Sensor device for detecting radiation from the region of a zone of interaction between a laser beam and a workpiece and device for monitoring a laser machining operation and laser machining head

• US 20050252895A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Precitec GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Precitec GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Kessler, Berthold, Schuermann, Bert, Bernges, Jorg
• Application Number:
  US11/115,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20050252895A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.830
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/03 Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/034 Observing the temperature of the workpiece

Abstract

The invention relates to a sensor device for detecting radiation from the region of a zone of interaction (16) between a laser beam and a workpiece (17) for monitoring a laser machining operation and a workpiece, in particular a laser welding operation, and a device for monitoring the laser machining operation, in particular the laser welding operation, and a laser machining head having such a sensor device. The sensor device possesses a radiation-sensitive receiver arrangement and an imaging device which images a region to be observed in the region of a zone of interaction (16) onto the receiver arrangement. In order to achieve a compact and space-saving structure it is provided that the imaging device comprises a focusing mirror arranged in the working beam pathway of the laser beam which diverts radiation from the region to be observed out of the working beam pathway and focuses it onto the receiver arrangement.

Claims

1. Sensor device for detecting radiation from the region of a zone of interaction (16) between a laser beam (13) and a workpiece (17) for monitoring a laser machining operation, in particular a laser welding operation, having

a radiation-sensitive receiver arrangement (19), and

an imaging device (11,14;

11, 24;

11, 34) which images a field to be observed from the region of a zone of interaction (16) onto the receiver arrangement (19), wherein

the imaging device (11,14;

11, 24;

11, 34) comprises a focusing optical element (14;

24;

34) arranged in the working beam pathway (12) of the laser beam which diverts radiation from the region to be observed out of the working beam pathway (12) and focuses it onto the receiver arrangement (19).

2. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the focusing optical element arranged in the working beam pathway (12) of the laser beam (13) is a focusing mirror (14), in particular a focusing annular mirror, having an open aperture (15) for the laser beam (13).

3. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the focusing optical element arranged in the working beam pathway (12) of the laser beam (13) is a mirror, in particular a dichroic mirror (24), which allows the laser beam (13) to pass through and diverts radiation from a different spectral range than that of the laser beam (13) and focuses it onto the receiver arrangement (19).

4. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the focusing optical element arranged in the working beam pathway (12) of the laser beam (13) is a mirror, in particular a dichroic mirror (34), which diverts the laser beam (13) and allows radiation from a different spectral range than that of the laser beam (13) to pass through and focuses it onto the receiver arrangement (19).

5. Sensor device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the receiver arrangement (19) comprises at least a first and a second radiation-sensitive receiver (41, 42) and that the radiation diverted out of the working beam pathway (12) is divided by means of at least one beam divider mirror (48) into different beams each of which is guided onto the individual receivers (41, 42).

6. Sensor device according to claim 5, characterised in that the individual receivers (41, 42) have different spectral sensitivities.

7. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the receiver arrangement (19) comprises a photodiode as receiver.

8. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the receiver arrangement (19) comprises as receiver a photodiode array, in particular a one-dimensional or two-dimensional CCD image sensor, a PSD or a CMOS receiver.

9. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that a diaphragm (18) defining the region to be observed is assigned to at least one of the receivers (41, 42).

10. Sensor device according to claim 9, characterised in that for the diaphragm (18) a positive or negative diaphragm is provided.

11. Sensor device according to claim 1, characterised in that the radiation from the region to be observed diverted out of the working beam pathway (12) is focused by a diverting mirror (46;

248) onto the receiver arrangement (19).

12. Sensor device according to claim 11, characterised in that the diversion of the radiation from the region to be observed by means of the diverting mirror (46) amounts to 90°

.

13. Sensor device according to claim 11, characterised in that the diversion of the radiation from the region to be observed by means of the diverting mirror (248) amounts to 180°

.

14. Device for monitoring a laser machining operation, in particular a laser welding operation, having

a sensor device according to claim 1, and

an evaluation circuit (20) to which output signals from the receiver arrangement (19) of the sensor device are fed and which processes output signals received from the receiver arrangement and for its part supplies output signals for a control or regulating circuit (21) which controls or regulates the laser beam (13) and/or the laser machining operation.

15. Laser machining head for machining a workpiece (17) by means of a laser beam (13) having:

a housing (45) through which a working beam pathway (12) for the laser beam (13) is taken;

a focusing optics system (11) for focusing the laser beam (13) to an operational focus (16) provided outside the housing (45); and

having

a sensor device according to claim 1.

16. Laser machining head according to claim 15, characterised in that the sensor device is integrated in the housing.

17. Laser machining head according to claim 15, characterised in that the sensor device is accommodated in a housing (43, 44) which is mounted on the housing (45) of the laser machining head (10).

18. Laser machining head according to claim 15, 16 or 17, characterised in that an evaluation circuit (20) is provided to which output signals from the receiver arrangement (19) of the sensor device are fed and which processes output signals received from the receiver arrangement (19) and for its part supplies output signals for a control or regulating circuit (21) which controls or regulates the laser beam (13) and/or the laser machining operation.