WO2016063720A1

WO2016063720A1 - Welding method and welding device

Info

Publication number: WO2016063720A1
Application number: PCT/JP2015/078341
Authority: WO
Inventors: 裕至提坂; 聰山梨; 拓樹古杉
Original assignee: 株式会社小糸製作所
Priority date: 2014-10-24
Filing date: 2015-10-06
Publication date: 2016-04-28
Also published as: JP2016083799A

Abstract

A welding device (100) for projecting laser light on a welding section (3) of objects to be welded (1, 2) that extends as a band and welding same. The welding device is provided with: a first laser-projecting means (104) disposed along the direction that the welding section (3) extends; a transparent jig (102) for ensuring close contact in the welding section (3) of the objects being welded (1, 2); and light-shaping sections (110) for shaping the laser light beam from the first laser-projecting means (104). The light-shaping sections (110) are configured from lenses that expand the shape of the laser light beam in the direction (L-direction) in which the welding section (3) extends and match the shape of the laser light beam to the width in the width direction (W-direction).

Description

Welding method and welding apparatus

The present invention relates to a welding method and a welding apparatus that realizes highly reliable welding by projecting light such as laser light onto a welding portion.

One of the steps for manufacturing a lamp for a vehicle is a step of integrally fixing a transparent front cover to a container-shaped lamp body, and a method of welding the lamp body and the front cover is used as the step of fixing. Yes. For example, when a lamp housing is constituted by a container-shaped lamp body 1 having a front opening as shown in FIG. 1 and a transparent resin front cover 2 fixed to the front opening of the lamp body 1, The peripheral edge 1a of the front opening 1 and the peripheral edge 2a of the front cover 2 are brought into close contact with each other, and both of them are welded at the close contact portions. In this example, a seal leg 21 is formed in a wall shape on the inner peripheral side (lower side in FIG. 1) on the peripheral edge of the front cover 2, and the end surface 21 a and the peripheral edge 1 a of the seal leg 21 are welded as a welded part 3. ing.

As a welding method, there has been proposed a laser welding technique in which a laser beam is projected onto the welding part 3 to melt the welding part. In this laser welding technique, when the periphery of the lamp housing as described above is laser-welded, there are a scan type, a galvano type, and a flash type as described in Patent Document 1. The scanning method is a technique of welding while moving a laser head that emits laser light along the welding portion. The galvano method is a technique in which light from a laser head that is fixedly installed is projected and welded to a welded part while deflecting (changing the irradiation direction) using a movable mirror or the like. The flash type is a technique in which a plurality of laser heads are arranged along a welding surface, and laser light is projected from each laser head to a welding portion to perform welding.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-339873

In the scan type, since it takes time to move the laser head over the entire area of the welded part, it is difficult to simultaneously bring the welded part into a molten state when the area or length of the welded part is large. Therefore, it is not preferable for welding the lamp housing. The galvano type can melt the weld at high speed and at the same time, but depending on the three-dimensional shape of the weld, there is a part where the laser beam cannot be projected at a small incident angle. It is difficult to perform high welding. The flash type does not cause problems like the scan type or the galvano type, but it is necessary to arrange a plurality or many laser heads along the length direction of the welded part, and the equipment cost of the welding apparatus is increased. It will be expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a welding method and a welding apparatus that realizes highly reliable welding while suppressing an increase in equipment cost.

The welding method of the present invention is a welding method in which welding is performed by projecting a laser beam onto a welding portion of an object to be welded that is extended in a band shape, and a first laser projection means is disposed opposite the welding portion. When the laser light emitted from the first laser projection means is transmitted through the transparent jig and projected onto the welding part, the light beam shape of the laser light is changed by the light shaping part provided in the transparent jig. And extending in the width direction of the welding portion, and shaping in the width direction of the welded portion so as to coincide with the width dimension and projecting to the welded portion. Here, in the present invention, the first laser projection means projects laser light onto a partial region in the extension direction of the welded portion, and the second laser projection means that controls the deflection of the laser light at the other region of the welded portion. May project laser light.

