Light spot shaping device and laser processing apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a light spot shaping device and a laser processing apparatus. The light spot shaping device comprises a base, a light spot defining mechanism and a light collection mechanism, wherein the base is provided with a through hole through which laser passes; the light spot defining mechanism comprises a driving member disposed on the base and a light blocking member located above the through hole, the driving member being used for driving the light blocking member to move, so as to block part of the laser beam path; and the light collection mechanism comprises a housing disposed on one side of the light spot defining mechanism and a coolant flow channel arranged on the housing, the side of the housing facing the light blocking member being provided with an opening for the entry of reflected light, which is formed by reflection from the light blocking member. The beam path corresponding to some segments of a linear light spot being blocked by the light blocking member can achieve the effect of shortening the length of the light spot, and this alone does not change the energy density of the laser. In addition, the reflected light enters the housing and is converted into thermal energy, avoiding causing interference with the operating beam path. After coolant is introduced into the coolant flow channel within the housing, the light collection mechanism can also be cooled.

Description

Laser spot shaping device and laser processing equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of laser processing equipment, and in particular to a spot shaping device and laser processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] When some workpieces are processed using line spot processing, taking the processing of OLED flexible displays as an example, in laser lift-off or laser annealing processes, the line spot needs to scan OLED displays of different lengths. Currently, the length of the line spot is generally controlled by adjusting the position of the lens in the optical path. However, the energy density per unit area of ​​the line spot changes during the scaling process, affecting the processing quality. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application proposes a spot shaping device and laser processing equipment that can change the length of the spot without changing the energy density of the linear spot.

[0004] This application proposes a spot shaping device, comprising:

[0005] A base having a through hole for the laser to pass through;

[0006] The light spot interception mechanism includes a driving member disposed on the base and a light shielding member located above the through hole. The driving member is used to drive the light shielding member to move so as to block part of the laser light path.

[0007] The light collection mechanism includes a housing disposed on one side of the light spot interception mechanism and a refrigerant channel disposed on the housing. The housing has an opening on the side facing the light shield for the reflected light to enter, and the reflected light is formed by the reflection of the light shield.

[0008] In some embodiments, the light spot interception mechanism includes two light-shielding members arranged side by side along a first direction, and the driving member is used to drive the two light-shielding members to move closer to or further away from each other along the first direction.

[0009] In some embodiments, the housing is slidably connected to the base, and the sliding direction is along the first direction; the spot shaping device further includes a locking mechanism disposed on the housing or the base, the locking mechanism being used to restrict the sliding between the housing and the base.

[0010] In some embodiments, the opening is arranged along the first direction, and the light collecting mechanism further includes a light-transmitting element disposed in the opening. The light-transmitting element and the housing form a sealed cooling channel inside the housing. The housing is formed by a shell wall, and the refrigerant flow channel is disposed in the shell wall.

[0011] In some embodiments, the housing is disposed along the first direction, and the housing wall includes two end caps arranged along the first direction, and an upper wall assembly, a side wall assembly, and a lower wall assembly disposed between the end caps and connected in sequence, wherein the side wall assembly is spaced apart from the light-transmitting element.

[0012] In some embodiments, the width of the upper wall assembly is greater than the width of the lower wall assembly, and the light-transmitting element connects the edges of the upper wall assembly and the lower wall assembly; the outward-facing surface of the light-transmitting element is inclined downward and faces the light-shielding element.

[0013] In some embodiments, the surface of the upper wall assembly facing the lower wall assembly is provided with a slope, the slope being disposed towards the side wall assembly; the slope is further provided with a reflective area and / or a light-absorbing area.

[0014] In some embodiments, the light collecting mechanism further includes a heat sink disposed on the inner wall of the housing away from the light-transmitting element.

[0015] This application also proposes a laser processing equipment, which includes the above-mentioned spot shaping device, and the laser processing equipment further includes a machine base for mounting the spot shaping device.

