JP7655600B2 - Laser Welding Machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a laser welding machine that has a laser torch that is held by the operator to perform laser welding.

Conventionally, some laser welding machines have a laser torch that is held by the operator to perform laser welding. In this laser torch, laser light emitted from a laser light oscillator is guided inside via an optical fiber, and the focused laser light is emitted from a nozzle at the tip to weld the workpiece (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The laser torch of the laser welding machine described in Patent Document 1 has a laser torch body (emitting part) to which a nozzle is connected at the bottom, and a grip part (handle part) that is connected to the side of the emitting part and is held by the operator. One end of an optical fiber is connected to the handle part, and a laser light oscillator is connected to the other end of the optical fiber. An emission switch (switch part) for operating the laser light oscillator is provided on the handle part, and a collimating lens is provided inside the handle part. A focusing lens and a bend mirror (mirror) located above the focusing lens are arranged inside the torch body part.

In the above-mentioned laser welding machine, laser light is emitted from the nozzle of the laser torch as follows. That is, laser light emitted from a laser light oscillator is guided into the inside of the handle of the laser torch via an optical fiber, and is refracted into parallel light by a collimating lens. The parallel laser light is guided into the torch body of the laser torch, reflected by a mirror toward a focusing lens, and focused by the focusing lens, and the laser light is emitted from the nozzle of the laser torch. In this way, in the above-mentioned laser welding machine, the operator can weld multiple workpieces with the laser light emitted from the nozzle of the laser torch while holding the handle in his or her hand.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-220690

Generally, in laser welding machines that have a laser torch, the nozzle of the laser torch is often configured to be replaceable, and there are various shapes with different nozzle tip hole diameters and lengths to the tip, and they are selected according to the welding content. For this reason, each time the nozzle is replaced, it is necessary to fine-tune the position of the nozzle and the position of the optical axis of the laser light so that they are appropriate. In other words, it is necessary to perform the task of aligning the center of the nozzle's laser light emission hole with the position of the optical axis of the emitted laser light, which is known as centering.

During laser welding, an assist gas such as an inert gas (air) is sprayed from the nozzle's laser light emission hole toward the welding position on the workpiece. If the optical axis of the laser light is not positioned at the center of this sprayed air, the air will not be sprayed evenly toward the welding position on the workpiece, which could result in a decrease in welding quality.

The laser torch of the laser welding machine described in Patent Document 1 does not have a mechanism for moving the position of the focusing lens or mirror in a direction intersecting the optical axis of the laser light. As a result, the worker must repeatedly disassemble the components of the torch body, adjust the positions of the focusing lens and mirror, and reassemble the components of the torch body until the centering work is completed, resulting in a problem of poor welding workability.

Therefore, the problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a laser welding machine that can easily move the mirror back and forth inside the emission section.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention comprises the following configurations 1 to 9.
[Configuration 1]
A laser light oscillator;
an optical fiber section through which a laser beam oscillated from the laser beam oscillator is transmitted;
a laser torch that emits the laser light transmitted by the optical fiber portion,
The laser torch has a cylindrical emission section from a front end of which laser light is emitted, a cylindrical handle section that is provided on a rear end side of the emission section in a state of extending downward and to which the optical fiber section is connected, and a switch section that causes the laser light oscillator to oscillate a laser light,
The emission section has a mirror that refracts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber section into the handle section into the emission section, and a condensing lens that condenses the laser light refracted by the mirror,
A laser welding machine that welds a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a front end of a laser torch while an operator is holding a handle portion of the laser torch,
a mirror holding part that is fitted into the inside of the rear end of the emission part so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, the mirror is held in a state in which it can move in the front-rear direction integrally with the mirror holding part, and the rear end of the mirror holding part protrudes from the rear end of the emission part.

Here, the front-to-rear direction refers to the state in which the operator holds the handle of the laser torch positioned below the emission part, with the front side in the direction of emission from the emission part being defined as "front" and the rear side being defined as "rear". The left-to-right direction refers to the direction horizontally perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, with the operator facing forward, the left side being defined as "left" and the right side being defined as "right". The up-to-down direction is the vertical direction. The front-to-rear direction, left-to-right direction, and up-to-down direction are mutually perpendicular.

In this configuration, the rear end of the mirror holder protrudes from the rear end of the emission part of the laser torch. By moving the rear end of the mirror holder in the forward and backward directions relative to the emission part, the mirror can be moved in the forward and backward directions inside the emission part.

