Laser engraver with X-Y assembly and cut control

Claim 1

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to use in engraving the workpiece; means for producing a target position for the radiation beam; means for producing a current position of the radiation beam; means, responsive to said target position and said current position of said radiation beam, for generating a control signal; and means, responsive to said control signal, for moving said radiation beam from said current position to said target position wherein said means for producing a current position includes encoder means operatively connected to said means for moving.

Claim 2

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to use in engraving the workpiece; means for producing a target position for the radiation beam; means for producing a current position of the radiation beam; means, responsive to said target position and said current position of said radiation beam, for generating a control signal; and means, responsive to said control signal, for moving said radiation beam from said current position to said target position wherein said means for producing a current position includes encoder means operatively connected to said means for moving.

Claim 7

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: positioning the workpiece to be engraved in a suitable location relative to the radiation beam; producing a target position for the radiation beam; using encoder means, to determine the current position of the radiation beam; generating a control signal using said target position and said current position; and moving said radiation beam using said control signal.

Claim 8

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: positioning the workpiece to be engraved in a suitable location relative to the radiation beam; producing a target position for the radiation beam; using encoder means, to determine the current position of the radiation beam; generating a control signal using said target position and said current position; and moving said radiation beam using said control signal.

Claim 12

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: positioning the workpiece to be engraved in a suitable location relative to the radiation beam; inputting information corresponding to a pattern to be engraved on the workpiece; engraving the workpiece by movement of the radiation beam relative to the workpiece in first and second directions at the same time; monitoring outputs of encoders associated with motors used in causing the relative movement; and determining subsequent magnitudes of relative movement using outputs of said encoders.

Claim 13

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: positioning the workpiece to be engraved in a suitable location relative to the radiation beam; inputting information corresponding to a pattern to be engraved on the workpiece; engraving the workpiece by movement of the radiation beam relative to the workpiece in first and second directions at the same time; monitoring outputs of encoders associated with motors used in causing the relative movement; and determining subsequent magnitudes of relative movement using outputs of said encoders.

Claim 14

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to use in engraving the workpiece; first means for linearly moving said radiation beam relative to the workpiece in a first direction, said first means including a first mirror for use in directing said radiation beam in said first direction; second means for linearly moving said radiation beam relative to the workpiece in a second direction different from said first direction, said second means having a second mirror used in directing said radiation beam in said second direction, wherein said first means and said second means can operate at the same time; and means for controlling the power of said radiation beam to control the amount of material removed from the workpiece, said means for controlling including means for determining a reference position and means for determining the difference between a current position and said reference position, wherein said difference is a defined value when said current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 15

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to use in engraving the workpiece; first means for linearly moving said radiation beam relative to the workpiece in a first direction, said first means including a first mirror for use in directing said radiation beam in said first direction; second means for linearly moving said radiation beam relative to the workpiece in a second direction different from said first direction, said second means having a second mirror used in directing said radiation beam in said second direction, wherein said first means and said second means can operate at the same time; and means for controlling the power of said radiation beam to control the amount of material removed from the workpiece, said means for controlling including means for determining a reference position and means for determining the difference between a current position and said reference position, wherein said difference is a defined value when said current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 16

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece along a path having a starting position and a target position; means for moving said radiation beam from said starting position to said target position; means for determining a reference position; means for sensing the current position of said radiation beam along said path; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using the difference between said current position and said reference position, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 17

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece along a path having a starting position and a target position; means for moving said radiation beam from said starting position to said target position; means for determining a reference position; means for sensing the current position of said radiation beam along said path; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using the difference between said current position and said reference position, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 26

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: providing a radiation beam means for generating a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece; determining a path on the workpiece for engraving by said radiation beam, said path laving a starting position and a target position; determining a reference position; directing said radiation beam along said path from said starting point to said target position; determining the current position of said radiation beam during said step of directing; and controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam during said step of directing by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said step of controlling using the difference between the current position of said beam along said path and said reference position, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of the radiation beam is at a defined location relative to the reference position.

Claim 27

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: providing a radiation beam means for generating a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece; determining a path on the workpiece for engraving by said radiation beam, said path laving a starting position and a target position; determining a reference position; directing said radiation beam along said path from said starting point to said target position; determining the current position of said radiation beam during said step of directing; and controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam during said step of directing by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said step of controlling using the difference between the current position of said beam along said path and said reference position, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of the radiation beam is at a defined location relative to the reference position.

Claim 34

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for determining a path to engrave on the workpiece, said path having a starting position and a target position, said starting position being defined by a starting first coordinate information and a starting second coordinate information, said target position being determined by a target first coordination information and a target second coordinate information; means for providing a radiator beam to use in engraving the workpiece along said path; means for determining a current position of said radiation beam, said current position being defined by a current first coordinate information and a current second coordinate information; means for moving said radiation team along a first axis using said current and target first coordinate information, and along a second axis using said current and target second coordinate information; means for selecting a reference position relative to a major axis, wherein said major axis is the greater of the following: the absolute difference between said starting first coordinate information and said target first coordinate information, and the absolute difference between said starting second coordinate information and said target second coordinate information; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using the difference between said current position and said reference position relative to said major axis, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 35

