JPH07328785A - Laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a traveling quantity of laser gas in an optical guide tube constant by maintaining an optical path length from a laser oscillator to laser machining head constant, controlling/canceling dead weight, moment, inertia generated along with motion of optical guide tube and preventing intrusion of powder dust, etc., in an optical guide tube from outside along with up/down motion of a laser machining head. CONSTITUTION:In the laser machine 1, in which the laser beam outputted from a laser oscillator 3 is guided to a laser machining head 29 through plural reflecting mirrors 41, 45, 53, 57 and arbitrary laser machining is executed by an arbitrary travel of laser machining head 29, flexible plural optical guide tubes 43, 51, which makes a optical path length constant, are provided between a laser oscillator 3 and laser machining head 29. In these respective optical guide tubes 43, 51, gas quantity adjusters in optical guide tube 63, 65 and dampers 71, 73, which work as a balancer in order to cancel a dead weight, moment, inertia of optical guide tube, are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus, and more particularly to a laser processing apparatus having a constant optical path length from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a laser processing apparatus for performing laser processing with a constant optical path length from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head has been already known in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-15273.

[0003]

By the way, in the configuration of the conventional laser processing apparatus according to the above-mentioned publication, the structure is not designed to control the inertia (inertia) generated by the movement of the beam guide and the saddle, and therefore, in practice. Is difficult and is not suitable for laser processing that requires high processing accuracy.

Further, the movement of the laser gas in the beam guide when the laser processing head descends to the processing surface (workpiece) and determines the position in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) is not taken into consideration. However, there is a problem in that dust and the like that has entered from the outside will stick to the bend mirror (reflecting mirror), and the deterioration of the bend mirror will be accelerated.

An object of the present invention is to maintain a constant optical path length from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head, to control and cancel the self-weight, moment and inertia generated during movement of an optical conduit, and to also cancel the laser processing head. It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing apparatus which prevents dust and the like from entering the optical conduit from the outside during vertical movement and keeps the amount of movement of the laser gas in the optical conduit constant at all times.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the laser processing apparatus of the present invention is provided with an X-axis moving body which is movable in the X-axis direction, and is movable in the Y-axis direction on the X-axis moving body. A Y-axis moving body is provided, a laser processing head is provided on the Y-axis moving body, and a laser beam output from a laser oscillator is guided to the laser processing head through a plurality of reflecting mirrors. Is a laser processing device for performing arbitrary laser processing by moving the laser beam, and a plurality of bendable optical conduits for maintaining a constant optical path length are provided between the laser oscillator and the laser processing head. It is characterized in that a gas amount regulator in the optical conduit and a damper are provided to act as a balancer in order to cancel out the self-weight, moment and inertia.

In the laser processing apparatus, it is desirable that a gas amount regulator in the optical conduit be provided near the rotation fulcrum of the optical conduit to act as a balancer by interposing a bellows integrated with the optical conduit. is there.

[0008]

With the above laser processing device, the X-axis moving body is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis moving body is moved in the Y-axis direction, whereby the laser processing head is moved and positioned to an arbitrary position. At the same time, the laser beam output from the laser oscillator is bent by the plurality of reflection mirrors and is irradiated from the laser processing head toward the workpiece to be processed, and arbitrary laser processing is performed.

When the laser processing head is moved and positioned to an arbitrary position, the plurality of optical conduits are bent and moved so that the optical path length between the laser oscillator and the laser processing head is kept constant. The self-weight, moment, and inertia of each light pipe generated when the plurality of light pipes bend and move are canceled by the gas amount regulator inside the light pipe and a damper provided as a balancer.

Further, even when the laser processing head is slightly moved in the vertical direction, the inside of the light pipe is integrally provided with the bellows and the gas amount regulator inside the light pipe is provided. Since dust and the like are prevented from entering from the inside, the amount of movement of the laser gas in the optical conduit can be always kept constant.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the laser processing apparatus 1 is provided with a laser oscillator 3 which is provided upright, and a front portion of the laser oscillator 3 extends in the X-axis direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1). A plurality of extended parallel guide rails 5 are laid and a ball screw 7 extended in the X-axis direction is provided.

One end of the ball screw 7 is rotatably supported by a bearing 9 attached to the right side of the front portion of the laser oscillator 3, and the other end of the ball screw 9 is in the front portion of the laser oscillator 3. It is connected to the X-axis drive motor 11 mounted on the left side. An X-axis moving body 13 extending in the Y-axis direction (front-back direction in FIG. 1) is provided on the front side of the laser oscillator 3, and a rear portion of the X-axis moving body 13 is slidably provided on the guide rail 5. In addition, it is screwed onto the ball screw 7.

With the above structure, when the X-axis drive motor 11 is driven, the ball screw 7 is rotated and the X-axis drive motor 11 is rotated.
The shaft moving body 13 is guided by the guide rail 5 and moved in the X-axis direction.