[Configuration 2]
2. The laser welding machine according to claim 1, wherein the emission section has a storage opening provided at a part of its circumference, and a lens storage section that stores the focusing lens so that the focusing lens can be inserted and removed through the storage opening.

With this configuration, the focusing lens can be easily replaced by removing the focusing lens stored in the lens storage section through the storage opening of the emission section, and storing a new focusing lens in the lens storage section through the storage opening of the emission section.

[Configuration 3]
The laser torch has a cover that covers the emission portion and the handle portion,
the cover is in a state of covering a rear end portion of the mirror holding portion,
the cover has a first opening that opens to the outside, a first lid member that opens and closes the first opening, a second opening that opens to the outside, and a second lid member that opens and closes the second opening,
the first opening is provided at a position exposing a storage opening of the emission portion when the first cover member is open,
The laser welding machine described in configuration 2, characterized in that the second opening is provided on the rear end side of the emission portion, and when the second cover member is open, the rear end of the mirror holding portion can be moved in the forward and backward directions from the second opening to the emission portion.

With this configuration, by opening the first lid member of the cover, the focusing lens can be inserted and removed from the lens storage section through the storage port from the first opening. When the first opening is closed with the first lid member, the first lid member can prevent foreign objects from entering the lens storage section from the outside.

In addition, the rear end of the mirror holder protruding from the rear end of the emission section can be covered with a cover, which prevents the worker from accidentally touching the mirror holder during welding work. In addition, by opening the second lid member of the cover, the rear end of the mirror holder can be accessed from the second opening, and the mirror holder can be moved in the forward and backward directions relative to the emission section.

[Configuration 4]
3. The laser welding machine according to configuration 2, characterized in that the lens storage section has a first recess for storing the condensing lens and a second recess provided on the front side of the first recess, and a protective lens is stored in the second recess so as to be removable through a storage opening of the lens storage section.

Normally, spatter generated from the workpiece during welding can enter the emission section from the front end of the emission section. To protect the focusing lens from such spatter, a protective lens is placed in front of the focusing lens inside the emission section. This protective lens needs to be replaced periodically. With this configuration, the protective lens can be stored in the second recess of the lens storage section, in front of the focusing lens stored in the first recess of the lens storage section, so that it can be easily inserted and removed.

[Configuration 5]
A handle-side water passage having a handle-side water inlet and a handle-side water outlet is provided in the handle,
A water cooling unit that cools the handle portion with water passing through the handle portion side water passage,
The water cooling unit is
A tank for storing the water;
a feed pipe for feeding the water from the tank to the handle portion side water supply port;
A return pipe for returning the water from the handle portion side drain port to the tank;
a pump that sends the water stored in the tank to the feed pipe,
5. The laser welding machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the water stored in the tank is maintained within a predetermined temperature range.

In this configuration, water stored in the tank of the water cooling section is pumped through a feed pipe from the handle-side water inlet to the handle-side water passage. The water passing through the handle-side water passage can cool the handle of the laser torch. When the handle is cooled, heat is not trapped in the handle of the laser torch during laser welding, and the worker can hold the handle for a longer period of time to perform welding work.

In addition, water returns to the tank from the drain on the handle side through the return pipe, and the water stored in the tank is maintained within a specified temperature range. This prevents the water stored in the tank from exceeding the specified temperature range and reducing the cooling capacity for the handle. Furthermore, even if the temperature at the welding work site is low, the water stored in the tank is heated to within the specified temperature range when welding work begins, making it possible to shorten the preparation time for welding work.

[Configuration 6]
the optical fiber portion has a cylindrical connector attached to an end portion opposite to the laser beam oscillator, the handle portion has a cylindrical socket, and the connector is detachably connected to an inside of the socket,
The connector is provided with a connector-side water passage having a connector-side water inlet and a connector-side water outlet,
A laser welding machine as described in configuration 5, characterized in that a branch feed pipe branching from the feed pipe is connected to the connector side water supply port, and a branch return pipe branching from the return pipe is connected to the connector side drain port.

With this configuration, the connector attached to the end of the optical fiber section can also be cooled with water by utilizing the water-cooling section that cools the handle section with water. This further cools the handle section, preventing heat from building up in the handle section held by the operator, and further extending the continuous operation time of laser welding.

[Configuration 7]
7. The laser welding machine according to configuration 5 or 6, wherein a plurality of the laser torches and the water cooling units are provided, one water cooling unit is provided corresponding to each of the laser torches, and a handle portion of the laser torch is cooled by the corresponding water cooling unit.

In this configuration, the handle of each laser torch is cooled by its corresponding water-cooled section. This makes it possible to perform various welding tasks independently and simultaneously for each laser torch, improving the efficiency of welding work.

