JP2007216300A - Laser processing apparatus, laser processing method, work cooling apparatus, and work cooling method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a laser processing apparatus and a processing method capable of preventing cracks and cracks due to a large temperature gradient generated in a workpiece during laser processing.
In a laser processing apparatus that processes a workpiece W by irradiating a workpiece with laser light, a preheating unit 1 that heats a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and the preheating unit is heated. In addition, heat retaining means for retaining the whole of the workpiece, and main processing means for performing processing by irradiating the portion of the workpiece with laser light during the heat retention by the heat retaining means and heating to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece. And slow cooling means 6 for cooling the workpiece processed by the main processing means to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus and a laser processing method for processing a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam. The present invention also relates to a work cooling device and a work cooling method for cooling a heated work.

  Conventionally, there is a technique for processing a workpiece with a laser beam. For example, this is a technique in which two glass pieces (work pieces) are bonded together to produce a double glass. Such laser processing is performed by, for example, a laser processing machine D100 as shown in FIG. The laser processing machine D100 includes a laser oscillator 121 as a light source, a processing head 126 that emits laser light, and guide tubes 122 and 124 that guide the laser light from the laser oscillator 121 to the processing head 126.

  In the laser processing machine D100, a table 102 (work table) is provided on the base 101 so as to be movable in the X direction. A gate-shaped frame 103 is erected with the table 102 interposed therebetween. A sliding body 104 is provided on the upper side of the frame 103 so as to be movable in the Y direction. The sliding body 104 is provided with an elevating body 105 that can be moved up and down in the Z direction. A revolving unit 106 is provided at the lower end of the elevating body 105 so as to be able to swivel around a vertical axis. The revolving body 106 is provided with a machining head 126 so that the angle of the revolving body 106 can be changed. Laser processing of the workpiece W100 (glass piece) fixed to the table 102 is performed while moving, turning, and changing the angle of the processing head 126 with respect to the table 102 in three axes (X axis, Y axis, Z axis).

  However, in such processing by the laser processing machine D100, there has been a problem that cracks and cracks occur in the workpiece due to a large temperature gradient generated in the workpiece during laser processing of the workpiece.

  Furthermore, since the workpiece immediately after laser processing is hot, it is necessary to cool it, but if it is cooled rapidly with cold air, a large temperature gradient is generated inside the workpiece, causing cracks and cracks. If the cooling rate is slowed down due to fear of cracks, the manufacturing process of the processed product will be prolonged.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention is a laser processing apparatus that processes a workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam, and a position of the workpiece to be processed is set to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece. Preheating means for heating, heat retaining means for keeping the whole of the work heated by the preheating means, and during the heat keeping by the heat keeping means, the portion of the work is irradiated with laser light to process the work temperature of the work Main processing means for heating and processing to the above temperature, and slow cooling means for cooling the work processed by the main processing means to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the work (Claim 1). . Further, the laser processing method of the present invention is a laser processing method for processing a workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with laser light, and a preheating process for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, After the preheating process, the temperature of the whole work is kept warm, and during execution of the heat keeping process, the part of the work is irradiated with laser light to be heated to a temperature higher than the processing temperature of the work. A main machining process to be machined, and a slow cooling process for cooling the workpiece to a temperature lower than the machining temperature of the workpiece after the main machining process (claim 2).

  According to such an apparatus and method, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the workpiece is cooled after preheating. Therefore, even if the laser beam is irradiated during main processing, a large temperature gradient does not occur in the workpiece.

  In order to solve the above problems, a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention is a laser processing apparatus that processes a workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam, and a position to be processed of the workpiece is lower than a processing temperature of the workpiece. Preheating means for heating to a temperature, and immediately after being heated by the preheating means, the portion of the workpiece heated by the preheating means is irradiated with laser light to be heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece. And a slow cooling means for cooling the workpiece processed by the main processing means to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece (claim 3). Further, the laser processing method of the present invention is a laser processing method for processing a workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with laser light, and a preheating process for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, Immediately after the preheating process, a main machining process in which the portion of the workpiece is irradiated with a laser beam and heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the machining temperature of the workpiece, and after the main machining process, And a slow cooling process for cooling to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece.

