Laser drilling machine and method for collecting dust

• US 6,507,000 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Issued: 01/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Otsubo, Tatsuhiro, Naka, Hiroyuki, Matsuda, Naoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinrich, Samuel M.
• Application Number:
  US09/853,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.6, 219/121.67, 219/121.68, 219/121.69, 219/121.7, 219/121.71, 219/121.72, 219/121.84, 219/121.85
• US Class Current: 219/121.7
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/142 for the removal of by-products
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1462 Nozzles; Features related to nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/382 by boring

Abstract

A dust collector for a laser drilling machine is provided between a lens table and a workpiece to be processed and includes an upper inlet port and a lower inlet port arranged on one side of a space defined by four side walls, and an exhaust port arranged opposite the inlet ports. The total amount of air supplied from the two inlet ports is 30 to 70% of the exhaust rate. The lower inlet port has an air supply capacity 1.5 to 4.5 times that of the upper inlet port.

Claims

1. A laser drilling machine having a dust collector arranged between a lens table and a workpiece to be processed, comprising:

four side walls for defining therein a space;

an upper inlet port and a lower inlet port for introducing air into the space provided in one of the four side walls, the lower inlet port being capable of supplying air in an amount larger than an amount of air supplied by the upper inlet port; and

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the space, provided in one of the four side walls opposite the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port.

2. The laser drilling machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of flow adjusting grooves are formed on lower faces of a pair of side walls located on both sides of a draft of air flowing from the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port toward the exhaust port.

3. The laser drilling machine according to claim 2, wherein the flow adjusting grooves are inclined inwards to the draft of air at an angle of 20°

to 50°

.

4. The laser drilling machine according to claim 1, further comprising a closure member for closing a gap formed between a lower surface of the side wall in which the exhaust port is provided, the closure member having its distal end being positioned within the space and a surface inclined upwards toward the exhaust port.

5. The laser drilling machine according to claim 1, further comprising an upper side wall above the space around the lens table such as to face an outer wall of the lens table with a gap of 1 mm or less over a vertical length of 15 mm or more.

6. The laser drilling machine according to claim 1, wherein the amount of air supplied by the lower inlet port is 1.5 to 4.5 times more than the amount of air supplied by the upper inlet port.

7. The laser drilling machine according to claim 6, wherein the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port altogether have the air supply capacity which is 30 to 70% of the amount of air exhausted from the exhaust port.

8. The laser drilling machine according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust port is capable of exhausting air in an amount larger than an air supply capacity of both of the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port.

9. The laser drilling machine according to claim 8, wherein the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port altogether have the air supply capacity which is 30 to 70% of the amount of air exhausted from the exhaust port.

10. A laser drilling machine having a dust collector arranged between a lens table and a workpiece to be processed, comprising:

four side walls for defining therein a space;

an upper inlet port and a lower inlet port for introducing air into the space provided in one of the four side walls; and

an exhaust port for exhausting air from the space, provided in one of the four side walls opposite the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port, the exhaust port being capable of exhausting air in an amount larger than an air supply capacity of both of the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port.

11. The laser drilling machine according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of flow adjusting grooves are formed on lower faces of a pair of side walls located on both sides of a draft of air flowing from the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port toward the exhaust port.

12. The laser drilling machine according to claim 11, wherein the flow adjusting grooves are inclined inwards to the draft of air at an angle of 20°

to 50°

.

13. The laser drilling machine according to claim 10, further comprising a closure member for closing a gap formed between a lower surface of the side wall in which the exhaust port is provided, the closure member having its distal end being positioned within the space and a surface inclined upwards toward the exhaust port.

14. The laser drilling machine according to claim 10, further comprising an upper side wall above the space around the lens table such as to face an outer wall of the lens table with a gap of 1 mm or less over a vertical length of 15 mm or more.

15. The laser drilling machine according to claim 10, wherein the lower inlet port is capable of supplying air in amount larger than an amount of air supplied by the upper inlet port.

16. The laser drilling machine according to claim 15, wherein the amount of air supplied by the lower inlet port is 1.5 to 4.5 times more than the amount of air supplied by the upper inlet port.

17. The laser drilling machine according to claim 10, wherein the upper inlet port and the lower inlet port altogether have an air supply capacity which is 30 to 70% of the amount of air exhausted from the exhaust port.

18. A method for processing a workpiece by a laser drilling machine while collecting dust, comprising:

providing a substantially closed space between a lens table and a workpiece to be processed;

supplying air into the space from one side toward the other side thereof for creating a first draft of air;

supplying air for creating a second draft of air parallel to and below the first draft of air in an amount larger than that supplied for creating the first draft of air; and

exhausting air from the space from one side thereof downstream of the first draft of air and the second draft of air.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second draft of air is 1.5 to 4.5 times more in amount than the first draft of air.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the air is exhausted from the space in an amount larger than the air supplied into the space.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the air supplied is 30 to 70% in amount with respect to the air exhausted.