Real time variable laser beam spinner

• US 5,293,265 A
• Filed: 08/24/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Weeter, Lorne A., Aleshin, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Arnold, Bruce Y.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, James
• Application Number:
  US07/933,650
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 359/874, 359/876, 359/223, 359/224, 359/225, 359/226, 359/209-211, 359/196-201, 359/212, 359/214, 359/220, 359/875
• US Class Current: 359/198.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/08 Devices involving relative movement between laser beam and workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/082 Scanning systems, i.e. devices involving movement of the laser beam relative to the laser head
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0875 by means of one or more refracting elements

Abstract

A real time variable laser beam spinner, wherein a manual or programmable actuator angularly displaces a mirror or optical flat during rotation in order to follow the instantaneous spin diameter requirements associated with a workpiece, whereby a variable effective spin diameter of the beam results without interrupting the work process.

Claims

1. A real time variable laser beam spinning apparatus comprising;

optical means adapted to deflect an incident laser beam when said optical means is tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to said incident beam;

means coupled to said optical means for imparting a rotational movement to said optical means about an axis non-parallel to a plane of said optical means; and

means coupled to said optical means for applying a predetermined and variable tilted position to said optical means during rotation, said tilted position applying means including displaceable means coupled to said optical means; and

control means coupled to said displaceable means for displacing said displaceable means for a predetermined tilted distance.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said displaceable means includes a pressure plate, an actuator means operationally coupled to said pressure plate, said pressure plate being operationally coupled to means mounting said optical means and for determining a lower limit of displacement of said optical means at said tilted position thereof, and pivot means at said tilted position thereof, and pivot means fixed in position for determining the upper limit of displacement of said optical means, whereby during rotation of said optical means a rotary oscillatory motion is generated resulting in an increased effective spin diameter of an incident beam.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means includes actuating means coupled to said displaceable means.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises manually operable means.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control means comprises programmable control means.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical means is a reflective mirror means.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said optical means is a laser transparent optical flat means.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said laser beam is a CO₂ laser beam and said optical flat means is made from Zinc Selenide (ZnSe).

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said displaceable means includes pressure plate means, actuator means coupled to said pressure plate means, said pressure plate means being coupled to said optical means for displacing said optical means into said tilted position, when actuated, pressure plate actuator means operationally coupled to said pressure plate means and adapted to respond to a controlled displacement force input determining the extent of said tilted position.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said pressure plate means includes a ramp surface having a predetermined direction, said pressure plate actuator means having a ramp surface directed opposite the ramp surface of the pressure plate means, said ramp surfaces are arranged in sliding relationship with respect to each other, said controlled displacement force input when applied to said pressure plate actuator means forcing the ramp surface thereof to slide over the ramp surface of said pressure plate means and forcing said pressure plate means to be displaced to a predetermined distance and direction to cause said predetermined tilting position of said optical means.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, including means for biasing said pressure plate actuator means into a rest position in the absence of said controlled displacement force input.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein displacement of said actuator means determines a lower limit of said tilted position, pivot means coupling said optical means to said pressure plate means for rotation about said pivot means and determining the upper limit of said displacement of the optical means, whereby during rotation a rotary oscillatory motion of said optical means is generated about said pivot means.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said optical means comprises a mirror.

14. A real time variable laser beam spinning apparatus, comprising:

a reflector to reflect an incident laser beam;

a base plate, said reflector being pivotally coupled to said base plate to position said reflector at a predetermined angle with respect to the incident laser beam;

a motor with a drive shaft coupled to said base plate to rotate said reflector about an axis non-parallel to said reflector; and

means for pivoting said reflector at the predetermined angle and for variably pivoting said reflector during rotation thereof.

15. A real time variable laser beam spinning apparatus, comprising:

a beam tube for enclosing a laser beam;

a laser transparent optical flat disposed in said beam tube to deflect the laser beam when said optical flat is tilted at a predetermined tilt angle with respect to the laser beam;

means for rotating said optical flat about an axis non-parallel to a plane of said optical flat; and

means for applying and varying said predetermined tilt angle during rotation of said optical flat to cause the laser beam to follow a substantially circular shaped path.