JPH0966384A - Laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To embody safety at a low cost by providing a laser beam machine with a controller which detects the function failure of an optical fiber unit of a laser beam machine and controls this optical fiber unit to stop the emission of a laser beam. SOLUTION: A controller 15 controls the emission of the laser beam from a laser oscillator 11 according to the energization state between both units 12 and 14 via connecting parts 18 and an electric wire 19 by detecting the voltage impressed between the casing 16 of an incident unit 12 and the casing 20 of a processing unit 14. The energization state between the incident unit 12 and the processing unit 14 is interrupted in the event of the function failure of the optical fiber unit 13. The controller 15 detecting this non-energization state stops the emission of the laser beam by the laser oscillator 11 and, therefore, the safety of the laser beam machine 10 is assured. The casing 16, the casing 20 and the connecting parts 18 are composed of conductive materials and both connecting parts 18 are merely connected by the electric wire 19 and, therefore, the function failure of the optical fiber unit 13 is detected at a low cost without the need for using the intricate mechanisms.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser processing apparatus for transmitting laser light through an optical fiber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a laser processing apparatus, an apparatus for transmitting a laser beam using an optical fiber is generally known as the invention described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 64-83394.

FIG. 3 shows the laser processing apparatus 1 as described above, in which the laser light emitted from the laser oscillator 2 is condensed by an incident unit 3 as an incident optical means and passed through an optical fiber unit 4. Is transmitted to the processing unit 5 as processing optical means, and the workpiece is irradiated from the processing unit 5. The optical fiber unit 4 is an optical fiber 6
And a connecting portion 7 provided at both ends thereof. Then, the optical fiber unit 4 connects the connection unit 7 to a connection unit (not shown) included in the incident unit 3 and the processing unit 5 to connect the incident unit 3 and the processing unit 5, and to connect both units 3 The laser light can be transmitted between 5 and 5.

[0004]

However, in the conventional laser processing apparatus 1 as described above, when the optical fiber unit 4 malfunctions due to some external force during the operation of the laser processing apparatus 1, the laser light is emitted. It is dangerous because it is emitted to the outside of the laser processing apparatus 1. The malfunction of the optical fiber unit 4 includes disconnection of the connecting portion 7 from the incident unit 3 or the processing unit 5, disconnection of the optical fiber 6, and the like.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a laser processing apparatus capable of realizing safety when an optical fiber fails.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser processing apparatus for irradiating a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator through the optical fiber unit. Failure detected,
A control device is provided to stop and control the emission of the laser beam by the laser oscillator based on the detection of the malfunction.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laser oscillator, an incident optical means for converging laser light emitted from the laser oscillator and making the laser light incident on an optical fiber unit, and the laser light transmitted by the optical fiber unit. In a laser processing apparatus having a processing optical means for collecting laser light and irradiating a workpiece, the optical fiber unit is made of a conductive material, and the incident optical means and the processing through the optical fiber unit. Detecting a malfunction of the optical fiber unit based on the energization state with the optical means, and providing a control means for stopping the emission of the laser light by the laser oscillator based on the detection of the malfunction. is there.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the optical fiber unit is an optical fiber and a conductive material that connects the optical fiber to the incident optical means and the processing optical means. The connecting member and an electric wire that is provided along the optical fiber and connects between the conductive connecting members.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect of the present invention, the optical fiber unit is an optical fiber and a conductive material that connects the optical fiber to the incident optical means and the processing optical means. It comprises a connecting member and a conductive protection tube that covers the entire circumference of the optical fiber connecting between the conductive connecting members.

The invention described in claims 1 to 4 has the following effects. The control means detects a malfunction of the optical fiber unit such that the optical fiber unit is disengaged from the incident optical means or the processing optical means, is cut, and the like, and the laser light by the laser oscillator is detected based on the detection of the malfunction. Since the emission of the laser beam is stopped, the laser light is not emitted to the outside of the laser processing device.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the optical fiber unit of FIG. 1.

The laser processing apparatus 10 includes a laser oscillator 1
1. Incident unit 12 as incident optical means, optical fiber unit 13, processing unit 1 as processing optical means
4 and a control device 15 for processing a workpiece (not shown) with a laser beam.

The laser oscillator 11 is capable of emitting a laser beam, and this emission is controlled by the controller 15.

The incident unit 12 is one in which an optical device such as a condenser lens is housed in a casing 16, and the laser light from the laser oscillator 11 is supplied to the optical fiber unit 13.
Is incident on the optical fiber 17. The casing 16 is
It is made of a conductive material such as metal.

As shown in FIG. 2, the optical fiber unit 13 has an optical fiber 17, a connecting portion 18 provided at both ends thereof, and a connecting portion 18 provided along the optical fiber 17 for connecting between the connecting portions 18. And an electric wire 19. Connecting part 1
8 and the electric wire 19 are both formed of a conductive material (for example, copper). The optical fiber unit 13 connects the connecting unit 18 to connecting units (not shown) provided in the casing 16 of the incident unit 12 and the casing 20 (described later) of the processing unit 14, respectively, so that the incident unit 12 and the processing unit 12 are connected. 14 is electrically connected to form a malfunction detection circuit, and both units 12 and
Laser light can be transmitted between the fourteen.