[0016] This application discloses a beam shaping device and a laser processing equipment. The beam shaping device includes a base, a beam cutting mechanism, and a light collecting mechanism. The base has a through hole for the laser beam to pass through. The beam cutting mechanism includes a driving component on the base and a light-shielding component above the through hole. The driving component drives the light-shielding component to move, thereby blocking a portion of the laser beam path. The light collecting mechanism includes a housing on one side of the beam cutting mechanism and a coolant channel on the housing. The housing contains a chamber for absorbing reflected light, and an opening on the side of the housing facing the light-shielding component allows reflected light to enter. The reflected light is formed by reflection by the light-shielding component. By blocking a portion of the beam path, the light-shielding component shortens the beam length. The blocking method alone does not change the laser energy density. Furthermore, the reflected light enters the housing and is converted into heat energy, without interfering with the working optical path. The coolant channel in the housing, when filled with coolant, also cools the light collecting mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a spot shaping device in one embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the light spot shaping device in another embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the light collection mechanism in one embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of the light collection mechanism in the embodiment of Figure 3 from another perspective;

[0021] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the light collection mechanism in the embodiment of Figure 3.

[0022] Label Explanation:

[0023] 10. Housing; 11. Cooling channel; 12. Refrigerant flow channel; 13. Light-transmitting element; 14. End cap; 21. Upper wall assembly; 22. Side wall assembly; 23. Lower wall assembly; 24. Heat sink; 25. Roller; 30. Locking mechanism; 40. Base; 41. Through hole; 42. Guide rail.

[0024] The purpose, features, and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments in this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] It should be noted that all directional indications in the embodiments of this application, such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc., are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture as shown in the attached figure. If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0027] It should also be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.

[0028] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0029] This application proposes a beam shaping device. Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the beam shaping device includes: a base 40 with a through hole 41 for laser light to pass through; a beam cutting mechanism including a driving member on the base 40 and a light-shielding member above the through hole 41, the driving member driving the light-shielding member to move to block a portion of the laser beam path; and a light collecting mechanism including a housing 10 on one side of the beam cutting mechanism and a coolant channel 12 on the housing 10, the housing 10 having a chamber for absorbing reflected light, and the housing 10 having an opening on the side facing the light-shielding member for reflected light to enter, the reflected light being formed by reflection by the light-shielding member.

[0030] In this embodiment, the aforementioned partial area of ​​the laser optical path refers to a partial area of ​​the optical path corresponding to a portion of the line spot. This partial area can block the optical path corresponding to the portion at the end of the line spot, thus shortening the spot length. Simply using a blocking method does not change the laser's energy density. Furthermore, the laser light from the blocked portion of the optical path will reflect outwards after irradiating the blocking member. The blocking member is tilted, and its upper surface facing the housing 10. The reflected light thus enters the housing 10, where it is converted into heat energy, without interfering with the working optical path. The cooling medium flow channel 12 in the housing 10, after being circulated with cooling medium, can also cool the light collection mechanism.

[0031] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the light spot interception mechanism includes two light-shielding members arranged side by side along a first direction. A driving member is used to drive the two light-shielding members to move closer or further apart along the first direction. In this embodiment, two light-shielding members can be provided, and the light-shielding members can specifically be reflective mirrors, which can effectively reflect the laser and avoid excessive temperature. In addition, the through hole 41 on the base 40 can be set as an elongated hole, the length direction of which is along the aforementioned first direction, and the line light spot formed by laser irradiation is also along the first direction. When the two light-shielding members approach and abut, they can completely block the through hole 41 below. When they move away from each other, the laser can pass through, thereby completing the length adjustment operation of the line light spot. The aforementioned driving member can be an electric cylinder, and two electric cylinders can be used to drive the two light-shielding members separately. Alternatively, a dual-drive-end electric cylinder can be used to drive the opening and closing of the two light-shielding members. The electric cylinder has a transmission screw, which includes two threaded sections with opposite directions of rotation. Each threaded section is provided with a nut, and the nut is slidably connected to the electric cylinder. The rotation of the lead screw can drive the two nuts to move closer or further apart. Each nut is equipped with a mounting piece, and the two mounting pieces are connected to the two light-shielding pieces in a one-to-one correspondence.

