# US 9,753,290 B2 · Modular laser apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,753,290 B2 - Document ID: US9753290B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/024,486 - Filed: 2014-10-16 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2013-10-21 - Assignees: Saint-Gobain Glass France - Applicants: Saint-Gobain Glass France - Inventors: Brice Dubost; Emmanuel Mimoun; Jean-Philippe Schweitzer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9753290B2 ## CPC - G02B 27/0961: {Lens arrays (lens arrays per se G02B3/0006)} - B23K 26/0604: {by a combination of beams} - B23K 26/0608: {in the same heat affected zone [HAZ] (B23K26/0613, B23K26/0619 take precedence)} - B23K 26/0648: {comprising lenses} - B23K 26/0676: {into dependently operating sub-beams, e.g. an array of spots with fixed spatial relationship or for performing simultaneously identical operations} - B23K 26/0738: {into a linear shape} - G02B 3/005: {arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence)} - G02B 27/0905: {Dividing and/or superposing multiple light beams} - G02B 27/0911: {Anamorphotic systems} - G02B 27/0927: {Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat} - G02B 27/0966: {Cylindrical lenses (cylindrical lenses per se G02B3/06)} - H01S 5/4012: {Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms} - H01S 5/4025: {Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar (H01S5/42 takes precedence)} - G02B 3/0006: {Arrays (G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence)} - G02B 3/0081: {having one or more elements with analytic function to create variable power (variable magnification in general G02B15/00)} - G02B 3/06: with cylindrical or toric faces - G02B 27/09: Beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, not otherwise provided for {(adapting the beam shape of a laser diode G02B19/0052; adapting the beam shape of an LED G02B19/0061; coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; beam shaping specially adapted for lasers H01S3/005)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL ## Abstract A laser apparatus includes a plurality of laser modules each generating a laser line in a working plane. The laser modules are juxtaposed so that the laser lines generated by the modules combine into a single laser line. Each of the laser modules includes at least one laser line generator and a laser line shaper. The laser line shaper includes an array of microlenses such that the final laser line generated by each laser module has, in the working plane, a power density profile with a width (L90) at 90% of the maximum power density and a width (L10) at 10% of the maximum power density. A ratio L90/L10 is between 1/15 and 1/5. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A laser apparatus comprising: a plurality of laser modules each generating an individual final laser line in a working plane, said laser modules being juxtaposed so that the individual final laser lines generated by the modules combine into a combined final laser line, each of the laser modules comprising: at least one means for generating a first laser line; and a means for shaping the first laser line into the individual final laser line, wherein the means for shaping the first laser line into the individual final laser line comprises a first linear array of microlenses, a convergent lens, and a second linear array of microlenses placed in the focal plane of the convergent lens, such that the individual final laser line generated by each laser module has, in the working plane, a power density profile with a width (L90) at 90% of a maximum power density and a width (L10) at 10% of the maximum power density, a ratio L90/L10 being between 1/15 and 1/5, the laser modules being juxtaposed so that the individual final laser lines generated by the modules combine into the combined final laser line having a total length longer than 1.2 m but less than an infinite length. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio L90/L10 is between 1/12 and 1/7. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ratio L90/L10 is between 1/10 and 1/8. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the individual final laser line generated by each laser module has, in the working plane, a power density profile with a maximum power density at a center of the laser line, the power density decreasing from the center to ends of the laser line, a slope of the decrease differing by at most 20% from a slope of a perfectly triangular profile of same L10 and L90. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the individual final laser line generated by each laser module has, in the working plane, a power density profile with a maximum power density at a center of the laser line, the power density decreasing from the center to ends of the laser line, a slope of the decrease differing by at most 10% from a slope of a perfectly triangular profile of same L10 and L90. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser modules are juxtaposed so that a power density profile of the combined final laser line, resulting from a sum of all individual power density profiles, is a top-hat profile having a central zone representing at least 90% of a total length of the combined laser line of the apparatus, in which zone the power density varies by at most 10%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser modules are juxtaposed so that a power density profile of the combined final laser line, resulting from a sum of all individual power density profiles, is a top-hat profile having a central zone representing at least 90% of a total length of the combined final laser line of the apparatus, in which zone the power density varies by at most 5%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser modules are juxtaposed so that a power density profile of the combined final laser line, resulting from a sum of all the individual power density profiles, is a top-hat profile having a central zone representing at least 90% of a total length of the combined final laser line of the apparatus, in which zone the power density varies by at most 1%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the laser modules are juxtaposed in such a way that each end of an individual final laser line generated by a laser module is located in an immediate proximity of a center of an individual final laser line generated by an adjacent module. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser modules comprises at least 5 modules. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser modules comprises at least 10 modules. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the total length of the combined final laser line is longer than 2 m but less than an infinite length. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The laser apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the total length of the combined final laser line is longer than 3 m but less than an infinite length.