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for determining a path to engrave on the workpiece, said path having a starting position and a target position, said starting position being defined by a starting first coordinate information and a starting second coordinate information, said target position being determined by a target first coordination information and a target second coordinate information; means for providing a radiator beam to use in engraving the workpiece along said path; means for determining a current position of said radiation beam, said current position being defined by a current first coordinate information and a current second coordinate information; means for moving said radiation team along a first axis using said current and target first coordinate information, and along a second axis using said current and target second coordinate information; means for selecting a reference position relative to a major axis, wherein said major axis is the greater of the following: the absolute difference between said starting first coordinate information and said target first coordinate information, and the absolute difference between said starting second coordinate information and said target second coordinate information; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using the difference between said current position and said reference position relative to said major axis, wherein the difference is a defined value when the current position of said radiation beam is at a defined location relative to said reference position.

Claim 40

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece along a path having a starting position and a target position; means for determining a scaling function; means for moving said radiation team from said starting position to said target position; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using said scaling function.

Claim 41

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: means for providing a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece along a path having a starting position and a target position; means for determining a scaling function; means for moving said radiation team from said starting position to said target position; and means for controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam when moving along said path by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said means for controlling using said scaling function.

Claim 42

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: providing a radiation beam means for generating a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece; determining a path on the workpiece for engraving by said radiation beam, said path having a starting position and a target position; determining a scaling function; directing said radiation beam along said path from said starting point to said target position; and controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam during said step of directing by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said step of controlling using said scaling function.

Claim 43

A method for engraving a workpiece using a radiation beam, comprising: providing a radiation beam means for generating a radiation beam to engrave the workpiece; determining a path on the workpiece for engraving by said radiation beam, said path having a starting position and a target position; determining a scaling function; directing said radiation beam along said path from said starting point to said target position; and controlling the amount of material removed by said radiation beam during said step of directing by controlling the power of said radiation beam, said step of controlling using said scaling function.

Claim 44

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a laser beam, comprising: means for determining a path to engrave on the workpiece, said path having a starting position and an target position, said starting position being defined by a starting X-coordinate and a starting Y-coordinate, said target position being defined by an target X-coordinate and an target Y-coordinate; a laser for providing a laser beam to use in engraving the workpiece along said path; means for moving said laser beam along a X-axis from said starting X-coordinate to said target X-coordinate, comprising: X-encoder means for determining the current X-position; X-proportional-integral-differential means, responsive to said current X-position and said target X-coordinate, for generating a X-control signal; X-motor means, responsive to said X-control signal, for moving a carriage having operatively connected thereto a X-mirror means for use in directing said laser beam to the workpiece; means for moving said laser beam along a Y-axis from said starting Y-coordinate to said target Y-coordinate, comprising: Y-encoder means for determining the current Y-position; Y-proportional-integral-differential means, responsive to said current Y-position and said target Y coordinate, for generating a Y-control signal; Y-motor means, responsive to said Y-control signal for moving a carriage having operatively connected thereto a Y-mirror means for directing said laser beam to the workpiece; means for defining a reference position that includes the mid-point of said path relative to a major axis, said major axis being determined by the greater of the absolute differences between said starting and target X-coordinates, and said starting and target Y-coordinates; means for selecting the current position of said laser beam along said major axis from at least one of the following: said X-encoder means and said Y-encoder means; means for controlling the amount of material removed from the workpiece by controlling the power of the laser beam, said means for controlling using a difference between said reference position and said current position relative to said major axis during the movement of said laser beam along said path, wherein said difference is a defined value when the current position of said laser beam laser corresponds to said reference position.

Claim 45

An apparatus for engraving a workpiece using a laser beam, comprising: means for determining a path to engrave on the workpiece, said path having a starting position and an target position, said starting position being defined by a starting X-coordinate and a starting Y-coordinate, said target position being defined by an target X-coordinate and an target Y-coordinate; a laser for providing a laser beam to use in engraving the workpiece along said path; means for moving said laser beam along a X-axis from said starting X-coordinate to said target X-coordinate, comprising: X-encoder means for determining the current X-position; X-proportional-integral-differential means, responsive to said current X-position and said target X-coordinate, for generating a X-control signal; X-motor means, responsive to said X-control signal, for moving a carriage having operatively connected thereto a X-mirror means for use in directing said laser beam to the workpiece; means for moving said laser beam along a Y-axis from said starting Y-coordinate to said target Y-coordinate, comprising: Y-encoder means for determining the current Y-position; Y-proportional-integral-differential means, responsive to said current Y-position and said target Y coordinate, for generating a Y-control signal; Y-motor means, responsive to said Y-control signal for moving a carriage having operatively connected thereto a Y-mirror means for directing said laser beam to the workpiece; means for defining a reference position that includes the mid-point of said path relative to a major axis, said major axis being determined by the greater of the absolute differences between said starting and target X-coordinates, and said starting and target Y-coordinates; means for selecting the current position of said laser beam along said major axis from at least one of the following: said X-encoder means and said Y-encoder means; means for controlling the amount of material removed from the workpiece by controlling the power of the laser beam, said means for controlling using a difference between said reference position and said current position relative to said major axis during the movement of said laser beam along said path, wherein said difference is a defined value when the current position of said laser beam laser corresponds to said reference position.