# US 10,245,696 B2 · Machine for workpiece processing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,696 B2 - Document ID: US10245696B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/660,294 - Filed: 2015-03-17 - Published: 2015-07-16 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-18 - Assignees: Trumpf Laser GmbH - Applicants: Trumpf Laser GmbH - Inventors: Juergen Doettling; Robert Ganter; Rainer Banholzer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245696B2 ## CPC - B23Q 11/0825: {Relatively slidable coverings, e.g. telescopic} - B23K 26/706: {Protective screens} - B23Q 1/66: Worktables interchangeably movable into operating positions - B23Q 11/0891: {arranged between the working area and the operator} - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract A workpiece processing machine includes a separation device for dividing an operating space into a processing region and at least one additional operating region, a laser processing head configured to process the workpiece, and a rotary workpiece changer having a rotatable workpiece support for transporting the workpiece between the processing region and the at least one additional operating region by an opening. The rotatable workpiece support has a protection wall configured to shield the at least one additional operating region with respect to the processing region. The separation device has a protection element movable between a processing position and a transport position and configured to be in abutment with the protection wall in the processing position to close the opening and spaced apart from the protection wall in the transport position. A spacing between the processing position and the transport position is adjustable based on a dimension of the workpiece. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A workpiece processing machine, comprising: a separator including a separating wall configured to divide an operating space into a processing region for processing a workpiece and at least one additional operating region; a laser processing head configured to process the workpiece in the processing region; a rotary workpiece changer having a rotatable workpiece support for transporting, in a rotary motion about a rotational axis on a center of the rotatable workpiece support, the workpiece between the processing region and the at least one additional operating region by using an opening formed in the separator, the separator configured to divide the operating space along a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, the rotatable workpiece support having a rotatable protection wall configured to shield the at least one additional operating region with respect to the processing region when the workpiece is processed, wherein the separator has a protection door movable between a processing position and a transport position along the direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, wherein the protection door is configured to be in abutment with the rotatable protection wall in the processing position to close the opening and spaced apart from the rotatable protection wall in the transport position, and wherein a spacing between the processing position and the transport position of the protection door is adjustable based on one or more dimensions of the workpiece; and a controller having a processing program programmed to control a drive to position the protection door with different spacings from the processing position based on dimensions of different workpieces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein a free space formed at the opening of the separator adjacent to the protection wall is for engagement of a part-region of the laser processing head. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the protection door is mounted on a side of the separator facing away from the processing region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The workpiece processing machine of claim 3, wherein the protection door has an extension arm configured to be inclined in a direction towards the protection wall and positioned in the processing position, with a free end thereof at a side of the protection wall facing away from the processing region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the protection door engages over the protection wall in the processing position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The workpiece processing machine of claim 5, wherein the protection door has a shielding configured to be positioned in the processing position at a side of the protection wall facing the processing region. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the protection door is movable in a linear motion between the processing position and the transport position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The workpiece processing machine of claim 7, wherein the protection door is movable in a vertical direction between the processing position and the transport position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the spacing between the processing position and the transport position of the protection door is adjustable in dependence of a height of the workpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein at least one of the protection wall and the protection door comprises a hollow space. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The workpiece processing machine of claim 10, comprising at least one sensor arranged in the hollow space and configured to detect processing radiation entering the hollow space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The workpiece processing machine of claim 11, further comprising a controller connected to the sensor and configured to determine whether the processing radiation detected by the sensor exceeds a threshold value. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The workpiece processing machine of claim 12, wherein, in response to determining that the processing radiation detected by the sensor exceeds a threshold value, the controller is configured to perform at least one of: transmitting a warning to an operator, or stopping the processing of the workpiece. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the protection door is vertically movable between the processing position and the transport position along the direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the separating wall extends along the rotational axis to divide the operating space into the processing region and the at least one additional operating region. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The workpiece processing machine of claim 1, wherein the separator and the rotary workpiece changer are configured such that a free space formed between a lower side of the separating wall and an upper side of the rotatable protection wall is capable of introducing a protruding portion of the laser processing head into the free space. ### Claim 17 A workpiece processing machine, comprising: a separator including a separating wall configured to divide an operating space into a processing region for processing a workpiece and at least one additional operating region; a laser processing head configured to process the workpiece in the processing region; and a rotary workpiece changer having a rotatable workpiece support for transporting, in a rotary motion about a rotational axis on a center of the rotatable workpiece support, the workpiece between the processing region and the at least one additional operating region by using an opening formed in the separator, the separator configured to divide the operating space along a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, the rotatable workpiece support having a rotatable protection wall configured to shield the at least one additional operating region with respect to the processing region when the workpiece is processed, wherein the separator has a protection door movable between a processing position and a transport position along the direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, wherein the protection door is configured to be in abutment with the rotatable protection wall in the processing position to close the opening and spaced apart from the rotatable protection wall in the transport position, wherein a spacing between the processing position and the transport position of the protection door is adjustable based on one or more dimensions of the workpiece, and wherein the separator and the rotary workpiece changer are configured such that a free space formed between a lower side of the separating wall and an upper side of the rotatable protection wall is capable of introducing a protruding portion of the laser processing head into the free space. ### Claim 18 A workpiece processing machine, comprising: a separator including a separating wall configured to divide an operating space into a processing region for processing a workpiece and at least one additional operating region; a laser processing head configured to process the workpiece in the processing region; a rotary workpiece changer having a rotatable workpiece support for transporting, in a rotary motion about a rotational axis on a center of the rotatable workpiece support, the workpiece between the processing region and the at least one additional operating region by using an opening formed in the separator, the separator configured to divide the operating space along a direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, the rotatable workpiece support having a rotatable protection wall configured to shield the at least one additional operating region with respect to the processing region when the workpiece is processed, wherein the separator has a protection door movable between a processing position and a transport position along the direction substantially parallel to the rotational axis, wherein the protection door is configured to be in abutment with the rotatable protection wall in the processing position to close the opening and spaced apart from the rotatable protection wall in the transport position, wherein a spacing between the processing position and the transport position of the protection door is adjustable based on one or more dimensions of the workpiece, and at least one sensor arranged in a hollow space between a pair of sides of the protection wall and configured to detect processing radiation entering the hollow space and the at least one sensor connected to a control device to transmit a warning signal to an operator and/or stop the processing of the workpiece.