JP2004195537A - Laser welding head - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a laser welding head equipped with a protective lens with remarkably reduced cost and improved maintainability. <P>SOLUTION: The laser welding head is structured in a manner that protective lenses 21, 22 are independently installed opposite to parts where a first and a second laser beam 3a, 3b pass through respectively, that standard lenses available in the market are used as the protective lenses without applying machining or the like specially to the protective lenses 21, 22, and that, when damage occurs to the lens due to the heat of a weld zone, molten metal, etc., only the damaged protective lens 21 or 22 can be replaced. As a result, the cost is remarkably reduced and the maintainability is improved. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a laser welding head that performs laser processing and arc processing simultaneously.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Laser welding and arc welding are known as processing techniques such as welding, cutting, drilling, and surface modification treatment of metals such as steel plates, for example, as a kind of welding techniques for joining metals together. Since laser light is condensed by an optical device and a high energy density is obtained, deep penetration welding can be performed. In arc welding for supplying a wire serving as a consumable electrode such as MIG welding, welding with a high groove tolerance becomes possible.
[0003]
In recent years, various laser welding heads that can perform laser welding and arc welding simultaneously have been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By performing laser welding and arc welding at the same time, it is possible to stabilize the arc by the plasma generated by the laser, and to obtain a high output without using an expensive apparatus.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-122950
In a conventional laser welding head, a protective lens that transmits laser light is provided below the condenser lens group that condenses laser light. By providing the protective lens, the condensing lens is protected from heat of the welded portion, molten metal, and the like, and is prevented from being damaged or contaminated.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A laser welding head that performs laser welding and arc welding at the same time has a configuration in which the location of the arc welding member is secured by branching the laser beam and the branched laser beam is condensed. For this reason, the laser light transmitted through the protective lens is branched on the assumption of condensing.
[0007]
In the conventional protective lens, a part of one large lens is processed such as a notch so as to secure a space for arranging an arc welding member. For this reason, machining is necessary, and machining time and machining cost are required. In addition, when damage or dirt is attached to a part that transmits one side of the branched laser light, it is necessary to replace one protective lens even if there is no problem with the part that transmits the laser light on the other side. there were.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a laser welding head including a protective lens having a low cost and excellent maintainability.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The laser welding head of the present invention that solves the above problems is
Arc welding means for supplying a wire as a consumable electrode to the tip and welding the welded part by arc discharge; and laser light branched from the input laser beam at the branch lens group and via the condenser lens group In a laser welding head provided with a single body with laser welding means for condensing from the periphery of the tip to the welding site,
An independent protective lens corresponding to each of the branched laser beams is provided on the welding site side of the condenser lens group.
[0010]
And in the laser welding head according to claim 1,
A tip position adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of the tip tip in the direction intersecting with the laser beam is provided.
[0011]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 2,
The tip position adjusting mechanism is
It is a unidirectional adjustment means for adjusting the tip in one direction intersecting with the laser beam.
[0012]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 3,
One-way adjustment means
A pair of screw members that move the tip in opposite directions relative to the main body are provided, and the one-directional position of the tip is adjusted and fixed by the pair of screw members.
[0013]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 3,
The tip position adjustment mechanism
It is a two-way adjusting means for adjusting the tip in two directions crossing the laser beam.
[0014]
In the laser welding head according to claim 5,
Two-way adjustment means
A first screw member that moves the tip in a first direction that intersects the laser beam with respect to the main body, and a first screw that moves the tip in a direction that intersects the first direction via the inclined surface by moving in the first direction. Composed of two screw members,
The position of the tip in the first direction is adjusted and fixed by the first screw member, and then the position of the tip is adjusted and fixed in the direction intersecting the first direction by the second screw member.
[0015]
In the laser welding head according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The present invention is characterized in that a wire supply system that serves as a consumable electrode and a power supply system that supplies power to the wire are provided independently.
[0016]
In the laser welding head according to claim 7,
A wire serving as a consumable electrode is supplied to the tip chip through a flexible tube arranged inside the main body, and a power supply rod member electrically connected to the tip chip is arranged outside the main body to supply power to the wire. It is characterized by that.
