# US 2014/0197141 A1 · Safety confinement equipment for laser radiation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197141 A1 - Document ID: US20140197141A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/130,576 - Filed: 2012-03-21 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-01 - Assignees: Siemens Vai Metals Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Nicolas Dorey; Jeremie Ruesch; Herve Thomasson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197141A1 ## CPC - B23K 26/127: {in an enclosure} - B23K 26/0846: {for moving elongated workpieces longitudinally, e.g. wire or strip material} - B23K 26/26: of rectilinear seams - B23K 26/706: {Protective screens} - B23K 37/006: Safety devices for welding or cutting - F16P 1/06: specially designed for welding - B23K 2101/16: Bands or sheets of indefinite length - 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 - F16P: SAFETY DEVICES IN GENERAL; {SAFETY DEVICES FOR PRESSES} ## Abstract Safety confinement equipment for laser radiation includes a safety confinement enclosure having two laterally opposite openings through which at least one metal strip can pass, the enclosure including first and second jaw devices for clamping the strip disposed on a path of travel of the strip between the two openings, the jaws being transversely disposed at least over the width of the strip. A cutting or welding equipment head emits a beam of laser radiation to be confined, in which the beam can be moved transversely between a pair of jaws disposed opposite each other on one side of a surface of the strip. In the position in which the jaws clamp the strip, the engagement of the jaws on the surfaces of the strip induces the formation of a physical screen against the laser radiation, which prevents the radiation from passing through the two openings of the chamber. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 Safety confinement equipment for laser radiation, the equipment comprising: a safety confinement enclosure having at least two laterally opposite openings through which at least one metal strip can pass along a travel path of the strip; first and second jaw devices having jaws disposed in said enclosure transversely over at least the width of the strip and configured to clamp the strip along the travel path between said openings; and a cutting or welding equipment head configured to emit a burst of laser radiation to be confined and to be moved transversely between a pair of said jaws positioned opposite each other on one side of a surface of the strip; said jaws configured to engage surfaces of the strip while in a position clamping the strip and to induce a formation of a physical screen to the laser radiation, preventing the laser radiation from passing through said openings of said enclosure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, which further comprises a radiation-absorbing coating disposed on surfaces of said jaws lateral to said radiation-emitting head and configured to form said screen. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said jaws include rear surfaces having a section with a dimension being large enough to shelter each of said openings from the laser radiation and to form said screen. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, which further comprises walls controlled mechanically when said jaws clamp to form said screen. ### Claim 22 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said screen is formed by a deviation of the strip between said jaws and each of said openings. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The equipment according to claim 22, wherein said deviation of the strip is provided by corrugating or staggering the strip. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The equipment according to claim 22, wherein said deviation of the strip is produced by a movement of at least one of said jaws outside a median line of travel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The equipment according to claim 23, which further comprises an element disposed transverse to a travel direction of the strip and configured to produce the corrugation. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The equipment according to claim 25, wherein said element is disposed at a rear of a pair of said jaws in said travel direction of the strip. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The equipment according to claim 25, wherein said jaws have jaw clamping surfaces, and said element is a roller disposed in a cylindrical recess distributed over two of said jaw clamping surfaces. ### Claim 28 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said screen is formed by a labyrinth-type plugging network disposed between said jaws and each of said openings. ### Claim 29 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said screen is formed by a transverse distribution segmented into a plurality of jaws having jaw segments to be placed side by side outside a strip clamping zone and lateral to the strip. ### Claim 30 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said screen is formed by movable walls disposed lateral to the strip and configured to be brought to an edge of the strip in a position clamped by said jaws. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said screen is formed by a tunnel or sleeve disposed around the strip between said jaws and each of said openings, said tunnel having a variable geometry. ### Claim 32 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said head is part of a laser unit emitting the laser radiation with a wavelength in the near infrared around 1000 nm or in a range matched to a laser application of a fiber/disk type around 1060 nm up to a laser application of the diode type around 870 nm. ### Claim 33 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, which further comprises a movable roof configured to plug at least a third upper opening in said enclosure. ### Claim 34 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said radiation-emitting head is a laser strip cutter. ### Claim 35 (depends on 18) The equipment according to claim 18, wherein said radiation-emitting head is a laser for welding a tail of a first strip and a head of a second strip. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The equipment according to claim 35, wherein said jaws include a first clamping jaw configured to receive and hold the tail of the first strip and a second clamping jaw disposed opposite said first clamping jaw and configured to receive and hold the head of the second strip, and said radiation-emitting head is configured to permit activation of radiation when the first and second strips are held in said first and second clamping jaws in a clamped position. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The equipment according to claim 36, wherein: said enclosure confines at least said jaws and said welding head; said openings of said enclosure include an input opening and an output opening; said first and second clamping jaws are configured to be placed in an unclamped position and to simultaneously actuate mechanical separation sufficient to allow passage of the first strip across said output opening and said input opening, before bringing the tail of the first strip across said first and then said second clamping jaw, to prevent activation of radiation from said welding head and said first and second clamping jaws are configured to be returned to a clamped position and to induce said screen to a passage of laser radiation outside said enclosure to allow activation of the radiation, at the latest after completion of bringing the head of the second strip into position and holding it in said second jaw.