[Configuration 8]
A wire supply unit supplies one or more wire-shaped welding materials to the laser torch,
The laser torch has a nozzle attached to a front end of the emission portion and a wire holder attached to the emission portion, and a laser beam is emitted from the front end of the nozzle;
8. The laser welding machine according to any one of configurations 1 to 7, wherein the wire holder guides the welding material supplied from the wire supply unit forward of the front end portion of the nozzle.

In this configuration, one or more wire-shaped welding materials supplied from the wire supply unit are guided forward of the front end of the nozzle via the wire holder. This allows the welding material to be steadily supplied to the welded portion of the workpiece during welding, enabling stable bead formation in the welded portion of the workpiece and improving the mechanical strength of the welded portion of the workpiece.

[Configuration 9]
9. The laser welding machine according to configuration 8, wherein the wire supply unit is provided for each of the laser torches.

In this configuration, for example, even if multiple laser torches are provided, the thickness and number of wire-shaped welding materials can be changed in the welding performed by each laser torch.

The laser welding machine of this invention can adjust the front-to-rear position of the mirror inside the emission section by moving the rear end of the mirror holding section in the front-to-rear direction relative to the emission section, and can adjust the vertical position of the optical axis of the laser light, making the centering work described above easier.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laser welding machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing a laser torch and a connector of a laser welding machine; Cross-sectional view showing the laser torch of a laser welding machine FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a first cover member of a laser torch of a laser welding machine is opened. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a second cover member of a laser torch of a laser welding machine is opened. FIG. 1A is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a state before a mirror adjustment part of a laser torch is moved in the forward and backward directions; FIG. 1B is a partially cutaway cross-sectional view showing a state after a mirror adjustment part of a laser torch is moved in the forward and backward directions; A side view of the laser torch with the cover removed, showing the gas lines and electrical cable connections. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a laser welding machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a laser welding machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

The laser welding machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser welding machine 1 includes a housing 2, a laser torch 3, and a wire supply unit 4.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 2 has a laser beam oscillator 5, a water cooling unit 6, and a control unit 7 inside. The laser beam oscillator 5 oscillates a laser beam under the control of the control unit 7. An optical fiber unit 8 is optically connected to the laser beam oscillator 5. The laser beam oscillated by the laser beam oscillator 5 is transmitted to the laser torch 3 via the optical fiber unit 8 (see Figure 2). The laser beam oscillated from the laser beam oscillator 5 is a fiber laser. The output of the fiber laser is preferably within the range of 100 to 2000 W. The wavelength of the fiber laser is preferably within the range of 1060 to 1080 nm.

The water cooling unit 6 has a tank 9 that stores cooling water W for cooling the laser torch 3, a feed pipe 10 that sends the cooling water W in the tank 9 to the laser torch 3, a return pipe 11 that returns the cooling water W from the laser torch 3 to the tank 9, and a pump 12 that sends the cooling water W in the tank 9 to the feed pipe 10. The tank 9 is provided with a heater 9a that heats the cooling water W stored therein, and a chiller 9b that cools the cooling water W stored therein. The cooling water W stored in the tank 9 is maintained within a predetermined temperature range (e.g., 25°C to 30°C) using the heater 9a and chiller 9b under the control of the control unit 7.

The feed pipe 10 has a branch feed pipe 10a that branches off at a position closer to the laser torch 3. The branch feed pipe 10a is connected to a connector 13 of the optical fiber section 8, which will be described later. The return pipe 11 has a branch return pipe 11a that branches off from a position closer to the laser torch 3. The branch return pipe 11a is connected to a connector 13 of the optical fiber section 8, which will be described later.

The optical fiber section 8 has a connector 13 attached to the end opposite the laser light oscillator 5 (the laser torch 3 side). The connector 13 is a cylindrical metal member and is detachably connected to the handle section 18 of the laser torch 3. The end of the optical fiber section 8 on the laser torch 3 side is held by a sleeve (not shown) at the position of the cylindrical axis inside the connector 13. The connector 13 has a connector side water passage 13a formed between its inner peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface of the optical fiber section 8, and a connector side water supply port 13b and a connector side drain port 13c that communicate with the connector side water passage 13a. The branch feed pipe 10a is connected to the connector side water supply port 13b via a pipe joint. The branch return pipe 11a is connected to the connector side drain port 13c via a pipe joint.

