Laser head for irradiation and removal of material from a surface of a structure
First Claim
1. A laser head adapted to irradiate an interaction region of an inhabitable structure with laser light to remove material from the structure, the laser head comprising:
- a housing;
a connector coupled to the housing and optically coupled to a laser generator, the connector adapted to transmit laser light from the laser generator;
at least one optical element contained in the housing and optically coupled to the connector, the optical element adapted to receive laser light from the connector; and
a containment plenum coupled to the housing, the containment plenum optically coupled to the optical element to receive the laser light from the optical element, the containment plenum adapted to confine the material and remove the material from the interaction region resulting from irradiating the structure with the laser light, wherein the containment plenum is cooled by a cooling medium flowing through a coolant conduit of the containment plenum, the coolant conduit fluidly coupled to a source of the cooling medium that is spaced from the containment plenum.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A laser head is adapted to irradiate an interaction region of an inhabitable structure with laser light to remove material from the structure. The laser head includes a housing. The laser head further includes a connector coupled to the housing and optically coupled to a laser generator. The connector is adapted to transmit laser light from the laser generator. The laser head further includes at least one optical element contained in the housing and optically coupled to the connector. The optical element is adapted to receive laser light from the connector. The laser head further includes a containment plenum coupled to the housing. The containment plenum is optically coupled to the optical element to receive the laser light from the optical element. The containment plenum is adapted to confine the material and remove the material from the interaction region resulting from irradiating the structure with the laser light.
76 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A laser head adapted to irradiate an interaction region of an inhabitable structure with laser light to remove material from the structure, the laser head comprising:
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a housing; a connector coupled to the housing and optically coupled to a laser generator, the connector adapted to transmit laser light from the laser generator; at least one optical element contained in the housing and optically coupled to the connector, the optical element adapted to receive laser light from the connector; and a containment plenum coupled to the housing, the containment plenum optically coupled to the optical element to receive the laser light from the optical element, the containment plenum adapted to confine the material and remove the material from the interaction region resulting from irradiating the structure with the laser light, wherein the containment plenum is cooled by a cooling medium flowing through a coolant conduit of the containment plenum, the coolant conduit fluidly coupled to a source of the cooling medium that is spaced from the containment plenum. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22)
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19. A laser head adapted to irradiate an interaction region of an inhabitable structure with laser light to remove material from the structure, the laser head comprising:
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means for connecting the laser head to a laser generator; means for receiving the laser light from the laser generator; means for guiding the laser light to the interaction region; and means for confining the material and removing the material from the interaction region, the confining means being cooled by a coolant medium flowing through a cooling conduit of the confining means, the coolant conduit fluidly coupled to a source of the cooling medium that is spaced from the confining means.
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Specification