Powder feed nozzle for laser welding
First Claim
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1. A laser welding apparatus comprising:
- a welding table;
a laser source operably coupled to the welding table to direct a laser beam relative to the welding table;
a powder feed nozzle operably coupled to the welding table to deposit powder relative to the welding table including;
a multiple outlet nozzle tip dispersing multiple outlet streams including a powder discharge outlet and at least one focus gas discharge outlet radially spaced from the powder discharge outlet, the powder discharge outlet dispersing a powder stream and the focus gas discharge outlet dispersing a gas stream;
a powder feed channel having an inlet coupleable to a powder source and a channel portion having a streamlined flow path extending along a length thereof to the powder discharge outlet to transport powder for discharge; and
at least one focus channel having an inlet coupleable to a focus gas source and a channel portion having a streamlined flow path extending along a length thereof to the at least one focus gas discharge outlet and the channel portion of the at least one focus channel being sloped in converging relation towards the channel portion of the powder feed channel to focus the powder discharged from the nozzle.
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Abstract
A powder feed nozzle for laser welding applications including a multiple outlet nozzle tip for focusing a discharged powder stream. The multiple outlet nozzle tip disperses multiple outlet streams and includes a powder discharge outlet and at least one focus gas discharge outlet, radially spaced from the powder discharge outlet, for dispersing a powder stream and a gas stream. Powder flows from a powder source through a powder channel to discharge a powder stream. Focus gas flows through a focus gas channel angled relative to the powder channel to discharge a focus gas stream.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A laser welding apparatus comprising:
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a welding table;
a laser source operably coupled to the welding table to direct a laser beam relative to the welding table;
a powder feed nozzle operably coupled to the welding table to deposit powder relative to the welding table including;
a multiple outlet nozzle tip dispersing multiple outlet streams including a powder discharge outlet and at least one focus gas discharge outlet radially spaced from the powder discharge outlet, the powder discharge outlet dispersing a powder stream and the focus gas discharge outlet dispersing a gas stream;
a powder feed channel having an inlet coupleable to a powder source and a channel portion having a streamlined flow path extending along a length thereof to the powder discharge outlet to transport powder for discharge; and
at least one focus channel having an inlet coupleable to a focus gas source and a channel portion having a streamlined flow path extending along a length thereof to the at least one focus gas discharge outlet and the channel portion of the at least one focus channel being sloped in converging relation towards the channel portion of the powder feed channel to focus the powder discharged from the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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8. A laser welding apparatus comprising:
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a welding table;
a laser source operably coupled to the welding table to direct a laser beam relative to the welding table;
a powder feed nozzle operably coupled to the welding table to deposit powder relative to the welding table including a nozzle tip comprising;
a powder discharge outlet and focus gas discharge outlets radially spaced from and concentrically arranged about the powder discharge outlet, the powder discharge outlet dispersing a powder stream and the focus gas discharge outlets dispersing a gas stream;
a powder feed channel having an inlet coupleable to a powder source and a channel portion between the inlet and the powder discharge outlet and the channel portions having streamlined flow paths extending along lengths thereof to the discharge outlet to provide a streamline flow path to transport powder for discharge; and
a plurality of focus gas channels circumferentially spaced about the powder feed channel and having a plurality of inlets coupleable to a focus gas source and channel portions having a streamlined flow paths extending along lengths thereof to the focus gas discharge outlets circumferentially spaced about the powder feed channel and the channel portions of the focus gas channels being sloped in converging relation towards the channel portion of the powder feed channel to focus powder discharged from the nozzle tip. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
a cooling collar including a cooling chamber. -
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the nozzle tip is removably coupleable to the cooling collar.
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16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the nozzle tip includes a threaded outer portion threadably receivable into a threaded socket of the cooling collar.
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17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the powder feed channel and the focus gas channels are separated by a solid interface to provide a conductive path along lengths of the channels.
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18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the nozzle tip is formed of a solid member having the focus gas and powder feed channels bored therethrough.
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19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the nozzle tip is formed of a copper material.
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20. The apparatus of claim 8 and further comprising:
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an omni-directional actuator assembly operably coupled to the nozzle and the welding table to move the nozzle and the welding table relative to one another to deposit multiple layers of material; and
a controller coupled to the actuator assembly and configured to omni-directionally operate the actuator assembly.
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Specification