[0032] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the housing 10 and the base 40 are slidably connected, and the sliding direction is along a first direction; the light spot shaping device further includes a locking mechanism 30 disposed on the housing 10 or the base 40, the locking mechanism 30 being used to restrict the sliding between the housing 10 and the base 40. In this embodiment, the light collecting mechanism further includes a roller 25 disposed at the lower part of the housing 10, the roller 25 rolling to allow the housing 10 to move along the first direction. The light collecting mechanism can be disposed on one side of the light spot interception structure to absorb reflected light. Both are disposed on the base 40, and when maintenance or disassembly of the light collecting mechanism is required, it can be pulled out along the first direction. The roller 25 causes rolling friction between the light collecting mechanism and the base 40, facilitating removal. It is worth noting that the end cap 14 can also be provided with a handle for gripping, and the base 40 is provided with a guide rail 42 adapted to the roller 25. Two sets of rollers 25 are provided. One set abuts against the bottom surface of the shoulders of the guide rail 42, and the other set abuts against the sides of the shoulders of the guide rail 42, serving as a limit and guide. The locking mechanism 30 can be a cylinder provided on either the housing 10 or the base 40. The driving end of the cylinder is provided with a locking tongue, and a corresponding latch is provided on the other side where no cylinder is provided. In the working state, the cylinder drives the locking tongue to extend and enter the latch to lock the housing 10. When maintenance is required, the lock can be released and the light collecting mechanism can be removed.

[0033] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the opening is arranged along a first direction, and the light collecting mechanism further includes a light-transmitting element 13 disposed in the opening. The light-transmitting element 13 and the housing 10 form a sealed cooling channel 11 inside the housing 10. The housing 10 is formed by a shell wall, and a refrigerant flow channel 12 is disposed in the shell wall. In this embodiment, the housing 10 is elongated, and its length direction is along the first direction. The shell wall includes two end caps 14 arranged along the first direction, and an upper wall assembly 21, a side wall assembly 22, and a lower wall assembly 23 disposed between the end caps 14 and connected in sequence. The side wall assembly 22 is spaced apart from the light-transmitting element 13. In this embodiment, the housing 10 can be an elongated structure, with the upper wall assembly 21, the side wall assembly 22, the lower wall assembly 23, and the light-transmitting element 13 connected end to end in sequence to form a tubular structure, wherein the upper wall assembly 21 and the lower wall assembly 23 are spaced apart, and the side wall assembly 22 and the light-transmitting element 13 are spaced apart. The upper wall assembly 21, side wall assembly 22, lower wall assembly 23, and light-transmitting element 13 can be fastened with screws, and their connections can be sealed with sealant or sealing rings. The internal cavity of this tubular structure forms the aforementioned cooling channel 11. End caps 14 are located at both ends of the tubular structure to seal both ends and prevent leakage of the cooling medium. The cooling medium can be air or an inert gas. After reflected light enters the housing 10 through the light-transmitting element 13, it irradiates the inner surface. After a series of absorption and reflection processes, the inner surface of the housing absorbs the incident reflected light and generates heat, which is dissipated by the circulating inert gas.

[0034] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the width of the upper wall assembly 21 is greater than the width of the lower wall assembly 23, and the light-transmitting element 13 connects the edges of the upper wall assembly 21 and the lower wall assembly 23; the outward-facing surface of the light-transmitting element 13 is inclined downward and faces the light-shielding element. In this embodiment, because the reflected light is emitted obliquely upward, the inclined arrangement of the light-transmitting element 13 can increase the light-collecting range and prevent the reflected light from directly illuminating the lower part of the lower wall assembly 23. The lower wall assembly 23 is narrower than the upper wall assembly 21, and its inward retraction can avoid the emitted light to a certain extent. Relative to the lower wall assembly 23, the edge of the upper wall assembly 21 extends outward to a certain extent, which can also collect more reflected light and prevent the reflected light from escaping from the edge of the upper wall assembly 21, thus maximizing the collection rate of the emitted light. To further improve the collection rate of reflected light, a plano-convex lens can also be provided on the light-shielding element. After the line light spot illuminates the light-shielding element, the emitted light is focused by the plano-convex lens and will not be greatly scattered, ensuring that it can completely enter the interior of the housing 10.

