controller program instructions stored in a memory;
outputting a first mirror adjustment signal for the first mirror based upon the determined first mirror adjustment data; and
adjusting the first mirror based upon the first mirror adjustment signa

Assignees

• Bosch Tool Corp
• Bosch Gmbh Robert

Inventors

• Rubens Jeremy
• Crowell Christopher R
• Ward Robert W

Classifications

• B44C1/228

  by laser radiation · CPC title

• B23K26/38 Primary

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23K26/042 Primary

  Automatically aligning the laser beam · CPC title

• B23K26/046

  Automatically focusing the laser beam · CPC title

• B41M5/24

  Ablative recording, e.g. by burning marks; Spark recording {(marking by high energetic means, e.g. by laser otherwise than burning or ablative removal B41M5/26; materials or methods for recording or reproduction by optical means G11B7/00)} · CPC title