[0017]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1 is a cross-sectional view of a laser welding head according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view taken along line III-III in FIG. 4 shows the state of enlargement of the main part in FIG. 3, FIG. 5 shows the VV line arrow in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 shows the VI-VI line arrow in FIG.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tip of an optical fiber 2 is connected to the top of the laser welding head 1. The base end portion of the optical fiber 2 is connected to, for example, a YAG laser oscillator (not shown), and the laser light 3 from the YAG laser oscillator is transmitted through the optical fiber 2 and guided into the laser welding head 1.
[0019]
The laser welding head 1 is provided with a collimating lens group 4, and the laser light 3 emitted from the tip of the optical fiber 2 is converted into parallel light by the collimating lens group 4. A first inclined mirror 5 is provided below the collimating lens group 4 so as to be inclined at 45 degrees and reflects half of the parallel light in the lateral direction, and the opposite part of the first inclined mirror 5 is inclined at 45 degrees. The second inclined mirror 6 is provided that reflects the laser beam 3 reflected in the lateral direction by the first inclined mirror 5 downward.
[0020]
The laser beam 3 having a circular cross-section made parallel light by the collimating lens group 4 is a first laser beam 3a having a half-circular cross-section, and half is reflected by the first tilt mirror 5 and the second tilt mirror 6. Thus, the second laser light 3b having a semicircular cross section is obtained, and the first laser light 3a and the second laser light 3b are parallel light with an interval therebetween.
[0021]
A welding head 7 is provided at the lower end of the laser welding head 1, and a metal support bracket 11 is attached to the inner periphery of the welding head 7. The support bracket 11 supports a metal tip 9 to which a wire 8 serving as a consumable electrode is supplied, and power is supplied to the tip 9 through the support bracket 11.
[0022]
A condensing lens group 15 is disposed on the upper part of the welding head 7, and the first laser light 3 a and the second laser light 3 b converted into parallel light by the condensing lens group 15 are condensed. The first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b that are being collected by the condenser lens group 15 pass through the side portion of the tip chip 9, and the support laser beam 11 is focused on the first laser beam that is being collected. A passage hole 10 through which 3a and the second laser beam 3b pass is formed.
[0023]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tip 9 is attached to the support bracket 11. The tip tip 9 is adjusted by a tip position adjusting mechanism 31 serving as a two-way adjusting means in the direction intersecting the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b (the horizontal direction in FIG. 2 and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface). It is like that.
[0024]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a parallel surface 33 is formed on one side (upper side in the drawing) of the end of the tip 9, and the tip of the first screw member 32 is in contact with the parallel surface 33. It has become. By adjusting the rotation of the first screw member 32, the parallel surface 33 is pushed and pulled to adjust the position in the first direction (vertical direction in the figure).
[0025]
An inclined surface 34 is formed on the other side (lower side in the figure) of the end portion of the tip 9, and the tip of the second screw member 35 is in contact with the inclined surface 34. By adjusting the rotation of the second screw member 35, the inclined surface 34 is pushed and pulled, and the position in the second direction (the left-right direction in the figure) intersecting the first direction is adjusted.
[0026]
Reference numeral 36 in the drawing denotes a pin that becomes a blind plug for the first screw member 32 and the second screw member 35. That is, when adjusting the first screw member 32 and the second screw member 35, the pin 36 is removed and the pin 36 is fitted after the adjustment.
[0027]
The tip position adjusting mechanism 31 described above adjusts the position of the tip tip 9 in the first direction by the first screw member 32 and fixes the position of the tip direction in the first direction. The position in the second direction is adjusted to fix the position in the second direction.
Thereby, it is possible to adjust the position of the tip 9, that is, the supply position of the wire 8 to coincide with the first laser light 3 a and the second laser light 3 b.