The housing 2 is provided with a gas pipe 14 that supplies shielding gas to the laser torch 3, and an electric cable 15 that is connected to an external power source and supplies power to the laser torch 3. The shielding gas is an inert gas, and for example, nitrogen gas or argon gas can be used. The gas pipe 14 is connected to a gas cylinder (not shown) filled with shielding gas, and the amount of shielding gas supplied is controlled by the control unit 7.

The optical fiber section 8, the supply pipe 10, the return pipe 11, the gas pipe 14 and the electrical cable 15 extending from the top of the housing 2 are bundled together and covered by a flexible, cylindrical cable cover 16.

The laser torch 3 has a cylindrical emission section 17 from which laser light is emitted from the front end, a cylindrical handle section 18 that is integrally provided at a position toward the rear of the emission section 17, a switch section 19 that operates the laser light oscillator 5, a resin cover 20 that covers the emission section 17 and the handle section 18, and a nozzle 21 that is removably attached to the front end of the emission section 17.

As shown in FIG. 3, the emission section 17 is a metallic cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis S. The emission section 17 is formed integrally with a front cylinder section 22, a lens housing section 23, a mirror housing section 24, and a rear cylinder section 25. The front cylinder section 22, the lens housing section 23, the mirror housing section 24, and the rear cylinder section 25 are arranged in this order from the front in the front-to-rear direction.

The front cylinder portion 22 has an inner peripheral surface 22a and a male threaded portion 22b provided on the outer peripheral surface. The inner peripheral surface 22a is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis S. A collet 21a that holds the rear end of the nozzle 21 is stored inside the front cylinder portion 22. With the collet 21a stored inside the front cylinder portion 22, a collet nut 21b is screwed onto the male threaded portion 22b. The rear end portion of the nozzle 21 is chucked to the collet 21a by the collet nut 21b. At this time, the nozzle 21 protrudes forward from the front cylinder portion 22. A nozzle tip 21c is detachably attached to the front end (tip) of the nozzle 21.

A wire holder 40 is fixed to the lower part of the front cylinder portion 22. The wire holder 40 guides a single or multiple wire-shaped welding materials Y supplied from the wire supply unit 4 to the front of the nozzle tip 21c of the nozzle 21.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the lens storage section 23 has an inner peripheral surface 23a, and a first recess 23b and a second recess 23c that communicate with the inside of the inner peripheral surface 23a. The inner peripheral surface 23a is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis S. The first recess 23b and the second recess 23c have storage openings that open upward and are arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction perpendicular to the axis S. The first recess 23b and the second recess 23c have a rectangular cross section perpendicular to the axis S. The lower surfaces (bottom surfaces) of the first recess 23b and the second recess 23c are located below the inner peripheral surface 23a.

A first holder 26a with a protective lens 26 attached is fitted removably inside the first recess 23b. When the first holder 26a is fitted inside the first recess 23b, the protective lens 26 intersects with the axis S so that the thickness direction is the front-to-rear direction. A second holder 27a with a condenser lens 27 attached is fitted removably inside the second recess 23c. When the second holder 27a is fitted inside the second recess 23c, the condenser lens 27 intersects with the axis S so that the thickness direction is the front-to-rear direction.

The mirror housing section 24 has an inner peripheral surface 24a. The inner peripheral surface 24a is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis S. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 24a is larger than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 23a of the lens housing section 23. A mirror 28 that refracts the laser light is disposed inside the mirror housing section 24.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rear cylinder portion 25 has an inner peripheral surface 25a and opens to the rear. The inner peripheral surface 25a is a cylindrical surface centered on the axis S. The inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 25a is larger than the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface 24a of the mirror housing portion 24. A female thread 25b is provided in the upper part of the rear end portion of the rear cylinder portion 25 along the vertical direction. A mirror adjustment portion 29 is fitted from the rear into the interior of the rear cylinder portion 25. The mirror adjustment portion 29 has a sleeve 30 and a mirror holding portion 31 fitted into the sleeve 30 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

A circumferential groove 30a and a key groove 30b are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the front portion of the sleeve 30, and an O-ring is fitted in the circumferential groove 30a. A plurality of female threads 30c (two in this embodiment) are provided in the upper part of the rear portion of the sleeve 30, lined up in the front-to-rear direction. Each female thread 30c passes through the sleeve 30. A fixing screw 30d is screwed into each female thread 30c, and the mirror holder 31 is fixed to the sleeve 30 by the screwing of the fixing screws 30d.

