JPH0239875B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a laser oscillation device, and more particularly to a pulse discharge control device for controlling flash light emission of a flash lamp for a plurality of laser rods.

[Technical background of the invention]

Some laser oscillation devices include a plurality of laser oscillators. For example, the laser oscillation device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-52931 has a plurality of flash lamps for laser rods (hereinafter abbreviated as flash lamps) in a charging/discharging capacitor that charges and discharges power supplied from a DC power supply. These flash lamps are connected in parallel, and a lamp trigger circuit that generates a lamp trigger signal is connected to each of these flash lamps. Note that a laser resonator is provided in parallel to each flash lamp. Therefore, with this device,
The sending timing of the lamp trigger signal of each lamp trigger circuit is controlled to output laser light from the laser resonator in a time-division manner. Note that by controlling the application of the lamp trigger signal to only one flash lamp, it is possible to output laser light from a desired optical resonator side.

[Problems with background technology]

However, in the device described above, the anode electrode and cathode electrode of each flash lamp are connected to each other, so when one flash lamp emits a flash, the voltage of the high frequency component generated by this flash light is transferred to the other flash lamp. In addition to the flash lamp, there is a problem in that the other flash lamp emits a flash when no lamp trigger signal is applied.

Additionally, in order to prevent flash lamps from emitting flash light when no lamp trigger signal is applied, it is conceivable to provide a control circuit for supplying a discharge current to each flash lamp; however, it is possible to provide a plurality of such control circuits. The configuration becomes complicated.
Moreover, since the control circuit has a large capacity, providing multiple control circuits would be expensive.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention was made based on the above circumstances, and
The purpose is to provide a pulse discharge control device that is capable of selectively emitting light from a plurality of flash lamps without causing the other flash lamp to emit flash light due to the flash light emission of one flash lamp. There is a particular thing.

[Summary of the invention]

In the present invention, a trigger pulse is supplied to the output side of a pulse discharge waveform control circuit that is supplied with DC power, controls the start and end of discharge, and outputs a pulsed discharge current. A plurality of flash lamps that generate a discharge and emit flash light by supplying a discharge current in this state are connected in parallel, and the high voltage applied to these flash lamps from a DC high voltage power supply circuit is switched to one of the flash lamps by a switching means. This is a pulse discharge control device that attempts to achieve the above object using only a brush lamp.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the pulse discharge control device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a pulse discharge control device of the present invention. A pulse discharge waveform control circuit 10 is connected to the output end of a DC rectifier circuit 1 composed of diodes and the like. The pulse discharge waveform control circuit 10 is supplied from the DC rectifier circuit 1, controls the start and end of discharge, and outputs a pulsed discharge current, and has the following specific configuration. That is, a smoothing capacitor 11 is connected to the output end of the DC rectifier circuit 1, and a series circuit of a thyristor S1, a choke coil 12, and a charging/discharging capacitor 13 is connected to the smoothing capacitor 11. Note that the thyristor S1 has an anode terminal connected to the smoothing capacitor 13,
A cathode terminal is connected to the chiyoke coil 12. A discharging thyristor S2 is connected to the connection end between the chiyoke coil 12 and the charging/discharging capacitor 13.
A series circuit of the discharge waveform shaping coil 14 and the discharge waveform shaping coil 14 are connected, and a discharge current is output from the discharge waveform shaping coil 14. Furthermore, this pulse discharge waveform control circuit 10 includes each thyristor S.
A circuit for controlling conduction of S1 and S2 is provided.
That is, upon receiving the clock pulse signal outputted from the clock pulse generating circuit 15 and the clock pulse generating circuit 15, a gate pulse is applied between the cathode and gate of the thyristor S1 to transfer the charging current from the smoothing capacitor 11 to the choke coil 12 and the charging/discharging capacitor 13. a gate pulse generation circuit 16 and a clock pulse generation circuit 1
5 for a predetermined period of time (until charging of the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is completed).
a delay circuit 17 that delays and sends out the clock pulse signal; and a clock pulse signal sent from the delay circuit 17;
A gate pulse generation circuit 18 applies a gate pulse between the cathode and gate of the discharge thyristor S2 to output a discharge current from the charge/discharge capacitor 13.
and is provided.

Flash lamps for laser rods (hereinafter referred to as flash lamps) 22 and 23 are connected in parallel to the output end of the pulse discharge waveform control circuit 10, that is, the discharge waveform shaping coil 14, via diodes 20 and 21, respectively. ing. These flash lamps 22 and 23 are provided with trigger electrodes 22a and 23a formed by winding, and trigger signals are applied to these trigger electrodes 22a and 23a from trigger pulse generation circuits 24 and 25, respectively. It is configured. These trigger pulse generating circuits 24 and 25 are configured to receive a clock pulse signal output from the clock pulse generating circuit 15 and output a trigger signal.

Further, laser rods 30 and 31 which constitute an optical resonator are provided in parallel with each flash lamp 22 and 23,
Reflecting mirrors 32, 33 and 34, 35 are provided, respectively.

