Cylindrical laser welder
US4658109A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 1986 |
| Grant date | Apr 14, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B19/0071
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A laser welder is provided that generates output energy focused in a circr or cylindrical shape for simultaneously welding around a 360.degree. circumference without unnecessarily heating large amounts of material. The welder may be used to fasten cylindrical shaped objects, gears and shafts together, which is difficult to do by conventional means. The welder may also be used to fasten one cylinder to another. To accomplish the welding, a laser has an unstable optical cavity arranged with its feedback mirror centered to generate a circular output beam having an obscuration in the center. A circularly-symmetric, off-axis concave mirror focuses the output beam onto the objects being fastened and away from the center line or axis of the circular beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.