The processing unit 14 is, as shown in FIG.
Optical equipment such as a condenser lens and a mirror is housed in the casing 20, and the workpiece is irradiated with the laser light transmitted through the optical fiber 17. The casing 20
Is also made of a conductive material such as metal.

The control device 15 detects the voltage applied between the casing 16 of the incident unit 12 and the casing 20 of the processing unit 14 so as to detect both of the units 12 via the connecting portion 18 and the electric wire 19. The energization state between 14 is monitored, and the emission of laser light from the laser oscillator 11 is controlled according to this energization state.

That is, the control device 15 controls the incidence unit 12
When there is energization between the machining unit and the machining unit 14,
The optical fiber unit 13 determines that the connection state between the units 12 and 14 is “good”, allows the laser oscillator 11 to emit laser light, and the incident unit 12 and the processing unit 14 are in a non-conductive state. Sometimes both units 1 due to a malfunction of the optical fiber unit 13
It is determined that the connection state between 2 and 14 is “defective”, and the emission of laser light by the laser oscillator 11 is stopped. Examples of the malfunction of the optical fiber unit 4 include disconnection of the connecting portion 18 from the casing 16 of the incident unit 12 or the casing 20 of the processing unit 14, disconnection of the optical fiber 17, and the like.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the optical fiber unit 13 fails, the connecting portion 18 and the electric wire 1
The energization state between the incident unit 12 and the processing unit 14 due to 9 is cut off, and the control device 15 that detects this non-energization state stops the laser light emission by the laser oscillator 11, so that the laser light is emitted to the outside. Therefore, the safety of the laser processing apparatus 10 can be secured.

Further, the casing 1 of the incident unit 12
6, the casing 20 of the processing unit 14, and the connecting portion 18 of the optical fiber unit 13 are made of a conductive material,
Since both the connecting portions 18 are simply connected by the electric wire 19, it is not necessary to use a complicated mechanism, and the malfunction of the optical fiber unit 13 can be detected at low cost.

From the above, the optical fiber unit 13
The safety at the time of malfunction of the optical fiber 17 can be realized at low cost.

In the above-mentioned optical fiber unit 13, the connection portion 18 is electrically connected by the electric wire 19. However, instead of the electric wire 19, the optical fiber 17 is arranged coaxially with the optical fiber 17. Optical fiber 1 covering fiber 17
7 is a conductive protection tube extending in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 1
8 may be electrically connected.

When this protective tube is used, in addition to the effects of the above-described embodiment, the optical fiber 17 can be protected from the external environment by the protective tube.

Further, the casing 16 of the incident unit 12
Also, the casing 20 of the processing unit 14 is formed of a conductive material such as metal, and the casings 16 and 20 themselves are used as a part of the malfunction detection circuit of the optical fiber unit 13, and the controller 15 monitors the energized state. However, the casings 16 and 20 are not always necessary. For example, only the connecting portions provided in the casings 16 and 20 may be formed of a conductive member such as copper, and the energized state may be monitored through the connecting portions.

It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be modified within the scope of the invention. For example, the means for detecting the malfunction of the optical fiber unit 13 includes a second optical fiber for detecting malfunction, which is provided along the optical fiber 17, a projector provided in the casing 16 of the incident unit 12, and a processing unit. It may be configured with a light receiver provided inside the casing 20 of 14. In this case, the malfunction is detected by the light projector, which emits the light beam toward the second optical fiber, and the light beam which is transmitted by the second optical fiber is received by the light receiver. Based on.

[0026]

As described above, according to the laser processing apparatus of the present invention, safety can be realized when the optical fiber fails.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of a laser processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the optical fiber unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional laser processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Laser Processing Device 11 Laser Oscillator 12 Incident Unit (Injection Optical Means) 13 Optical Fiber Unit 14 Processing Unit (Processing Optical Means) 15 Control Device 16 Incident Unit Casing 17 Optical Fiber 18 Connection 19 Electric Wire (Conductive Member) 20 Processing Unit Casing of

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A laser processing apparatus for irradiating a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator through an optical fiber unit, detects a malfunction of the optical fiber unit, and based on the detection of the malfunction. A laser processing apparatus comprising a control device for stopping and controlling the emission of laser light by the laser oscillator. 2. A laser oscillator, an incident optical means for collecting the laser light emitted from the laser oscillator and making the laser light enter the optical fiber unit, and collecting the laser light transmitted by the optical fiber unit. In a laser processing apparatus having a processing optical means for irradiating a workpiece, the optical fiber unit is made of a conductive material, and the energization between the incident optical means and the processing optical means through the optical fiber unit. A laser processing apparatus, comprising: a control unit that detects a malfunction of the optical fiber unit based on the state, and stops and controls the emission of the laser light by the laser oscillator based on the detection of the malfunction. 3. The optical fiber unit, an optical fiber, a conductive connecting member connecting the optical fiber to the incident optical means and the processing optical means, and the conductive connection provided along the optical fiber. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising an electric wire that connects between the members. 4. The optical fiber unit, an optical fiber, a conductive connecting member connecting the optical fiber to the incident optical means and the processing optical means, and the optical fiber connecting between the conductive connecting members. The laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a conductive protection tube that covers the entire circumference of the laser.