Laser machining apparatus

A laser machining apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of laser generators;
• a plurality of machining tools to focus laser beams;
• machining tool moving means for respectively moving said machining tools along predetermined paths;
• fiber-optic cables forming optical transmission paths to guide the laser beams outputted from said laser generators to the machining tools;
• laser beam confluence means intervened in the optical transmission paths for joining at least part of the laser beams outputted from the laser generators to be confluent into a fiber-optic cable or fiber-optic cables of a number smaller than that of the number of laser generators;
• and
• laser beam distribution means intervened in the optical paths for distributing the confluent laser beams to a plurality of laser beam outlets, the laser beams distributed to the laser beam outlets to be focused at the machining tools to perform machining,
• wherein said laser beam confluent means includes a laser beam superposing optical element to join the laser beams utilizing at least one of a difference of polarizing directions and a difference of wavelengths of the laser beams.

A laser machining apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of laser generators, each laser generator having optical-fibers extending therefrom to transmit laser beams;
• a confluence unit to join the laser beams transmitted through the optical fibers;
• a plurality of movable machining tools to output laser beams;
• and
• a common fiber-optic cable optically coupled from the confluence unit to the machining tools such that each laser beam is distributed to a machining tool to output at least one of the laser beams.

A laser machining apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of laser generators generating laser beams;
• a plurality of machining tools focusing laser beams;
• machining tool moving units respectively moving said machining tools along predetermined paths;
• fiber-optic cables forming optical transmission paths to guide the laser beams outputted from said laser generators to the machining tools;
• laser beam confluence unit intervened in the optical transmission paths to join at least part of the laser beams outputted from the laser generators to be confluent into a fiber-optic cable or fiber-optic cables of a number smaller than that of the number of laser generators;
• and
• laser beam distribution units intervened in the optical paths to distribute the confluent laser beams to a plurality of laser beam outlets, the laser beams distributed to the laser beam outlets to be focused at the machining tools to perform machining.