  According to such an apparatus and method, the main machining is started after preheating and before the workpiece is cooled. Therefore, even if the laser beam is irradiated during main processing, a large temperature gradient does not occur in the workpiece.

  In order to solve the above problems, a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention is a laser processing apparatus that processes a workpiece by irradiating the workpiece with a laser beam, and a position to be processed of the workpiece is lower than a processing temperature of the workpiece. A heating furnace that heats to a temperature; a main processing means that irradiates the portion of the workpiece heated by the heating furnace with a laser beam to heat the workpiece to a temperature equal to or higher than a processing temperature of the workpiece; and the main processing And a slow cooling means for cooling the workpiece processed by the means to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and a supply port for supplying the workpiece is formed on the side or bottom of the heating furnace. (Claim 5).

  In the heating furnace, the higher the temperature, the higher the air is in the upper part of the heating furnace. Therefore, according to such an apparatus, it is possible to prevent the hottest air, that is, the air present in the upper part of the heating furnace, from flowing out from the supply port.

  In order to solve the above problems, a workpiece cooling device according to the present invention is a workpiece cooling device that cools a heated workpiece, and includes a temperature sensor that detects a surface temperature of the workpiece, and a gas around the workpiece. And a control device for controlling the temperature of the gas to a predetermined temperature lower than the workpiece surface temperature based on the workpiece surface temperature detected by the temperature sensor. ). The workpiece cooling method of the present invention is a workpiece cooling method for cooling a heated workpiece, and detects the surface temperature of the workpiece, and based on the detected workpiece surface temperature, the workpiece surface temperature is higher than the workpiece surface temperature. A gas controlled to a low predetermined temperature is sent around the workpiece (claim 7).

  According to such an apparatus and method, the workpiece can be cooled while monitoring the workpiece surface temperature. Therefore, the workpiece can be cooled as quickly as possible within a range in which a large temperature gradient does not occur in the workpiece.

The present invention has the following effects.
(1) If a heat retaining means for retaining the entire work heated by the preheating means is provided, and the work is laser processed while being kept warm by the heat retaining means, it is possible to avoid a large temperature gradient in the work.
(2) If the workpiece is laser processed immediately after being heated by the preheating means, it is possible to avoid a large temperature gradient in the workpiece.
(3) If a heating furnace is provided and a workpiece supply port is formed at the side or bottom of the heating furnace, high-temperature air that escapes from the heating furnace to the outside can be reduced.
(4) When the workpiece surface temperature is detected by the temperature sensor and the workpiece is cooled while controlling the temperature of the blown gas based on this temperature, the cooling time can be shortened without causing cracks or cracks in the workpiece. Thereby, the manufacturing time per laser processed product can be shortened.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a laser processing apparatus D for performing laser processing on a workpiece W.

  Laser processing performed by this type of laser processing equipment includes processing that irradiates a part of a workpiece with laser light and melts and deforms that part, or irradiates laser light on the contact or proximity of two workpiece pieces. Then, there is a process to fuse the part. Depending on the type of processing, the processing temperature of the laser light irradiation portion varies. For example, in the case of fusion processing, the fusion temperature of the workpiece becomes the processing temperature. Examples of the workpiece subjected to laser processing include glass, ceramic, and metal.

  Here, assuming that two glass plates stacked with a slight gap are provided as the work W, the end surfaces of the two glass plates are irradiated with laser light to form two glass plates. The operation of this laser processing apparatus D when producing a double glass by fusing will be described.

  The laser processing apparatus D is mainly composed of a preheating apparatus 1, a fusing apparatus 2 as a main processing means, a conveying apparatus 5, a slow cooling apparatus 6, and the like.

  The conveying device 5 places the workpiece W thereon, and moves the workpiece W in the direction of arrow A1 so that the workpiece W passes through the preheating device 1, the fusion device 2, and the slow cooling device 6 in this order.

