Electric heating – Metal heating – By arc
Patent
1990-02-02
1992-06-02
Albritton, C. L.
Electric heating
Metal heating
By arc
21912174, 21912184, 21912183, B23K 2602
Patent
active
051189186
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This application relates to beam delivery apparatus, particularly to a laser beam delivery apparatus for use in acting on a workpiece.
Traditionally, in laser cutting, etching, and similar forms of apparatus, the laser is caused to move as part of the directing operation onto a workpiece.
PRIOR ART
In the prior art, various proposals have been made for formulating different techniques and representative of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,638,143. In this reference, there is disclosed a robot-laser system which utilizes two or more mirrors mounted on an outer arm of the robot which moves the mirrors relative to the robot.
Another reference is U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,157 which again utilizes a robot with a rotatable wrist and discloses three mirrors inside the wrist of the robot arm to pass a light beam along the axis of rotation unrefracted through the wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,139 discloses a laser guidance system whereby adjustment of equal swivelling angles, circular arc cuts can be made.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,462 discloses a complex laser delivery system again utilizing a robot where each segment of a robot's arm is associated with a segment of a beam in a defined spatial relationship.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,465,519 is similar to the above described references by providing for a hole cutting laser apparatus; this device utilizes a mold to permit relative motion between the laser and the mold to provide a cutting action along the edges of an aperture.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,814 discloses a laser pipe welder/cutter in which a delivery system is mounted for rotation about a fixed object to be cut. Rigid sections are employed for the device which employs an optical elbow joint.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,941 discloses a system in which a laser beam is directed to a static focusing means and uses the point of focus of a rotated beam for working purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,081 discloses an articulated joint and utilizes a plurality of bearing means for rotating mirrors together with actuator means operating with the articulated joint to select various degrees of mechanical movement.
In all of the above prior art, various complex systems have been suggested for delivery of a laser beam through a point of use of the beam; in general, these have resulted in relatively expensive and complex equipment which in certain cases, has limited application or is intended specifically for certain functions whereby the equipment cannot be adapted for a variety of uses without significant modifications.
It would be desirable if there were provided a relatively economical laser device in which the necessity for complicated articulated joints or the like were reduced or minimized but at the same time still permitting an accurate delivery of the laser beam to its point of use, and which type of apparatus could be readily adapted for a variety of uses without complex modifications.
The present application maintains the laser stationery, providing an arrangement of movable mirrors, which have various forms of movement, such as rotation, movement along one axis and movement along another axis, the actual mirror movement being one or more of these forms of movement. Means are provided for ensuring correct optical alignment at all times.
Broadly, the invention is a beam delivery apparatus comprising a laser; first mirror means at the emission end of the laser and pivotal about the laser axis to reflect the beam normal to the laser axis; second mirror means aligned with the first mirror and pivotal about a further axis spaced from and parallel to the laser axis, and reflecting the beam along the further axis, the second mirror means also moveable transverse to the further axis; a telescopic arm joining the first and second mirror means to ensure movement in unison; a third mirror aligned with the second mirror, for transverse movement with the second mirror, and also moveable to and fro along the further axis. Focusing means are normally provided for focusing the beam on a workpiece.
In greater detail of the present invention, various types of lasers may be
REFERENCES:
patent: 3619550 (1971-11-01), Matthews
patent: 4465919 (1984-08-01), Roder
patent: 4533814 (1985-08-01), Ward
patent: 4539462 (1985-09-01), Plankenhorn
patent: 4572941 (1986-02-01), Sciaky et al.
patent: 4633058 (1986-12-01), Jones
patent: 4638143 (1987-01-01), Akeel
patent: 4667081 (1987-05-01), Turin et al.
patent: 4694139 (1987-09-01), Roder
patent: 4698479 (1987-10-01), Rando et al.
patent: 4703157 (1987-10-01), Dahlquist
IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, vol. 22, No. 10, Mar. 1980, Laser Formation of Disks Using a Beamsplitter, A. W. Mueller, pp. 4723 and 4724.
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