JPH0310683Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a gas laser tube characterized by a support structure for a laser tube and a cathode.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of a gas laser tube. In this example, both ends 11 of the glass tube 1
Metal end plates 2A and 2B are sealed to A and 11B, respectively, so as to close these, thereby forming a sealed body 3. A glass laser thin tube 6 extending along the glass tube 1 is disposed inside the glass tube 1, and a proximal end 61 of the laser thin tube 6 is integrally connected to one edge 11A of the glass tube 1 by a glass connecting portion 7. The proximal end 61 side of the laser thin tube 6 is thereby held. A metal cylindrical cathode 8 is arranged on the tip 62 side of the laser thin tube 6 so as to surround it, and this cathode 8 is connected to a lead rod 9 extending from the metal end plate 2B on the circumferential surface on the base end 81 side. Thus, the cathode 8 is held. 4A and 4B are reflecting mirror supporting tubes, and these reflecting mirror supporting tubes 4A and 4B have metal end plates 2A and 4B, respectively.
Its base end 41 extends outwardly from 2B.
A and 41B are penetrated and hermetically connected to the metal end plates 2A and 2B, respectively, and a reflector 5 is attached to the end of each of the reflector support tubes 4A and 4B, respectively.
A and 5B face each other, and their optical axis P is the laser tube 6.
It is fixedly provided so as to coincide with the tube axis C of the tube. 20 is a brew star window.

In the gas laser tube having such a configuration, in order to stably perform laser oscillation in a specified mode, the tube axis C of the laser tube 6 is aligned with the optical axis P of the pair of reflecting mirrors 5A and 5B forming the resonator. It is necessary to do so. In addition, it is practically undesirable for the free end of the cathode 8 to collide with the inner wall surface of the enclosure 3 due to vibrations acting on the laser tube and generate mechanical noise, which may impair the usability. Therefore, it is necessary to restrict the swinging of the cathode 8.

The present invention was developed based on these requests, and provides a gas laser tube with excellent vibration resistance and impact resistance, in which displacement of the laser tube and cathode is suppressed by a supporter with a simple structure. Its features include: a tubular enclosure made of a glass tube; a laser capillary disposed within the enclosure; a metal cylindrical cathode with a free end; and a supporter for holding a cylindrical cathode, the supporter comprising: a metal substrate extending in the radial direction of the enclosure; and a supporter formed at a peripheral edge of the metal substrate in directions opposite to each other with respect to the metal substrate. a plurality of elongated first tubes that are bent to elastically press against the inner circumferential wall of the enclosure;
a fixing support section consisting of a support piece and a plurality of short second support pieces; a cathode holding section formed on the peripheral edge of the metal substrate to hold the tip of the cathode; and a laser capillary support portion comprising a plurality of support pieces that are elastically pressed into contact with the outer circumferential wall of the laser capillary.

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

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 represent the same parts, so a description thereof will be omitted. In the figure, S is a supporter attached to the free end 82 of the cathode 8 in order to hold the laser tube 6 and the cathode 8. This supporter S has a fixing support portion S1 that supports the substrate S4 against the inner wall of the enclosure 3, a cathode holding portion S2 that holds the tip of the cathode 8, and a laser thin tube support portion S3 that supports the laser thin tube 6.

The fixing support part S1 is a disk-shaped metal substrate S.
It is constructed by alternately bending a plurality of long support pieces 1a and short support pieces 1b formed along the circumferential edge of 4 in opposite directions. The long support piece 1a extends toward the base end 81 of the cathode 8, and the short support piece 1b extends toward the cathode 8 in the opposite direction to the long support piece 1a.
The support pieces 1a and 1b each extend forward from the tip 82 of the enclosure 3, and each support piece 1a and 1b
Elastic pressure contact is made at one or more locations.

The cathode holding portion S2 includes a plurality of support pieces 2 formed along the peripheral edge of the disk-shaped metal substrate S4.
The support pieces 2a are bent to contact the inner wall of the cathode 8, and the tip 82 of the cathode 8 is retained and held by these support pieces 2a. Further, in this embodiment, the support piece 2a and the long support piece 1a extend in the same direction, and the tip 82 of the cathode 8 is held between them, so that the cathode 8 can be held more reliably.

The laser capillary support section S3 is composed of a plurality of support pieces 3a that are formed in the center of the disk-shaped metal substrate S4 and extend toward the laser capillary insertion hole 10, which has a smaller diameter than the laser capillary tube 6. 3
a are elastically pressed against the outer circumferential wall of the laser thin tube 6 inserted into the laser thin tube insertion hole 10, respectively.

This supporter S is produced, for example, as follows.