  The preheating device 1 is a device that heats a portion of the workpiece W to be fused to a predetermined preheating temperature (a temperature lower than the fusion temperature). For this purpose, the entire workpiece W may be heated, or only the portion where the workpiece W is to be fused may be heated. In order to heat the entire workpiece W, for example, the preheating device 1 may be configured by a heating furnace. Moreover, in order to heat only the location where the workpiece | work W should be fuse | melted, you may irradiate a laser beam only to the location, for example.

  The fusing device 2 as the main processing means is composed of a laser beam irradiation device. That is, the laser beam is irradiated to a portion of the workpiece W to be fused, and the temperature at the portion is increased to a processing temperature (fusing temperature) or more to perform fusion.

  The slow cooling device 6 is a device that slowly cools the welded portion of the workpiece W from a fusion temperature to a predetermined temperature (a temperature lower than the fusion temperature). For that purpose, the whole workpiece W may be gradually cooled, or only the fused part of the workpiece W may be gradually cooled. As a method of slow cooling, there is a method of cooling while heating at a temperature lower than the furnace cooling or the maximum temperature of the workpiece. In order to gradually cool the entire workpiece W, for example, the slow cooling device 6 may be configured by a heating furnace. Further, in order to gradually cool only the fused part of the workpiece W, for example, only the part may be irradiated with laser light.

  Note that, for example, the preheating device 1 and the slow cooling device 6 are not configured by two independent heating furnaces, but, for example, preheating and slow cooling may be performed using one heating furnace. In short, any apparatus that can perform both heating (preheating) before fusion and cooling (slow cooling) after fusion may be used.

  The process of fusing the workpiece W to manufacture a double glass will be described. First, the workpiece W is placed on the transport device 5 and passes through the preheating device 1 by driving the transport device 5. The preheating device 1 has a heater. When the preheating device 1 passes through the preheating device, the entire work W is heated to 500 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the end surface of the workpiece W (glass plate) is also 500 degrees Celsius.

  Next, the work W reaches the fusion device 2 while being placed on the transport device 5. Here, the workpiece W is irradiated with laser light on its end face. The laser light is irradiated so as to go around the periphery of the workpiece W, whereby the entire periphery of the periphery of the workpiece W is fused, and a double glass having a gap space formed therein is manufactured. Before the laser beam is irradiated, the workpiece W has already been heated to 500 degrees Celsius. Therefore, even if the fusion spot is heated to a temperature higher than that, the workpiece W is irradiated during the laser beam irradiation. No cracks or cracks occur in W.

  Next, the fused workpiece W passes through the slow cooling device 6 while being placed on the transfer device 5. The slow cooling device 6 has a heater, and the whole workpiece W is gradually cooled while passing through the slow cooling device 6. The reason for slow cooling is to prevent the part of the workpiece W that is particularly fused from being rapidly cooled. That is, if the workpiece W immediately after fusing is rapidly cooled, a large temperature gradient is generated inside the workpiece W, causing cracks and cracks. In this way, the entire process of fusion bonding is completed without causing cracks or cracks in the workpiece W.

  Next, the fusion apparatus 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fusion apparatus 2, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

  First, referring to FIG. 2, the fusing device 2 includes a laser oscillator 21, a light diameter conversion device 23, a spectroscopic device 25, and processing heads 26 and 27. The laser light generated by the laser oscillator 21 is substantially parallel light. This laser light is sent to the light diameter conversion device 23 through the guide tube 22, and the diameter is converted into a predetermined diameter. The means for converting the diameter can be constituted by, for example, a lens such as a collimator lens, a convex mirror, a concave mirror, an aperture, or a combination thereof. The laser light whose diameter has been converted is also substantially parallel light. Then, the laser beam whose diameter has been converted is sent to the spectroscopic device 25 which is a light branching unit via the guide tube 24, where it is branched into two parallel laser beams. The branched laser beams (substantially parallel laser beams) are guided to the processing heads 26 and 27 and emitted from the processing heads 26 and 27 in the directions of arrows B1 and B2. Between the processing head 26 and the processing head 27, the transfer device 5 is installed. A jig T is placed on the transfer device 5, and a workpiece W is fixed thereon. When the workpiece W passes between the machining head 26 and the machining head 27 by the conveying device 5, the end surface of the workpiece W is irradiated with laser light and fused. An arrow A1 in the drawing indicates the conveyance direction of the workpiece W.