The front portion of the sleeve 30 is fitted inside the rear tubular portion 25, and an O-ring ensures airtightness between the inner peripheral surface 25a of the rear tubular portion 25 and the sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 has a male thread member 25c as a key member screwed into the female thread 25b of the rear tubular portion 25, and the male thread member 25c engages with the key groove 30b. This engagement prevents the sleeve 30 from coming off the rear tubular portion 25.

The mirror holding part 31 is cylindrical and has a built-in rotation actuator (not shown). The mirror 28 is held at a predetermined angle to the axis S at the front end of the mirror holding part 31. This rotation actuator rotates (swings) the mirror 28 around the axis S within a predetermined angle range (for example, within a range of ±2.5 degrees based on a virtual line in the vertical direction). The mirror 28 is arranged in the mirror housing part 24 and refracts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber part 8 to the inside of the handle part 18 into the inside of the emission part 17. As shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the mirror holding part 31 can adjust the vertical position of the optical axis of the laser light to be refracted into the inside of the emission part 17 by moving the mirror holding part 31 in the forward and backward directions relative to the sleeve 30. To move the mirror holding part 31 in the forward and backward directions relative to the sleeve 30, the fixing screw 30d can be loosened from the female screw 30c. As shown in Figure 7, the mirror holding part 31 is connected to the electric cable 15 wired along the outside of the handle part 18.

As shown in FIG. 3, the handle portion 18 is integrally provided with the lower portion of the mirror housing portion 24 of the emission portion 17, extending downward and backward. The handle portion 18 is a metallic cylindrical member. An optical path 18a through which the laser light passes is provided inside the handle portion 18. A cylindrical socket 32 is fixed to the lower end of the handle portion 18. The optical path 18a and the inside of the socket 32 are connected, and the connector 13 is removably attached to the socket 32. A collimating lens 18g is arranged inside the optical path 18a. The collimating lens 18g collimates the laser light emitted from the optical fiber portion 8 into the optical path 18a.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the handle section 18 is provided with a handle section side water passage 18b and a gas supply passage 18c in the forward portion relative to the light path 18a. The handle section side water passage 18b is provided on one side in the left-right direction (the right side in this embodiment) along the length of the handle section 18. As shown in Figure 10, the handle section side water passage 18b branches at the lower part of the handle section 18, and has a handle section side water supply port 18d and a handle section side drain port 18e at the branched end. The feed pipe 10 is connected to the handle section side water supply port 18d, and the return pipe 11 is connected to the handle section side drain port 18e.

The gas supply passage 18c is provided on the other left-right side of the handle portion 18 (the left side in this embodiment). The gas supply passage 18c has a gas supply port 18f provided on the upper part of the handle portion 18. The gas supply port 18f is connected to the gas pipe 14. As shown in FIG. 7, the gas supply passage 18c is connected from the upper part of the handle portion 18 through the lower part of the mirror housing portion 24 and the lower part of the lens housing portion 23 to the inside of the front side tube portion 22. By providing the gas supply passage 18c, the shielding gas pressurized into the gas pipe 14 is supplied into the front side tube portion 22 and ejected from the tip of the nozzle 21.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 20 is a resin member that covers the emission section 17, the handle section 18, and the mirror holding section 31. As shown in FIG. 4, the cover 20 has a first opening 20c provided above the lens storage section 23 of the emission section 17, and a first lid member 20a that opens and closes the first opening 20c. The first opening 20c is provided at a position where the storage openings of the first recess 23b and second recess 23c of the lens storage section 23 are exposed when the first lid member 20a is open.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cover 20 has a second opening 20d provided on the rear end side of the emission section 17 and a second lid member 20b that opens and closes the second opening 20d. The second opening 20d is provided above the rear end of the emission section 17. The second opening 20d is provided at a position where the area from the rear side tube portion 25 of the emission section 17 to the rear end of the mirror holding section 31 is exposed when the second lid member 20b is open.

The laser welding machine 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. With the second cover member 20b open, the fixing screw 30d of the sleeve 30 can be loosened by using, for example, a tool 41 to move the mirror holder 31 in the forward and backward directions relative to the sleeve 30. As a result, as shown in Figures 6(a) and 6(b), the mirror 28 held by the mirror holder 31 can be easily moved forward and backward together with the mirror holder 31. Therefore, in the laser welding machine 1, the laser light is emitted from the front end of the nozzle 21 of the emission section 17, and depending on the shape of the nozzle tip 21c of the nozzle 21, it is easy to align the optical axis of the laser light with the center of the opening hole of the nozzle tip 21c, which makes the above-mentioned centering work easier and improves the workability of welding.

