Laser processing system, jet adjustment device, and laser processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014198-B2
Application number	US-201916546744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2019
Priority date	Aug 24, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A laser processing system that can effectively blow out a material of a workpiece melted by a laser beam by effectively utilizing an assist gas emitted from a nozzle. The laser processing system comprises a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; and a tubular enclosure disposed between the nozzle and a workpiece and enclosing the jet, wherein the enclosure has a changeable radial inner dimension, and is configured to adjust the position of the maximum point by changing the inner dimension.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A laser processing system comprising:
a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening; and
a tubular enclosure separate from the nozzle and disposed between the nozzle and a workpiece and enclosing the jet,
wherein the tubular enclosure has a changeable radial inner dimension, and is configured to adjust the position of the maximum point by changing the inner dimension.

2. The laser processing system of claim 1 , further comprising an enclosure driver configured to change the inner dimension of the enclosure.

3. The laser processing system of claim 1 , comprising:
a position acquisition section configured to acquire information representing the position of the maximum point; and
a maximum point controller configured to control the position of the maximum point by changing the inner dimension based on the information.

4. The laser processing system of claim 1 , where a tubular enclosure extends along a length between the nozzle and the workpiece.

5. A laser processing system comprising:
a nozzle including an emission opening configured to emit a jet of an assist gas along an optical axis of a laser beam, the nozzle being configured to form a maximum point of velocity of the jet at a position away from the emission opening;
a tubular enclosure disposed between the nozzle and a workpiece and enclosing the jet,
wherein the enclosure has a changeable radial inner dimension, and is configured to adjust the position of the maximum point by changing the inner dimension; and
an enclosure driver configured to change the inner dimension of the enclosure,
wherein the enclosure includes a flexible cylindrical member, and
wherein the enclosure driver includes a mechanism section configure to deform the cylindrical member so as to change the inner dimension.

6. A jet adjustment device comprising a tubular enclosure enclosing a jet of a gas emitted from an emission opening of a nozzle, the tubular enclosure being separate from the nozzle and disposed between the nozzle and a workpiece, the tubular enclosure having a changeable radial inner dimension and configured to adjust, by changing the inner dimension, a position of a maximum point of velocity of the jet formed at the position away from the emission opening.

7. A method of laser process on a workpiece using the laser processing system of claim 1 , the method comprising:
emitting the jet from the emission opening of the nozzle;
adjusting the position of the maximum point by changing the inner dimension of the enclosure; and
disposing the position of the maximum point at a process portion of the workpiece and processing the workpiece with the laser beam.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Izumi Takashi

Classifications

• G01P5/00

  Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft (application of speed-measuring devices for measuring volume of fluid G01F) · CPC title

• G01F1/00

  Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00) · CPC title

• B23K26/0884

  in at least three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots · CPC title

• B23K26/12

  in a special environment or atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure · CPC title

• B23K26/389 Primary

  of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets · CPC title