Laser head and method of connecting tubular parts by the laser transmission method

A method for connecting a connecting element or branching element with one end of a pipe consisting of thermoplastic synthetic material by means of the laser transmission welding method, with the connecting element or branching element comprising a hollow cylindrical connecting section for accepting the insertable pipe end in a sealing attachment that, together with the pipe end section of the inserted pipe forms radially an annular gap and is welded simultaneously by means of a laser head, with

• provision of a pipe with a pipe end section,
• provision of a connecting element or branching element whose connecting section comprises a circular bridging element molded on the inner circumference for partial bridging of the annular gap, with the bridging element generating a press fit with the outer circumference of the pipe end section,
• insertion of the pipe end section into the connecting section of the connecting element or branching element, with a press fit being generated between the bridging element of the connecting section and the pipe end section,
• arrangement of radially separable shell parts of the laser head around the connecting element or branching element, completely enclosing at least the connecting section,
• irradiation of the connecting section, preferably the bridging element, by means of laser beams that emerge from the laser sources arranged in the shell parts and are directed at the connecting section in such a way that they overlap in the connecting region, and
• welding of the bridging element to the outer circumference of the pipe end section under radial contact pressure generated by the press fit.