JP3060659B2 - Laser rod holding mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to fix each end of a laser rod so that its optical axis does not fluctuate.
The present invention relates to a laser rod holding mechanism that can stably seal cooling water over time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 2, both ends of a laser rod (eg, a YAG laser rod) 1 are held by holders 12. The holding is carried out by an O-ring 14. That is, the end face of the holder 12 on the side of the laser rod 1 is a slope which looks like a dish, and the slope is O-shaped.
The ring 14 is pressed by a cap nut 16 which is screwed into an unlabeled male thread cut at the same end of the holder 12. Due to the radial contraction of the pressed O-ring 14, the outer periphery of the end of the laser rod 1 is tightened and fixed. By this tightening and fixing, the holding of the laser rod 1 and the sealing against the cooling water are performed. That is, the cooling water flowing in the axial direction on the outer peripheral surface of the central portion of the laser rod 1 is prevented from entering each end by the O-ring 14.

[0003]

In the conventional example, there is a possibility that the optical axis of the laser rod 1 fluctuates slightly, and as a result, the laser output fluctuates. That is, since the O-ring 14 is often made of a rubber material in order to exhibit a sealing effect, when the laser rod 1 is held by this, the optical axis becomes
There is a danger of subtle movement due to vibration or pressure fluctuations of the cooling water.
Further, when the O-ring is made of tetrafluoroethylene resin (Teflon: a registered trademark of DuPont), there is a problem that the O-ring is permanently deformed over time and the sealing ability is reduced. The above-described fluctuation of the optical axis and a decrease in the sealing ability result in fluctuation of the laser output.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems of the prior art, to fix each end of a laser rod so that its optical axis does not fluctuate, and to supply cooling water reliably and over time. Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser rod holding mechanism that can be stably sealed.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser rod holding mechanism, which is coaxial with a through hollow portion through which a laser beam passes, and is provided with a two-stage seat at a portion where an end of the laser rod is to be inserted. A holder corresponding to each end of the laser rod, which is provided with a counterbore; and a laser beam shielding insert that is inserted into a small-diameter counterbore on the back side of the counterbore and through which the laser rod penetrates a center hole. A first annular plate; a second annular plate inserted into a large-diameter counterbore on the end side of the counterbore portion, and the laser rod penetrated through a center hole;
An O-ring for cooling water sealing pertaining to the outer periphery of the laser rod, which is inserted into an annular space formed by the facing surface of each annular plate and the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter counterbore;
An elastic tightening member for tightening and fixing the outer periphery of the laser rod by being pressed against the end surface of the annular plate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser rod holding mechanism according to the first aspect, wherein the elastic fastening member comprises:
It is a truncated cone-shaped member made of tetrafluoroethylene resin (Teflon: registered trademark of DuPont) having a center hole for laser rod penetration.

[0007]

In the laser rod holding mechanism according to the first aspect,
3. An elastic tightening member, wherein an O-ring is inserted into an annular space formed by opposing surfaces of the first and second annular plates and an inner peripheral surface of a small-diameter counterbore of the holder. As in the above, the truncated conical member made of ethylene tetrafluoride resin is pressed against the end side surface of the second annular plate, and on the other hand, the outer periphery of the laser rod is uniformly tightened by the deformable elastic tightening member. O fixed, on the other hand, deformed and pressed
The ring seals the outer periphery of the laser rod against the cooling water.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a laser rod holding mechanism according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 1, 1 is a laser rod (for example, a YAG laser rod), and 2 are holders corresponding to both sides of the laser rod 1, respectively. A two-stage type consisting of a small-diameter counterbore and a large-diameter counterbore, which are not denoted in order from the back side to the end side, on the inner surface of the end of the holder 2 inserted and held to hold the end of the laser rod 1. A counterbore portion and a female thread portion are provided. A seat plate 3 corresponding to the first annular plate in the invention is inserted into the small diameter counterbore, and a seat plate 5 corresponding to the second annular plate in the invention is inserted into the large diameter counterbore. The O-ring 4 is inserted into a groove as an annular space formed by the facing surfaces of the seat plates 3 and 5 and the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter counterbore. This O-ring 4 is
It is made of a rubber material for sealing the cooling water pertaining to the outer periphery. An elastic fastening member 6 which is a truncated conical member made of tetrafluoroethylene resin is inserted into the end of the seat plate 5.

When the trapezoidal inclined surface of the elastic tightening member 6 is pressed by the countersunk end surface of the push screw 7 screwed into the female screw portion at the end of the holder 2, the elastic tightening member contracts and deforms in the radial direction. The outer periphery of the laser rod 1 is uniformly tightened and fixed by the attachment member 6, and the outer periphery of the laser rod 1 is sealed against the cooling water by the O-ring 4 that is deformed and pressed. Moreover, since the elastic fastening member 6 is a member made of ethylene tetrafluoride resin, the holding of the laser rod 1 is ensured so that its optical axis does not fluctuate, and in addition to the slope of the elastic fastening member 6. The pressing by the set screw 7 is performed smoothly, and uniform tightening and fixing to the outer periphery of the laser rod 1 is supported. O-ring 4
Is made of a rubber material, and thus can be stably sealed over time.

[0010]

According to the laser rod holding mechanism of the first aspect, the annular space formed by the opposing surfaces of the first and second annular plates and the inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter counterbore of the holder is O-shaped. With the ring inserted, the elastic fastening member, for example, as in claim 2, a truncated conical member made of ethylene tetrafluoride resin is pressed against the end surface of the second annular plate, On the one hand, the outer periphery of the laser rod is uniformly tightened and fixed by the deformable elastic fastening member, and on the other hand, the outer periphery of the laser rod is sealed against the cooling water by the O-ring which is deformed and pressed.

Therefore, each end of the laser rod is fixed so that its optical axis does not fluctuate, and the cooling water is reliably and stably sealed over time. In particular, in the laser rod holding mechanism according to claim 2, by using a truncated conical member made of ethylene tetrafluoride resin as the elastic fastening member, the pressing by the push screw applied to the slope is smoothly performed, The uniform tightening and fixing to the outer periphery of the vehicle is supported.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 laser rod 2 holder 3 seat plate (small) 4 O-ring 5 seat plate (large) 6 elastic tightening member 7 set screw

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-57-66682 (JP, A) JP-A-57-102084 (JP, A) JP-A-49-14096 (JP, A) 54976 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 51-19667 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Application Hei 4-56356 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01S 3/02 H01S 3 / 042

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A two-stage counterbore is provided coaxially with a penetrating hollow portion through which a laser beam passes and where a laser rod end is to be inserted, corresponding to each end of the laser rod. A holder; a first annular plate for blocking laser light, which is inserted into a small-diameter counterbore on the back side of the counterbore portion and has a center hole through which the laser rod penetrates; and an end side of the counterbore portion A second annular plate inserted into the large-diameter counterbore and having the center hole through which the laser rod passes; an opposing surface of each of the first and second annular plates; and an inner peripheral surface of the small-diameter counterbore. An O-ring for cooling water sealing around the outer periphery of the laser rod, which is inserted into an annular space formed by: and the laser rod by being pressed against an end surface of the second annular plate. An elastic tightening member for tightening and fixing the outer periphery of the elastic member. Retention mechanism of Zaroddo. 2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said elastic tightening member is a truncated conical member made of tetrafluoroethylene resin having a center hole for penetrating the laser rod. mechanism.