JPS61193795A - Work distance detector for laser beam processing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect exactly all the distances of a work over the entire direction by disposing a distance detector which rotates freely around the axial center and a rotating position detector which detects the position of the distance detector to the outside periphery on the tip side of a nozzle. CONSTITUTION:While the distances detector 9 is rotated around the nozzle 3, the distance up to the work 4 is taken out as an electric signal via a slip ring 16 and is inputted to a signal processing part 17. The rotating position detector 18 such as rotary encoder is connected to the revolving shaft of a motor 14 for rotating the detector. Said detector detects the position of the detector 9 and inputs the same to the signal processing part 17. The control is normally executed by taking out only the distance signal of the position of the nozzle 3 in the advance direction and only the abnormal distance signal is taken out of the distance signal from the peripheral part of the nozzle 3. The detection of the distance in any position in the peripheral direction of the nozzle is thus made possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field 1] The present invention is directed to a laser processing device that detects the distance to a workpiece in a laser processing device and controls the distance between a laser beam irradiation nozzle and the workpiece. The present invention relates to a workpiece distance detection device for a processing device.

[Summary of the Invention] The present invention provides a workpiece distance detector provided on the outer periphery of a laser beam irradiation nozzle so as to be rotatable concentrically with respect to its axis, and the distance detector is provided with a rotation mechanism on the outer periphery of the nozzle. By rotating the nozzle and detecting the rotational position of the distance detector with a rotational position detector, it is possible to detect obstacles on the sides of the nozzle in its traveling direction, and also detect specific positions around the nozzle. Distances can also be measured, and distances can always be detected in the same position direction even when continuous machining is performed in multidimensional directions.

[Prior Art] Conventional devices of this type either provide one or more air sensors or the like near the nozzle for laser beam irradiation, or install a ring-shaped stationary device around the entire periphery of the nozzle for laser beam irradiation. The structure was equipped with a capacitive sensor.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the former case, only the point where the sensor is provided is detected, so for example, if the sensor is provided in the direction of movement of the nozzle,
The distance at that side cannot be detected, and if there is a protrusion of the workpiece in that area, the protrusion will collide with the nozzle and cause damage. In addition, when machining is performed continuously in a two-dimensional direction using numerical control, etc., the direction in which the nozzle advances (in reality, the nozzle is often fixed and the workpiece moves, but for the sake of explanation, it is assumed that the nozzle moves) .

) had the disadvantage of not being able to detect distances.

Moreover, in the latter case, since all distances around the outer periphery of the nozzle are detected and averaged, there is a drawback that accurate distances cannot be detected due to protrusions of the workpiece or the like.

The purpose of the present invention is to be able to accurately measure the distance to the workpiece even in multidimensional continuous machining, and to be able to measure the distance to the protrusion no matter where the protrusion is located around the nozzle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a workpiece distance detection device for a laser processing device that can perform accurate processing.

Means for Solving Problems] The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object will be explained with reference to drawings corresponding to embodiments. A workpiece distance detector 9 rotatably provided concentrically with respect to an axis, and a rotation mechanism 1 that rotates the distance detector 9 around the outer periphery of the nozzle 3.
0 and the position detector 9 in the circumferential direction of the nozzle 3
The rotary position detector 18 detects the position of the rotary position detector 18.

[Operation of the Invention] When the distance detector 9 is rotated around the outer periphery of the nozzle 3 in this manner, the distance at any position in the circumferential direction of the nozzle 3 can be detected. Since the position of the distance detector 9 is detected by the rotational position detector 18, it is easy to know at which position in the circumferential direction the distance detector 9 is detected.

[Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the figure, a processing device main body 1 is provided with a support tube 2, and a laser beam irradiation nozzle 3 is fitted into the support tube 2 so as to be oriented toward a workpiece 4 so as to be movable up and down. A nozzle lifting motor 5 is supported on the support tube 2, and the screw 6 is rotationally driven by the motor 5.

A bracket 7 protrudes from the nozzle 3, and the bracket 7
A screw 6 is screwed into the nozzle 3 so that the nozzle 3 can be moved up and down. These motor 5° screw 6 and bracket 7 constitute a nozzle lifting mechanism 8.

A workpiece distance detector 9 is disposed on the outer periphery of the tip side of the nozzle 3 so as to be rotatable around its axis, and the detector 9 is driven to rotate around the nozzle 3 by a rotation mechanism 10. It has become. The rotation mechanism 10 includes a bearing 11 on the outer periphery of the nozzle 3.
It is composed of a gear 12 that is freely rotatable via a gear 12, a gear 13 that meshes with the gear 12, a detector rotation motor 14 that rotates the gear 13, and a bracket 15 that supports the motor 14 on the nozzle 3. The distance detector 9 is connected to the gear 1
The slip ring 1 passes through the gear 12 and is supported by the gear 12.
An electrical signal is taken out via the signal processing section 6 and inputted to the signal processing section 17. A rotational position detector 1 such as a rotary encoder is mounted on the rotation shaft of the detector rotation motor 14.
8 is connected, and the rotational position of the distance detector 9 is detected. The output signal of the rotational position detector 18 is also input to the signal processing section 17. gear 1
2 and the gear 13 is 1, the rotational position detector 1
8 to detect the rotational position of the motor 18, the signal and the rotational position of the distance detector 9 are synchronized, and if the ratios are different, the signal processing unit 17 performs appropriate calculations to synchronize.

The workpiece distance detection device configured in this manner detects the distance to the workpiece 4 while rotating the distance detector 9 around the nozzle 3, and detects the position of each detector 9 using the rotational position detector 18. By comparing the distance to the workpiece 4 with the detected position in the signal processing unit 17 and obtaining appropriate information, normally only the distance signal of the position in the direction of movement of the nozzle 3 is extracted. control and nozzle 3
Only an abnormal distance signal (for example, a signal when the nozzle 3 is close enough to collide with the nozzle 3) is extracted from the circumferential square portion to stop the apparatus.

Furthermore, when performing multidimensional machining continuously by numerical control, the traveling direction of the nozzle 3 is sent to the signal processing unit 17 by the numerical control program, and the signal processing unit 17 determines the position of the distance detector 9. Detection is performed while determining whether the signal is to be a distance signal, and based on the detection result, the signal processing unit 17 sends a signal to the nozzle back-lowering mechanism 8, and the nozzle 3 is raised or lowered by the nozzle lifting mechanism 8, and the nozzle 3 is moved up and down in an appropriate manner. Perform processing while maintaining the position.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the present invention, the distance to the workpiece is detected by rotating the workpiece distance detector around the entire circumference of the nozzle. The distance to the workpiece can be accurately detected. Further, since the position of the distance detector in the nozzle circumferential direction can be detected by the rotational position detector, the nozzle circumferential position and the distance to the workpiece at that position can be detected in correspondence.

Therefore, it is easy to detect the distance only at a specific point in the circumferential direction of the nozzle, and the numerical control program also enables the detection of the distance in the direction of the same position at all times even in the case of continuous machining in multidimensional directions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a side view showing a part of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention in longitudinal section. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Processing device main body, 3... Laser beam irradiation nozzle, 4... Workpiece, 8... Nozzle lifting mechanism, 9
... Workpiece distance detector, 10... Rotation mechanism, 17
... Signal processing unit, 18... Rotational position detector.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a workpiece distance detector rotatably provided on the outer periphery of a laser beam irradiation nozzle concentrically with respect to its axis; a rotation mechanism that rotates the distance detector around the outer periphery of the nozzle; A workpiece distance detection device for a laser processing device, comprising a rotational position detector that detects the position of the distance detector in a circumferential direction.