MIRROR ANGULAR-POSITIONING APPARATUS AND PROCESSING APPARATUS

• US 20110297655A1
• Filed: 06/03/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: UEDA, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 9,933,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.67
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/121 Mechanical drive devices for polygonal mirrors

Abstract

The present invention provides an apparatus for angular positioning of a mirror, the apparatus including a motor configured to rotate a mirror, a detector configured to detect a rotational angle of the mirror, a controller configured to supply an electric current to the motor so that the rotational angle of the mirror reaches a target angle, to estimate, based on a model representing a relation between a value of the electric current to be supplied to the motor and a face tangle error angle of the mirror, a face tangle error angle of the mirror to which the electric current is supplied, and to, if the estimated angle exceeds a tolerance, perform a process of adjusting of a supply of the electric current to the motor so that the face tangle error angle of the mirror falls within the tolerance.

Claims

1. An apparatus for angular positioning of a mirror, the apparatus comprising:

a first mirror;

a first motor configured to rotate the first mirror;

a first detector configured to detect a rotational angle of the first mirror;

a first controller configured to supply an electric current to the first motor so that the rotational angle of the first mirror reaches a target angle, to estimate, based on a model representing a relation between a value of the electric current to be supplied to the first motor and a face tangle error angle of the first mirror, a face tangle error angle of the first mirror in a case where the electric current is supplied to the first motor, and to, if the estimated angle exceeds a tolerance, perform a process of adjusting of a supply of the electric current to the first motor so that the face tangle error angle of the first mirror falls within the tolerance.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to perform, as the process, setting of a waiting time required before the first mirror is rotated to a next target angle.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first controller is configured to perform, as the process, adjusting of a time during which the first mirror is rotated to a next target angle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a first unit includes the first mirror, the first motor, the first detector and the first controller, and

the apparatus further comprises a second unit including a second mirror, a second motor configured to rotate the second mirror, a second detector configured to detect a rotational angle of the second mirror, a second controller configured to supply an electric current to the second motor so that the rotational angle of the second mirror reaches a target angle, and to estimate, based on a model representing a relation between a value of the electric current to be supplied to the second motor and a face tangle error angle of the second mirror, a face tangle error angle of the second mirror in a case where the electric current is supplied to the second motor,

a rotating shaft of the first motor and a rotating shaft of the second motor are perpendicular to each other, and

the first and second controllers are configured to perform compensating for the face tangle error angle of one of the first mirror and the second mirror with angular positioning of the other based on the estimated angle of the first mirror and the estimated angle of the second mirror.

5. A processing apparatus for irradiating an object with a laser light, the processing apparatus comprising:

an apparatus according to claim 1; and

an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the first mirror of the apparatus according to claim 1 with the laser light.

6. A processing apparatus for irradiating an object with a laser light, the processing apparatus comprising:

an apparatus for angular positioning of a mirror; and

an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the mirror with the laser light,

wherein the apparatus for angular positioning of a mirror comprises;

a mirror;

a motor configured to rotate the mirror;

a detector configured to detect a rotational angle of the mirror; and

a controller configured to supply an electric current to the motor so that the rotational angle of the mirror reaches a target angle, to estimate, based on a model representing a relation between a value of the electric current to be supplied to the motor and a face tangle error angle of the mirror, a face tangle error angle of the mirror in a case where the electric current is supplied to the motor, and to, if the estimated angle exceeds a tolerance, cause the irradiation unit to wait for irradiating of the apparatus with the laser light.