On the right side wall of the X-axis moving body 13, a plurality of guide rails 15 extending in the Y-axis direction are laid, and a ball screw 17 extending in the Y-axis direction is provided. One end of the ball screw 17 is rotatably supported by a bearing (not shown) attached to the rear portion of the X-axis moving body 13, and the other end of the ball screw 17 is in the front portion of the X-axis moving body 13. It is connected to the attached Y-axis drive motor 19. The guide rail 15 has a Y-axis moving body 21.
Is provided slidably, and this Y-axis moving body 2
Reference numeral 1 is screwed into the ball screw 17.

With the above structure, when the Y-axis drive motor 19 is driven, the ball screw 17 is rotated and the Y-axis moving body 21 is guided by the guide rails 15 while the Y-axis moving body 21 is being guided.
It will be moved in the axial direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, a bracket 25 is provided in the Y-axis moving body 21 via a bellows 23.
The laser processing head 29 accommodating the condenser lens 27 is attached to the lower portion of the bracket 25. Moreover, the bellows 31 is interposed between the upper portion of the Y-axis moving body 21 and the bracket 21. Moreover, although the laser processing head 29 is not shown in the drawing, it is driven by a known drive motor or the like in the Z-axis direction (see FIG. 2).
In the up and down direction) is to be moved slightly.

One end of a first optical conduit 33 extending in the left-right direction is connected to the left side surface of the laser oscillator 3, and the other end of the optical conduit 33 has a seal 37 under a bearing 35 extending in the vertical direction. Are connected via the photocell 3
A first reflection mirror 41 is provided at an angle of 45 degrees in the opening where the bearing 3 and the bearing 35 are connected via a seal 39.

One end of the second optical conduit 43 is connected to the upper portion of the bearing 35, and the bearing 35 and the second optical conduit 43 are connected.
A second reflecting mirror 45 is provided at an angle of 45 degrees in the opening where is connected. The lower part of the bearing 47 is connected to the other end of the second optical conduit 43 and the bearing 4
The opening at the bottom of 7 makes an angle of 45 degrees
A reflection mirror 49 is provided.

One end of the third optical conduit 51 is connected to the upper portion of the bearing 47, and the bearing 47 and the third optical conduit 51 are connected.
A fourth reflection mirror 53 is provided at an angle of 45 degrees in the opening connected to and. An upper portion of a bearing 55 is connected to the other end of the third optical conduit 51, and a fifth reflection mirror 57 forms an angle of 45 degrees at an opening where the third optical conduit 51 and the bearing 55 are connected. Is provided.

The bearings 35 and 55 have arms 59 and 61, respectively.
Gas amount regulator 6 in the optical conduit acting as a balancer via the
3, 65 are provided. In the inside of the gas amount regulators 63, 65 which act as the balancer, the light pipe 43,
A bellows 74 for adjusting the amount of gas in 51 is interposed. The brackets 67 and 69 attached to the bearings 35 and 55 are provided with fluid cylinders 75 and 77 as dampers 71 and 73, respectively.
The tips of piston rods 79 and 81 attached to the motors 5 and 77 are attached to the arms 59 and 61, respectively.

With the above structure, the X-axis moving body 13 and the Y-axis moving body 21 are moved in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively, so that the laser processing head 29 is moved and positioned at an arbitrary position in the XY plane. It When the laser processing head 29 is moved and positioned, the laser beam output from the laser oscillator 3 has a first reflection mirror 41 and a second reflection mirror 4.
5, the laser processing head 2 is bent by the third reflection mirror 49, the fourth reflection mirror 53, and the fifth reflection mirror 57.
The light is condensed by the condenser lens 27 provided inside the lens 9. The laser beam condensed by the condenser lens 27 is irradiated toward the work to be processed, and the work is subjected to arbitrary laser processing.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, when the laser processing head 29 is positioned at the position indicated by the solid line, the fluid cylinders 75 and 77 of the dampers 71 and 73 are actuated to expand and contract the piston rods 79 and 81. The gas amount regulators 63 and 65 in the optical conduits, which act as balancers, are located at the positions indicated by solid lines, and the self-weights and moments of the second and third optical conduits 43 and 51 that occur when the second and third optical conduits 43 and 51 move. And the inertia is offset by the balancers 63 and 65.

When the X-axis moving body 13 is moved rightward in FIG. 3 and positioned at the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line, the laser processing head 29 is positioned at the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line. That is, the second and third optical conduits 43 and 51 perform a bending motion and are moved to the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line. In this state, the fluid cylinder 77 of the damper 73 is maintained in the previous state and the gas amount regulator 65 in the optical conduit, which acts as a balancer, is held at the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line, but the fluid cylinder 75 of the damper 71 is operated. The piston rod 79 is contracted to move and position the gas amount regulator 63 in the optical conduit, which acts as a balancer, from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line.
Further, the gas amount regulator 63 in the optical conduit that acts as a balancer by the self-weight, moment and inertia of the second and third optical conduits 43, 51 generated when the second and third optical conduits 43, 51 move.
It is offset by 65.

