Locking mechanisms in a laser nozzle holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11975407-B2
Application number	US-202016911917-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2020
Priority date	Jun 25, 2019
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

A nozzle holder for a laser processing head of a laser processing system is provided. The nozzle holder includes a substantially cylindrical hollow body shaped to matingly engage a laser nozzle. The hollow body defines a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and a plurality of apertures dispersing around a circumference of the hollow body. The nozzle holder also includes a plurality of pawls configured to operably engage the laser nozzle within the hollow body by extending through the plurality of apertures of the hollow body. The nozzle holder further includes a sleeve substantially surrounding the hollow body and the plurality of pawls. The sleeve includes a pawl retractor that is movable along the longitudinal axis to physically displace the plurality of pawls axially and radially relative to the longitudinal axis for disengagement of the plurality of pawls from the laser nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nozzle holder for a laser processing head of a laser processing system, the nozzle holder comprising:
a hollow body shaped to matingly engage a laser nozzle, the hollow body defining a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough and a plurality of apertures dispersing around a circumference of the hollow body, each of the plurality of apertures extending from an inner wall to an outer wall of the hollow body, wherein the laser nozzle is received from the distal end of the hollow body;
a plurality of pawls configured to operably engage the laser nozzle within the hollow body, wherein each pawl of the plurality of pawls has (i) a distal portion configured to extend through a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the hollow body to operably engage the laser nozzle and (ii) a proximal portion; and
a sleeve coupled to the hollow body while surrounding at least a portion of the hollow body and the plurality of pawls, wherein a distal portion of the sleeve includes a pawl retractor that is movable along the longitudinal axis with the sleeve to physically contact the plurality of pawls and apply an external force on the proximal portions of the plurality of pawls in a direction toward the proximal end of the hollow body to physically displace the plurality of pawls axially and radially relative to the longitudinal axis away from the hollow body, thereby pulling the distal portion of each of the plurality of pawls away from the corresponding ones of the plurality of apertures for disengagement of the plurality of pawls from the laser nozzle, and wherein the pawl retractor maintains physical contact with the plurality of pawls during both engagement with and disengagement from the laser nozzle.

2. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of pawls defines a pawl body having the proximal portion and the distal portion with a second longitudinal axis extending therebetween, wherein the distal portion of each of the plurality of pawls is configured to enable engagement of the pawl with the laser nozzle and wherein the proximal portion of each of the plurality of pawls is configured to facilitate disengagement of the pawl from the laser nozzle.

3. The nozzle holder of claim 2 , wherein the second longitudinal axis is oriented at an angle not perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the hollow body when at least a portion of the pawl body of each of the plurality of pawls is located within the corresponding aperture.

4. The nozzle holder of claim 2 , wherein the distal portion of each pawl includes a globular tip configured to extend through the corresponding aperture to engage with a complementarily-shaped groove of the laser nozzle.

5. The nozzle holder of claim 2 , wherein the proximal portion of each pawl includes at least one flange configured to maintain physical contact with the pawl retractor of the sleeve.

6. The nozzle holder of claim 5 , wherein the at least one flange extends in a perpendicular direction relative to the second longitudinal axis of the pawl body.

7. The nozzle holder of claim 5 , wherein the pawl retractor is configured to engage the at least one flange of each of the plurality of pawls to physically displace the plurality of pawls and retract the plurality of pawls from the plurality of apertures for disengagement from the laser nozzle.

8. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pawls comprise three pawls located about 120 degrees apart circumferentially about the hollow body.

9. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a proximal portion and the distal portion, the proximal portion configured to connect to the hollow body, and the distal portion includes the pawl retractor.

10. The nozzle holder of claim 9 , wherein the sleeve further includes a thread engagement section disposed on an interior surface of the sleeve at the proximal portion.

11. The nozzle holder of claim 9 , wherein the sleeve further includes a spring disposed between the proximal portion and the distal portion.

12. The nozzle holder of claim 11 , wherein the spring is configured to exert a biasing force to axially and radially displace the plurality of pawls relative to the longitudinal axis, thereby causing the plurality of pawls to extend through the respective ones of the plurality of apertures to engage the laser nozzle.

13. The nozzle holder of claim 12 , wherein when the spring is extended, the plurality of pawls are adapted to create an effective inner diameter of the hollow body that is smaller than an outer diameter of the laser nozzle.

14. The nozzle holder of claim 11 , wherein the pawl retractor maintains physical contact with the distal portion of each of the plurality of pawls, wherein the pawl retractor is slidable along the longitudinal axis and configured to overcome the biasing force of the spring to radially and axially displace the plurality of pawls away from respective ones of the plurality of apertures for disengagement from the laser nozzle.

15. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , wherein the hollow body, the plurality of pawls and the sleeve are made from at least one electrically conductive material.

16. The nozzle holder of claim 15 , wherein the nozzle holder forms a conductive current path through the nozzle holder.

17. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing surface disposed on the inner wall of the hollow body, the sealing surface configured to receive an O-ring that sealingly engages a corresponding surface of the laser nozzle that is retained to the nozzle holder by the plurality of pawls.

18. The nozzle holder of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve further comprises:
a proximal portion configured to connect to the hollow body;
a spring disposed between the proximal portion of the sleeve and the distal portion of the sleeve, the spring configured to exert a biasing force on the plurality of pawls to longitudinally and radially displace the plurality of pawls, such that the plurality of pawls extend through respective ones of the plurality of apertures to engage the laser nozzle,
wherein the pawl retractor is adapted to overcome the biasing force of the spring to longitudinally and radially displace the plurality of pawls away from respective ones of the plurality of apertures for disengagement from the laser nozzle.

19. A method for engaging and disengaging a laser nozzle relative to a nozzle holder of a laser processing head in a laser processing system, the method comprising:
providing the laser nozzle having a groove circumferentially disposed around an outer surface of the laser nozzle;
providing the nozzle holder having:
a hollow body shaped to matingly engage the laser nozzle, the hollow body defining a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the laser nozzle being received from the distal end of the hollow body, and a plurality of apertures dispersing around a circumference of the hollow body, each of the plurality of apertures extending from an inner wall to an outer wall of the hollow body,
a plurality of pawls configured to operably engage the laser nozzle within the hollow body, wherein each pawl of the plurality of pawls has (i) a distal portion configured to extend through a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the hollow body to operably engage the laser nozzle and (ii) a proximal portion, and
a sleeve coupled to the hollow body while surrounding at least a portion of the hollow body and the plurality of pawls, wherein a distal p

Assignees

• Hypertherm Inc

Inventors

• Bouthillier David L
• Harp Carmen
• Knapp David K

Classifications

• B23K26/1482 Primary

  Detachable nozzles, e.g. exchangeable or provided with breakaway lines · CPC title

• B23K26/1462

  Nozzles; Features related to nozzles · CPC title

• B23Q3/1556

  of non-rotary tools (in combination with rotary tools: B23Q3/15506, B23Q3/15513) · CPC title

• F16L37/12

  using hooks, pawls, or other movable or insertable locking members (F16L37/084 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05H1/34

  Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles · CPC title