The welding apparatus according to the present invention is a welding apparatus that performs welding by projecting laser light onto a welding portion that is extended in a belt shape of an object to be welded, and is a first laser projection means that is disposed to face the welding portion. And a transparent jig for bringing the welded portion of the object to be welded into close contact with each other, and laser light emitted from each laser projection means provided in the transparent jig is transmitted through the transparent jig. A light shaping unit that shapes the light beam shape, and the light shaping unit expands the light beam shape of the laser light in the extending direction of the welded portion, and matches the width dimension in the width direction of the welded portion. It is characterized by comprising reflection means.

In the present invention, the light shaping section is composed of a lens or a light reflector that diverges light in the extending direction of the welded portion and collects light in the width direction of the welded portion. Further, in the present invention, a second laser projection unit that projects the laser beam while deflecting the laser beam to another region of the welded portion is provided, and the first laser projection unit does not project the laser beam by the second laser projection unit. It arrange | positions along the partial area | region of the extension direction of a welding part. For example, the first laser projection unit is a flash laser projection device, and the second laser projection unit is a galvano laser projection device.

According to the welding method and the welding apparatus of the present invention, in the light shaping unit, the light beam shape of the laser light emitted from the first laser projection unit is expanded in the extending direction of the welded portion, and the width in the width direction of the welded portion is increased. By matching the size, laser light can be projected onto the welded portion as necessary and sufficient spot light. As a result, high-quality welding at the welded portion can be realized, laser beam damage to portions other than the welded portion can be prevented, and the number of first laser projection means can be reduced to reduce equipment costs. it can.

The perspective view of an example of the lamp housing to which this invention is applied. The conceptual block diagram which shows the whole structure of a welding apparatus. The figure which compares and shows the shape of the spot light projected on a welding part with the typical side view of a part of welding apparatus. The schematic perspective view explaining a light shaping part and its effect | action. The schematic perspective view for demonstrating the light shaping part which changed one part, and its effect | action. The typical side view of the welding apparatus for demonstrating the height of a light shaping part. Sectional drawing of the principal part of embodiment which comprised the light shaping part with the light reflector. Sectional drawing of the principal part of other embodiment which comprised the light shaping part with the light reflector. Sectional drawing of the principal part of embodiment which made the light shaping part corresponding also to a 2nd laser projection means.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a conceptual configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of the embodiment of the welding apparatus 100 according to the present invention. Here, as an object to be welded, as shown in FIG. 1, a lamp housing of an automobile headlamp is illustrated. The peripheral edge portion 1a of the lamp body 1 made of black resin and the end face 21a of the seal leg 21 of the peripheral edge portion 2a of the front cover 2 are brought into intimate contact, and the intimate portion is used as a weld portion 3 to weld them together. Is configured. Here, the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2 are welded along the entire periphery, and accordingly, a portion extending in a strip shape with a required width dimension along the entire periphery, that is, the periphery 1a and the seal leg 21 are extended. The end surface 21 a becomes the welded portion 3.

In the lamp body 1, the peripheral edge 1 a serving as the welded portion 3 is made of a resin that absorbs light and is heated and melted by laser light. The peripheral edge 1a is made of a resin containing a light-absorbing material such as carbon. The front cover 2 is made of a transparent resin that transmits light, but is made of a resin that can be melted by heat when the lamp body 1 is melted. In this example, as shown in FIG. 1, since the seal leg 21 protrudes from the peripheral edge 2a of the inner surface of the front cover 2, the seal leg 21 to be the welded portion 3 is made of such a resin. The

The welding apparatus 100 has a base 101. The lamp body 1 is placed on the base 101 with the opening facing upward, and the front cover 2 is positioned and placed thereon. Placed. The welding apparatus 100 includes a transparent jig 102 having a thick plate shape. The transparent jig 102 is moved downward from above the front cover 2 by a pressing mechanism that is not shown or described. The peripheral portion of the front cover 2 or the end surface 21a of the seal leg 21 is brought into close contact with the peripheral portion 1a of the lamp body 1 by contacting the outer surface of the front cover 2 (the upper surface in FIG. 2) and applying a required pressing force. Let That is, the welding part 3 of the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2 is brought into a close contact state.

