JP2001292353A - Cooling device for camera unit for welded part visualizing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance a cooling efficiency of a camera unit. SOLUTION: A space section 10 is formed between an inner face of a holder 1 and an outer face of a CCD camera 2. The space section 10 is provided with a gas entrance port 12. A gas line 13 introducing a purge gas 16 is connected to the gas entrance port 12. Gas paths 14, 15 bypassing optical components 3, 4 are provided to each installed position of the optical components 3, 4 at an inner circumferential face of a front end of the holder 1. The holder 1 is provided with a cooling water path 5. When a welded part is viewed, cooling water 6 indirectly cools the inside of the holder 1 and blowing the purge gas 16 into the holder 1 directly cools the CCD camera 2 and the optical components 3, 4, respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooling device for cooling a camera unit of a welding portion visualization device used for observing a welding portion during a laser welding operation. The present invention relates to a cooling device for a camera unit for a weld visualization device, which can be dramatically improved.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a welding operation, a welded portion (melted portion) is formed.
Observation is important for controlling and stabilizing welding quality.

Conventionally, the observation of this type of welded portion has been carried out by relying on the light emission of the welded portion. For example, it is possible to observe the welded portion in TIG welding or the like, but laser welding (YAG)
In the welded portion, the welded portion is covered by high-intensity plasma, and plasma light and laser scattered light are emitted more intensely than the surroundings, and the plasma light and the laser scattered light are stronger than the light emission from the welded portion. Therefore, the luminescence of the weld was buried in these luminescence, and it was extremely difficult to observe the weld.

[0004] For this reason, in recent years, as one of techniques for observing a welded portion during a laser welding operation, a laser beam having a higher brightness than a plasma light or a laser scattered light of the welded portion toward the welded portion by the laser welding has been developed. A short pulse laser beam is irradiated, and the welded portion irradiated by the short pulse laser beam is
2. Description of the Related Art There has been proposed a welded portion visualization device which can be visualized by taking an image with a camera unit having a camera.

A camera unit I used in this type of weld visualization device has a CCD camera 2 facing forward inside a cylindrical holder 1 having a closed rear end, as schematically shown in FIG. And fixed at the axial center position, and C
A required number of optical components 3 and 4, such as two optical filters, are installed inside the front end of the holder 1 at a position in front of the CD camera 2, and a CC from a weld to be observed is provided.
The light incident on the D camera 2 can be adjusted by the optical components 3 and 4 to a desired state, for example, by reducing the amount of light or limiting the wavelength. .

By the way, the camera unit I of the welding part visualizing device is made to face the welding part at the time of use, and is heated by radiation energy or reflection energy radiated from the welding part. A cooling water passage 5 extending in a circumferential direction and a longitudinal direction is formed at an intermediate portion in a thickness direction of a side wall of the holder 1, and the cooling water passage 5
A cooling device having a configuration in which a cooling water supply line 7 for guiding cooling water 6 from a cooling water supply unit (not shown) and a cooling water discharge line 8 are connected to each other from the rear end side of the holder 1. The cooling water 6 introduced through the cooling water supply line 7 is allowed to flow through the cooling water passage 5 of the holder 1 to cool the holder 1, whereby the CCD camera 2 and each optical component in the holder 1 are cooled. 3, 4 can be indirectly cooled by heat conduction. Reference numeral 9 denotes cables such as a power supply cable and an output cable which penetrate the rear end of the holder 1 for connecting the CCD camera 2 to the outside.

[0007]

However, since the conventional cooling device for the camera unit I merely cools the inside of the holder 1 indirectly by the cooling water 6, the cooling efficiency is not so high, and the laser welding is not performed. There is a possibility that the rise in the internal temperature of the camera unit I during the work may not be able to be suppressed. In fact, it has been impossible to use the weld visualization device continuously for a long period of time due to problems such as separation from the weld.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cooling device for a camera unit for a weld visualization device, which can efficiently cool the inside of the camera unit.

