Liquid crystal mask, liquid crystal laser marker, and marking method using the same

摘要

According to the present invention, no gap occurs in the joint between adjacent blocks when a design is marked in several blocks. In a liquid crystal laser marker for making a liquid crystal mask (2) with a plurality of pixels display a design to be marked on workpieces and for transmitting a laser beam through the liquid crystal mask to a workpiece so that the design will be marked on the workpiece, the liquid crystal mask is such that the pixels at all or part of the outermost sides have a size which is different from that of the inner pixels. The liquid crystal laser marker further includes a controller (11), when a design is divided into several blocks (1, 1, 1) and one of the blocks is displayed on the liquid crystal mask, the controller controls the liquid crystal mask such that a marking position of the block currently displayed on the liquid crystal mask overlaps a marking position of a block adjacent to the currently displayed block by a given length (L.sub. 1, L.sub.2) of a portion where the outermost pixels have a size which is different from that of the inner pixels of the liquid crystal mask. A liquid crystal mask the pixels of which have the same size can be used. In this case, the controller controls the liquid crystal mask such that a marking position of a block currently displayed on the liquid crystal mask overlaps a marking position of a block adjacent to the currently displayed block by a given length (L3, L4) of a portion corresponding to part of the outermost pixels of the liquid crystal mask.