In the welding apparatus 100, one galvano laser projection unit 103 is disposed above the base 101, and a flash laser projection unit 104 is disposed on one side of the base 101. Yes. The flash type laser projection unit 104 is a first laser projection unit in the present invention, and the galvano type laser projection unit 103 is a second laser projection unit in the present invention.

The galvano-type laser projection unit 103 uses a known laser projection device as it is, so that illustration and detailed description thereof are omitted here, but a laser light source (laser oscillator) and the laser light source are emitted from the laser light source. And a galvanometer mirror that controls the deflection of the projected direction of the laser beam, and projects the beam-shaped laser beam while scanning at high speed along the welded portion 3 of the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2 that are to be welded. Is configured to do.

The flash type laser projection unit 104 includes a laser light source 105, a plurality of optical fibers 106 each having one end optically coupled to the laser light source 105, and a projection head 107 connected to the other end of each optical fiber 106. I have. The flash type laser projection unit 104 causes the light emitted from the laser light source 105 to enter one end of the optical fiber 106, and collects the light guided through the optical fiber 106 and emitted from the other end by the projection head 107. In this configuration, light or divergence is projected onto the weld portion 3. The projection head 107 incorporates an optical system such as a lens for condensing or diverging light emitted from the optical fiber 106 while maintaining the circular shape of the light beam, but the description thereof is omitted.

The flash type laser projection unit 104 includes one or a plurality of projection heads 107, but here, an example of four projection heads 107 is shown to simplify the description. . The four projection heads 107 of the flash type laser projection unit 104 may be configured as four flash type laser projection units each having an independent laser light source, but here, the four projection heads 107 constitute one laser light source. 105 is configured as one flash type laser projection unit 104 configured in common.

The flash type laser projection unit 104 is disposed along a partial region 3 a in the circumferential direction of the welded unit 3. That is, the welded portion 3 extends along the entire periphery of the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2, and the laser light projected from the galvano laser projection portion 103 of the welded portion 3 is transmitted through the transparent jig 102. A region where the incident angle when entering the surface or the incident angle when passing through the transparent jig 102 and entering the welded portion 3 becomes the partial region 3a, and the flash type laser projection is applied to the partial region. A portion 104 is provided.

More specifically, since the front cover 2 is formed in a three-dimensional curved surface following the shape of the vehicle body to be mounted, the welded portion 3 welded to the lamp body 1 is also often directed in the three-dimensional direction. . Therefore, when the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2 are placed on the base 101 of the welding apparatus 100 and the laser light projected from the galvano laser projection unit 103 is scanned along the welding unit 3 as shown in FIG. Moreover, the incident angle of the laser beam in the partial region 3a of the welded portion 3 is significantly larger than that in other regions. In such a region where the incident angle is large, the energy efficiency of the laser beam when projected onto the welded portion 3 is lowered compared to the other region 3b where the incident angle is small, and the welding quality is degraded.

Therefore, in the embodiment, the flash type laser projection unit 104 is arranged along the partial region 3a of the welded part 3 where the incident angle of the laser light projected from the galvano type laser projecting part 103 is increased and the welding quality may be deteriorated. The flash type laser projection unit 104 projects laser light onto the partial area 3a. Accordingly, the galvano laser projection unit 103 is configured to project the laser beam only to the other region 3b so as not to project the laser beam to the partial region 3a.

According to this welding apparatus 100, the front cover 2 is positioned and placed on the lamp body 1 placed on the base 101, and the transparent jig 102 is placed thereon. By pressing the transparent jig 102 against the front cover 2 by a pressing mechanism whose description is omitted, the front cover 2 and the welded portion 3 of the lamp body 1 are brought into close contact with each other. Then, the galvano-type laser projection unit 103 projects the laser beam while scanning the welded region 3b having a required incident angle or less. The projected laser light is transmitted through the transparent jig 102, further transmitted through the front cover 2, and projected onto the welded portion 3 with the lamp body 1 to perform welding in the region 3b.