[0009]

According to the present invention, a CCD camera is provided at an axial position in a holder, and one or more optical components are provided inside a front end of the holder. A camera unit for a welding part visualization device, wherein light incident on a CCD camera from a welding part to be observed can be adjusted by the optical component, and the holder is cooled by cooling water. In the cooling device, while forming a required space between the outer surface of the CCD camera and the inner surface of the holder in the holder,
At the rear end of the holder, a gas inlet for connecting a gas line for introducing a purge gas is provided, and at a required position at the front end of the holder, the internal space of the holder before and after the optical component corresponding to each optical component is provided. A gas passage for communication is provided so that the purge gas introduced into the holder from the gas inlet can be discharged to the outside after flowing through the space and the gas passage.

If the purge gas is blown into the holder from the gas inlet when using the weld visualization device, the purge gas blown into the holder from the gas inlet is brought into contact with the surface of the CCD camera when passing through the space. After being sent forward while being pressed, it is further released from the front end opening of the holder after being brought into contact with the surface of the optical component, so that the CCD camera and the optical component are directly cooled by the flowing purge gas. Become like

Further, by providing the gas passages provided corresponding to the optical components adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction at a position of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction, the purge gas flowing from the gas passage to the next gas passage is adjacent to the gas passage. Circumferential direction 1 between optical components
Since the gas can flow in the direction of 80 degrees, the surface of the optical component can be uniformly contacted with the purge gas, and the cooling efficiency of each optical component can be increased.

Further, by providing a rectifying plate intermittently or continuously extending in the spiral direction between the inner peripheral surface of the holder and the outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera in the space, C is realized.
Since the flow direction of the purge gas flowing through the space on the outer peripheral side of the CD camera can be spiraled by the rectifying plate, the entire outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera can be uniformly contacted with the purge gas, and the CCD camera can be cooled. Efficiency can be increased.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) show an embodiment of a cooling device for a camera unit for a weld visualization device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. In a configuration in which the CCD camera 2 is housed, the optical components 3 and 4 are installed in front of the CCD camera 2, and the holder 1 is cooled by cooling water 6, the holder 1 and the CCD camera 2 In order to form a space 10 of a required size between the holder 1 and the CC to be housed,
In order to make the required size larger than the outer diameter of the D camera 2 and to hold the CCD camera 2 at the axis in the holder 1, a rod-shaped support member 11 is provided at an axis near the rear end of the holder 1. The CCD camera 2 is fixedly supported through the support 1, and between the inner peripheral surface of the holder 1 and the outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera 2 and between the inner peripheral surface of the rear end of the holder 1 and the rear end surface of the CCD camera 2. A space 10 having a required size is formed, and a gas inlet 12 communicating with the space 10 is provided at the rear end of the holder 1. A purge gas supply unit (not shown) is connected to the gas inlet 13. And a gas passage 1 detouring from the rear side to the front side of the optical component 3 at one position on the inner wall of the holder 1 at the position where the optical component 3 is mounted.
Further, a gas passage 15 is provided at one position on the inner wall of the holder 1 at a position where the optical component 4 is mounted, and a gas passage 15 is provided to bypass the optical component 4 from the rear side to the front side, and is guided through a gas line 13 from a purge gas supply unit. Purge gas 16 from the gas inlet 1
2 through the space 10 in the holder 1, behind the optical component 3, the gas passage 14, between the optical components 3 and 4, the gas passage 15
In order to allow the holder 1 to be discharged to the outside from the front end opening.

The gas passages 14 and 15 are provided at a position of 180 degrees.

