Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1992-07-02
1993-08-03
Nelms, David C.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
21912178, G01N 2186
Patent
active
052332020
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of adjusting an optical path followed by a working laser beam in a laser robot, which adjusts the optical path by using an adjusting laser beam so that a spot of the working laser beam can be focused onto an irradiation point at a high energy density by a focusing device provided on an extremity of the laser robot, and a device for carrying out the method.
BACKGROUND ART
A laser robot such as a polar coordinates laser robot is disclosed in International Application No. PCT/JP90/01627. The disclosed laser robot receives a laser beam emitted by a laser oscillator, i.e., a laser light source provided outside the robot unit and transmitted to the robot unit. The laser beam is further transmitted by laser beam reflecting mirror units disposed respectively at the joints of the robot unit to travel along an optical path aligned with the axes of rotation of the joints to an extremity of the robot unit, and irradiates an irradiation object while being focused by a focusing device provided on the extremity of the robot unit and including a parabolic focusing reflector and an irradiating nozzle.
The position and angle of incidence of the laser beam on the laser beam reflecting mirror unit disposed at each joint must be accurately adjusted so that the laser beam is accurately transmitted to the focusing device provided on the extremity of the robot unit. When the laser beam is transmitted from a laser beam receiving position on the robot unit along an ideal optical path to the focusing device, the laser beam can be focused on a spot having a maximum energy density at an objective point on an object of irradiation, to enable the most effective cutting, welding or photochemical reaction.
Accordingly, the position and orientation of the laser beam reflecting mirror units disposed respectively in the joints of the robot unit of a laser robot are adjusted to adjust the optical path followed by the laser beam.
Referring to FIG. 8, when adjusting the optical path of a laser beam in a prior art laser robot by a prior art optical path adjusting method, an adjusting laser beam 8 emitted by a laser oscillator 7 is introduced through laser beam reflecting mirror units 9, 10 and 11 provided in a laser beam conduit line extended outside the robot unit of the laser robot into the robot unit. The adjusting laser beam is then reflected by laser beam reflecting mirror units 12, 13 and 14 provided respectively in the joints of a rotary robot body and robot arms, to thereby fall on a parabolic reflecting mirror 15 accommodated in a focusing device arranged on a robot wrist. The optical path followed by the adjusting laser beam reflected by the parabolic reflecting mirror 15 is detected by an optical sensor 16 disposed after the parabolic reflecting mirror 15 with respect to the direction of travel of the adjusting laser beam. For example, if the laser beam reflecting mirror unit 11 is shifted from a correct position indicated by continuous lines to a position indicated by dotted lines, the adjusting laser beam travels along an optical path, indicated by broken lines, not aligned with a correct optical path and falls on the parabolic reflecting mirror 15. Accordingly, if the adjusting laser beam moves in the optical sensor 16 when any one of the joints of the robot unit is turned, it is judged that the optical path followed by the adjusting laser beam is not aligned with the correct optical path and the position and orientation of the laser beam reflecting mirror units 12, 13, 14 and 15 provided in the joints are adjusted to adjust the position and angle of incidence of the adjusting laser beam on the laser beam reflecting mirror units 12, 13, 14 and 15 so that the adjusting laser beam does not move in the optical sensor 16 even if any one of the joints is turned.
The optical sensor 16 comprises a known semiconductor position detecting device, such as a position sensitive detector, and the adjusting laser beam is a beam of visible laser light, such as laser light emitted by a H
REFERENCES:
patent: 5034618 (1991-07-01), Akeel et al.
Terada Akihiro
Torii Nobutoshi
Fanuc Ltd.
Nelms David C.
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