In parallel with the projection of the laser beam by the galvano laser projection unit 103, the laser beam is projected from each of the four projection heads 107 of the flash type laser projection unit 104. The laser beams from these four projection heads 107 are transmitted through the transparent jig 102 and projected onto the welded portions 3 of the lamp body 1 and the front cover 2. Since each laser beam is projected at a predetermined interval along the extending direction of the welded portion 3, the projection area where these laser beams are combined extends over almost the entire region 3a of the welded portion 3, and the part Welding in the region 3a is performed.

As described above, the region 3b in which the laser light emitted from the galvano laser projection unit 103 is incident at a small incident angle in the welding unit 3 where the welding is performed is generated by the laser light from the galvano laser projection unit 103. Since it is welded, the energy of the laser beam is not reduced, and rapid and high-quality welding is possible. On the other hand, the partial region 3 a of the welded portion 3 where the incident angle of the laser light from the galvano laser projection unit 103 becomes large is caused by the laser light linearly projected from the four projection heads 107 of the flash laser projection unit 104. Since welding is performed, high-quality welding is realized by energy with less attenuation of the laser beam.

Therefore, in this welding apparatus 100, many parts of the welding part 3 are welded by the galvano type laser projection unit 103, while areas where welding is not preferable in the galvano type laser projection part 103 are welded by the flash type laser projection unit 104. Will be realized. As a result, it is possible to realize welding that takes advantage of the rapidity of the galvano laser projection unit 103 and the high quality of the flash laser projection unit 104. Further, as compared with the case where all the welding parts 3 are welded by the flash type laser projection part 104, the flash type laser projection parts 104 or the projection heads 107 can be limited to the minimum necessary number, and the equipment cost of the welding apparatus can be reduced. be able to.

Next, details of laser light projection by the flash type laser projection unit 104 will be described. As described above, the flash type laser projection unit 104 condenses or diverges the laser beam emitted from the other end of the optical fiber 106 and projects it onto the welded portion. The light beam is projected onto the welded portion as a circular light beam shaped spot light.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3C, the circular diameter R <b> 2 of the spot light SP <b> 2 projected from the projection head 107 is the welding width W of the welded portion 3, as shown in the projection pattern of the laser light projected onto the welded portion 3. When the size is approximately the same as the width dimension in the direction orthogonal to the extension direction of the welded portion, a non-projection area is generated between the spot lights SP2 projected adjacently, and welding in this area cannot be performed. In order to reduce this non-projection area, it is necessary to reduce the interval L2 of the spot light SP2, and in this case, the projection head 107 or flash type required for welding the welded portion 3 over a required length area. The number of laser projection units 104 increases, and the equipment cost increases.

If the diameter dimension R3 of the spot light SP3 is increased as shown in FIG. 3D in order to reduce or eliminate the non-projection area, the interval L3 between the adjacent spot lights SP3 is also increased. It is effective to enable reliable welding of the portion 3 and to reduce the number of the projection heads 107 disposed. However, in this case, there is a problem that a part of the projected spot light SP3 protrudes outside the welded portion 3 and is projected to an area other than the welded portion 3, and a part existing in the protruded area is burnt. May occur.

In view of such circumstances, in this embodiment, the transparent jig 102 is provided with each projection head 107 of the flash type laser projection unit 104 as schematically shown in FIG. A light shaping unit 110 for shaping the light beam shape of the laser light is provided in the corresponding region. The light shaping unit 110 is configured as a shaping lens (light refracting means) obtained by processing a surface portion on which laser light is incident, of the surface of the transparent jig. Here, a concave portion 111 having a square shape larger than the spot diameter is provided on the laser light incident surface of the transparent jig 102 and formed as a shaping lens having an inner bottom surface of the concave portion 111 as a lens surface 112. The light shaping unit 110 is a lens having light divergence in the extending direction of the welded portion 3 (hereinafter referred to as L direction) and having light condensing properties in the width direction of the welded portion 3 (hereinafter referred to as W direction). Here, as for the lens surface 112 of the light shaping part 110, the cross-sectional shape of the welding part 3 in the L direction is a concave curved surface, and the cross-sectional shape of the welding part 3 in the W direction is a convex curved surface.

