Double helix coolant path for high power fiber connector

• US 10,012,810 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nlight Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nlight Inc.
• Inventors: Sanders, Walter R
• Primary Examiner(s): Peace, Rhonda
• Application Number:
  US15/594,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20170329092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3813 for transmission of high energy beam coupling high energy sources and light guides G02B6/4296
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/3814 with cooling or heat dissipation means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4251 Sealed packages G02B6/4248 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4268 Cooling of semiconductor devices H01L23/24; of electric apparatus H05K7/20; of instruments G12B15/00

Abstract

A fiber connector, comprising a housing having a chamber extending in a lengthwise direction from a first end configured to receive a fiber to a second end configured to connect the fiber to a laser processing head and a channel disposed on an exterior surface of the chamber, the channel comprising a double helical structure.

Claims

1. A fiber connector, comprising:

a housing having a chamber extending in a lengthwise direction from a first end configured to receive a fiber to a second end configured to connect the fiber to a laser processing head; and

a channel disposed on an exterior surface of the chamber, the channel comprising a double helical structure, wherein the channel comprises a inflow helical channel connected by a return structure to an outflow helical channel, wherein the inflow helical channel and the outflow helical channel are disposed adjacent to one another, wherein the return structure is a bifurcated annular channel connecting the inflow helical channel and the outflow helical channel and wherein the annular channel extends around a full circumference of the exterior surface of the chamber.

2. The fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the channel is further configured to circulate coolant fluid around the circumference of the chamber in a first flow direction through the inflow helical channel and in a second flow direction through the outflow helical channel.

3. The fiber connector of claim 2, wherein the first flow direction is clockwise and the second flow direction is counterclockwise.

4. The fiber connector of claim 2, further comprising an inlet port coupled to the inflow helical channel configured to receive the coolant fluid and an outlet port coupled to the outflow helical channel configured to discharge the coolant fluid.

5. The fiber connector of claim 4, wherein the inlet port receives the coolant fluid from a pump.

6. The fiber connector of claim 5, further comprising a sensor disposed in the inlet port, the outlet port, or the channel, or any combination thereof.

7. The fiber connector of claim 6, wherein the sensor is a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor or a photo sensor, or any combination thereof.

8. The fiber connector of claim 6, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate sensor data to a pump controller configured to control the pump to dynamically change a pressure of the coolant fluid in the channel responsive to sensor data.

9. The fiber connector of claim 2, wherein the return structure is configured to change a direction the coolant fluid is flowing by up to about 180.0 degrees.

10. The fiber connector of claim 2, wherein the coolant fluid is distilled water, deionized water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, mineral oil, silicone oil, a halocarbon, molten metal, salts, liquefied gas, nanofluid, or any combination thereof.

11. The fiber connector of claim 1, wherein the chamber comprises Cu, Ag, Al, Au, Pt, doped Si, or graphite or any combination thereof.

12. The fiber connector of claim 1, wherein an inside surface of the inflow helical channel or the outflow helical channel, or a combination thereof is textured to increase surface area.

13. The fiber connector of claim 12, wherein the texture is grooves or micro-dimples or a combination thereof.