The cooling water passage 5 provided on the side wall of the holder 1 may be the same as that of the conventional system shown in FIG. And try to keep it short. Further, the penetrating portion of the cables 9 at the rear end of the holder 1 is made airtight by packing or the like (not shown). In addition, the same components as those shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

When the camera unit I is cooled by the cooling device, the cooling water 6 is circulated through the cooling water passage 5 as in the conventional case, and the inside of the holder 1 is indirectly cooled by the circulating cooling water 6. The purge gas 16 introduced from the purge gas supply unit through the gas line 13 is supplied to the gas inlet 1.
The CCD camera 2 and the optical components 3 and 4 are cooled by blowing into the holder 1 from the position 2. In this case, holder 1
First, the purge gas 16 blown into the inside
When flowing through the inside, it comes into contact with the surface of the CCD camera 2, further passes from the rear side of the optical component 3 through the gas passage 14, between the optical components 3 and 4, passes through the gas passage 15, and When being guided to the front side, it comes into contact with the surfaces of the optical components 3 and 4, so that the surface of the CCD camera 2 and the front and rear sides of the optical components 3 and 4 contact the purge gas 16.
Can be directly cooled.

As described above, the CCD camera 2 and the optical component 3
And 4 can be directly cooled by the purge gas 16, so that the thermal conductivity can be greatly increased, and the cooling efficiency can be dramatically increased in combination with the conventional indirect cooling by the cooling water 6. Can be improved. Thereby, it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the optical components 3 and 4 may be damaged or the CCD camera 2 may deviate from the allowable operating temperature range, and the weld visualization device may be used continuously for a long time. It becomes possible. At this time, the gas passage 14
And 15 are arranged at a position of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction, whereby the front surface of the optical component 3 and the rear surface of the optical component 4 can be reliably brought into contact with the purge gas 16 flowing between the optical components 3 and 4. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the optical components 3 and 4 can be improved. In the above, since the purge gas 16 is used as the cooling gas, there is no problem even if it is blown out from the front end opening of the holder 1 in the direction of the welded portion.

Next, FIGS. 2A and 2B show another embodiment of the present invention, in which a welded portion having the same structure as that shown in FIGS. In the cooling device of the camera unit for the visualization device, C
The support member 11 for fixedly supporting the CD camera 2 is replaced with a rod-like support member, and in FIG. 2A, a plurality of rectifying plate-like support members 17 intermittently extending in a spiral direction.
In FIG. 2B, a rectifying plate-shaped support member 18 extending continuously in the spiral direction is used.

According to the present embodiment, FIGS.
In either case, since the purge gas 16 blown into the holder 1 can be spirally flown along the outer periphery of the CCD camera 2 by the support members 17 and 18, the entire outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera 2 can be evenly distributed. Purge gas 1
6, and the cooling effect of the CCD camera 2 can be improved.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiment, and is shown in FIGS.
(B) In the cooling device of the present invention, the two optical components 3
4 is employed in a camera unit I provided in front of the CCD camera 2, but may be employed in a camera unit having one optical component, or a camera having three or more optical components. In this case, it is desirable that the gas passages provided on the inner peripheral surface of the holder 1 corresponding to the adjacent optical components are alternately arranged at 180 degrees in the circumferential direction. In (b), a support member 1 for fixing and supporting the CCD camera 2 in the holder 1 is provided.
Each of the helical plates 7 and 18 has a spiral plate shape. However, a rectifying plate for rectifying the purge gas 16 is provided separately from the supporting member similar to the supporting member 17 shown in FIGS. It goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0022]