[0028]
Although the tip position adjusting mechanism 31 has been described by taking the two-way adjusting means as an example, it is also possible to apply the one-way adjusting means. That is, it is also possible to form a parallel surface on the other side (lower side in the drawing) of the end portion of the tip end 9 and bring the second screw member 35 into contact with the parallel surface. In this case, by adjusting the position of the first screw member 32 while rotating the second screw member 35 in the opposite directions, the position in the first direction (vertical direction in the figure) is adjusted.
[0029]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the wire 8 is supplied from the upper part of the laser welding head 1 through the inside of the laser welding head 1, and the wire 8 is supplied to the tip 9 by the guide member 12. The wire 8 is covered with a protective material (flexible tube) such as resin, or is inserted into a flexible tube such as resin. The wire 8 is supplied so as to be exposed in a state where it is in contact with the distal tip 9 at the site of the distal tip 9, and the wire 8 covered with the protective material is guided to the center of the distal tip 9 by the guide member 12 (of the wire 8). Supply system).
[0030]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, a power supply bus bar 17 is provided from the upper part of the laser welding head 1 through the outside of the laser welding head 1, and the lower end portion of the bus bar 17 is supported through an energization connection portion 18. It is connected to the bracket 11. The bus bar 17 is connected to a power supply (not shown), and the tip chip 9 is energized from the bus bar 17 through the energizing connection portion 18 and the support bracket 11, and power is supplied to the wire 8 supported by the tip chip 9 to form a consumable electrode. (Power supply system)
[0031]
Since the wire 8 is energized via the bus bar 17 and the support bracket 11, it is not necessary to supply the wire 8 to the tip chip 9 together with the energizing material (copper pipe or the like). For this reason, the freedom degree of supply of the wire 8 improves and the space for the welding robot etc. around the laser welding head 1 is ensured.
[0032]
That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the portion 19 for supplying the wire 8 can be bundled adjacent to the connection portion of the optical fiber 2, and a space for supplying the wire 8 around the laser welding head 1 is unnecessary. become.
[0033]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, a cartridge 23 having circular protective lenses 21 and 22 that allow the first laser light 3 a and the second laser light 3 b to pass through independently is provided below the condenser lens group 15. The protective lenses 21 and 22 are provided in the cartridge 23 so as to face the portions through which the first laser light 3a and the second laser light 3b are transmitted.
[0034]
As shown in FIG. 6, the cartridge 23 is formed with a notch 24 through which the wire 8 passes.
[0035]
By disposing the cartridge 23 including the protective lenses 21 and 22, the condensing lens group 15 can be moved from the heat of the welded portion or molten metal without hindering the irradiation of the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b. Can be protected.
[0036]
Since the protective lenses 21 and 22 are provided independently facing the portions through which the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b are transmitted, the commercially available standard lenses are used as they are and the protective lenses 21 and 22 are specially used. No machining for 22 is required. In addition, when the welded part is damaged by heat or molten metal, it is possible to replace only the protective lens 21 or the protective lens 22 on the damaged side, greatly reducing costs and improving maintainability. Can be made.
[0037]
In the laser welding head 1 configured as described above, a laser beam 3 from a YAG laser oscillator (not shown) transmitted through the optical fiber 2 enters downward, and is collimated by the collimating lens group 4. The laser beam 3 having a circular cross-section made parallel light by the collimating lens group 4 is a first laser beam 3a having a half-circular cross-section, and half is reflected by the first tilt mirror 5 and the second tilt mirror 6. Thus, the second laser light 3b having a semicircular cross section is obtained, and the first laser light 3a and the second laser light 3b are parallel light with an interval therebetween.
[0038]
The first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b pass through the condensing lens group 15, pass through the protective lenses 21 and 22, and are collected from the side portion of the tip tip 9 through the passage hole 10 to the welded portion. At the same time, the wire 8 is supplied to the distal tip 9, and the distal tip 9 is energized from the bus bar 17 through the energizing connection portion 18 and the support bracket 11, and power is supplied to the wire 8 supported by the distal tip 9 and consumed. Electrode.
[0039]
Thereby, laser welding by condensing the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b and arc welding (MIG welding) by energizing the wire 8 are simultaneously performed.