By providing the light shaping unit 110, spot light projected from the projection head 107 is transmitted through the transparent jig 102 as shown in FIG. Is diverged to enlarge the diameter dimension in the L direction, and is condensed in the W direction to reduce the diameter dimension in the W direction. As a result, it is shaped into an elliptical or oval spot light having a major axis R1l in the L direction and a minor axis R1w in the W direction and projected onto the welded portion 3.

And as shown to (a) of FIG. 3, the space | interval L1 of the L direction of the adjacent projection head 107 is adjusted, or each curvature of the concave curved surface and convex curved surface of the lens surface 112 of the light shaping part 110 is adjusted. As shown in FIG. 3B, by making the adjacent spot lights SP1 appropriately overlapped with each other in the L direction, a non-projection region is not generated between the adjacent spot lights SP1, and the laser Welding failure due to non-projection of light can be prevented. Further, it is possible to suppress the spot light SP1 from greatly protruding outside the welded portion in the W direction, and it is possible to prevent the region other than the welded portion from being burned. As a result, the effective efficiency of the laser beam at the time of welding can be increased, and welding with a laser beam with low energy can also be realized.

Furthermore, since the major axis R1l of the adjacent spot light SP1 is expanded in the L direction, the adjacent spot light SP1 can be separated in the L direction, and as a result, the interval dimension L1 of the adjacent projection heads 107 is adjacent. It can be made as large as the interval L1 of the spot light SP1. This means that the number of flash type laser projection units 104 or projection heads 107 to be arranged when the length of the welded portion 3 welded by the flash type laser projection unit 104, in this case, the partial region 3a in the L direction is equal. It becomes possible to reduce, and the installation cost can be reduced.

Even if the spot shape of the laser beam is shaped into an ellipse or an oval shape in the light shaping unit 110 as in this embodiment, the region where the adjacent spot light is superimposed is appropriately adjusted, and the light in the superimposed region is It may not be easy to adjust the energy so that it does not differ greatly from the light energy in the non-overlapping area. In such a case, the shape of the light shaping unit 110 may be partially changed as shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4. In this configuration, the four sides of the concave portion 111 </ b> A of the light shaping unit 110 are curved inward so as to form an arcuate shape or a curved surface close thereto. By configuring the recess 111A in this way, the lens surface 112 is also shaped accordingly. Therefore, the spot light incident on the lens surface 112 is prevented from being diffused in a region corresponding to the four sides of the recess 111A, and condensing is promoted. As a result, the spot light is projected onto the welded portion 3. The spot light SP1a is shaped into a rectangular or elongated strip having a long side in the L direction. Therefore, it is only necessary to adjust the short sides of the adjacent spot lights SP1a to coincide with each other, and it becomes unnecessary to superimpose both spot lights in the L direction, and the adjustment of the interval between the adjacent spot lights SP1a becomes easy. Moreover, the area | region where a part of spot light protrudes in the W direction of the welding part 3 can further be reduced.

Here, when the curvature or focal length of each lens surface 112 of the light shaping unit 110 corresponding to each of the four projection heads 107 is designed to be the same, as shown in FIG. It is important to make the heights H from the same. That is, the laser light emitted from the projection head 107 is a substantially parallel light beam, and the spot light when projected onto the welded part 3 by the optical path length after being condensed and diverged by the lens surface 112 of the light shaping part 110. This is because the dimensions are determined. Therefore, when the welding part 3 has a wave shape with respect to the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 6, the height position of the light shaping part 110 formed on the transparent jig 102 is set according to the wave shape. is required.

The height position has been described on the assumption that the optical refractive index of the transparent jig 102 and the optical refractive index of the front cover 2 are substantially equal. However, when the optical refractive indexes of the two are different. It is preferable to design the height position of the light shaping unit 110 in consideration of the difference in effective optical path length caused by the difference in the optical refractive index.

