Laser Device And Operating Method

• US 20070278194A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: KUKA Systems GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Kuka Schweissanlagen GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Englhard, Anton, Hoelsher, Manfred
• Application Number:
  US11/572,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20070278194A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.600
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

A laser device (6) and a corresponding operating method are provided. The laser device (6) is provided with a laser tool (7) including a laser lens system (13) with focussing and collimating lenses and, optionally, a divergent lens (35) and a connector (19) for an optical fiber (11) with a fiber decoupling point (12). The focal length (Ff) of the focussing lens (14) is altered by adjusting the optical separation (b) of the fibre decoupling point (12) from the collimating lens (15) by means of an adjuster device (21).

Claims

1. A method for operating a laser device, the method comprising:

providing a laser tool, which has a laser lens system with a focusing lens and a collimating lens as well as a connector for an optical waveguide with a fiber decoupling point; and

changing a focal length of said focussing lens by adjusting an optical distance of said fiber decoupling point from said collimating lens.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the size of a focal spot on a workpiece is changed by adjusting said optical distance and/or by adjusting a divergent lens relative to said fiber decoupling point.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein said fiber decoupling point at said connector and/or said collimating lens and/or said divergent lens are shifted in said beam direction by means of a motor-driven adjuster device in a remote-controllable manner.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said focal length of said focusing lens and/or the size of a focal spot are adjusted automatically in an autofocus system in case of changes in the orientation of said laser tool.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said focal length of said focusing lens is adjusted automatically or manually in case of a focus shift of said laser tool.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an adjuster device is connected to a control of a multiaxial manipulator, which guides said laser tool or a workpiece, the motions of said adjuster device and of said manipulator being combined mathematically.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, wherein to teach said laser tool and said adjuster device as well as said manipulator, an optically visible pilot laser beam is coupled into said optical waveguide and directed by said laser tool from a desired position toward a workpiece to be processed, said adjuster device and/or said manipulator being adjusted manually until said focal point is imaged correctly on said workpiece.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, wherein for teaching, said optical distance is adjusted automatically by a offset path corresponding to the different wavelengths of the pilot laser beam and the working laser beam.

9. A laser device comprising:

a laser tool, which has a laser lens system with a focusing lens and a collimating lens as well as a connector for an optical waveguide with a fiber decoupling point,

a laser tool adjuster device for adjusting said optical distance of said fiber decoupling point from said collimating lens for changing a focal length of said focusing lens.

10. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said laser tool adjuster device is further for adjusting a divergent lens relative to said fiber decoupling point.

11. A laser device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said adjuster device is arranged at said connector and/or at said collimating lens and brings about a shift of said fiber decoupling point and/or said collimating lens in said beam direction.

12. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said adjuster device has a controllable linear drive.

13. A laser device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said linear drive has a hollow drive housing with an adjusting member, which is axially displaceable by means of a motor on the inner side and to which said optical waveguide or said collimating lens or said divergent lens is attached.

14. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said optical waveguide has a fiber mount, comprising a fiber plug, which is detachably attached to said adjusting member.

15. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said linear drive has a measuring means (26) for measuring the path of said adjusting member (25).

16. A laser device in accordance with claim 12, wherein said linear drive has a programmable control with a computing unit and with at least one memory for programs, measured path values and offset values.

17. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said linear drive is connected to said control of a multiaxial manipulator which guides said laser tool or said workpiece.

18. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said adjuster device is designed as an autofocus system, which automatically adjusts said focal length Ff in case of changes in the orientation of said laser tool.

19. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said adjuster device is designed as an automatic or manual adjusting means for a focus shift and is connected to a heat-measuring means in or at said laser tool.

20. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said laser lens system focusing and collimating lens are stationary relative to one another.

21. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein a focal length of said collimating lens is smaller than said focal length of said focusing lens.

22. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, wherein an initial focal length of said focusing lens is greater than 500 mm.

23. A laser device in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a laser source for providing a working laser light and a pilot laser for an optically visible pilot laser light as well as a means (30) for coupling the pilot laser light into said optical waveguide.