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US 6,686,560 B2Granted
Light-tight positioner
AssigneeMotoman, Inc.
InventorsVanon D. Pratt, Erik Harrison Nieves, Todd Stucker
Life of this patent
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AssigneeMotoman, Inc.
InventorsVanon D. Pratt, Erik Harrison Nieves, Todd Stucker
Estimating the term…
A laser enclosure is provided including a laser chamber for a robotic laser and a load/un-load region. A partition is positioned between the laser chamber and the load/unload region that is effective in preventing the passage of laser light from the laser chamber to the load/unload region. The partition includes a stationary and a rotary partition that is rotated about a central rotary partition axis by a partition drive. At least one pair of opposing workpiece supports can be mounted on the rotary partition. A light-tight sealing region seals the interface between the rotary and stationary partitions from the passage of laser light.
A laser enclosure comprising:
A laser enclosure comprising:
A laser enclosure comprising:
A laser enclosure comprising:
A laser enclosure comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO
From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring: in a special environment or atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure
In a special environment or atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure: in an enclosure
Safety devices independent of the control and operation of any machine: specially designed for welding
Soldering or unsoldering
Term ended 10 Jul 2022 (estimated)
The present invention relates to enclosures for industrial lasers and, more particularly, to a variety of passive, light-tight sealing arrangements for preventing the escape of harmful laser radiation from an enclosed chamber.
Industrial lasers are commonly used for purposes of cutting and welding. U.S. and international standards have been developed and divide all industrial lasers into four major hazard categories, i.e., four broad classes (I to IV). Laser enclosures are commonly used as protective enclosures for higher powered lasers, e.g., Class II, Class III or Class IV lasers, and allow the higher powered lasers to operate in a lower classification. For example, some Class I industrial lasers consist of a higher class laser enclosed in a properly interlocked and labeled protective enclosure.
A number of conventional laser enclosures utilize active sealing arrangements including one or more motive elements that must be actively controlled or positioned. As such, active laser enclosures are complex, costly to produce, and introduce a substantial limitation on processing efficiency, especially where successive workpieces are to be processed. In addition, a number of conventional laser enclosures incorporate passive sealing arrangements. However, these conventional passive laser enclosures often utilize complex, cumbersome, and difficult to manufacture components. Accordingly, there is a need for an improved laser enclosure which achieves sealing without requiring active drive devices or complex movable sealing members.
The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:
FIGS. 1-3 are front, side, and top views, respectively, of a laser enclosure according to one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is an illustration of an arcuate passage employed in the laser enclosure illustrated in FIGS. 1-3;
Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3, which present front, side, and top views, respectively, of a laser enclosure 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the laser enclosure 10 includes an enclosed laser chamber 20, a load/un-load region 30, and a partition 40 positioned between the enclosed laser chamber 20 and the load/un-load region 30. The enclosed laser chamber 20 is bounded by a plurality of enclosure walls 12. Positioned within the enclosed laser chamber 20 are one or more robotic lasers (not shown) mounted on respective robotic laser platforms 22.
The partition 40 includes two components—a stationary partition 42 and a rotary partition 44. The stationary partition 42 includes an upper and lower stationary partition edge. The rotary partition 44 includes an upper and lower rotary partition edge. The rotary partition 44 can have a loading face which faces in the direction of the load/un-load region 30 and a processing face which faces in the direction of the enclosed laser chamber 20. The rotary partition 44 further includes a central rotary partition axis 45 and at least one pair of opposing workpiece supports 50, which can be positioned on the loading face, on the processing face, or on both the loading face and the processing faces of the rotary partition 44.
A rotary partition drive 46 is configured to impart rotary motion to the rotary partition 44 about the central rotary partition axis 45. In this manner, at least one workpiece (not shown) may be positioned and secured between the at least one pair of opposing workpiece supports 50 in the load/un-load region 30 and then transported to the enclosed laser chamber 20 by rotating the rotary partition 44 180 degrees about the central rotary partition axis 45. In the same manner, a workpiece that has completed laser processing within the enclosed laser chamber 20 may be returned to the load/un-load region 30 and removed from the at least one pair of opposing workpiece supports 50. The rotary partition 44 is typically reciprocated 180 degrees to move workpieces to and from the load/un-load region 30 and the enclosed laser chamber 20. The rotary partition drive 46, or an additional rotary support drive assembly, may be configured to impart rotary motion to the at least one pair of opposing workpiece supports 50 to rotate the at least one workpiece about a workpiece axis 52 to aid in processing the supported workpiece.