Air-cooled laser device having heat-transfer member with heat radiating fins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016254643-A1
Application number	US-201615053166-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 25, 2016
Priority date	Feb 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compact and inexpensive air-cooled laser device, having heat radiating fins configured to sufficiently cool a heat-receiving member thermally connected to a laser diode module positioned within a housing of the laser device having a substantially sealing structure. A flow direction of air flowing between heat radiating fins of a first fin set and a flow direction of air flowing between heat radiating fins of a second fin set are generally opposed to each other. Further, the first and second fin sets are positioned adjacent to each other, and thus an inflow area of the first fin set and an outflow area of the second fin set are also adjacent to each other. Therefore, most of the air after flowing between the fins of the first fin set is deflected by colliding with an inner wall of a housing, and then enters between the fins of the second fin set.

First claim

1 . An air-cooled laser device having a laser diode module positioned in a housing having a substantially sealing structure, the air-cooled laser device comprises:
a plurality of heat radiating fins attached to a heat-transferring member thermally connected to the laser diode module via a heat-receiving member; and a fan for sending air through between the plurality of heat radiating fins, wherein the plurality of heat radiating fins includes a first fin set and a second fin set, a flow direction of air flowing between the heat radiating fins of the first fin set and a flow direction of air flowing between the heat radiating fins of the second fin set are generally opposed to each other, and the fan is configured so that air of at least 50 volume percent, among the air flowing out between the heat radiating fins of the first fin set, flows between the heat radiating fins of the second fin set.

2 . The air-cooled laser device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the heat-transferring member is a heat pipe.

3 . The air-cooled laser device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the laser device comprises a cooling unit for cooling the air heated by the laser diode module.

4 . The air-cooled laser device as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the cooling unit is a panel cooler positioned adjacent to the housing.

5 . The air-cooled laser device as set forth in claim 4 , wherein an air guiding plate is arranged in the housing so that cold air from the panel cooler is directed toward the fan.

6 . The air-cooled laser device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a partition plate is arranged between the air flowing between the heat radiating fins of the first fin set, and the air flowing between the heat radiating fins of the second fin set.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Takigawa Hiroshi

Classifications

• H01S5/02469

  Passive cooling, e.g. where heat is removed by the housing as a whole or by a heat pipe without any active cooling element like a TEC · CPC title

• H01S5/02407 Primary

  Active cooling, e.g. the laser temperature is controlled by a thermo-electric cooler or water cooling · CPC title

• H01S5/02325

  Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches · CPC title

• H01S5/4025

  Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar (H01S5/42 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01S5/02

  Structural details or components not essential to laser action · CPC title