US 12,134,279 B2
Laser marking apparatus, laser marking system, and laser marking method
Yasuaki Asaoka, Nagoya (JP); Kazunori Ogura, Nagoya (JP); Toshiyuki Ishikawa, Nagoya (JP); and Takehiro Sugino, Nagoya (JP)
Assigned to SINTOKOGIO, LTD., Nagoya (JP)
Filed by SINTOKOGIO, LTD., Nagoya (JP)
Filed on Mar. 26, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/213,312.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-067753 (JP), filed on Apr. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0309036 A1, Oct. 7, 2021
Int. Cl. B23K 26/16 (2006.01); B23K 26/12 (2014.01); B23K 26/359 (2014.01); B41M 5/24 (2006.01)
CPC B41M 5/24 (2013.01) [B23K 26/127 (2013.01); B23K 26/16 (2013.01); B23K 26/359 (2015.10)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laser marking apparatus provided on a conveyance line conveying a mold, the laser marking apparatus marking an identifier on the mold on the conveyance line and comprising:
a head configured to mark the identifier on the mold by applying laser light to the mold;
a light-shielding case defining, inside the light-shielding case, an operation space housing the head, the light-shielding case including a carrying-in port communicating with the operation space and a carrying-out port communicating with the operation space, the light-shielding case being provided on the conveyance line in such a manner that the mold is carried into and carried out of the operation space through the carrying-in port and the carrying-out port, and formed of a material that has a light-shielding property against the laser light irradiated by the head;
a light-shielding gate provided at the carrying-in port and openable and closable, and formed of a material that has the light-shielding property against the laser light irradiated by the head;
an additional light-shielding gate provided at the carrying-out port, and formed of a material that has the light-shielding property against the laser light irradiated by the head; and
a control unit configured to control operation of the head, the light-shielding gate, and the additional light-shielding gate, wherein
the control unit closes the light-shielding gate and the additional light-shielding gate and causes the head to start a marking operation on the mold in response to carrying-in of the mold into the operation space and opens the light-shielding gate and the additional light-shielding gate in response to the marking operation ending,
the control unit includes a head controller and a gate controller,
the head controller transmits an abnormal signal to the gate controller when the head controller cannot control at least one of a position of the head, an output of the laser light, and irradiation position of the laser light, and the focal position of the laser light, or when the head controller cannot transmit a marking completion signal, and
the gate controller opens the light-shielding gate and the additional light-shielding gate when receiving the abnormal signal.