# US 10,502,922 B2 · Laser array device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,922 B2 - Document ID: US10502922B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/556,484 - Filed: 2016-03-16 - Published: 2018-03-15 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-18 - Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Applicants: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. - Inventors: Koichi Hamamoto; Shingo Nishikata; Tomoya Morioka; Atsushi Ochiai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502922B2 ## CPC - G02B 7/028: {with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation} - G02B 3/005: {arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence)} - G02B 3/0062: {Stacked lens arrays, i.e. refractive surfaces arranged in at least two planes, without structurally separate optical elements in-between} - G02B 7/008: {with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation} - G02B 7/021: {for more than one lens} - H01S 3/005: {Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping (shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B)} - H01S 3/0407: {Liquid cooling, e.g. by water} - H01S 5/02438: {Characterized by cooling of elements other than the laser chip, e.g. an optical element being part of an external cavity or a collimating lens} - G02B 19/0047: {for use with a light source (G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence; details of lighting devices in general F21V; non-semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S3/005)} - H01S 3/10: Controlling the intensity, frequency, phase, polarisation or direction of the emitted radiation, e.g. switching, gating, modulating or demodulating - H01S 3/2383: {Parallel arrangements} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL ## Abstract A laser array device includes a first lens tube (10) through which a first laser beam (1) passes, a second lens tube (20) through which a second laser beam (2) passes, a support mechanism (72, 74) disposed to support the first lens tube (10) and the second lens tube to be parallel to each other, a first lens (12) arranged in the first lens tube (10), and a second lens (22) arranged in the second lens tube (20). A first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism (110) is disposed in the first lens tube (10) to suppress temperature rise of the first lens tube (10). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser array device used in a laser irradiation system which comprises a plurality of laser beam output sections provided to output a plurality of laser beams to the laser array device, wherein the laser array device is configured to emit a plurality of output laser beams based on the plurality of laser beams so as to focus the plurality of output laser beams at a target point, the laser array device comprising: a plurality of lens tubes comprising a first lens tube through which a first laser beam passes and a second lens tube through which a second laser beam passes, the first laser beam and the second laser beam are ones of the plurality of laser beams corresponding to the first lens tube and the second lens tube, respectively; a support mechanism disposed to support the plurality of lens tubes such that the plurality of lens tubes are parallel to each other; a plurality of first lenses arranged in the first lens tube; a plurality of second lenses arranged in the second lens tube; a first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism disposed inside a peripheral wall of the first lens tube to suppress temperature rise of the first lens tube; and a second temperature rise suppressing mechanism disposed inside a peripheral wall of the second lens tube to suppress temperature rise of the second lens tube, wherein the plurality of first lenses comprises an incident-side lens arranged on a laser beam incident-side and an emitting-side lens arranged on a laser beam emitting side, wherein the plurality of second lenses comprises an incident-side lens arranged on a laser beam incident-side and an emitting-side lens arranged on a laser beam emitting side, and the first temperature rise suppressing mechanism comprises a temperature rise suppressing mechanism of a different type from the second temperature rise suppressing mechanism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser array device according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of laser beam output sections is configured to receive an incident laser beam, amplify the incident laser beam, and output the amplified laser beam as one of the plurality of laser beams to the laser array device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laser array device according to claim 1, wherein the first lens tube is surrounded by remaining ones of the plurality of lens tubes, and wherein the second lens tube is contained in the remaining ones. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laser array device according to claim 1, wherein the first lens tube is surrounded by remaining ones of the plurality of lens tubes, and wherein the first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism comprises temperature-rise suppressing mechanisms of at least two types. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The laser array device according to claim 4, wherein the first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism comprises the temperature-rise suppressing mechanism of at least three types. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The laser array device according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism comprises a first coolant passage provided for the first lens tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The laser array device according to claim 6, wherein the first coolant passage comprises a first inner coolant passage disposed inside a wall of the first lens tube. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The laser array device according to claim 6, wherein the first coolant passage is provided more densely in a rear section of the first lens tube than in a front section of the first lens tube. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The laser array device according to claim 6, further comprising: a housing in which the plurality of lens tubes are arranged, wherein the housing comprises: a beam incident-side end wall on which a first laser beam is incident; and a beam emitting-side end wall from which the first laser beam is emitted, and wherein a first coolant input port used to supply coolant to the first coolant passage and a first coolant output port used to discharge the coolant from the first coolant passage are arranged on an end surface of the first lens tube on which the first laser beam is incident or on the beam incidence-side end wall. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The laser array device according to claim 1, wherein the first temperature-rise suppressing mechanism comprises a first laser beam reflection material arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the first lens tube, and wherein the first laser beam reflection material reflects light which does not travel from the incident side lens to the emitting side lens.