In the above embodiment, the light shaping unit is constituted by a shaping lens, but may be constituted by a light reflector (light reflecting means). FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an embodiment in which the light shaping unit 120 according to the present invention is configured by a light reflector. In the light shaping unit 120, a pair of light reflecting walls 121 are erected on the laser light incident surface of the transparent jig 102 immediately below the projection head 107 and almost directly above the welded portion 3. In this light reflecting wall 121, the opposing surface of each light reflecting wall 121 is formed as a light reflecting surface, and each light reflecting surface sandwiches the welded portion 3 in the W direction and is substantially the same as the width dimension of the welded portion 3. They are opposed to each other in the state of being opened in a reverse C-shape substantially in parallel or upwardly at the same facing interval.

According to the light shaping unit 120 configured by the light reflecting wall 121, the laser light emitted from the projection head 107 is incident between the pair of light reflecting walls 121. By configuring so that the laser light emitted from the projection head 107 is emitted in a somewhat divergent state, the laser light emitted from the projection head 107 is reflected by the light reflecting surface of each light reflecting wall 121. . The reflected laser light is directed to the opposing light reflecting wall 121 and is reflected again here. The repeated light reflection at both the light reflecting walls 121 condenses the laser light in the W direction of the welded portion 3 and diverges the laser light in the L direction of the welded portion 3. Then, the laser beam is transmitted through the transparent jig 102 while being repeatedly reflected by the light reflecting walls 121 and finally projected onto the welded portion 3.

The laser beam emitted from the projection head 107 is condensed in the W direction of the welded portion 3 and diverged in the L direction by the light reflection of the laser beam at the light shaping unit 120 repeatedly. Shaped into light. By appropriately adjusting the interval between the four projection heads 107 arranged along the welded portion 3, the spot light emitted from the four projection heads 107 and projected onto the welded portion 3 is coupled in the L direction. The laser beam is integrated into a belt-like shape, and is projected onto the entire corresponding partial region of the welded portion 3 without protruding in the width direction of the welded portion 3.

In the embodiment, the pair of light reflecting walls 121 is erected on the transparent jig 102 as the light shaping section. However, as shown in FIG. 8, a part of the transparent jig 102 or another member protrudes to the surface. A transparent wall 131 may be formed, and the light shaping unit 130 may be configured in which both side surfaces of the transparent wall 131 are configured as light reflecting surfaces 132. The light reflecting surface 132 can be easily configured by forming films such as an aluminum film on both surfaces of the transparent wall 131. Here, it goes without saying that the transparent wall 131 is disposed immediately below the projection head 107 and above the welded portion 3.

In this light shaping unit 130, the light emitted from the projection head 107 is incident on the top surface of the transparent wall 131, is transmitted through the transparent wall 131 while being reflected by the light reflecting surfaces 132 on both sides, and is projected onto the welded portion. Is done. When light passes through the inside of the transparent wall 131, the laser light is condensed in the W direction of the welded portion 3 by the reflection at the light reflecting surface 132 and is diverged in the L direction. Therefore, the spot light projected on the welded portion 3 is substantially equal to the width dimension of the welded portion 3 in the W direction, and the laser beams of the four projection heads 107 are connected in the L direction to correspond to the welded portion 3. It is the same as that in the above embodiment that the laser beam is shaped into a strip-shaped laser beam.

7 and 8, the light shaping unit configured as a light reflector is an area where the projection head 107 of the flash type laser projection unit 104 is not provided, that is, a galvano type laser projection. You may arrange | position in a part of area | region which welds by the scanning of the laser beam in the part 103. FIG. FIG. 9 shows an embodiment provided with a light shaping unit 120A using the light shaping unit 120 of FIG. 7, and among the paired light reflecting walls 121, the outer light reflecting wall 121a is changed to the inner light reflecting side. It is comprised so that it may protrude upwards rather than the wall 121b. The other configuration of the light shaping unit 120A is substantially the same as the configuration of FIG.