[0035] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the surface of the upper wall assembly 21 facing the lower wall assembly 23 is provided with a slope, and the slope is disposed towards the side wall assembly 22; the slope is also provided with a reflective area and / or a light-absorbing area. In this embodiment, in addition to absorbing emitted light, the slope can also reflect the light from the reflected portion, causing its emission direction to be towards the interior of the housing 10, resulting in better heat dissipation inside the housing 10 and improved heat dissipation efficiency. The reflective area can be configured as a mirror, and the light-absorbing area can be configured as a diffuse reflective surface to improve light absorption efficiency. The section of the slope close to the light-transmitting element 13 can be configured as a mirror, where the material is thicker and the heat dissipation effect is slightly worse, while the section of the slope away from the light-transmitting element 13 can be configured as a diffuse reflective surface, where the material is thinner and the heat dissipation effect is better, and it can be used to absorb reflected light.

[0036] Of course, the surface of the upper wall assembly 21 facing the lower wall assembly 23 can also be configured as a V-shaped surface, including a slope near the light-transmitting element 13 and an inclined surface near the light-absorbing element. The slope can be configured as a reflective surface, and the inclined surface as a diffuse reflective surface. By configuring the surface of the lower wall assembly 23 near the upper wall assembly 21 as a diffuse reflective surface, the emission direction of the reflected light entering the housing 10 can be adjusted, ensuring that the reflected light shines completely into the depth of the housing 10, while also ensuring the cooling efficiency of the depth of the housing 10, matching the heat generation efficiency after the reflected light is concentrated, thus giving the device a better heat dissipation effect. Of course, in order to prevent the reflected light from concentrating in the internal area of ​​the housing 10 near the light-transmitting element 13, the light-transmitting element 13 can be configured as a concave lens. After the reflected light passes through the light-transmitting element 13, the light is dispersed, avoiding the formation of a concentrated heat load area inside the housing 10, which facilitates improved heat dissipation efficiency.

[0037] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the light collecting mechanism further includes a heat sink 24, which is disposed on the inner wall of the housing 10 away from the light-transmitting element 13. The heat sink 24 includes fins or protrusions disposed on the inner wall of the sidewall assembly 22. The fins can absorb more reflected light relative to the diffuse reflective surface and can also exchange heat with the cooling medium in the cooling channel 11, thereby increasing the contact area and heat dissipation efficiency. Of course, the heat sink 24 is not limited to a fin structure; it can also be an array of protrusions, which can also absorb more reflected light relative to the diffuse reflective surface.

[0038] In some embodiments, referring to Figures 1 to 5, the spot shaping device further includes a gas supply component and a gas drying component connected to the cooling channel 11. The gas supply component can provide carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas for heat exchange inside the housing 10, achieving a cooling effect. The gas drying component is used to dry the inside of the housing 10 to prevent condensation from occurring due to excessively low temperatures, which could affect the laser processing equipment. It is worth noting that the housing 10 can be provided with two sets of connectors, one set located at both ends of the cooling channel 11 for communication with external gas paths, and the other set located at both ends of the refrigerant flow channel 12 for communication with external cooling water paths.

[0039] In this embodiment, at least one of the upper wall assembly 21, side wall assembly 22, and lower wall assembly 23 is provided with a refrigerant channel 12. The refrigerant channel 12 can be provided in any one or two of the three components; however, to improve heat dissipation efficiency, all three components can be provided with a refrigerant channel 12. The refrigerant channel 12 is also arranged along the length of the housing 10, and the cooling medium can be a liquid medium, such as water. Further, the lower wall assembly 23 includes a groove-shaped component and a cover plate disposed at the opening of the groove-shaped component. The groove-shaped component and the cover plate together form the refrigerant channel 12. The groove-shaped component can be a through-slot structure with openings at both ends, which is closed by end caps 14. Alternatively, it can be a groove structure closed at both ends. After the cover plate is placed on the groove-shaped component, a sealed chamber, i.e., the refrigerant channel 12, is formed. This arrangement maximizes the volume of the refrigerant channel 12 and improves the heat dissipation effect of the lower wall assembly 23. Furthermore, since the upper wall assembly 21 receives direct irradiation from reflected light, its heat load is relatively large. The volume of the refrigerant channel 12 in the upper wall assembly 21 can be larger than the volume of the refrigerant channel 12 in the lower wall assembly 23 to accelerate heat dissipation.

