Laser working apparatus and method of controlling laser working apparatus

• US 8,168,919 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yoshikawa, Nobuhiro, Hamaguchi, Yuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, Geoffrey S
• Application Number:
  US11/889,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,723 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121, 219/73, 219/121.76, 219/121.78, 219/121.79, 219/121.8, 219/121.81, 219/121.63, 219/121.64, 700/166
• US Class Current: 219/121.63
• 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 26/043 along the beam path, i.e. alignment of laser beam axis relative to laser beam apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1671 characterised by simulation, either to verify existing program or to create and verify new program, CAD/CAM oriented, graphic oriented programming systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40519 Motion, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45138 Laser welding

Abstract

A laser working apparatus includes: a laser head provided with a reflector which changes the direction of any one of a laser beam and a visible light; a robot which moves the laser head; and a robot control apparatus. When laser working is performed, the robot control apparatus controls the laser head so that the laser beam can draw a predetermined working pattern on the basis of a predetermined working position on a work piece. When an operation checking work is performed, the robot control apparatus controls the laser head so that the visible light beam can be emitted only to a reference position of the working pattern.

Claims

1. A laser working apparatus comprising:

a laser head provided with a reflector;

a laser oscillator configured to output a laser beam for welding and a visible beam, the laser oscillator being connected to the laser head such that one of the laser beam and the visible beam is inputted to the laser head;

a mover configured to move the laser head, the mover being attached to the laser head; and

a controller configured to control the mover so as to move the laser head in accordance with a previously taught movement route, and configured to also control the laser oscillator and laser head such that the laser oscillator outputs the laser beam and the laser beam inputted to the laser head irradiates a work piece in a predetermined working pattern,

wherein the controller comprises a working position checking controller configured to control the mover so as to move the laser head in accordance with the previously taught movement route, and configured to also control the laser oscillator and laser head such that the laser oscillator outputs the visible beam and the visible beam inputted to the laser head irradiates the work piece in a checking pattern indicating a reference position for the predetermined working pattern,

wherein the working position checking controller is provided with two alternative modes, the two alternative modes including a central position mode in which the visible beam irradiates the work piece at a central position of the predetermined working pattern and a working pattern mode in which the visible beam irradiates the work piece in a same pattern as the predetermined working pattern.

2. The laser working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the working position checking controller is configured to keep the visible beam irradiating the work piece in the checking pattern over a same time period as required for the controller to keep the laser beam irradiating the work piece in the predetermined working pattern.

3. The laser working apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the working position checking controller is configured to stop movement of the reflector over the same time period as required for the controller to keep the laser beam irradiating the work piece in the predetermined working pattern.

4. The laser working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference position is the central position of the predetermined working pattern.

5. A laser working apparatus comprising:

a laser head provided with a reflector, the reflector being configured to change a direction of an input beam;

a laser oscillator configured to output a laser beam for welding and a visible beam, the laser oscillator being connected to the laser head such that one of the laser beam and the visible beam is inputted to the laser head as the input beam;

a mover configured to move the laser head, the mover being attached to the laser head; and

a controller having a work mode for welding in which the controller causes the mover to move the laser head in accordance with a movement route previously taught, causes the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the laser beam for welding, and controls the laser head to move the reflector such that the laser beam for welding irradiates a work piece in a predetermined working pattern,

wherein the controller has a test mode for checking the movement route previously taught in which the controller causes the mover to move the laser head in accordance with the movement route previously taught, causes the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the visible beam, and controls the laser head to stop movement of the reflector such that the visible beam irradiates the work piece at a reference position for the predetermined working pattern.

6. The laser working apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in the test mode, the controller is configured to keep the visible beam irradiating the work piece over a same time period as required when the controller keeps the laser beam irradiating the work piece in the predetermined working pattern in the work mode.

7. The laser working apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, in the test mode, the controller is configured to stop movement of the reflector over the same time period as required when the controller keeps the laser beam irradiating the work piece in the predetermined working pattern in the work mode.

8. The laser working apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the reference position is a central position of the predetermined working pattern.

9. The laser working apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, in the test mode, the controller is configured to be operable in a working-pattern mode in which the visible beam irradiates the work piece in a same pattern as the predetermined working pattern.

10. A method for controlling a laser working apparatus, the apparatus comprising a laser head with a reflector configured to change a direction of an input beam;

a laser oscillator configured to output a laser beam for welding and a visible beam, the laser oscillator being connected to the laser head such that one of the laser beam and the visible beam is inputted to the laser head as the input beam;

a mover configured to move the laser head, the mover being attached to the laser head; and

a controller, the method comprising;

operating the controller in a work mode for welding by causing the mover to move the laser head in accordance with a movement route previously taught, causing the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the laser beam for welding, and controlling the laser head to move the reflector such that the laser beam for welding irradiates a work piece in a predetermined working pattern; and

operating the controller in a test mode for checking the movement route previously taught by causing the mover to move the laser head in accordance with the movement route previously taught, causing the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the visible beam, and controlling the laser head to stop movement of the reflector such that the visible beam irradiates the work piece at a reference position for the predetermined working pattern.

11. A laser working apparatus comprising:

a laser head provided with a reflector, the reflector being configured to change a direction of an input beam;

a laser oscillator configured to output a laser beam for welding and a visible beam, the laser oscillator being connected to the laser head such that one of the laser beam and the visible beam is inputted to the laser head as the input beam;

a mover configured to move the laser head, the mover being attached to the laser head; and

means for performing working in a work mode for welding by causing the mover to move the laser head in accordance with a movement route previously taught, causing the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the laser beam for welding, and controlling the laser head to move the reflector such that the laser beam for welding irradiates a work piece in a predetermined working pattern; and

means for checking the movement route previously taught in a test mode by causing the mover to move the laser head in accordance with the movement route previously taught, causing the laser oscillator to set, as the input beam, the visible beam, and controlling the laser head to stop movement of the reflector such that the visible beam irradiates the work piece at a reference position for the predetermined working pattern.