The light shaping unit 120A has an incident angle when the laser light from the galvano laser projection unit 103 is incident on the partial region 3a in the region 3b excluding the partial region 3a of the welded portion 3 shown in FIG. Even if it is not as large as the incident angle at, it is preferable to arrange it in a region where the incident angle of the laser beam is relatively large. Of course, as shown in FIG. 7, it may be disposed in a partial region 3a, or may be disposed over the entire region of the welded portion 3.

If the laser beam from the galvano laser projection unit 103 is configured to enter the light shaping unit 120A, the incident laser beam is first reflected by the outer light reflection wall 121a and opposed to the light reflection wall 121b. Directed to. By repeating the light reflection at these light reflecting walls 121, the laser light from the galvano-type laser projection unit 103 is condensed in the W direction of the welded portion, diverged in the L direction, and projected onto the welded portion 3. Thereby, it is the same as that of the said embodiment that the suitable welding in the welding part 3 is realizable.

The flash type laser projection unit of the present invention is not limited to the configuration having four projection heads as described in the embodiment, and can be projected by the length of the welded portion in the L length direction and one projection head. From the relationship with the length of the laser beam in the L direction, the number of projection heads that can appropriately weld the welded portions may be designed. In the case where one flash laser projection unit includes one projection head, the number of flash laser projection units may be replaced with the number of projection heads described above.

The welding apparatus of the present invention is not necessarily limited to the configuration in which the galvano type laser projection unit and the flash type laser projection unit are provided side by side. This is effective in improving the reliability of welding by the laser projection unit and reducing the number of flash laser projection units to reduce the equipment cost. Further, the number of projection heads of the flash type laser projection unit is arbitrary, and it can be configured by one or a plurality of projection heads according to the form of the welded part.

The light shaping unit for shaping the light beam shape of the laser light according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiment, and the shape of the shaping lens or the light reflecting wall according to the difference in the shape and size of the welded part. It is possible to appropriately change the shape of the transparent wall.

The present invention can be applied to a welding method and a welding apparatus in which a laser beam is projected to weld an object to be welded at a welding portion extended in a belt shape.

This application appropriately incorporates the contents disclosed in Japanese Patent Application (Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-216792) filed on October 24, 2014.

Claims

A welding method for performing welding by projecting a laser beam onto a welding portion of a welding object extended in a band shape, wherein a first laser projection means is disposed opposite to the welding portion, and the first laser is provided. When the laser beam emitted from the projecting means is transmitted through the transparent jig and projected onto the welded portion, the light shaping portion provided on the transparent jig causes the light beam shape of the laser beam to extend in the extending direction of the welded portion. Enlarging, shaping in the width direction of the welded portion so as to match the width dimension, and projecting to the welded portion.
The first laser projection means projects a laser beam onto a partial area in the extension direction of the welded portion, and the other area of the welded portion projects a laser beam by a second laser projection means that controls the deflection of the laser light. The welding method according to claim 1, wherein:
A welding apparatus that performs welding by projecting a laser beam onto a welded portion of an object to be welded that is extended in a strip shape,
A first laser projection means disposed to face the welded portion, a transparent jig for bringing the welded portion of the welded object into a close contact state,
A light shaping section that is provided in the transparent jig and shapes the light beam shape of the laser light when the laser light emitted from each laser projection means is transmitted through the transparent jig;
With
The light shaping unit is configured by a light refracting unit or a light reflecting unit that expands the light beam shape of the laser light in the extending direction of the welded portion and matches the width dimension in the width direction of the welded portion. Welding device.
The welding device according to claim 3, wherein the light shaping unit includes a lens or a light reflector that diverges light in an extending direction of the welded portion and collects light in a width direction of the welded portion. .
Comprising second laser projection means for projecting while deflecting the laser beam to the other region of the welded portion,
The said 1st laser projection means is arrange | positioned along the partial area | region of the extension direction of the said welding part in which a laser beam is not projected by the said 2nd laser projection means, The Claim 3 or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. The welding apparatus as described.
The welding apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the first laser projection means is a flash laser projection apparatus, and the second laser projection means is a galvano laser projection apparatus.