Patent · US Expired

Laser beam welding apparatus for an inner circumferential surface of a tube

US4839495A · kind A · utility

35Cited by
4References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 21, 1988
Grant dateJun 13, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 21, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB23K26/282
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An improved laser beam welding apparatus for an inner circumferential surface of a tube is disclosed herein, which apparatus comprises an elongated flexible tube containing an optical fiber extended along the length thereof so as to transmit a laser beam, position detecting means disposed in the vicinity of the top end of the flexible tube to determine relative positioning thereof with respect to a work tube in which the flexible tube is inserted, holding means provided with an expander and disposed adjacent to the position detecting means for holding the tip end of the flexible tube in the work tube, rotary drive means disposed closer to the tip end of the flexible tube than the holding means, a rotary cylinder connected to the rotary drive means to be rotated with respect to the flexible tube, guide means mounted on the rotary cylinder in a relatively rotatable manner with respect to the rotary cylinder and held in contact with the inner surface of the work tube for supporting the rotary cylinder in a concentric relation to the work tube, and an optical train arranged with the rotary cylinder for receiving a laser beam emitted from the optical fiber and focusing a reflected laser…

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