That is, by etching a heat-resistant metal plate such as Inconel or stainless steel, a disk-shaped substrate S is formed as shown in FIG.
4 has a laser thin tube insertion hole 10 in the center thereof, a plurality of support pieces 3a located around the insertion hole 10 and extending toward the center of the insertion hole 10, and extending radially outward at the peripheral edge of the substrate S4. A plate body is formed which integrally has long tongue pieces and short tongue pieces alternately. The long tongue pieces of this plate constitute the support piece 1a of the fixing support part S1, and the short tongue pieces alternately constitute the support piece 1b of the fixation support part S1 and the support piece 2a of the cathode holding part S2. Configure. Next, each support piece 1a, 1b,
2a and 3a are bent in a predetermined direction. Support pieces 1a and 1b constituting the fixing support part S1 are each bent in opposite directions with respect to the substrate S4,
The support piece 2a constituting the cathode holding part S2 and the support piece 3a constituting the laser tube support part S3 are each bent in the same direction as the long support piece 1a. The degree of bending of the support pieces 1a, 1b, or 3a is within the range necessary for each support piece to come into elastic pressure contact with the inner peripheral wall of the enclosure 3 or the outer peripheral wall of the laser tube, and the metal plate constituting the supporter S It is selected appropriately depending on the material, thickness, etc.

In the gas laser tube configured as above,
The substrate S4 of the supporter S is held and fixed coaxially within the enclosure 3 by a plurality of support pieces 1a and 1b that protrude radially from its outer peripheral edge and press against the inner peripheral wall of the enclosure 3. . The supporting pieces 1a and 1b are bent in opposite directions, and the supporting pieces 1a and 1b are bent in opposite directions.
a is long, and the points of contact between each of the support pieces 1a and 1b and the inner circumferential wall of the enclosure 3 are sufficiently spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the enclosure 3, so that the supporter S is displaced; It is stably held and fixed within the enclosure 3 without tilting. Further, the laser capillary tube 6 inserted into the laser capillary tube insertion hole 10 is held under pressure by the support piece 3a of the supporter S that is elastically pressed against the outer peripheral wall of the laser capillary tube 6, and as described above, the supporter S is stably held. Since it is fixed, displacement at the tip 62 is effectively suppressed. Furthermore, cathode 8
is locked by the support piece 2a of the supporter S that is in contact with the inner wall of the tip 82, and does not collide with the inner wall of the sealing body 3, so that no mechanical noise is generated that impairs the usability.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications are possible. For example, support piece 1 of supporter S
a, 1b, 2a, and 3a can be appropriately selected in shape, size, number, etc. within a range that can provide sufficient supporting force.

The present invention includes a tubular enclosure made of a glass tube, a laser tube disposed inside the enclosure, a metal cylindrical cathode with a free end, and a supporter that holds the laser tube and the cylindrical cathode. The supporter has a metal substrate extending in the radial direction of the enclosure, and the supporter is formed at the peripheral edge of the metal substrate and is bent in opposite directions with respect to the metal substrate to extend inside the enclosure. A plurality of long first support pieces and a plurality of short second support pieces elastically press against the peripheral wall.
a fixing support part consisting of a support piece; a cathode holding part formed on the peripheral edge of the metal substrate to hold the tip of the cathode; and a cathode holding part formed on the outer peripheral wall of the laser thin tube formed in the center of the metal substrate. Since the gas laser tube is characterized by having a laser capillary support section consisting of a plurality of support pieces that are elastically pressed together, the displacement of the laser capillary tube and cathode can be reliably suppressed by the supporter with a simple structure, making it an excellent product. It has excellent vibration and impact resistance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of a gas laser tube, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged main part of an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 constitutes the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. FIG. 3 is an external view showing the supporter in an expanded state. 1... Glass tube, 2A, 2B... End plate, 3...
Encapsulant, 6... Laser tube, 8... Cathode, 9...
...Lead rod, S...Supporter, S1...Fixing support part, S2...Cathode holding part, S3...Laser thin tube support part, S4...Substrate, 1a, 1b, 2a,
3a...Support piece.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A tubular enclosure made of a glass tube, a laser capillary disposed within the envelope and a metal cylindrical cathode with a free end, the laser capillary and the tubular cathode a supporter for holding the enclosure; the supporter is formed at a peripheral edge of the metal substrate and is bent in opposite directions relative to the metal substrate, and the supporter is bent in opposite directions relative to the metal substrate; a fixing support section consisting of a plurality of long first support pieces and a plurality of short second support pieces that are elastically pressed against the inner circumferential wall of the enclosure; , a cathode holding part that holds the tip of the cathode, and a laser capillary support part formed in the center of the metal substrate and consisting of a plurality of support pieces that are elastically pressed against the outer circumferential wall of the laser capillary. Characteristic gas laser tube.