[0040]
In order to make the condensing points of the first laser beam 3 a and the second laser beam 3 b coincide with the supply position of the wire 8, the position of the tip tip 9 in the first direction is adjusted by the first screw member 32 of the position adjusting mechanism 31. Then, the position in the first direction is fixed, and then the position in the second direction of the tip 9 is adjusted by the second screw member 35 to fix the position in the second direction.
[0041]
As a result, even when the wire 8 has a bending wrinkle or the like, the supply position of the wire 8 can be adjusted to coincide with the condensing points of the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b. . Since the wire 8 is not provided with a copper pipe or the like for feeding, even when the position of the tip 9 is adjusted, the movement of the tip 9 is absorbed by the deformation of the wire 8 covered with the protective material made of resin. Is done.
[0042]
By providing the position adjusting mechanism 31, the condensing points of the first laser beam 3 a and the second laser beam 3 b can be matched with the position of the wire 8 serving as the consumable electrode, and the laser position and the arc position can be optimized. It becomes possible to hold in a state.
[0043]
Further, since the wire 8 is energized through the bus bar 17 and the support bracket 11 described above, it is not necessary to supply the wire 8 to the tip chip 9 together with the energizing material (copper pipe or the like).
[0044]
For this reason, the freedom degree of supply of the wire 8 improves and the space for the welding robot etc. around the laser welding head 1 is ensured.
[0045]
Further, the arrangement of the cartridge 23 including the protective lenses 21 and 22 makes it possible to collect the condensing lens group from the heat of the welded portion, molten metal, or the like without hindering the irradiation of the first laser beam 3a and the second laser beam 3b. 15 can be protected.
[0046]
Since the protective lenses 21 and 22 are provided independently facing the portions through which the first laser light 3a and the second laser light 3b are transmitted, special machining for the protective lenses 21 and 22 is performed. A commercially available standard lens can be used without any problem. In addition, when the welded part is damaged by heat or molten metal, it is possible to replace only the protective lens 21 or the protective lens 22 on the damaged side, greatly reducing costs and improving maintainability. Can be made.
[0047]
As the laser welding head 1 of the present invention, as long as the position adjustment mechanism 31 for the tip tip 9 is provided, the one provided with a current-carrying means such as a copper pipe and the coaxial wire 8 or one protective lens. It is also possible to apply one provided with
[0048]
As arc welding, carbon dioxide arc welding, mixed gas shielded arc welding, or the like can be applied as long as a wire serving as a consumable electrode is supplied. In some cases, non-gas shielded arc welding can be applied.
[0049]
The laser welding head 1 of the present invention can also be applied to processes other than welding such as cutting and drilling.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
The laser welding head of the present invention is
Arc welding means for supplying a wire as a consumable electrode to the tip and welding the welded part by arc discharge; and laser light branched from the input laser beam at the branch lens group and via the condenser lens group In a laser welding head provided with a single body with laser welding means for condensing from the periphery of the tip to the welding site,
Since an independent protective lens is provided on the welding site side of the condenser lens group corresponding to each of the branched laser beams,
A standard lens that is commercially available can be used without special machining for the protective lens, and if the weld is damaged by heat or molten metal, Only the protective lens can be exchanged, and the cost can be greatly reduced and the maintainability can be improved.
[0051]
As a result, a laser welding head having a protective lens with low cost and excellent maintainability is obtained.
[0052]
And in the laser welding head according to claim 1,
Because it has a tip position adjustment mechanism that adjusts the position of the tip tip in the direction that intersects the laser beam,
The position of the tip can be adjusted according to the condensing position of the laser light.
[0053]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 2,
The tip position adjusting mechanism is
Since it is a one-way adjusting means for adjusting the tip in one direction that intersects the laser beam, the position in one direction of the tip can be adjusted.
[0054]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 3,
One-way adjustment means
A pair of screw members that move the tip in opposite directions with respect to the main body are provided, and the position of the tip of the tip is adjusted and fixed by the pair of screw members. Can be adjusted.
