Patent · US Expired

Material working apparatus

US4551608A · kind A · utility

5Cited by
4References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 10, 1984
Grant dateNov 5, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 10, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB23K26/0665
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

High-power laser metalworking apparatus, especially one having a carbon dioxide laser. After the laser beam emerges from an optical resonator it is deflected by a mirror against a workpiece and focused on the surface thereon. An image-rotating means is disposed in the beam path after the deflection mirror, and has an odd number of fully reflective mirrors, but at least 3 such mirrors. The angle of rotation of the image-rotating means is electronically controllable in accordance with the direction of the path of the working movement. The image-rotating means and focusing system advantageously form a single component in which at least one of the mirrors of the image-rotating means focuses the laser beam onto the surface of the workpiece. Preferred is a laser having an unstable optical resonator with at least three fully reflective mirrors of cylindrical curvature, the mirrors whose planes of curvature are parallel to one another defining the optical resonator, and the third mirror, or every additional mirror, being concavely curved in a plane perpendicular with respect to the mirrors defining the resonator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.