JP3457437B2 - Manual welding system - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a manual welding processing system and a laser processing head and a laser light protective device used in the system. [0002] In a YAG laser beam machine, for example, when welding is performed, without using the laser beam machining head of the laser beam machine main body, before carrying out the main welding with the attached small laser beam machining head in hand. Are temporarily welded.
For the safety of workers, protective eyeglasses that shield laser light or laser light protectors that protect the face are used. [0003] When temporary welding is carried out with the above-mentioned small laser processing head held in hand, there is a certain distance between the workpiece and the laser processing head. Therefore, the scattered reflected light from the surface of the workpiece may hit the worker. In particular, when the reflected light of the YAG laser hits the eye, the YAG laser light reaches the retina, causing a problem that the retina is damaged. The light energy that damages the retina is said to be considerably smaller than the energy that damages the skin. Especially when the macula of the retina is damaged, the macula may be blind because it has no ability to regenerate. . In the conventional laser beam protector described above, it has not been possible to confirm whether or not an operator has worn protective eyeglasses or a laser beam protector. Therefore, the worker's safety assurance is left to the worker's own safety awareness. The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manual welding processing system in which an operator can safely perform manual welding using a YAG laser. As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, a manual welding processing system according to claim 1 includes a YAG laser oscillator and an optical fiber connected to the YAG laser oscillator, and a workpiece A laser processing head having a contact detection means for detecting contact with the laser, a laser light protective device having a mounting confirmation switch and an opening / closing detection switch for a protective surface, a foot switch for outputting a laser processing work preparation completion signal, A manual welding processing system comprising a control device for controlling the YAG laser oscillator, the laser processing head, the laser light protective device, and the foot switch, and the control device contacts the workpiece of the laser processing head. Mounting of the laser light protective device, the closed state of the protective surface, and the operation of the foot switch. When the laser emission switch of the laser processing head is turned on after detecting the business preparation completion signal, the Y
A laser beam is emitted from an AG laser oscillator to the laser processing head. Therefore, after detecting the contact of the laser processing head with the workpiece, the mounting of the laser light protective device, the closing of the protective surface of the laser light protective device, and the ON state of the foot switch, the laser processing is performed. Since the laser beam is emitted from the laser processing head by turning on the laser emission switch of the head, it is possible to prevent the laser beam from being emitted in a state where the laser processing head and the workpiece are not in contact with each other. Even if the laser beam is emitted in a state where the laser processing head and the workpiece are not in contact with each other, the laser beam can be prevented from entering the operator's eyes by the laser beam shielding window of the laser beam protective device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0015] The present invention will be described below. Embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a welding system in which a general main welding system is combined with an embodiment of a manual welding system according to the present invention. This welding processing system shown in FIG. 1 includes a manual welding processing system 1 and a main welding processing system 3. The main welding processing system 3 uses a known playback type multi-joint robot 5 for laser welding processing. The system is shown. The articulated robot 5 of the welding system 3
Has a laser processing head 13 connected to the wrist portion 7 by a YAG laser oscillator 9 and a signal cable 11A including an optical fiber. Further, the laser processing head 13 includes a known CCD camera 15 for observing the surface of the workpiece W. A table 17 is installed in front of the articulated robot 5 (on the right side in FIG. 1), and a workpiece W is placed on the table 17 and laser processing such as main welding or cutting is performed. To be implemented. This articulated robot 5
Is controlled by a control device 19 including a CNC device (not shown) to perform welding or cutting of the workpiece W. The control device 19 is provided with a teaching box 21 for teaching the articulated robot 5 to operate and a CRT monitor 23 for monitoring images from the CCD camera 15. The manual welding processing system 1 includes a hand-held laser processing head 25 connected to the YAG laser oscillator 9 by a signal cable 11B including an optical fiber, and a workpiece W prior to the main welding to the hand-held laser processing head. Work table 27 for performing temporary welding by 25
And a laser beam protector 29 for protecting the operator from the YAG laser beam, and a foot switch 31 for outputting a laser processing work preparation completion signal to the control device 19. The laser processing head 25, the laser beam protector 29, and the foot switch 31 are connected to the control device 19 by a signal cable SC. Manual welding system 1 having the above configuration
The control device 19 makes contact with the workpiece of the laser processing head 25, the mounting of the laser light protective device 29, the closed state of the protective surface (described later) of the laser light protective device 29, and the operation of the foot switch 31. After the preparation completion signal is detected, when the operator turns on the laser emission switch of the laser processing head 25, the YAG laser oscillator 9 can be oscillated to emit laser light to the laser processing head 25. Or, YAG laser oscillator 9
It is also possible to control the emission of laser light by opening and closing the shutter. Next, the manual welding system 1 described above is used.