Further, a discharge stabilizing resistor 3 is provided between the anode and cathode electrodes of each flash lamp 22 and 23.
6 and 37 respectively to the DC high voltage power supply circuit 4.
0,41 are connected. These DC high-voltage power supply circuits 40 and 41 are configured such that a predetermined power is supplied to the power input line 40.
By supplying power through P, this power is converted into a DC high voltage to power each flash lamp 22,
3, thereby causing each flash lamp 2
2 and 23 to generate minute discharges.

Now, the supply of predetermined power to these DC high voltage power supply circuits 40, 41 is switched by a changeover switch 50, and the switch end 51 is connected to one of the flash lamps 22,
It is connected to the connection ends 52 and 53 corresponding to 23. Note that the changeover switch 50 can be switched manually or automatically.

Next, the operation of the apparatus configured as described above will be explained. First, the switching end 51 of the switching switch 50
A case will be explained in which the connection end 53 is connected to the connection end 53 side. When the changeover switch 50 is switched to the connection end 53 on the flash lamp 23 side, the DC high voltage power supply circuit 4 is connected to the flash lamp 23.
A high voltage is applied to the first flash lamp 22, and no high voltage is applied to the other flash lamp 22.

Here, from the clock pulse generation circuit 15, the second
When the clock pulse signal CK is output at time t1 shown in the figure, the gate pulse generating circuit 16 receives the clock pulse signal CK and applies a gate pulse between the cathode and the gate of the thyristor S1. Then, the thyristor S1 becomes conductive, the charges accumulated in the smoothing capacitor 11 are discharged, and charging of the choke coil 12 and the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is started. These chiyoke coils 12
In the charging/discharging capacitor 13, charging is performed by causing a resonance phenomenon. Then, the charging voltage V _C of the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is equal to the smoothing capacitor 11
When the charging voltage V ₁₁ reaches approximately twice the voltage applied to the thyristor S1, the voltage applied to the thyristor S1 becomes reverse biased, and the thyristor S1 is turned off.

On the other hand, the clock pulse signal CK output at time t1 is sent to trigger generation circuits 24 and 25.
Upon receiving the clock pulse signal CK, each trigger pulse generating circuit 24, 25 applies a trigger pulse to the trigger electrodes 22a, 2 of each flash lamp 22, 23.
3a. By the way, flash lamp 2
3 is in a state where a high voltage is applied, so that micro discharges are continuously generated in the flash lamp 23 by applying a trigger pulse. Note that this minute discharge is performed by supplying a minute current from the DC high voltage power supply circuit 41 via the discharge stabilizing resistor 37. At this time, the voltage V _L1 between the anode and cathode electrodes of the flash lamp 23 is the voltage applied to the DC high voltage power supply circuit 41 as shown in FIG.
The voltage changes from V ₄₁ to V _S during discharge. On the other hand, since no high voltage is applied to the flash lamp 22 from the DC high voltage power supply circuit 40, no minute discharge occurs.

Then, when the clock pulse signal CK output at time t1 is delayed for a predetermined period by the delay circuit 17 and sent to the gate pulse generation circuit 18, the gate pulse generation circuit 18 is activated by the discharging thyristor S2.
A gate pulse is applied between the cathode and the gate.
As a result, the discharging thyristor S2 becomes conductive, and the charge accumulated in the charging/discharging capacitor 13 starts discharging. In other words, the pulsed discharge current
I _L passes through the discharge waveform shaping coil 14 and each diode 20, 21 to each flash lamp 22, 2.
3. Thus, flash lamp 2
3 emits flash light to optically excite the laser rod 31. As a result, resonance occurs between the reflecting mirrors 34 and 35, and a laser beam 31a is output. On the other hand, the laser beam 30a is not output on the flash lamp 22 side. In this way, the changeover switch 50
3, the laser beam 31a is continuously output from the optical resonator on the flash lamp 23 side.

Next, the changeover switch 50 switches to the time t4 shown in FIG.
When switching to the connection end 52, a high voltage is applied from the DC high voltage power supply circuit 40 between the anode and cathode electrodes of the flash lamp 22, and no voltage is applied to the flash lamp 23. In this state, when the clock pulse CK is output at time t5 and the thyristor S1 becomes conductive, charging of the charge/discharge capacitor 13 is started. Then,
Time t after charging to the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is completed
When the discharge thyristor S2 becomes conductive at step 6, the discharge current I _L2 flows through each flash lamp 22,
23. However, since no high voltage is applied to the flash lamp 23, only the flash lamp 22 emits flash light. Therefore,
Laser light 30a is continuously output only from the optical resonator on the flash lamp 22 side.

