JPH10193154A - Nozzle device in laser beam machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To change the shape of the tip end part of a nozzle and a sensor in accordance with a machining purpose. SOLUTION: The tip end 7L or the entirety of a gap sensor 5 as well as a guard electrode 9 can be exchanged in accordance with a machining purpose; therefore, a proper machining is made possible by efficiently detecting a gap between a nozzle 3 and a work W depending on the shape of the work W. At least the tip end 7L can be exchanged in accordance with the shape of the work W; hence, the shape and the sensing area can be selected by exchanging the tip end 7L for a machining purpose.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a nozzle apparatus in a laser processing machine for performing laser processing by detecting a distance between a nozzle for irradiating laser light during laser processing and a work to be processed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to perform proper processing during laser processing, it is necessary to detect a distance between a nozzle for processing by irradiating a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator onto the work and the work to be processed. There is. For this reason, a gap sensor using a capacitance-type proximity sensor that utilizes the fact that the capacitance between the target workpiece and the sensor is inversely proportional to the distance between them is provided in the nozzle.

[0003]

However, in such a conventional technique, since the gap sensor is provided integrally with the nozzle, the shape of the gap sensor and the shape of the nozzle are selected according to the processing application. There is a problem that you can not.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to pay attention to the above-mentioned conventional technology, and to provide a nozzle apparatus in a laser processing machine capable of changing the shape of the tip of a nozzle and a sensor according to a processing application. To provide.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a nozzle device in a laser processing machine according to the present invention performs laser processing by irradiating a workpiece with laser light emitted by a laser oscillator. A nozzle device in a laser beam machine provided with a capacitance type gap sensor for detecting an interval between the nozzle and a workpiece on a nozzle, wherein the gap sensor is divided / removable at least at a distal end portion and a proximal end portion. It is characterized by comprising a center electrode and a guard electrode on the outer periphery of the front end center electrode.

Therefore, when laser processing is performed by irradiating the workpiece with laser light from the tip of the nozzle, the center electrode or the entirety of the tip of the gap sensor or the entire guard electrode can be replaced according to the processing application. In addition, appropriate processing can be performed by efficiently detecting the distance between the nozzle and the work according to the shape of the work.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a nozzle device 1 in a laser beam machine according to the present invention. This nozzle device 1
In FIG. 1, a capacitance type gap sensor 5 is provided around a nozzle 3 for irradiating a laser beam LB sent from a laser oscillator (not shown) to a work W to perform laser processing.

The gap sensor 5 has a center electrode 7 for measuring the distance from the workpiece W and a guard electrode 9 for flowing a current to be measured to the center electrode 7 to help measure the distance. The center electrode 7 is divided into two parts, and a lower center electrode 7L as a front end center electrode
And an upper central electrode 7U provided above the lower central electrode 7L. Further, the guard electrode 9
Are provided outside the lower center electrode 7L.

The upper center electrode 7U is removably attached to the nozzle 3 with a connecting member such as a screw 13U at the upper connecting portion 11U. The upper end of the lower center electrode 7L is detachably attached to the lower end of the upper center electrode 7U and the nozzle 3 by a connecting material such as a screw 13L at the lower connecting portion 11L. Further, a guard electrode 9 is detachably attached to the outside of the lower central electrode 7L in the lower connecting portion 11L by the screw 13L.

The outer peripheral surface of the center electrode 7 and the inner peripheral surface of the guard electrode 9 are both coated with an insulating coating.

From the above results, the guard electrode 9 and the lower central electrode 7L of the gap sensor 5 can be removed and replaced with various shapes corresponding to the shape of the work W. That is, when the work W is a three-dimensional object as in the gap sensor 15 shown in FIG. 2, by attaching the lower center electrode 17L having a thin tip, proper processing can be performed even at a corner portion.

The gap sensor 19 shown in FIG.
When the work W is a flat plate as shown in FIG.
The processing can be performed using a material having a wide lower end surface of L. Thereby, the responsiveness of the gap sensor 19 can be improved.

Further, the gap sensor 2 shown in FIG.
The work W that is inclined as shown in FIG. 3 can be processed using the lower center electrode 25L whose tip is inclined. As a result, appropriate laser processing can be performed on various shapes of the work W.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be embodied in other modes by making appropriate changes. That is, it is possible to change the shape of the lower center electrode 7L as appropriate and apply it to the work W having a shape not shown in the above-described embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the center electrode 7 is divided into two parts, an upper part and a lower part, has been described. However, the center electrode 7 can be divided into two or more parts.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the case where the connecting portion 11 is detachably attached by the bolts 13U and 13L has been described. In addition, the upper and lower end portions of the upper center electrode 7U and the lower center electrode 7L In addition, a screw portion may be formed on the outer peripheral surface or the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the guard electrode 9, and the whole may be rotated around the optical axis LB of the laser light so as to be screwed and attached.

[0018]

As described above, in the nozzle device of the laser processing machine according to the first aspect of the present invention, the center electrode or the whole tip end of the gap sensor and the guard electrode can be replaced according to the processing application. Appropriate processing can be performed by efficiently detecting the distance between the nozzle and the work according to the shape of the work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a nozzle device in a laser beam machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another example of the embodiment of the nozzle device in the laser beam machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing still another example of the embodiment of the nozzle device in the laser beam machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing still another example of the embodiment of the nozzle device in the laser beam machine according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Nozzle device 3 Nozzle 15, 19, 23 Gap sensor 7L, 17L, 21L, 25L Lower center electrode (tip center electrode) W Work

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A nozzle in a laser processing machine, comprising: a nozzle for performing laser processing by irradiating a laser beam emitted from a laser oscillator onto a workpiece; and a capacitance type gap sensor for detecting an interval between the nozzle and the workpiece. A laser, wherein the gap sensor is constituted by a center electrode that can be divided and detached at least at a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, and a guard electrode on an outer periphery of the distal end portion central electrode. Nozzle device in processing machine.