The laser welding machine 1 is also provided with a lens storage section 23 in the emission section 17. The lens storage section 23 is provided with a first recess 23b and a second recess 23c having a storage opening at the upper part, which is a part of the circumferential direction of the emission section 17. A first holder 26a having a protective lens 26 attached thereto is fitted in a removable manner inside the first recess 23b. A second holder 27a having a condenser lens 27 attached thereto is fitted in a removable manner inside the second recess 23c. Furthermore, the cover 20 has a first opening 20c located above the storage openings of the first recess 23b and the second recess 23c, and a first lid member 20a that opens and closes the first opening 20c. When the first lid member 20a is open, the storage openings of the first recess 23b and the second recess 23c are exposed (see FIG. 4). In this state, the protective lens 26 can be inserted and removed from the first recess 23b via the first holder 26a through the first opening 20c. In addition, the focusing lens 27 can be inserted and removed from the second recess 23c via the second holder 27a.

The laser welding machine 1 is provided with a handle-side water passage 18b in the handle portion 18. Water stored in the tank 9 of the water cooling unit 6 is sent from the handle-side water supply port 18d to the handle-side water passage 18b via the feed pipe 10 by the pump 12. The water passing through the handle-side water passage 18b can cool the handle portion 18 of the laser torch 3. As a result, heat is not trapped in the handle portion 18 of the laser torch 3 during laser welding, and the operator can hold the handle portion 18 for a longer period of time to perform welding work.

In addition, the water cooling section 6 maintains the water stored in the tank 9 within a predetermined temperature range. This prevents the water stored in the tank 9 from exceeding the predetermined temperature range, which would otherwise cause a decrease in the cooling capacity of the handle section. Furthermore, even if the temperature at the welding work site is low, the water stored in the tank 9 is heated to within the predetermined temperature range when welding work begins, making it possible to shorten the preparation time for welding work.

In the laser welding machine 1, the optical fiber section 8 has a cylindrical connector 13 at the end opposite the laser light oscillator 5, the handle section 18 has a cylindrical socket 32, and the connector 13 is detachably connected inside the socket 32. The connector 13 has a connector side water passage 13a, and a connector side water supply port 13b and a connector side drain port 13c that lead to the connector side water passage 13a. A branch feed pipe 10a branching from the feed pipe 10 is connected to the connector side water supply port 13b. A branch return pipe 11a branching from the return pipe 11 is connected to the connector side drain port 13c. Therefore, the connector 13 attached to the end of the optical fiber section can also be cooled with water by using the water cooling section 6 that cools the handle section 18 with water.

The laser welding machine 1 is equipped with a wire supply unit 4 that supplies wire-shaped welding material Y. The laser torch 3 also has a wire holder 40 attached to the emission unit 17. The welding material Y supplied from the wire supply unit 4 is guided to the tip of the nozzle 21 of the laser torch 3 via the wire holder 40. Therefore, during welding work, the welding material is stably supplied to the welded portion of the workpiece, making it possible to form a stable bead on the welded portion of the workpiece and improving the mechanical strength of the welded portion of the workpiece. The wire supply unit 4 shown in FIG. 1 supplies multiple (two) wire-shaped welding material Y, but is not limited to this and may supply one (single) wire-shaped welding material Y.

A laser welder 50 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 11, this laser welder 50 differs from the first embodiment in that it has one housing 2, two laser torches 3, two wire supply units 4, two laser light oscillators 5, two water cooling units 6, and two control units 7. The rest of the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, so the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11, the laser welding machine 50 includes one housing 2, two laser torches 3, and a wire supply unit 4. The housing 2 includes two laser light oscillators 5, two water cooling units 6, and two control units 7 inside. The two control units 7 are provided at the top of the housing 2. Of the two control units 7, the first control unit 7a is located on the right side in the left-right direction (left-right direction of the housing 2) when facing the front part of the housing 2, and the display unit and operation unit of the first control unit 7a are located at the front of the top of the housing 2. In addition, the second control unit 7b of the two control units 7 is located on the left side in the left-right direction of the housing 2, and the display unit and operation unit of the second control unit 7b are located at the front of the top of the housing 2.

The lower part of the housing 2 is divided into two sections, an upper section and an lower section. The upper section of the housing 2 houses the first laser light oscillator 5a of the two laser light oscillators 5 and the first water cooling section 6a of the two water cooling sections 6. The lower section of the housing 2 houses the second laser light oscillator 5b of the two laser light oscillators 5 and the second water cooling section 6b of the two water cooling sections 6. The temperature of the cooling water W in the tank 9 is displayed on the front of the housing 2 of the two water cooling sections 6.