Further, when the Y-axis moving body 21 is moved upward in FIG. 3 and positioned from the position of the two-dot chain line to the position of the dotted line, the laser processing head 29 similarly moves from the position of the two-dot chain line to the position of the dotted line. Positioned. That is, the second
The light pipe 43 maintains the position of the two-dot chain line, and the third light pipe 51 is moved and positioned from the position of the two-dot chain line to the position of the dotted line. In this state, the fluid cylinder 79 of the damper 71 is maintained in the previous state (state of the chain double-dashed line), and the gas amount regulator 63 in the optical conduit acting as a balancer is held at the position of the chain double-dashed line. Fluid cylinder 77
Is operated to contract the piston rod 81 and move the gas amount regulator 65 in the optical conduit, which functions as a balancer, from the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line to the position indicated by the dotted line. Also in this case, the gas amount regulators 63, 6 in the optical conduits that act as balancers by the self-weights, moments and inertias of the second and third optical conduits 43, 51 generated when the second and third optical conduits 43, 51 move.
It is offset by 5.

As described above, the laser processing head 29 is used for the X axis,
When moved in the Y-axis direction, the second and third optical conduits 43, 5
1 is flexed. These second and third optical conduits 43, 51
Which occurs during the flexion movement of The self-weight, moment, and inertia of the third optical conduits 43, 51 act as a balancer by operating the dampers 71, 73 to adjust the gas amount regulator 6 in the optical conduit.
By controlling 3, 65, the gas amount regulators 63, 65 in the optical conduit, which act as balancers, can be offset.

Therefore, the second and third optical conduits 43, 51
It is possible to prevent the load due to the eccentric load of gravity on the bearings 35, 47, 55, which are the rotating shafts, and to perform continuous (repetitive) motion and continuous movement from a minute to a large machining area at high speed. .

Moreover, even if the second and third optical conduits 43 and 51 are bent, the optical path length (the length including the lengths of the second and third optical conduits 43 and 51) does not change and is always constant. Needless to say, it will be maintained.

As shown in FIG. 2, for example, when the work to be processed is a relatively thin plate and the thickness of the work changes, the laser processing head 29 can be moved slightly up and down. Bellows 31, 23 are provided between the upper and lower portions of the bracket 25 and the lower and upper portions of the Y-axis moving body 21, respectively.
With the provision of, it is possible to prevent dust and moisture from entering from the outside. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the deterioration of the first to fifth reflection mirrors 41, 45, 49, 53, 57, and particularly to keep the processing accuracy (output of the laser beam) stable.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented in other modes by making appropriate changes.

[0031]

As will be understood from the above description of the embodiments, according to the present invention, the optical path length from the laser oscillator to the laser processing head is kept constant, and the self-weight generated when the optical conduit moves, The moment and inertia can be offset by the action of the gas amount regulator in the optical conduit that acts as a damper and balancer. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the load due to the unbalanced load of gravity on the rotation axis of the optical conduit, and it is possible to perform continuous (repetitive) movement and continuous movement from a minute to a large machining area at high speed.

Further, by providing a gas amount regulator in the optical conduit which is integrated with the optical conduit and internally mounting a bellows or the like, it is possible to prevent dust or the like from entering from the outside. Therefore, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the plurality of reflection mirrors, and particularly to maintain stable processing accuracy (output of laser beam).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser processing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a path of a laser beam from a laser oscillator to a laser processing head.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Laser Processing Device 3 Laser Oscillator 11 X-axis Driving Motor 13 X-axis Driving Body 19 Y-axis Driving Motor 21 Y-axis Moving Body 23, 31, 74 Bellows 25 Bracket 27 Condensing Lens 29 Laser Processing Head 33, 43, 51 1st , 2nd, 3rd optical conduits 35, 47, 55 Bearings 41, 45, 49, 53, 57 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th reflecting mirrors 63, 65 Adjusting gas amount in optical conduits acting as balancers Vessel 71,73 damper

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An X-axis moving body movable in the X-axis direction is provided, a Y-axis moving body movable in the Y-axis direction is provided in the X-axis moving body, and a laser processing head is provided in the Y-axis moving body. A laser processing apparatus for guiding a laser beam output from a laser oscillator to the laser processing head through a plurality of reflection mirrors, and performing an arbitrary laser processing by arbitrarily moving the laser processing head. A plurality of bendable optical conduits with a constant optical path length are provided between the laser processing head, and each of these optical conduits serves as a balancer gas amount regulator that acts as a balancer to cancel the weight, moment and inertia of the optical conduit. A laser processing apparatus characterized by comprising a damper. 2. A gas amount regulator in the optical conduit, which functions as a balancer, which is provided with a bellows integrated with the optical conduit in the vicinity of a fulcrum of rotation of the optical conduit. Laser processing equipment.