Coherent light generators – Particular active media – Gas
Patent
1997-01-29
1999-01-05
Scott Jr., Leon
Coherent light generators
Particular active media
Gas
H01S 322
Patent
active
058569928
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a gas laser blower for compulsorily circulating a laser gas used in a gas laser oscillation apparatus and feeding it into a cooler, and more particularly, to a gas laser blower designed so that vapor from a lubricant supplied to a bearing for supporting a shaft of an impeller of the blower, gas generated from a motor for rotating the shaft and other elements, etc. are prevented from getting into a circulation path for the laser gas and being mixed in the laser gas.
BACKGROUND ART
A carbon dioxide gas laser oscillation apparatus of a high-speed axial flow type, a typical gas laser oscillation apparatus, can produce high output and high-quality laser beams with a compact design, so that it has been widely utilized for laser work, such as cutting of metallic and nonmetallic materials and welding of metallic materials and the like. In particular, this apparatus is rapidly developing as a CNC laser work machine that is coupled with a CNC (numerical control device) and used in the field of high-speed, high-accuracy cutting work for complicated shapes.
In the carbon dioxide gas laser oscillation apparatus, about 20% of injected electrical energy is converted into laser beams, and the remainder is consumed in heating of a laser gas. On the other hand, the laser oscillation gain inevitably lowers as the temperature of the laser gas increases. In order to enhance the oscillation efficiency, therefore, it is necessary to cool the laser gas compulsorily, thereby making the laser gas temperature as low as possible. Accordingly, in the carbon dioxide gas laser apparatus of the high-speed axial flow type, a gas laser blower is used to circulate the laser gas compulsorily in the apparatus and feed it into the cooler.
FIG. 6 shows a vertical gas laser blower of an oil circulation type, as an example of this gas laser blower. In a gas laser blower 100, a shaft 2 that fixes an impeller 1 is arranged vertically. When the impeller 1 rotates, a laser gas is sucked in from a cooler (not shown) on the upstream side (or above the shaft) toward the impeller 1, passing in the direction of the shaft 2 (direction of arrow 9) along an upstream-side circulation path U. Then, the laser gas is caused to be discharged in a direction (direction of arrow 10) perpendicular to the direction of axis of the shaft by the impeller 1, and flows into a cooler (not shown) on the downstream side through a downstream-side circulation path D.
After the impeller 1 is fitted on the upper end portion of the shaft 2, it is fixedly coupled to the shaft 2 by fastening the upper end of the shaft 2 by means of a nut 7. The impeller 1 fixed to the shaft 2 is covered by a circulation-path-side casing 8 that defines the laser gas circulation paths U and D.
A rotor 3 is fixed to the axial central portion of the shaft 2 by shrink fitting. The rotor 3 is covered by a motor-side casing 12. A stator 4 is fixed to that part of the motor-side casing 12 which faces the rotor 3. The rotor 3 and the stator 4 constitutes a high-frequency motor 30. As a result, the impeller 1 is rotated at a high speed of tens of thousands of rpm.
The shaft 2 is supported on the apparatus body by means of a pair of bearings 5 and 6. The bearing 5 on the upper side is provided in a communication hole 121a that is formed in a partition wall 121 between the motor-side casing 12 and the circulation-path-side casing 8. The bearing 6 on the lower side is mounted on a shaft supporting portion 20 which will be mentioned later. Normally, angular ball bearings, which can stand high-speed rotation, are used as these bearings 5 and 6, individually.
An oil passage 13 is provided in the shaft 2, extending in the axial direction thereof. A plurality of oil outlets 131 with a small bore that connect the oil passage 13 and the outside are formed in the vicinity of such part of the shaft 2 as is supported by the bearing 5.
On the lower end side of the shaft 2, an oil suction head 17, having its outer periphery tapered toward the distal end (downward), is pro
REFERENCES:
patent: 4764086 (1988-08-01), Jesinger
patent: 5206873 (1993-04-01), Funakubo et al
patent: 5461636 (1995-10-01), Karube et al.
01 205585 (Fanuc Ltd) , Aug. 17, 1989. 02 001193 (Fanuc Ltd) , Jan. 5, 1990.
Karube Norio
Mitsui Kenji
Morita Yasuyuki
Nakahara Kenji
Fanuc Ltd.
Jr. Leon Scott
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