CN1162934A

CN1162934A - Nozzle for coupling electromagnetic energy and heatable composition

Info

Publication number: CN1162934A
Application number: CN 95195150
Authority: CN
Inventors: 克雷格·A·内夫
Original assignee: AST HOLDINGS Ltd
Current assignee: AST HOLDINGS Ltd; AST Holding Ltd
Priority date: 1994-09-19
Filing date: 1995-09-14
Publication date: 1997-10-22

Abstract

A nozzle for application of an extrudable material to a substrate optically couples an electromagnetic beam to the extrudable material. The nozzle forms a flow channel with a window at one end. The extrudable material is admitted to the flow channel such that it flows across the bottom surface of the window and through the flow channel. The nozzle is removably held in a head to permit replacement of the nozzle when worn or for installation of a nozzle having different characteristics for a different application.

Description

The nozzle that electromagnetic energy and Ke Jia hot mixt are coupled together

The application is the continuation application of a part in the U.S. Patent application of submitting on January 29th, 1,993 08/010,859, and the disclosed content of this patent application is incorporated among the application in the lump.

But the present invention relates to spraying extruded material on substrate.Particularly, but the present invention relates to a kind of nozzle that extruded material and high energy electromagnetic beam such as laser beam are coupled together.

U.S. Patent application U.S.08/010, but 859 the system of a spraying extruded material on substrate has been described, and in extrusion, will be applied on the material from a branch of electromagnetic radiation coupling of laser instrument.But extruded material, typical situation is a polyamide hot, light beam is then supplied with by the YAG laser instrument of 150W.Material is extruded by a small nozzle, and nozzle one end has the inlet that leads to circulation passage, and a relative end has an outlet.By a window at nozzle one end, and along the y direction of nozzle, beam is imported, coupling is applied on the material in the circulation passage.If but light beam is failed to be coupled rightly and is applied on the extruded material, energy can be absorbed by nozzle or window, thereby the life-span of obviously reducing these parts.

According to the present invention, nozzle is placed in the mantle, is convenient to damaged or replace when using different nozzles instead.Nozzle has the first of a circulation passage of a formation, and this passage has an inlet and an outlet.Usually, outlet is the circular open that is positioned at nozzle one end, but according to the needs of using, also a kind of in other shape.The other end at circulation passage comprises a photo-coupler, so that electromagnetic waveguide is gone into circulation passage.In a preferred embodiment, photo-coupler constitutes the top of circulation passage.

Nozzle entrance is arranged to also guarantee that except that fluid mixture is imported the circulation passage fluid mixture contacts with photo-coupler, so that fluid mixture absorbs unnecessary heat in the coupler.For this reason,, be provided with many inlets,, prevent to form the static film of fluid so that allow the lower surface of the inswept coupler of fluid corresponding to coupler.

In one embodiment, its inlet is made up of a series of radial oriented grooves, and they communicate with passage, and transmission is from the mixture of the pump housing.In another embodiment, these grooves have tangential component, so that fluid vortex through the lower surface of coupler, increases energy conduction and convection current between coupler and fluid.

Describe the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail below in conjunction with accompanying drawing.In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is the vertical cross section according to a system of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is the perspective view according to a nozzle front device of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is the vertical cross section of Fig. 2 nozzle front device;

Fig. 4 is the part sectioned view that Fig. 2 nozzle front device amplifies.

The system that Fig. 1 shows is roughly as previously mentioned described in my earlier application.But this system comprises the reservoir 2 of storage extruded material 4.But the pump housing 6 is supplied extruded materials 4 by circulation path 10 to nozzle 8.Material enters the circulation passage 12 of upper end of nozzle, leaves this circulation passage through spray orifice 14 then, forms the drop 16 of this material on substrate.

Material in the nozzle be coupled together from the electromagnetic energy of laser instrument 18.Beam 20 from laser instrument is coupled together through the material in window 22 and the circulation passage.

To Fig. 4, dismountable nozzle 24 is installed on the front device 26 referring now to Fig. 2.The structure of nozzle and front device at length illustrates in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

Front device 26 comprises circulation path 10, is used for accepting the material from the pump housing, as the description with respect to Fig. 1 did.Yet in this case, circulation path 10 surrounds the upper end of nozzle fully.Nozzle 24 is embedded in two openings of front device.First opening 28 holds and has settled nozzle top at the upside of circulation path 10.Second opening 30 holds the bottom of having settled nozzle in the bottom of front device.An O type circle 32 places in the notch of front device, forms sealing between front device and nozzle top; And another O type circle 34 places in the notch of nozzle, forms sealing in the bottom of front device and nozzle.

