Switchable compound laser working machine

A switchable compound laser working machine comprises a machine body, a first output module, a second output module, a switch module, and a control module. The first and second output modules are respectively provided with a laser tube. The switch module has at least one lens. It is able to change the output direction of laser beams by moving the lens. The control module is used for controlling the laser tubes of the first and second output modules to perform output operation respectively and used for moving the lens of the switch module into output pathway of the laser beams from the first or the second output module to alter the output direction of the laser beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a switchable compound laser working machine for performing both engraving and cutting operations.

2. Related Art

The basic working principle of conventional laser processing machines is to guide and focus laser beams on surfaces of objects to be engraved. The materials of the objects are gasified due to sudden increase of temperature when the focused laser beams are absorbed by the materials, so that the surfaces of the objects are indented. Thus the objective of engraving or cutting is achieved.

The process of engraving and cutting by utilizing laser is very simple, just like the printing on paper by using a computer and a printer. The only difference there-between is that, for printing, ink is printed on paper; as for laser engraving, laser is projected onto nearly all kinds of materials such as wood, acryl, plastic, metal, stone, etc.

However, currently available laser engraving and cutting machines can be classified into two types, that is, metal tube laser machines and glass tube laser machines. The metal tube laser machines have higher watts and prices and are suitable for engraving operation. The glass tube laser machines have lower watts and prices and are suitable for cutting operation. Therefore, metal tube laser machines are used to perform engraving while the glass tube laser machines are used to perform cutting. Accordingly, users need to use different machines for different purposes of engraving and cutting, which is inconvenient for the users. Besides, there are still other disadvantages, such as that much more space is required to place different machines and that the total cost is increased. In order to solve above problems, laser working machines with two laser tubes are developed. In these machines, a light-converging lens is provided at the cross point of the two laser beams respectively from the two laser tubes. As shown inFIG. 5, two glass tubes “a”, “b” and a light-converging lens “c” are illustrated. The lens “c” has one surface capable of reflection and the other surface capable of light transmission. Consequently, the laser beams from the two laser tubes “a”, “b” can be output via a common pathway to process objects. However, the light-converging lens is not suitable for all kinds of laser tubes because the lasers from different kinds of laser tubes possess different optical and physical properties and consequently have different transmission and reflection values after being in contact with the coated material on the surfaces of the light-converging lens “c”. As a result, it will decrease the output energy of the lasers from the machines. Moreover, the cost of the light-converging lens “c” is higher and may further increase the total cost of the machine. Therefore, the light-converging lens “c” is not suitable for all kinds of laser working machines with two laser tubes “a”, “b”.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a switchable compound laser working machine for performing both engraving and cutting operations.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a switchable compound laser working machine comprising a machine body and the machine body is provided thereon with a first output module, a second output module, a switch module, and a control module. The first and second output modules are respectively provided with a laser tube and the switch module has at least one lens. It is able to change the output direction of laser beams by moving the lens. The control module is used for controlling the laser tubes of the first and second output modules to perform output operation and for moving the lens of the switch module into output pathway of the laser beams from the first or the second output module to alter the output direction of the laser beams.

When it is embodied, the first output module is an engraving module and the engraving module comprises an engraving laser tube for output of engraving operation; and the second output module is a cutting module and the cutting module comprises a cutting laser tube for output of cutting operation. Besides, the engraving laser tube of the engraving module for output of engraving operation is a metal laser tube, and the cutting laser tube of the cutting module for output of cutting operation is a glass laser tube. The lasers respectively from the metal laser tube of the engraving module and from the glass laser tube of the cutting module are carbon-dioxide type lasers. Or, the lasers from the metal laser tube and the glass laser tube are of the same wavelength.

When it is embodied, the switchable compound laser working machine further comprises a computer module that is disposed on the machine body and is connected with the control module. The computer module is used for driving the control module to control the first output module, the second output module, and the switch module to perform output operation after receiving at least one command.

The present invention will become more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer toFIGS. 1-4, where an embodiment of a switchable compound laser working machine according to the present invention is illustrated. It comprises a machine body1and the machine body1is disposed thereon with a first output module2, a second output module3, a switch module4, and a control module5.

The first output module2is an engraving module that is provided with an engraving laser tube21. The engraving laser tube21is a metal laser tube for output of engraving operation. The second output module3is a cutting module that is provided with a cutting laser tube31. The cutting laser tube31is a glass laser tube for output of cutting operation. Besides, the lasers from the metal laser tube of the first output module2and from the glass laser tube of the second output module3are all carbon-dioxide type lasers. Moreover, preferably, all the lasers from the metal laser tube and the glass laser tube have the same wavelength.

The switch module4is provided with at least one lens41. It is able to alter the output direction of laser beams by moving the lens41. The control module5is respectively connected with the first output module2, the second output module3, and the switch module4, and is used for controlling the engraving and cutting laser tubes21,31to perform the output of engraving and cutting operations and for moving the lens41of the switch module4into the output pathway of the laser beams from the first output module2or the second output module3to alter the output direction of the laser beams.

Therefore, in the preferred embodiment, the pathway of the laser beams from the first output module2, for example, can be altered as shown inFIG. 3. When the engraving operation is performed, the switch module4will move the lens41into the pathway of the laser beams from the first output module2when receiving an engraving command from the control module5. After that, the laser tube21of the first output module2will be driven to emit laser beams when receiving the engraving command from the control module5. The pathway of the laser beams from the laser tube21will be changed via the lens41. Thereby, laser beams will travel along the predetermined pathway to perform the engraving operation.

As shown inFIG. 4, after it is switched to the cutting operation, the switch module4will move the lens41away from the pathway of the laser beams from the second output module3when receiving the cutting command from the control module5. After that, the laser tube31of the second output module3will be driven to emit laser beams after receiving the engraving commands continually from the control module5. In this case, the lens41does not hinder the lasers from the laser tube31. Thereby, laser beams will travel along the predetermined pathway to perform the cutting operation.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, a computer module6is further provided as shown inFIG. 1and is connected with the control module5. The computer module6is used to drive the control module5to control the first output module2, the second output module3, and the switch module4to perform output operation when receiving at least one command7.

Therefore, users can perform engraving or cutting operation on the machine body of the switchable compound laser working machine of the present invention according to their need. When the engraving operation is to be performed, it is required to input the engraving command7or parameters to drive the control module5via the computer module6to control the metal laser tube of the first output module2for engraving operation. When the cutting operation is to be performed, it is required to input the cutting command7or parameters to drive the control module5via the computer module to control the glass laser tube of the second output module3for cutting operation. Besides, without a light-converging lens, the engraving and the cutting operations can be performed individually or simultaneously by moving the lens41via the switch module4to alter the output pathway of the laser beams. In this case, the total cost for the machine body1can be reduced. Moreover, less time is required to be taken for the whole process, which renders the whole process more efficient.

Accordingly, as disclosed in the above description and attached drawings, the present invention can provide a switchable compound laser working machine. It is new and can be put into industrial use.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, many modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art from the teachings disclosed hereinabove. Therefore, it should be understood that any modification and variation equivalent to the spirit of the present invention be regarded to fall into the scope defined by the appended claims.