As described above, according to the cooling device for a camera unit for a welding part visualizing device of the present invention, a CCD camera is provided at an axial position in a holder, and one or more CCD cameras are provided inside the front end of the holder. Welding that comprises a plurality of optical components so that light incident on a CCD camera from a weld to be observed can be adjusted by the optical components, and the holder is cooled by cooling water. In the cooling device for the camera unit for the part visualizing device, a gas line for forming a required space between the outer surface of the CCD camera in the holder and the inner surface of the holder and introducing a purge gas to the rear end of the holder. And a gas inlet for connecting the internal space of the holder before and after the optical component corresponding to each optical component at a required position at the front end of the holder. A passage is provided, so that the purge gas introduced into the holder from the gas inlet is allowed to flow through the space and the gas passage and then discharged to the outside. In addition to performing indirect cooling, the purge gas is blown into the space in the holder from the gas inlet, allowing the purge gas to flow through the space and contacting the CCD camera to make the CCD
In addition to cooling the camera, the optical component can be cooled directly by the purge gas by contacting the surface of the optical component through the gas passage provided for each optical component, and the thermal conductivity can be greatly increased. As a result, the cooling efficiency can be dramatically improved as compared with the related art, and the possibility of problems such as damage to optical components and the departure of the CCD camera from the allowable operating temperature range can be eliminated. It has an excellent effect that the visualization device can be used continuously for a long time, and the gas passages provided corresponding to the optical components adjacent in the front-rear direction are arranged at a position of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction. With this configuration, the purge gas flowing from the gas passage to the next gas passage can flow in the circumferential direction of 180 degrees between adjacent optical components. Uniformly to be able to contact the purge gas, it is possible to increase the cooling efficiency of the optical component,
Further, by providing a rectifying plate intermittently or continuously extending in the spiral direction between the inner peripheral surface of the holder and the outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera in the space, the space on the outer peripheral side of the CCD camera is provided. The flow direction of the flowing purge gas can be rectified by the rectifying plate, and the entire outer peripheral surface of the CCD camera can be uniformly contacted with the purge gas.
This has the effect of increasing the cooling efficiency of the D camera.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a cooling device for a camera unit for a welded portion visualization device according to the present invention, in which (a) is a schematic cross-sectional side view, and (b) is a view taken in the direction of arrows AA in (a). FIG.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
Is a schematic cut-away side view showing a support member formed in a rectifying plate shape extending intermittently in a spiral direction, and (b) is a schematic cut-out side view showing a support member formed in a rectifier plate shape extending continuously in a spiral direction. It is.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional side view showing a conventional camera unit for a weld visualization device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 I Camera Unit 1 Holder 2 CCD Camera 3 Optical Component 4 Optical Component 10 Space 12 Gas Inlet 13 Gas Line 14 Gas Passage 15 Gas Passage 16 Purge Gas 17 Support Member (Rectifier Plate) 18 Support Member (Rectifier Plate)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Tsuchiya 1 Shin-Nakahara-cho, Isogo-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Production Technology Development Center (72) Inventor Fumio Matsuzaka Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo 3-Chome 1-1-15 Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries, Ltd. Tokyo Engineering Center F-term (reference) 5C022 AA01 AC42 AC51 AC63 AC77

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A CCD camera is provided at an axial center position in a holder, and one or more optical components are provided inside a front end of the holder, and light incident on the CCD camera from a weld to be observed is provided. In a cooling device of a camera unit for a welding part visualization device, which can be adjusted by the optical component and is configured to cool the holder with cooling water, an outer surface of a CCD camera in the holder and a holder of the holder are cooled. While forming the required space between the inner surface,
At the rear end of the holder, a gas inlet for connecting a gas line for introducing a purge gas is provided, and at a required position at the front end of the holder, the internal space of the holder before and after the optical component corresponding to each optical component is provided. A welding portion, comprising: a gas passage for communicating the gas, wherein a purge gas introduced into the holder from the gas inlet is allowed to flow through the space and the gas passage and then discharged to the outside. Cooling device for camera unit for visualization device. 2. The cooling device for a camera unit for a welded visualization device according to claim 1, wherein gas passages provided corresponding to optical components adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are arranged at 180 degrees in a circumferential direction. 3. The inner peripheral surface of the holder in the space and the CC
The cooling device for a camera unit for a weld visualization device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rectifying plate intermittently or continuously extending in a spiral direction between the outer peripheral surface of the D camera and the rectifying plate.