[0055]
Moreover, in the laser welding head according to claim 3,
The tip position adjustment mechanism
Since it is a two-way adjusting means for adjusting the tip in two directions intersecting with the laser beam, the position of the tip in two directions can be adjusted.
[0056]
In the laser welding head according to claim 5,
Two-way adjustment means
A first screw member that moves the tip in a first direction that intersects the laser beam with respect to the main body, and a first screw that moves the tip in a direction that intersects the first direction via the inclined surface by moving in the first direction. Composed of two screw members,
Since the position of the tip in the first direction is adjusted and fixed by the first screw member, the position of the tip is adjusted and fixed in the direction intersecting the first direction by the second screw member. The position of the tip in two directions can be adjusted by the two screw members.
[0057]
In the laser welding head according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
Since the supply system of the wire that becomes the consumable electrode and the power supply system that supplies power to the wire are provided independently,
The degree of freedom in supplying the wire is improved, and a space around the laser welding head can be secured.
[0058]
In the laser welding head according to claim 7,
A wire serving as a consumable electrode is supplied to the tip chip through a flexible tube arranged inside the main body, and a power supply rod member electrically connected to the tip chip is arranged outside the main body to supply power to the wire. So
The degree of freedom in supplying the wire is improved, and a space around the laser welding head can be secured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a laser welding head according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II in FIG.
3 is a view taken along line III-III in FIG.
4 is an enlarged view of a main part in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view taken in the direction of arrows VV in FIG. 2;
6 is a view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 2;
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Laser welding head 2 Optical fiber 3 Laser beam 4 Collimating lens group 5 1st inclination mirror 6 2nd inclination mirror 7 Welding head 8 Wire 9 Tip tip 10 Passing hole 11 Support bracket 12 Guide member 15 Condensing lens group 17 Bus bar 18 Current supply Connecting portion 19 Supply site 21, 22 Protective lens 23 Cartridge 24 Notch 31 Chip position adjusting mechanism 32 First screw member 33 Parallel surface 34 Inclined surface 35 Second screw member 36 Pin

Claims (8)

Arc welding means for supplying a wire as a consumable electrode to the tip and welding the welded part by arc discharge; and laser light branched from the input laser beam at the branch lens group and via the condenser lens group In a laser welding head provided with a single body with laser welding means for condensing from the periphery of the tip to the welding site,
A laser welding head, wherein an independent protective lens corresponding to each of the branched laser beams is provided on the welding site side of the condenser lens group. The laser welding head according to claim 1, wherein
A laser welding head comprising a tip position adjusting mechanism for adjusting a position of the tip in a direction intersecting with a laser beam. The laser welding head according to claim 2,
The tip position adjusting mechanism is
A laser welding head, which is a unidirectional adjustment means for adjusting a tip in one direction intersecting with a laser beam. The laser welding head according to claim 3,
One-way adjustment means
A laser welding head, comprising: a pair of screw members that move the tip in opposite directions with respect to the main body; and adjusting and fixing the position in one direction of the tip with the pair of screw members. The laser welding head according to claim 3,
The tip position adjustment mechanism
A laser welding head, which is a two-way adjusting means for adjusting a tip in two directions intersecting with a laser beam. The laser welding head according to claim 5,
Two-way adjustment means
A first screw member that moves the tip in a first direction that intersects the laser beam with respect to the main body, and a first screw that moves the tip in a direction that intersects the first direction via the inclined surface by moving in the first direction. Composed of two screw members,
A laser welding head, wherein the position of the tip of the tip in the first direction is adjusted and fixed by the first screw member, and then the position of the tip of the tip is adjusted and fixed in a direction intersecting the first direction by the second screw member. In the laser welding head according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A laser welding head characterized in that a supply system for a wire serving as a consumable electrode and a power supply system for supplying power to the wire are provided independently. The laser welding head according to claim 7,
A wire serving as a consumable electrode is supplied to the tip chip through a flexible tube arranged inside the main body, and a power supply rod member electrically connected to the tip chip is arranged outside the main body to supply power to the wire. Laser welding head characterized by being made.

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