  As can be understood from FIG. 3, here, the laser light is branched into 2 by the half mirror 31, and the branched laser light is guided to the respective processing heads 26 and 27 by the mirrors 35, 36 and 37. . The two processing heads 26 and 27 are arranged on both sides of the transport device 5 so as to sandwich the transport trajectory of the workpiece W.

  For branching light, a mirror 32 combined in a triangular prism shape as shown in FIG. 4A shows a perspective view of the triangular prism mirror 32, and FIG. 4B shows a state where the laser beam is branched into two by the triangular prism mirror 32. FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a plan view of the fusion apparatus 2. In this figure, the transfer device 5 is omitted, and only the workpiece W on the transfer device 5 appears. The arrow A1 in the figure indicates the conveyance direction of the workpiece W, and the arrows B1 and B2 indicate the traveling direction of the laser light emitted from the machining heads 26 and 27. As can be seen from this figure, the two laser beams emitted from the machining heads 26 and 27 travel in directions opposite to each other and are parallel to each other. The traveling direction of the second laser beam is approximately 45 degrees with the conveying direction of the workpiece W by the conveying device 5.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram for illustrating how the laser beam is irradiated to the workpiece W according to the conveyance of the workpiece W. The arrow A1 in the figure indicates the conveyance direction of the workpiece W, and the arrows B1 and B2 indicate the traveling direction of the laser light emitted from the machining heads 26 and 27. First, when the workpiece W is conveyed from the preheating device by the conveying device 5 and reaches the position P1, the laser light from the machining head 26 is irradiated onto the front end surface C1 of the workpiece W. As the work W is transported, the irradiated portion on the work W moves to the left on the front end face (see P2). When the workpiece W reaches the position P3, the fusion of the front end face C1 is completed, and the left end face C2 is irradiated with the laser light. As the workpiece W is further conveyed, the irradiated portion on the workpiece W moves rearward on the left end surface C2. When the workpiece W has reached the position P4, the laser light from the machining head 27 is irradiated to the right end surface C3 of the workpiece W this time. As the workpiece W is further conveyed, the irradiated portion on the workpiece W moves rearward on the right end surface C3. When the workpiece W reaches the position P5, the laser light is irradiated on the rear end surface C4 of the workpiece W. As the workpiece W is further conveyed, the irradiated portion on the workpiece W moves to the left on the rear end face C4. When the workpiece W passes between the machining heads 26 and 27 in this way, the entire periphery of the periphery of the workpiece W is fused. Thus, even though the processing heads 26 and 27 are fixed, when the workpiece W is transported, the irradiated portion of the laser beam is along the portion where the workpiece W is to be fused on the workpiece W. Moving. Therefore, it is not necessary to control the movement of the machining head, and it is possible to continuously weld the workpieces W that are successively conveyed.

  The distance from the processing heads 26 and 27 to the irradiated portion on the workpiece W where the laser beam strikes varies depending on the position of the workpiece W. However, since the laser beam is substantially parallel light, the irradiation intensity does not depend on the above distance. It is almost constant.

  In order to adjust the irradiation intensity, the traveling direction of the laser beam may be at an angle other than 45 degrees with respect to the conveying direction of the workpiece W. Further, the laser beams emitted from the second machining heads 26 and 27 do not necessarily have to be parallel to each other. Further, for example, when only the right end surface C3 and the rear end surface C4 of the workpiece W are to be fused, the processing head 26 is not necessary. Therefore, it is not necessary to split the laser beam.

  FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view for explaining the heat retaining device 41 of the laser processing apparatus D. FIG. As described above, the heat retaining device 41 may be provided in the vicinity of the fusion device 2. The heat retaining device 41 is constituted by a heater and faces the work placement surface 51 of the transport device 5 so that the whole work W can be heated without heating the machining heads 26 and 27. Has been placed. The heat retaining device 41 is provided for the following reason. That is, the workpiece W preheated by the preheating device 1 does not receive the heating from the preheating device 1 if it passes through the preheating device 1. When the heating is stopped, the work W gradually cools down. If the workpiece W cools to a predetermined temperature or less, a large temperature gradient is generated inside when the laser beam is irradiated, which may cause cracks or cracks. The heat retaining device 41 is for avoiding this. Even when the work W passes between the machining heads 26 and 27 by the heat retaining device 41, the whole is heated.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another embodiment of a laser processing apparatus configured to be able to perform fusion processing by laser light immediately after being heated by the preheating apparatus. In the laser processing apparatus D1, the preheating apparatus is configured by the heating furnace 11, and the slow cooling apparatus is configured by the heating furnace 61. Although not shown in the drawings, the laser processing apparatus D1 is provided with a transport device so that the workpiece W can pass through the heating furnace 11, the fusion apparatus 2, and the heating furnace 61 in this order. In addition, arrow A1 in a figure is the conveyance direction of the workpiece | work W. FIG. In the laser processing apparatus D1, the work W comes out of the heating furnace 11, and at the same time, the front end face C1 of the work W is irradiated with the laser light from the processing head 26. When the machining head 27 is fused to the left end of the rear end surface C4 of the workpiece W, that is, when the entire periphery of the workpiece W is fused, the workpiece W is accommodated in the heating furnace 61 at the same time. It is configured. Immediately after being heated by the heating furnace 11 as a preheating device in this manner, the fusion by the fusion device 2 is started before the workpiece W is cooled. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the work W from being cracked or cracked when the laser beam is irradiated to perform the fusing process.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of the laser processing apparatus. This laser processing apparatus D2 has a heating furnace 80. Then, the workpiece W moves in the direction of arrow A1 in the figure in a state where the workpiece W is placed on the transfer device 5 in the heating furnace 80. A supply port 81 for supplying the workpiece W into the heating furnace 80 is formed on the side wall of the heating furnace 80.

  The reason why the supply port 81 is formed not on the upper surface of the heating furnace 80 but on the side wall is that if it is formed on the upper wall, the high-temperature air in the heating furnace 80 tends to flow out of the supply port. Therefore, the supply port 81 is preferably formed on the side wall of the heating furnace 80 as in the present embodiment, or on the bottom wall of the heating furnace 80.

  The workpiece W supplied from the supply port 81 into the heating furnace 80 is conveyed by the conveying device 5 in the direction of the arrow A1, and reaches a position corresponding to the laser processing machine 70 serving as a fusing unit. The laser processing machine 70 includes a processing head 71 that emits laser light, and the processing head 71 can be freely moved in a three-dimensional direction and can be turned and changed in angle.

  Since the workpiece W has been conveyed in the heating furnace 80, when the workpiece W reaches the position corresponding to the laser processing machine 70, it is heated to about 500 degrees Celsius. That is, the heating furnace 80 functions as a preheating means.

  Even when the part to be welded of the workpiece W is irradiated with laser light by the laser processing machine 70, the entire workpiece W is heated and kept warm by the heating furnace 80. That is, the heating furnace 80 also functions as a heat retaining means.

  After the fusion by the laser processing machine 70 is completed, the workpiece W is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A1 through the heating furnace 80 while being placed on the conveying device 5. Even during the conveyance, the workpiece W is heated by the heating furnace 80. Therefore, the workpiece W is gradually cooled without being rapidly cooled. That is, the heating furnace 80 also functions as a slow cooling means.

  The processing head 71 of the laser processing machine 70 enters the heating furnace 80 through the opening 83 having the door 82, but the movement of the processing head 71 of the laser processing machine 70 and the opening and closing of the door 82 are synchronized. The door 82 may be opened only when the processing head 71 has entered the heating furnace 80. In this way, the outflow of hot air in the heating furnace 80 from the opening 83 can be reduced as much as possible.

  Further, it is desirable to provide an openable / closable door at the supply port 81 formed on the side wall of the heating furnace 80 so that the door is opened only when the workpiece W is supplied to the heating furnace 80.

  FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram illustrating another example of the slow cooling device (work cooling device). This work cooling device 90 includes a mechanism for cooling glass as a work W, which is melted by laser light and in a high temperature state, as quickly as possible without causing cracks or cracks. In the manufacture of laser processed products by fusion or the like, the time required for the cooling process is often longer than the time required for the other processes. If the time of the cooling process can be shortened, it greatly contributes to shortening the manufacturing time per processed product. The workpiece cooling device 90 includes a chamber 91, infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93, a heating device 94, a blower device 95, and a control device 96. The workpiece W heated to a high temperature by being irradiated with laser light for fusion or the like is accommodated in the chamber 91. The blower 95 sends the air heated by the heating device 94 into the chamber 91. The work W is cooled by receiving the air blown from the blower 95 around the work W.

  Two infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93 are provided in the chamber 91. The infrared wavelength detected by the infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93 is in a wavelength region that does not pass through the workpiece W (here, glass). Therefore, the surface temperature of the workpiece W is detected by these infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93. The control device 96 receives detection signals from the infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93 and outputs first and second control signals. The first control signal controls the heating intensity of the heating device 94, and the second control signal controls the blowing intensity of the blowing device 95. The relationship between the heating intensity of the heating device 94 and the blowing intensity of the blower 95 is related to the control device 96 in advance. Based on this relationship and the detection signals from the infrared temperature sensors 92 and 93, the control device 96 performs control so that the temperature of the air sent from the blower 95 becomes a predetermined temperature suitable for cooling. The predetermined temperature suitable for this cooling is a temperature that is at least lower than the detected surface temperature of the workpiece W and that is determined based on the detected glass surface temperature.

  The predetermined temperature in this embodiment ranges from a temperature 60 degrees lower than the glass surface temperature to a temperature 50 degrees lower than the glass surface temperature. This temperature range was found by the applicant through trial and error as a temperature range suitable for cooling the glass as quickly as possible without causing cracks or cracks in the glass.

  When the control device 96 performs control, for example, the temperature of the blowing air of the blowing device 95 is measured with a temperature sensor or the like without using information on the relationship between the heating intensity of the heating device 94 and the temperature of the blowing air. You may perform control which detects directly and utilizes this detection result. Moreover, in this embodiment, although it comprised so that air might be sent and the workpiece | work W might be cooled, gas other than air may be heated and sent.

  Further, instead of blowing the gas (air) from the blower 95 directly onto the workpiece W, it may be blown through the perforated plates 97 and 98 as shown in FIG. An arrow A2 in the figure indicates the blowing direction. Only one perforated plate may be arranged, or a plurality of (for example, two) perforated plates may be arranged in an overlapping manner. Then, at least one of the plurality of perforated plates may be movable so that the air blowing intensity can be adjusted. An arrow A3 in the figure indicates the moving direction when the perforated plate 98 is set to be movable.

  FIG. 12 is a view showing a laser processing apparatus D3 for manufacturing a product having a vacuum space inside by fusion, in which (a) shows a state before fusion and (b) shows a state after fusion. Each is shown. This device D3 includes a vacuum chamber H and a laser beam irradiation device as a fusion means (not shown). In the vacuum chamber H, two glass pieces W1 and W2 which are workpiece pieces are accommodated in a state of being overlapped with a small gap (see FIG. 12A). The laser light irradiation device is arranged so that the peripheral edges of the glass pieces W1 and W2 can be fused by irradiation with laser light. An arrow B3 in the figure indicates the irradiation direction of the laser light at this time.

  When the entire periphery of the glass pieces W1, W2 is fused by the laser light irradiation device, a double glass W3 having a sealed space is completed (see FIG. 12B). Since the fusing process was performed in a vacuum environment, the formed internal space S is a vacuum space. Thus, by fusing the work pieces in the vacuum chamber, a product (laser processed product) having a vacuum space inside can be easily manufactured.

  The laser beam irradiation apparatus may be installed inside the vacuum chamber H or outside the vacuum chamber H. When the laser beam irradiation device is installed outside the vacuum chamber H, a portion capable of transmitting the laser beam is formed on at least a part of the wall of the vacuum chamber H, and the laser beam irradiation device is passed through this portion. The work piece may be irradiated with the laser beam.

  The present invention has been described with various embodiments. In the above embodiment, the case where the workpiece is mainly fused by laser light has been described as an example, but the present invention is also effective for processing other than fusion. For example, the present invention is also effective when performing processing such as irradiating a workpiece with laser light to deform the workpiece.

