Coherent light generators – Particular active media – Gas
Patent
1991-05-22
1993-04-27
Scott, Jr., Leon
Coherent light generators
Particular active media
Gas
372 34, 372 59, H01S 322
Patent
active
052068730
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a laser turbo blower for forcibly circulating a laser gas in a machining gas laser device and a laser oscillation device which employs such a laser turbo blower, and more particularly to a laser turbo blower which has bearings of increased service life and is improved in reliability and maintainability, and a laser oscillation device employing such a laser turbo blower.
BACKGROUND ART
Recent carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas laser oscillation devices are capable of producing high output power and emitting good-quality laser beams, and are widely used in laser machining applications such as metal or nonmetal material cutting and metal material welding. Particularly, those carbon dioxide gas laser oscillation devices which are coupled to CNC (computerized numerical control) systems to provide CNC laser machining apparatus are in widespread use in the application in which workpieces are cut to complex shapes at high speed with high precision.
One conventional carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas laser oscillation device will hereinafter be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 6 of the accompanying drawings shows a conventional carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas laser oscillation device in its entirety. The laser oscillation device includes a discharge tube 31 combined with an optical resonator which comprises an output coupling mirror 32 and a fully reflecting mirror 33 that are connected to respective opposite ends of the discharge tube 31. Metal electrodes 34, 35, are attached to outer peripheral surfaces of the discharge tube 31, the metal electrode 34 being grounded and the metal electrode 35 being connected to a high-frequency power supply 36. The high-frequency power supply 36 applies a high-frequency voltage between the metal electrodes 34, 35 to produce a glow discharge in the discharge tube 31 for laser excitation. A laser beam is generated along an optical axis 43 in the discharge tube 31, and is emitted out of the discharge tube 31 from the output coupling mirror 32 along an optical axis 44.
Before the gas laser oscillation device is started, the entire device is evacuated by a vacuum pump 42, and a valve 41 is opened to introduce a laser gas at a given rate from a gas container 40 into the device until the pressure of the gas in the device reaches a predetermined level. The device is continuously evacuated by the vacuum pump 42 and the laser gas is continuously supplied through the valve 41 so that the laser gas is partly replaced with a fresh gas continuously while the gas pressure in the device is being kept at the predetermined level. In this manner, the interior of the device is prevented from being contaminated by the laser gas.
In FIG. 6, a blower 39 circulates the laser gas in the device in order to cool the laser gas. In the carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) gas laser, about 20% of the supplied electric energy is converted into a laser beam, whereas the rest of the applied electric energy is consumed to heat the laser gas. Since the gain of laser oscillation is theoretically proportional to the -(3/2)th power of the absolute temperature T, it is necessary to forcibly cool the laser gas in order to increase the oscillation efficiency.
In the device shown in FIG. 6, the laser gas flows through the discharge tube 31 at a rate of about 100 m/sec. in the direction indicated by the arrow into a cooling unit 38. The cooling unit 38 mainly serves to remove the thermal energy produced by the electric discharge from the laser gas. The blower 39 then compresses the laser gas which has been cooled. The compressed laser gas is thereafter introduced into the discharge tube 31 through another cooling unit 37. The cooling unit 37 serves to remove the heat produced upon compression of the laser gas in the blower 39, before the laser gas is introduced again into the discharge tube 31. The cooling units 37, 38 will not be described in detail as they are well known in the art.
The blower 39 may be either a roots blower or a turbo blower. FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawin
REFERENCES:
patent: 3638140 (1972-01-01), Knapp et al.
patent: 4351052 (1982-09-01), Sasaki et al.
patent: 4835784 (1989-05-01), Gurs
patent: 4907240 (1990-03-01), Klingel
patent: 5022039 (1991-06-01), Karube et al.
patent: 5060238 (1991-10-01), Karube et al.
patent: 5111474 (1992-05-01), Funacubo et al.
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 12, No. 461 (E-689) [3308], Dec. 5, 1988; & JP-A-63 184 381 (Toshiba) Jul. 29, 1988 Total.
Patent Abstract of Japan, vol. 13, No. 142 (E-739) [3490] , Apr. 7, 1989; & JP-A-63 304 685 (Hamamatsu Photonics) Dec. 12, 1988 Total.
Funakubo Tsutomu
Karube Norio
Nakahara Kenji
Fanuc Ltd.
Jr. Leon Scott
LandOfFree
Turbo blower for laser and laser oscillation device employing th does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Turbo blower for laser and laser oscillation device employing th, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Turbo blower for laser and laser oscillation device employing th will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2333527