Device for generating an air flow to protect the protective glass of a laser optic of a laser-hybrid welding head and laser-hybrid welding head with such a device

A device (1) for generating an air flow for protecting the protective glass (24) of a laser optic (21) of a laser-hybrid welding head (20) for machining a workpiece (W), having a cyclone (2) containing a rotationally symmetrical hollow body (3) with a cylindrical region (4) with a feed line (5) for a gaseous medium for generating the air flow, the feed line (5) being connected to a plurality of inlets (6), and having a conical region (7) that is designed to taper in the direction of the workpiece (W) to be machined and opens into a circular outlet (8), wherein the feed line (5) for the gaseous medium opens tangentially into an essentially circular channel (9) and the inlets (6) are arranged on the inner side of the channel (9), wherein the channel (9) has a cross-section (AK) that tapers away from the mouth of the feed line (5), the inlets (6) are designed to widen in a funnel-shaped manner, a circumferential edge (14) with an acute angle (βA) of less than 45° is provided at the outlet (8) of the rotationally symmetrical hollow body (3) of the cyclone (2), and a cross-flow nozzle (12) with a suction device (13) that is oppositely arranged, is arranged below the outlet (8) of the rotationally symmetrical hollow body (3).