JPS6066226A - Detector for lens dirt in laser working device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect surely dirt of a lens by irradiating the lens with a dirt detecting laser light and detecting directly the quantity of reflected light from the surface of the condenser lens with a photodetector. CONSTITUTION:A condenser lens 4 is fixed in a hand piece 9 and condenses a laser light 10 to be used for working. The hand piece 9 can be set to a fixing part 12 for detection of lens dirt which is provided in a laser working device body 11, and a laser light source 13 for detection of dirt is supported adjacently to the fixing part 12, and a laser light 14 for detection of dirt is irradiated to the center of the condenser lens 4. This laser lihgt 14 is inclined at about 10 deg. to the optical axis of the condenser lens 4, and the laser light for detection reflected from the lens is detected by a photodetector 15, and a voltage is outputted to a comparing circuit 16 in accordance with the quantity of this reflected light.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is directed to the use of laser beams to process or operate Y
The present invention relates to laser processing equipment such as an AG laser or a carbon dioxide laser.

Structure of conventional examples and their problems In recent years, laser processing equipment that uses energy such as YAG laser light and carbon dioxide laser light has been increasingly applied to cutting solid materials such as metals and ceramics, spot welding of metals, soldering, etc. Furthermore, in the medical field, laser scalpel devices that utilize the enormous energy of laser light and features such as non-contact type are rapidly developing.

For example, in a carbon dioxide laser processing device, as shown in FIG. The light 5 is focused by a lens 4 and irradiated onto the processed area or affected area 6 to perform processing or surgery. 7 is smoke emitted from the processed area, etc.; 8
Reference numeral 9 indicates an assist gas provided at the laser beam emitting end so as to be ejected, and 9 indicates a hand piece.

When performing processing or surgery, the amount of smoke emitted from the processed area, etc. can be prevented by the assist gas. There is a problem that the assist gas during use cannot wipe out stains on the lens due to stains (such as blood scattering) and stains on the lens due to carelessness during storage. Moreover, dirt on the lens was discovered due to poor sharpness during use (lower laser processing output), and there was no other way to check it than by visually observing the lens surface.

If the lens gets dirty in this way with laser processing equipment,
The light transmittance decreases, the energy of the emitted laser light decreases, and the processing or surgical ability not only decreases, but also
If the laser beam is allowed to pass through the lens while the lens is dirty, there is a risk that the lens made of expensive zinc selenium or the like may be burnt out due to heat generation. Furthermore, there were other drawbacks, such as the need for a complicated device to distinguish between dirt on the lens and abnormalities in the laser tube or waveguide.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks, directly, safely and reliably detects contamination on lenses of laser processing equipment and laser scalpel equipment, and detects dirt on lenses of laser beams for processing or surgery. provides a lens contamination detection device for a laser processing device that can independently detect contamination on a lens.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention detects dirt from a fixing part into which a hand piece is inserted and fixed, and from the side opposite to the emission of laser light for processing, toward the center of a condensing lens in the hand piece. a laser light source for stain detection arranged to irradiate a laser beam for stain detection; a photodetector for detecting the amount of the laser beam for stain detection reflected by the condenser lens; A comparison circuit that compares the output voltage with a reference voltage to detect the presence or absence of dirt on the lens, a display circuit that displays the presence or absence of dirt on the lens based on the output of the comparison circuit, and/or an alarm that notifies the presence or absence of dirt on the lens. This is a lens contamination detection device for laser processing equipment consisting of a circuit.