The first laser torch 3a of the two laser torches 3 is connected to the first laser light oscillator 5a via an optical fiber section 8. The handle section 18 of the first laser torch 3a is cooled by a first water cooling section 6a. The optical fiber section 8, feed pipe 10, return pipe 11, gas pipe 14 and electric cable 15 of the first laser torch 3a are covered by a cable cover 16. The oscillation of the laser light of the first laser light oscillator 5a is controlled by a first control section 7a.

The second laser torch 3b of the two laser torches 3 is connected to the second laser light oscillator 5b via the optical fiber section 8. The handle section 18 of the second laser torch 3b is cooled by the second water cooling section 6b. The optical fiber section 8, the feed pipe 10, the return pipe 11, the gas pipe 14 and the electric cable 15 of the second laser torch 3b are covered by the cable cover 16. The second laser light oscillator 5b has its laser light oscillation controlled by the second control section 7b.

The housing 2 has storage recesses 51 on both left and right side portions of the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 12, the storage recesses 51 are recessed inward in the left and right direction of the housing 2 and open outward in the left and right direction. Wheels 52 are provided in each storage recess 51. Each storage recess 51 has a side door 53. The side door 53 is attached so that it can be opened and closed between a state in which it covers the outside of the storage recess 51 in the left and right direction and a state in which it is open.

The cable cover 16 of the first laser torch 3a extends from inside the housing 2 into the storage recess 51 on the right side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. The cable cover 16 of the first laser torch 3a is wound around a wheel 52, so that the first laser torch 3a is stored in the storage recess 51 on the right side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. In this stored state, the side door 53 on the right side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction can be closed.

A cutout 51a is provided on the front side below the storage recess 51 on the right side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. The cable cover 16 of the first laser torch 3a can be passed through this cutout 51a, and the first laser torch 3a can be taken out of the storage recess 51 with the side door 53 closed. The cable cover 16 of the second laser torch 3b extends from inside the housing 2 into the storage recess 51 on the left side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction. The structure of the storage recess 51 on the left side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction is the same as the structure of the storage recess 51 on the right side of the housing 2 in the left-right direction, so a description of it will be omitted.

The housing 2 has a front door 54. The front door 54 is attached so that it can be opened and closed between a state in which it covers the front part of the housing 2 and a state in which the front part of the housing 2 is exposed. When the front door 54 is open, the temperature of the cooling water W in the tanks 9 of the two water cooling units 6 can be confirmed on the water temperature display unit (not shown).

The first laser torch 3a and the second laser torch 3b have a wire holder 40. The welding material Y supplied from the first wire supply unit 4a of the two wire supply units 4 is guided to the front end of the nozzle tip 21c of the nozzle 21 of the first laser torch 3a via the wire holder 40. The welding material Y supplied from the second wire supply unit 4b of the two wire supply units 4 is guided to the front end of the nozzle tip 21c of the nozzle 21 of the second laser torch 3b via the wire holder 40.

In the laser welding machine 50 of the second embodiment configured as described above, the handle portion 18 of the first laser torch 3a is cooled by the corresponding first water cooling unit 6a. Also, the handle portion 18 of the second laser torch 3b is cooled by the corresponding second water cooling unit 6b. Therefore, the first laser torch 3a and the second laser torch 3b can perform various welding operations independently and simultaneously. For example, the first laser torch 3a can be used to perform temporary welding of a workpiece, and the second laser torch 3b can be used to perform actual welding of the workpiece after temporary welding. Also, for example, the first laser torch 3a and the second laser torch 3b can be used to simultaneously perform welding operations of workpieces that are separate members, thereby improving the efficiency of the welding operation.

In addition, in the laser welding machine 50, a first wire supply unit 4a is provided corresponding to the first laser torch 3a, and a second wire supply unit 4b is provided corresponding to the second laser torch 3b. That is, one wire supply unit 4 is provided corresponding to each laser torch 3. Therefore, wire-shaped welding material Y of a thickness and number suitable for welding each workpiece can be supplied from the first wire supply unit 4a and the second wire supply unit 4b to the first laser torch 3a and the second laser torch 3b individually, respectively.

