Laser processing head
AssigneeTRUMPF Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG
InventorsMartin Lambert, Jürgen-Michael Welck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laser processing head includes a first housing region associated with a beam guidance of a laser processing machine, a second housing region associated with the laser processing head, and an aperture in a wall separating the first and second housing regions. The head is configured such that a laser beam may pass sequentially through the beam guidance, the first housing region, the aperture, and the second housing, and the first housing region includes a first gas atmosphere associated with the beam guidance and maintained at a higher pressure than a second gas atmosphere in the second housing region.
Claims18
A laser processing head comprising:
- a first housing region associated with a beam guidance of a laser processing machine;
- a second housing region associated with the laser processing head;
- and
- an aperture in a wall separating the first and second housing regions,
- wherein the head is configured such that a laser beam may pass sequentially through the beam guidance, the first housing region, the aperture, and the second housing,
- wherein the second housing region comprises an annular gap nozzle positioned to accommodate the laser beam, the annular gap nozzle being used for pressuring a cutting gas, and at least one opening in the second housing for discharging a reverse flow of the cutting gas, the opening being disposed between the annular gap nozzle and the aperture, and
- wherein the first housing region includes a first gas atmosphere associated with the beam guidance and maintained at a higher pressure than a second gas atmosphere in the second housing region.
A method of laser processing a workpiece, the method comprising:
- shining a laser beam from a laser generator through, in order, a first housing region coupled to the beam guidance, a second housing region coupled to a laser processing region, and an aperture in a wall between the first and second housing regions onto the workpiece;
- passing the laser beam through an annular gap nozzle which is used for pressurizing a cutting gas;
- discharging a reverse flow of the cutting gas through an opening in the second housing region, wherein the opening is disposed between the annular gap nozzle and the aperture;
- and
- maintaining a first gas atmosphere in the first housing region at a higher pressure than a second gas atmosphere in the second housing region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.