Therefore, in the present invention, the hand piece is fixed to the fixed part, and a separate laser light source emits laser light to the condensing lens in the hand piece from the side opposite to the laser beam irradiation for processing, and the condensing lens It is now possible to directly detect lens dirt by detecting the amount of light reflected from the surface.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 2 shows a lens dirt detection device for a carbon dioxide laser processing device. 4 is a condensing lens, and handpiece 9
The laser beam 10 for processing is fixed within the cylindrical chamber and condenses the laser beam 10 for processing. The hand piece 9 can be attached to a fixing part 12 for detecting lens dirt provided on the main body 11 of the laser processing apparatus. 13
is a laser light source for stain detection, which is a semiconductor laser, is supported adjacent to the fixed part 12, and is adapted to irradiate a laser beam 14 for stain detection toward the center of the condenser lens 4. . The angle 0 at which this laser beam 14 is inclined with respect to the optical axis of the condenser lens is suitably within 10 degrees. The amount of light of the dirt detection laser beam reflected by the condenser lens is detected by a photodetector 15, and a voltage is output to a comparison circuit 16 according to the amount of reflection. In the figure, reference numeral I6 indicates a power source for a laser beam for detecting dirt, 17 indicates a comparison circuit, 18 indicates an alarm circuit, and 18 indicates a display circuit.

If the lens is dirty due to smoke or blood caused by laser processing, the amount of laser light for dirt detection reflected from the condenser lens 4 is reduced due to diffused reflection or the like.

Therefore, the amount of light is detected by the photodetector 15, and the comparison circuit 17 compares the voltage output according to the amount of reflection with the reference voltage. If the amount of reflection is small, it is determined that the lens is dirty, and the alarm circuit 18 An abnormality alarm is issued, or the display circuit 18 displays a message indicating that the lens is dirty.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for detecting lens dirt using the apparatus of the present invention and performing laser processing. 20 is the key switch on, 21 is the helium neon laser on,
22 is a display for inserting a manipulator for inserting and fixing a handpiece etc. into the fixed part, 23 is a manipulator insertion, and 24 is a lens dirt detection. If dirt is found, an abnormality alarm 25 is issued or a lens replacement or manipulator replacement is performed. Display 26. If there is no stain, the carbon dioxide laser is turned on in step 27 and the P procedure routine 28 is entered. 28 is a command 11 for surgery, and it is determined at 30 whether or not the manipulator has been inserted, and if YES, a lens dirt detection step 31 is entered. If there is dirt, an abnormality alarm 25 or a lens replacement display 26 is given, and if there is no dirt, the surgery is continued.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention safely and reliably detects the presence or absence of lens dirt by emitting laser light for dirt detection and directly detecting the amount of reflection on the surface of the condenser lens using a photodetector. It is something to detect. Moreover, since a contamination detection laser and a photodetector are used separately from the laser for laser processing, the state of only the lens can be directly detected without depending on the state of the oscillation tube or waveguide of the carbon dioxide laser. It is effective in monitoring the

In addition, if this device is used to detect dirt on the lens before laser processing, it is possible to prevent surgery or laser processing using a dirty lens, and to avoid using large energy sources such as carbon dioxide gas laser beams on condensing lenses. By transmitting the light and generating heat, it is possible to prevent burning out of expensive condensing lenses such as zinc selenium.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the entire laser processing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a lens dirt detection apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a flowchart of laser processing using the apparatus according to the present invention. 4... Condensing lens 9... Hand piece 12...
Fixed part 13... Laser light source for dirt detection 14... Laser light for dirt detection 15... Photodetector 17... Comparison circuit 18... Alarm circuit 19... Display circuit agent Patent attorney Dai Island - Public Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] A fixing part for inserting and fixing the handpiece is arranged to irradiate dirt detection laser light toward the center of the condensing lens in the handpiece from the opposite side from the side where the laser light for processing is emitted. A laser light source for stain detection, a photodetector that detects the amount of the laser beam for stain detection reflected by the condenser lens, and a voltage output from this photodetector is compared with a reference voltage. A laser processing device comprising: a comparison circuit that detects the presence or absence of dirt on a lens; a display circuit that displays the presence or absence of lens dirt based on the output of the comparison circuit; and/or an alarm circuit that notifies the presence or absence of lens dirt. lens dirt detection device.