A method and apparatus for transferring images to a wooden support with a laser beam

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring images (I) to a wooden support (10), of the type comprising: a) means (1, 2, 3) for acquiring and / or creating an image; b) at least one source (5) of a laser beam; c) means (6, 8) for moving, either in rotation and / or translation, the laser beam (L) relative to the wooden support, or vice versa, as well as focusing the laser beam relative to the support; d) at least one adjustment unit (4) for the emission of the laser beam; e) at least one control unit (7, 9) for said moving and focusing means; and f) means (1, 3) for converting the information of the image to be transferred into instructions for the adjustment unit and control unit. The adjustment unit adjusts the emission of the laser beam by directly varying the pumping of the active material and / or by varying the operation of a modulator placed within the resonant cavity of the laser source.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a transfer device and method for transferring an image onto a wooden support by means of controlled application of a laser beam. Background technique [0002] The use of laser beams for marking, cutting or reproducing images on any substrate, such as paper, plastic, metal or wood, has been known for some time. The most suitable laser beam wavelength can be formulated for any material as the carrier to be processed, that is, the most suitable laser type for this carrier material, as well as the emission power and pulse frequency of the laser beam that enable the laser beam to cut and reproduce the image as required . In the scientific and technical literature in this field provide some information about the wavelength of the laser beam, the type of laser (i.e. the type of active material, the type of pumping of this active material and the relative operating conditions), the emission power and pulse frequency and as a result of...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0010] The use of a modulator known per se and outside the laser source presents some difficulties in modulating the laser beam and makes it impossible to use high transmit powers, since such modulators (whether based on Ge- or Cd-Te- ) must be used in such devices

[0011] This means that the device described in US patent US 4,847,184 and the corresponding method of use, neither guarantees a high-precision reproduction of the image on a wooden support, nor achieves a high processing speed and / or cutting depth on the support

[0012] In addition, U.S. Patent No. 4,847,184 does not provide a delivery system using a laser beam, such as enabling the laser beam to focus and move on a wooden carrier, which can track the complex three-dimensional shape of the laser beam, but U.S. Patent No. 4,847,184 only provides a A laser beam delivery system that moves and focuses a laser beam on a flat or mostly cylindrical surface

[0013] Finally, Taniguchi's patent neither mentions being able to transfer an image of the wood grain onto a wooden support nor does it mention that the transferred image is a few tenths of a millimeter below the surface

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