A laser processing head 25 and a laser light protective device 29 suitable for constituting the above will be described. FIG. 2 shows the structure of the above-mentioned hand-held laser processing head 25.
Details of the laser processing head 25 will be described with reference to FIG. An optical fiber emitting end 35 provided at the end of the signal cable 11B is provided at the upper end of the lens holding tube 33 provided above the laser processing head 25. The lens holding tube 33 is provided with a collimating lens 37 and a condensing lens 41, and the laser beam LB emitted from the emitting end 35 of the optical fiber is corrected to a parallel beam by the collimating lens 37 and condensed. Lens 4
1 is incident. The positions of the collimating lens 37 and the condenser lens 41 are the spacers 39.
It is fixed by. A cylindrical contact holder 43 is provided at the lower end of the lens holding cylinder 33. The contact holder 43 is made of an insulating material, and the contact holder 43 is provided with a cylindrical contact 45 having conductivity. This cylindrical contact 45
Is fitted to a sliding bush 49 fitted to the contact holder 43 so as to be movable in the optical axis direction of the laser beam LB.
The upper end of the cylindrical contact 45 has a flange 5
1, and the flange 51 is engaged with and abutted against the sliding bush 49 to hold the contact 45 so as not to drop off from the contact holder 43. Further, an elastic spring 55 is interposed between the contact 45 and the contact holder 43 so that the contact 45 always protrudes from the contact holder 43. When the contact 45 comes into contact with the workpiece W, the signal cable 11
An electric circuit is formed between the control device and the workpiece W via B so that contact between the workpiece W and the contact can be detected. In the axial center of the cylindrical contact 45,
That is, a shield gas injection nozzle 59 having a shield gas injection port 47 through which the laser beam condensed at the center of the optical axis of the laser beam LB and the shield gas passes is detachably attached by a fastening means such as a screw. . Also,
A window 57 that blocks YAG laser light and transmits visible light is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical contact holder 43, and an LED that illuminates the processing position of the workpiece inside the contact holder 43. The light source 53 is provided.
Further, the condenser lens 41 is located inside the contact holder 43 and above the injection nozzle 59 so that the operator can observe the processing position of the workpiece from the window with the naked eye. The reflecting mirror 61 is attached at an appropriate position so as not to obstruct the optical path of the laser beam from. When the operator presses the laser processing head 25 against the workpiece, a limit switch 63 is used as a detector for detecting whether or not the cylindrical contact 45 is retracted to the retracted end. Contact holder 4
3 is provided. An outer cylinder 65 having a diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the contact holder 43 is provided around the lens holding cylinder 33. A laser emission switch 67 for emitting laser light from the YAG laser oscillator 9 is provided on the side of the outer cylinder 65, and is connected to the control device 19 via the signal cable 11B. A shield gas supply port 69 for supplying the shield gas SG is provided at a position below the condenser lens 41 provided in the lens holding cylinder 33. As the shielding gas, an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or argon gas is used. In the laser processing head 25 configured as described above, when the operator contacts and presses the laser processing head 25 against the workpiece, the contact 45 is pushed into the contact holder 43 and the flange 51 of the contact 45 is moved. Press the limit switch 63. If the signal of the limit switch 63 is input to the control device such as the control device 19 via the signal cable 11B, it is possible to detect and determine whether or not the contact 45 is at the backward end. Further, since the contact 45 and the workpiece W are in contact with each other, an electric circuit is formed between the workpiece W and the contact between the workpiece W and the contact can be detected. . Since the pressure of the shield gas increases when the contact 45 and the workpiece W come into contact with each other, the contact between the workpiece W and the contact can be detected by detecting this pressure change. Further, when the operator wants to confirm the processing position of the workpiece W, the reflector 57 from the window 57 is used.