1 Laser welding machine 2 Housing 3 Laser torch 3a First laser torch 3b Second laser torch 4 Wire supply unit 4a First wire supply unit 4b Second wire supply unit 5 Laser light oscillator 6 Water cooling unit 6a First water cooling unit 6b Second water cooling unit 7 Control unit 8 Optical fiber unit 9 Tank 10 Feed pipe 10a Branch feed pipe 11 Return pipe 11a Branch return pipe 13 Connector 13a Connector side water passage 13b Connector side water supply port 13c Connector side drain port 14 Gas pipe 15 Electric cable 16 Cable cover 17 Emission unit 18 Handle unit 18a Light path 18b Handle unit side water passage 18c Gas supply path 18d Handle unit side water supply port 18e Handle unit side drain port 18f Gas supply port 19 Switch unit 20 Cover 20a First cover member 20b Second cover member 20c First opening 20d Second opening 21 Nozzle 22 Front cylinder portion 23 Lens housing portion 23b First recess 23c Second recess 24 Mirror housing portion 25 Rear cylinder portion 26 Protective lens 26a First holder 27 Condenser lens 27a Second holder 28 Mirror 29 Mirror adjustment portion 30 Sleeve 30c Female thread 30d Fixing screw 31 Mirror holding portion 32 Socket 40 Wire holder 41 Tool 50 Laser welder S Axis Y Welding material

Claims (9)

A laser light oscillator;
an optical fiber section through which a laser beam oscillated from the laser beam oscillator is transmitted;
a laser torch that emits the laser light transmitted by the optical fiber portion,
The laser torch has a cylindrical emission part from a front end of which a laser beam is emitted,
a cylindrical handle portion provided on a rear end side of the emission portion in a state of extending downward and to which the optical fiber portion is connected;
a switch unit for causing the laser beam oscillator to oscillate a laser beam,
The emission section has a mirror that refracts the laser light emitted from the optical fiber section into the handle section into the emission section, and a condensing lens that condenses the laser light refracted by the mirror,
A laser welding machine that welds a workpiece with a laser beam emitted from a front end of a laser torch while an operator is holding a handle portion of the laser torch,
a mirror holding part that is fitted into the inside of the rear end of the emission part so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, the mirror is held in a state in which it can move in the front-rear direction integrally with the mirror holding part, and the rear end of the mirror holding part protrudes from the rear end of the emission part. The laser welder according to claim 1, characterized in that the emission section has a storage opening provided at a portion of its circumference and a lens storage section that stores the focusing lens so that it can be inserted and removed through the storage opening. The laser torch has a cover that covers the emission portion and the handle portion,
the cover is in a state of covering a rear end portion of the mirror holding portion,
the cover has a first opening that opens to the outside, a first lid member that opens and closes the first opening, a second opening that opens to the outside, and a second lid member that opens and closes the second opening,
the first opening is provided at a position exposing a storage opening of the emission portion when the first cover member is open,
3. The laser welding machine according to claim 2, wherein the second opening is provided on the rear end side of the emission portion, and when the second cover member is open, the rear end of the mirror holding portion can be moved in the forward and backward directions from the second opening relative to the emission portion. The laser welder according to claim 2, characterized in that the lens storage section has a first recess for storing the condenser lens and a second recess provided in front of the first recess, and a protective lens is stored in the second recess so as to be removable through a storage opening of the lens storage section. A handle-side water passage having a handle-side water inlet and a handle-side water outlet is provided in the handle,
A water cooling unit that cools the handle portion with water passing through the handle portion side water passage,
The water cooling unit,
A tank for storing the water;
a feed pipe for feeding the water from the tank to the handle portion side water supply port;
A return pipe for returning the water from the handle portion side drain port to the tank;
a pump that sends the water stored in the tank to the feed pipe,
4. The laser welder according to claim 1, wherein the water stored in the tank is maintained within a predetermined temperature range. the optical fiber portion has a cylindrical connector attached to an end portion opposite to the laser beam oscillator, the handle portion has a cylindrical socket, and the connector is detachably connected to an inside of the socket,
The connector is provided with a connector-side water passage having a connector-side water inlet and a connector-side water outlet,
6. The laser welding machine according to claim 5, wherein a branch feed pipe branching off from the feed pipe is connected to the connector side water supply port, and a branch return pipe branching off from the return pipe is connected to the connector side water drain port. The laser welding machine according to claim 5, characterized in that a plurality of the laser torches and the water cooling units are provided, one for each of the laser torches, and the handle of the laser torch is cooled by the corresponding water cooling unit. A wire supply unit supplies one or more wire-shaped welding materials to the laser torch,
The laser torch has a nozzle attached to a front end of the emission part and a wire holder attached to the emission part, and a laser beam is emitted from the front end of the nozzle;
5. The laser welding machine according to claim 1, wherein the wire holder guides the welding material supplied from the wire supply section forward of a front end portion of the nozzle. The laser welding machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the wire supply unit is provided for each of the laser torches.

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