Front device has a centre bore 36, is used for the upper end of beams directed 20 to nozzle.

Nozzle comprises an optical window 38, is used to couple the beam into material 12.Window is installed in the nozzle by placing the axle sleeve 40 in the groove 42.Window is put the top edge that leans against circulation passage, shown in the profile of Fig. 3 and 4.In fact, window has covered the upper end of circulation passage fully.The 3rd O type circle 44 cooperates with groove 42 and window upper surface, forms a sealing.

Material is imported into circulation passage 12 by many inlets, and these inlets separate each other around passage and evenly distribute.Inlet 46 can be radial oriented., they preferably have tangential component.Inlet is arranged near the window bottom surface, makes material flow through the window bottom surface, takes away the unnecessary heat at window.Inlet has this measure of tangential component and can guarantee not have static liquid film to form, and static liquid film can hinder the available heat transmission of window and storeroom.Window keeps the state of cooling like this, thereby can prolong its life-span.

In the preferred embodiment, inlet 46 is formed by the semi-cylindrical shaped groove, again by window connection passage.By this structure, the fluent material that enters nozzle is the lower surface of inswept window continuously.

Preferably, nozzle 24 is fixed in the front device mechanically as by being screwed the baffle plate 48 on front device.

Consider from optics, but window 38 should be selected and the essentially identical material of extruded material refractive index is made, to reduce reflection.In addition, the window two sides all should have ARC.The window material of preferentially selecting for use is optical material BK7.Vitreosil and borosilicate acids heat resistant glass material (Pyrex) are also available.

Yet what may need sometimes but is that coupler is different with the refractive index of material.For example, window has the luminous efficacy of change beam shape to required form, is very useful.In the case, the bottom of coupler can be crooked, makes the discrepant luminous efficacy of the refractive index of passing coupler and material interface to have.

Nozzle can be made by various materials, comprises aluminium and steel.Preferential aluminium, because its heat conductivity can keep nozzle tip that higher temperature is arranged, aluminium is easy to processing simultaneously, can reduce mach expense.

Should be understood that, but the nozzle of describing can be coupled together electromagnetic energy and extruded material effectively.This nozzle on certain angle, can be regarded a waveguide as, and the principle of many waveguides is useful to the design nozzle.For example, the coupled laser bundle can reduce reflection and absorption by regulating coupler, and become very effective to material.Simultaneously, should avoid usually inciding on the nozzle wall, to reduce the formation of absorption and overheated zone, if the reflection of nozzle wall is in the waveguide, along the passage guiding energy, and tube wall absorbs that minimum class reflection, and then this reflection can utilize.

Obviously, those skilled in the art can make amendment in the appended claims scope.

Claims

1, a kind of nozzle that is used for spraying fluid mixture on substrate, it comprises the circulation passage device of the mobile circulation passage of described fluid mixture of guiding of formation, an and end that is positioned at described circulation passage, a branch of electromagnetic radiation is imported the optical coupler apparatus of described circulation passage, it is characterized in that described circulation passage comprises the inlet and the outlet that is used to spray described fluid mixture that import described fluid mixture.

2, nozzle as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described photo-coupler is orientated to and the y direction of described electromagnetic radiation along described circulation passage can be imported.

3, nozzle as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described inlet is close to described photo-coupler.

4, nozzle as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, described inlet guides the described fluid mixture described photo-coupler of flowing through.

5, nozzle as claimed in claim 4 is characterized in that, described inlet guides described fluid mixture to flow, so that described flowing corresponding to the longitudinal axis of circulation passage has a radial component.

6, nozzle as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that, described inlet guides above-mentioned fluid mixture to flow, so that described flowing corresponding to the longitudinal axis of circulation passage has a tangential component.

7, nozzle as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, described circulation passage is made of the tube wall of band top edge, and described inlet is made of the groove that is positioned at described top edge, and described photo-coupler is connected with described top edge, constitutes the part of described inlet.

8, nozzle as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that, it also comprises many y directions corresponding to above-mentioned passage, separates each other to be distributed on described top edge groove on every side.

9, nozzle as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, the refractive index of described fluid mixture is near the refractive index of described photo-coupler.