It is also possible to confirm the processing position with the naked eye via 3 to 5 show the laser beam protector 29. As shown in FIG.
3 is a front view, FIG. 4 is a plan view in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a right side view in FIG. Now, the laser light protective device 29 will be described with reference to FIGS. A protective surface 73 is provided on the protective surface support 71 of the laser light protective device 29. This protective surface 73
Is a support shaft 75 (R, L) provided on both sides of the protective surface support 71
The shield surface 73 is provided with a shielding window 77 that shields the YAG laser light. The protective surface support 71 includes a vertical position adjusting belt 79 for adjusting the vertical position of the laser light protective device according to the size of the head of the person wearing the laser light protective device, and the protective surface support. A wearing state adjusting mechanism 81 for fitting the body 71 around the head and a chin belt 83 whose length can be adjusted are provided. The protective surface support 71 has a protective surface 73.
And a belt switch 87 for detecting whether or not the operator wears the laser light protective device 29. When the operator wears the laser beam protector 29, the belt switch 87
The belt switch 87 is turned on when the belt switch 87 is pressed at the forehead of the operator.
The microswitch 85 and the lead wire 89 connected to the belt switch 87 are connected to the protective surface support 7.
1 is connected to a connector 91. In the laser light protective device 29 having the above configuration, the signal outputs of the micro switch 85 and the belt switch 87 are input to the control device such as the control device 19 via the connector 91 and the signal cable SC,
It is possible to detect and determine whether or not the operator has worn the laser beam protective device 29 and whether or not the operator has opened the protective surface 73. According to the first aspect of the present invention, the contact of the laser processing head with the workpiece, the mounting of the laser beam protective device, the closing of the protective surface of the laser beam protective device, After detecting that the foot switch is in the ON state, the laser beam is emitted from the laser processing head by turning on the laser emission switch of the laser processing head, so that the laser processing head and the workpiece are not in contact with each other. It is possible to prevent light from being emitted. Therefore, dangerous laser light can be prevented from entering the operator's eyes. As a result, the worker can work with peace of mind, and the work efficiency is improved. [0041] [0041]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a manual welding processing system of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view showing an embodiment of a hand-held laser processing head used in the manual welding processing system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a front view of an embodiment of a laser light protective device used in the manual welding processing system of the present invention. 4 is a right side view in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a left side view in FIG. 3. FIG. [Explanation of Symbols] 1 Manual Welding System 3 Main Welding System 9 YAG Laser Oscillator 13 Laser Processing Head 19 Controller 25 Handheld Laser Processing Head 27 Work Table 29 Laser Light Protective Equipment 31 Foot Switch 35 Output End 41 Condensing Lens 43 Contact Holder 45 Contact 47 Shield Gas Injection Port 53 Light Source 57 Window 59 Injection Nozzle 61 Reflecting Mirror 63 Limit Switch 67 Laser Emission Switch 69 Shield Gas Supply Port 71 Protective Surface Support 73 Protective Surface 77 Shielding Window 85 Microswitch 87 Belt switch

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (56) References JP 5-337675 (JP, A) JP 57-193291 (JP, A) JP 7-124767 (JP, A) 77212 (JP, U) Shokai Sho 56-68520 (JP, U) Shokai Sho 59-184816 (JP, U) Registered Utility Model 3015467 (JP, U) (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61F 9/06 B23K 9/32 B23K 26/00-26/42 F16P 1/06

Claims (1)

(57) Claims 1. A YAG laser oscillator, a laser processing head connected to the YAG laser oscillator with an optical fiber and having contact detection means for detecting contact with a workpiece, and mounting A laser light protective device including a confirmation switch and a protective surface opening / closing detection switch, a foot switch for outputting a laser processing work preparation completion signal, the YAG laser oscillator, the laser processing head, the laser light protective device, and the foot A manual welding processing system comprising a control device for controlling a switch, wherein the control device is in contact with the workpiece of the laser processing head, the mounting of the laser light protective device and the closed state of the protective surface, After detecting the foot switch work preparation completion signal, the laser processing switch of the laser processing head is turned on. When manual welding system characterized by emitting a laser beam from the YAG laser oscillator to the laser processing head.