# US 11,077,520 B1 · Laser processing head and laser processing system including the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,520 B1 - Document ID: US11077520B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/869,119 - Filed: 2020-05-07 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-05-07 - Assignees: Precitec GmbH & Co. KG - Applicants: Precitec GmbH & Co. KG - Inventors: Andreas Rudolf - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077520B1 ## CPC - B23K 26/064: by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms - B23K 26/127: {in an enclosure} - B23K 26/702: {Auxiliary equipment} - 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 laser processing head includes a housing including a mounting surface for mounting the laser processing head on a carrier; a plurality of optical components arranged within the housing; and an access opening formed in the housing for removing or inserting at least one first optical component among the optical components, the access opening being formed in the mounting surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser processing head used in combination with a laser source producing a laser beam, the laser processing head comprising: a housing including a mounting surface for mounting the laser processing head on a carrier; a plurality of optical components arranged within the housing, the plurality of optical components configured to be optically coupled to the laser source such that the laser beam travels through the plurality of optical components along an optical path, the plurality of optical components including at least one first optical component; the mounting surface of the housing extending in a plane parallel to the optical path through the at least one first optical component; and at least one access opening with a cover, the at least one access opening formed in the mounting surface of the housing for removing or inserting the at least one first optical component in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface and perpendicular to the optical path; whereby as the laser processing head is mounted on the carrier, the mounting surface with the at least one access opening and the cover is at least partially covered by the carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser processing head of claim 1, wherein the at least one first optical component includes at least one of: a focusing optics, a focusing lens, a collimating optics, a collimating lens, a protective window and a beam shaping optics. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first optical component is mounted on an optical frame or in a cartridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, further including a driving unit comprises a motor installed in the housing for moving the at least one first optical component parallel or perpendicular to the optical path through the at least one first optical component. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The laser processing head according to claim 4, wherein when removing the at least one first optical component through the at least one access opening, the driving unit remains installed in the housing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The laser processing head claim 1, wherein: the housing has a plurality of housing surfaces; the plurality of optical components further includes a second optical component; one of the plurality of housing surfaces of the housing other than the mounting surface is either perpendicular to the mounting surface or opposite to the mounting surface and extends parallel to an optical path through the second optical component; and a further opening being formed in the one of the plurality of housing surfaces of the housing other than the mounting surface, the further opening being for removing or inserting the second optical component. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The laser processing head of claim 6, further including a nozzle, the second optical component being a protective window adjacent to the nozzle or an optical component closest to the nozzle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The laser processing head of claim 6, wherein the second optical component is an optical component closest to a point where the laser beam exits the laser processing head. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The laser processing head claim 1, wherein the mounting surface includes a grounding area for electrical grounding of the laser processing head or alignment means for aligning the laser processing head with respect to the carrier or fixing means for fixing the laser processing head to the carrier. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, further including a mounting cover hingedly coupled to the mounting surface and including fixing means for fixing the last processing head to the carrier. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, wherein at least one housing surface of the housing opposite to the mounting surface or at least one housing surface of the housing adjacent to the mounting surface is a continuous surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, wherein the laser processing head is for use with the laser beam having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 400 nm to 2000 nm or with the laser beam having a wavelength of 970 nm or 1030 nm or 1070 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, wherein the cover for the at least one access opening is mountable to the housing. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The laser processing head according to claim 13, wherein the cover is part of an optical frame or of a cartridge comprising the at least one first optical component accessible via the at least one access opening. ### Claim 15 A laser processing system, comprising: a carrier; a laser processing head for use with a laser source producing a laser beam, the laser processing head comprising: a housing including a mounting surface for mounting the laser processing head on the carrier; a plurality of optical components arranged within the housing, the plurality of optical components configured to be optically coupled to the laser source such that the laser beam travels through the plurality of optical components along an optical path, the plurality of optical components including at least one first optical component; the mounting surface of the housing extending in a plane parallel to the optical path through the at least one first optical component; and at least one access opening with a cover, the at least one access opening formed in the mounting surface of the housing for removing or inserting the at least one first optical component in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface and perpendicular to the optical path; the laser processing head being mounted on the carrier such that the mounting surface with the at least one access opening and the cover is at least partially covered by the carrier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laser processing system of claim 15, further including a sealing between the mounting surface and the carrier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The laser processing system of claim 15, wherein the mounting surface of the laser processing head is hingedly coupled to the carrier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The laser processing system of claim 15, wherein the carrier includes a carrier frame mounted to the mounting surface of the laser processing head, the carrier frame exposing the at least one access opening. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The laser processing head according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of optical components further comprises a mirror. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The laser processing system according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of optical components further comprises a mirror.