LASER WELDING SYSTEM AND METHOD USING COOLING MASK TO CONTROL THE WIDTH OF THE WELD

Abstract

A laser welding method and system for joining portions of first and second workpieces of thermoplastic material that is partially permeable to a laser beam but absorbs radiation from the laser beam. The first and second workpieces, which are made of material that absorbs radiation from a laser beam, are clamped together. A mask is placed on a first surface of the first workpiece, the first surface being opposite the surface engaging the second workpiece. The mask is impermeable to a laser beam and forms a slot for passing a laser beam to the portion of the first surface of the upper workpiece exposed by the slot, so that heating and melting of the material of the workpieces is limited to the width of the slot. A laser beam is directed onto the slot and moved in a manner to illuminate the slot to melt and join the workpieces.

Claims

1. A laser welding method for joining portions of first and second workpieces, said method comprising: clamping together the portions of said first and second workpieces to be joined using a pair of clamping plates, said first and second workpieces being made of thermoplastic material that is optically transparent and partially permeable to a laser beam having a wavelength of about 2 microns and absorbs radiation from said laser beam; pressing said first and second workpieces together by urging at least one of said pair of clamping plates towards the other one of said clamping plates using an actuator; placing a mask on a first surface of the first workpiece, said first surface being opposite a second opposing surface engaging the second workpiece, said mask being impermeable to said laser beam and forming a slot for passing said laser beam to a portion of the first surface of the first workpiece exposed by said slot such that heating and melting of the material of said workpieces is limited to the width of said slot; positioning a transparent glass plate on said mask to absorb heat from said first workpiece to cool the portions of said first workpiece not exposed to said laser beam; directing, using a drive unit, said laser beam having a wavelength of about 2 microns onto said slot and moving said laser beam in a manner to illuminate the slot such that said first and second workpieces both partially absorb said laser beam to cause heating and melting in respective portions of said first and second workpieces.

2. The laser welding method of claim 1 in which said first and second workpieces both absorb portions of said laser beam to heat and melt the portions of said first and second workpieces exposed to said laser beam.

3. The laser welding method of claim 1, wherein said mask absorbs heat from said first workpiece to cool the portions of said first workpiece not exposed to said laser beam.

4. The laser welding method of claim 1 in which said laser beam has a wavelength of about 2 microns.

5. The laser welding method of claim 1, wherein said laser beam is an optical fiber beam.

6. The laser welding method of claim 1, wherein said laser beam is substantially perpendicular to said mask.

7. The laser welding method of claim 1, wherein said mask is chrome plated on glass.

8. The laser welding method of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second workpieces is an unfilled polymer that can be optically transparent, and said laser beam is partially absorbed by said polymer.

9-16. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In the drawings:

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser welding arrangement for welding two thermoplastic workpieces.

[0012] FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Although the invention will be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to those particular embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalent arrangements as may be included within the spirit and scope of invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0014] Turning now to the drawings, a laser source 10 generates a laser that is transmitted through a fiber cable 11 to a scan head 12 attached to a mount 13. The mount 13 is coupled to orthogonal gantries 14 and 15. One or more scanner mirrors within the scan head 12 are controlled by a processor-controlled drive unit 16 to direct a laser beam 17 downwardly onto a stack 18 that includes two thermoplastic workpieces 21 and 22 to be joined by welding. The drive unit 16 is controlled to adjust the positions of the scanner mirrors to move the laser beam 17 in a manner required to illuminate a prescribed weld zone on the top surface of the stack 18.

[0015] The top layer 19 in the stack 18 is a transparent glass plate 19 that has a reflective-coated photo mask 20 on the bottom surface of the glass plate 19. The mask 20 forms a slot 20a that permits the laser beam 17 to reach the upper workpiece 21, which at least partially absorbs the laser radiation. The mask 20 limits the exposed area of the workpieces 21 and 22 to the desired weld zone defined by the slot 20a, and thus limits the melting of the upper workpiece 21 to the desired weld zone. In addition, the mask 20 functions as a heat sink and cools the surface of the workpiece 21 in the areas outside the weld zone. In an alternative embodiment, the mask 20 is on the top surface rather than the bottom surface of the glass plate 19. One suitable material for the mask is chrome plated on the surface of the glass plate 19.

[0016] The movement of the scanner mirrors is controlled by the processor that controls the drive unit 16. When welding large parts, the movement of the laser beam 17 is controlled by driving the mount 13 along the gantries 14 and 15.

[0017] The basic welding technique used in the illustrated system provides significant advantages over through transmission laser welding (TTLW), in which the workpieces are pre-assembled and clamped together to provide an intimate contact between their joining surfaces. The laser beam is then delivered to the interface of the workpieces' interface through the upper transparent workpiece and is absorbed by the lower absorbing workpiece, which converts infrared energy into heat. Carbon black and specially designed absorbers are blended into the resin of the lower workpiece, or applied to the surface, to enable infrared radiation to be absorbed in the lower workpiece. The heat is conducted from the lower absorbing workpiece to the upper workpiece to melt the upper workpiece at the interface and form a bond. Precise positioning and clamping of the assembly ensures the intimate contact required for heat transfer between the parts.

[0018] Because the TTLW welding technique is dependent on the presence of an absorbing agent in the lower workpiece, it limits the applicability of this assembly process for manufacturing of medical devices, electronics, some consumer goods and packaging applications where a clear-to-clear or a clear-to-colored assembly is required. However, a laser having a wavelength of about 2 microns, commonly referred to as a 2 micron laser, is characterized by a greatly increased absorption by unfilled polymers, enabling a highly controlled melting through the thickness of plastic materials that do not have any absorbing agents and can be transparent in the visible wavelength range, i.e., optically clear parts such as polycarbonate or acrylic, without the need for any laser sensitive additives.

[0019] In the present invention, both workpieces absorb portions of the laser beam (preferably a fiber laser), and the adjacent contact surfaces of these two work pieces are bonded together in subsequent cooling under pressure. The laser beam is directed at the contact surfaces at essentially a right angle through the mask so that the width of the laser beam spot on the upper workpiece is limited by the slot width in the mask. Thus, the melting of the upper part is limited by the width of the slot in the mask as the beam is moved. The workpieces are bonded together in subsequent cooling under pressure.

[0020] While particular embodiments and applications of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction and compositions disclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variations can be apparent from the foregoing descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.