[0040] This application also proposes a laser processing equipment, referring to Figures 1 and 2, which includes the aforementioned spot shaping device. The laser processing equipment also includes a machine base for mounting the spot shaping device. In this embodiment, the laser processing equipment can be used in laser lift-off or laser annealing processes for OLED flexible displays, and can also be used in processes such as laser rust removal or laser engraving.

[0041] In this embodiment, the working principle of the spot shaping device and the laser processing equipment is as follows:

[0042] The beam spot shaping device in this application includes a base 40, a beam spot cutting mechanism, and a beam collection mechanism. The base 40 has a through hole 41 for laser light to pass through. The beam spot cutting mechanism includes a driving member on the base 40 and a light-shielding member located above the through hole 41. The driving member drives the light-shielding member to move, thus blocking a portion of the laser beam path. The beam collection mechanism includes a housing 10 on one side of the beam spot cutting mechanism and a cooling medium channel 12 on the housing 10. The housing 10 has a chamber for absorbing reflected light, and an opening on the side of the housing 10 facing the light-shielding member allows reflected light to enter. The reflected light is formed by reflection from the light-shielding member. Blocking a portion of the beam spot's corresponding optical path with the light-shielding member shortens the beam spot length. This blocking method alone does not change the laser's energy density. Furthermore, the reflected light enters the housing 10 and is converted into heat energy, without interfering with the working optical path. After the refrigerant is introduced into the refrigerant channel 12 in the housing 10, it can also cool down the light collection mechanism.

[0043] The above are only some or preferred embodiments of this application. Neither the text nor the drawings should limit the scope of protection of this application. All equivalent structural transformations made using the content of this application's specification and drawings under the overall concept of this application, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A spot shaping device, characterized in that, include: A base having a through hole for the laser to pass through; The light spot interception mechanism includes a driving member disposed on the base and a light shielding member located above the through hole. The driving member is used to drive the light shielding member to move so as to block part of the laser light path. The light collection mechanism includes a housing disposed on one side of the light spot interception mechanism and a refrigerant channel disposed on the housing. The housing has an opening on the side facing the light shield for the reflected light to enter, and the reflected light is formed by the reflection of the light shield.

2. The spot shaping device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light spot interception mechanism includes two light-shielding members arranged side by side along a first direction, and the driving member is used to drive the two light-shielding members to move closer or further away from each other along the first direction.

3. The spot shaping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing is slidably connected to the base, and the sliding direction is along the first direction; the spot shaping device further includes a locking mechanism disposed on the housing or the base, the locking mechanism being used to restrict the sliding between the housing and the base.

4. The spot shaping device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The opening is arranged along the first direction, and the light collecting mechanism further includes a light-transmitting element disposed in the opening. The light-transmitting element and the housing form a sealed cooling channel inside the housing. The housing is formed by a shell wall, and the refrigerant flow channel is disposed in the shell wall.

5. The spot shaping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing is arranged along the first direction, and the housing wall includes two end caps arranged along the first direction, and an upper wall assembly, a side wall assembly and a lower wall assembly disposed between the end caps and connected in sequence, wherein the side wall assembly is spaced apart from the light-transmitting element.

6. The spot shaping device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The width of the upper wall assembly is greater than the width of the lower wall assembly, and the light-transmitting element connects the edges of the upper wall assembly and the lower wall assembly; the outward-facing surface of the light-transmitting element is inclined downward and faces the light-shielding element.

7. The spot shaping device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper wall assembly has a sloping surface facing the lower wall assembly, and the sloping surface is positioned facing the side wall assembly; the sloping surface also has a reflective area and / or a light-absorbing area.

8. The spot shaping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The light-collecting mechanism also includes a heat sink, which is disposed on the inner wall of the housing away from the light-transmitting element.

9. The spot shaping device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The spot shaping device also includes a gas supply component and a gas drying component connected to the cooling channel.

10. A laser processing device, characterized in that, The laser processing equipment includes the spot shaping device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, and further includes a machine base for mounting the spot shaping device.

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