It is a figure which shows the outline | summary of a laser processing apparatus. It is a perspective view of a fusion apparatus. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a melt | fusion apparatus. It is a figure of a triangular prism mirror, (a) is the perspective view, (b) is a figure which shows the state which branches a laser beam. It is a top view of a fusion device. It is a figure for showing how a laser beam is irradiated to a work according to conveyance of a work. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the laser processing apparatus which has a heat retention apparatus. It is a figure which shows other embodiment of a laser processing apparatus. It is a figure which shows other embodiment of a laser processing apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows the other example of a slow cooling apparatus (work cooling device). It is a figure which shows an air blower and a perforated plate. It is a figure which shows a laser processing apparatus, (a) has shown the state before melt | fusion, (b) has each shown the state after melt | fusion. It is a perspective view of the conventional laser processing apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

1 Preheating device 2 Fusing device 5 Conveying device 6 Slow cooling device
11 Heating furnace
21 Laser oscillator
23 Light diameter converter
25 Spectrometer
26,27 Processing head
22,24 Guide tube
31 Half mirror
32 Triangular prism mirror
35,36,37 mirror
41 Thermal insulation device
51 Workpiece mounting surface
61 Heating furnace
70 Laser processing machine
71 Machining head
80 Heating furnace
81 Supply port
82 door
83 opening
90 Work cooling device
91 chamber
92,93 Infrared temperature sensor
94 Heating device
95 Blower
96 control unit
97,98 Perforated plate D, D1, D2, D3 Laser processing equipment H Vacuum chamber T Jig W Work
W1, W2 glass pieces
W3 double glass

Claims (7)

  A laser processing apparatus for irradiating a workpiece with laser light, the preheating means for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and the workpiece heated by the preheating means. Heat retaining means for retaining the whole, main processing means for irradiating the portion of the workpiece with laser light during the heat retention by the heat retaining means, and heating to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece; A laser processing apparatus comprising: slow cooling means for cooling the workpiece processed by the processing means to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece.   A laser processing method for irradiating a workpiece with laser light, a preheating process for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than a processing temperature of the workpiece, and after the preheating process, A main-heating process in which the portion of the workpiece is irradiated with a laser beam and heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and the main processing is performed. A laser processing method comprising: after the process, a slow cooling process for cooling the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece.   A laser processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam with a preheating means for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and immediately after being heated by the preheating means, A main processing means for irradiating the portion of the workpiece heated by the preheating means with a laser beam and heating to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and the processing by the main processing means And a slow cooling means for cooling the workpiece to a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece.   A laser processing method for irradiating a workpiece with laser light, wherein a preheating process for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than a processing temperature of the workpiece, and immediately after the preheating process, A main machining process in which the portion is irradiated with laser light and heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the machining temperature of the workpiece, and after the main machining process, the workpiece is cooled to a temperature lower than the machining temperature of the workpiece. And a slow cooling process.   A laser processing apparatus for processing a workpiece by irradiating a laser beam, a heating furnace for heating a portion to be processed of the workpiece to a temperature lower than a processing temperature of the workpiece, and the workpiece heated by the heating furnace. The main processing means for irradiating the spot with laser light and heating to a temperature equal to or higher than the processing temperature of the workpiece, and the workpiece processed by the main processing means at a temperature lower than the processing temperature of the workpiece. A laser processing apparatus comprising a slow cooling means for cooling, and a supply port for supplying the workpiece formed on a side or bottom of the heating furnace.   A workpiece cooling device that cools a heated workpiece, a temperature sensor that detects a surface temperature of the workpiece, a blower that feeds gas around the workpiece, and a temperature of the gas that is detected by the temperature sensor. A work cooling apparatus comprising: a control device that controls the work surface temperature to a predetermined temperature lower than the work surface temperature.   A workpiece cooling method for cooling a heated workpiece, wherein a surface temperature of the workpiece is detected, and a gas controlled to a predetermined temperature lower than the workpiece surface temperature based on the detected workpiece surface temperature, A work cooling method for feeding around the work.

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