As described above, in the device of the present invention, the flash light emission of the flash lamps 22 and 23 connected in parallel to the output terminal of the pulse discharge waveform shaping circuit 10 is controlled by a switch that changes the high voltage applied to these flash lamps 22 and 23. 50 to control each flash lamp 22, 23 independently, the flash lamps 22, 2 connected in parallel to one system of pulse discharge waveform shaping circuit 10
It is possible to select a desired flash lamp 22, 23 from among the three flash lamps to emit flash light and output laser light. Therefore, the flash lamps 22 and 23 can be selected to generate flash light at any given period. Therefore, when performing laser processing, for example, the flash lamps 22, 2 may be used depending on the workpiece.
3 can be selected and flashed at predetermined intervals to perform the desired laser processing. Since a high voltage is not applied to the flash lamps 22 and 23 on the non-flash emission side, the flash lamps 22 and 23 on the flash emission side will not be induced to emit flash light.

Furthermore, since the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is not being charged at the time when the trigger pulse is applied to each flash lamp 22, 23, the charging current is applied to each flash lamp 22, 23 at this timing.
Stable pulse-like flash light emission is performed without being supplied to 23. Therefore, highly reliable laser light can be used. In addition, since high voltage is not applied to flash lamps that do not emit flash light and do not emit small amounts of light, the life of the flash lamp can be extended.
Since it is connected to the low voltage side of 1, a small capacitance is sufficient.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a pulse discharge control device in which the pulse discharge waveform control circuit is modified. Note that the same parts as in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanation thereof will be omitted. The pulse discharge waveform control circuit 60 of this device connects a thyristor S3 in parallel to a series circuit consisting of a thyristor S1, a chiyoke coil 12, and a discharge thyristor S2, and further includes a gate pulse signal that sends out a gate pulse signal to control conduction of the thyristor S3. A generation circuit 61 is newly provided. The gate pulse generation circuit 61 is configured to receive the clock pulse signal sent from the delay circuit 17 and send out the gate pulse signal. The clock pulse signal is further delayed by a delay circuit 52 and sent out, and the gate pulse signal is sent out.

In the device configured in this way, the thyristor S
3 is the thyristor S at time t1 as shown in FIG.
Discharging thyristor S2 after 1 becomes conductive
becomes conductive before time t3 (time t2) when becomes conductive. Therefore, before the charges are discharged from the charging/discharging capacitor 13, the charges accumulated in the smoothing capacitor 11 are released.
In other words, from the smoothing capacitor 11 to the thyristor S3
A discharge current I _L1 is supplied to each flash lamp 22, 23 via. Then, when the discharging thyristor S2 becomes conductive at time t3, the charge accumulated in the charging/discharging capacitor 13 is discharged. At this time, the charging voltage V _C of the charging/discharging capacitor 13
(2V ₁₁ ) is applied to thyristor S3, so thyristor S3 is cut off. In this way, the pulsed discharge waveform control circuit 60 outputs a pulsed discharge current I _L1 as shown in FIG. This discharge current I _L1
flows to the flash lamps 22 and 23 on the side to which high voltage is applied, and
2 and 23 flash. In addition, as shown in Figure 4
V _L1 is the anode of the flash lamps 22 and 23.
It shows the voltage applied between the cathode electrodes. Further, the same operation is performed between times t4 and t8 when the changeover switch 50 is switched to the connection end 52 side.

In this way, the pulse discharge waveform control circuit 60 is provided with the thyristor S3 and the delay circuit 62 to control the discharge current.
It goes without saying that even if the release periods of I _L1 and I _L2 are lengthened, the same effects as in the above embodiment can be achieved.

Furthermore, when a plurality of flash lamps are connected in parallel, the power supply to each flash lamp may be switched from the DC high voltage power supply corresponding to the flash lamps.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, the switching means switches the high voltage application to the plurality of flash lamps which are connected in parallel to the pulse discharge waveform control circuit and emit flash light by supplying the trigger pulse to the high voltage application state and supplying the discharge current. As a result, even when each flash lamp is connected in parallel to the pulse discharge waveform control circuit, other flash lamps will not emit a flash due to the flash emission of the desired flash lamp, and multiple flash lamps will not emit a flash. It is possible to provide a pulse discharge control device that can selectively emit light.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the pulse discharge control device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the light emitting operation of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the pulse discharge control device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a modification of the discharge control device, and is a diagram for explaining the light emitting operation of the device shown in FIG. 3. 10...Pulse discharge waveform control circuit, 11...Smoothing capacitor, 12...Chiyoke coil, 13...
...Charging/discharging capacitor, 15...Clock pulse generation circuit, 16, 18...Gate pulse generation circuit, 17...Delay circuit, S1, S2...Thyristor, 22, 23...Flash lamp, 24,2
5...Trigger pulse generation circuit, 30, 31...Laser rod, 32, 33, 34, 35...Reflector, 40, 41...DC high voltage power supply circuit, 50...
Changeover switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A pulse discharge waveform control circuit that is supplied with DC power and outputs a pulsed discharge current by controlling the start and end of discharge, and a circuit that is connected in parallel to the output side of this pulse discharge waveform control circuit and is in a high voltage application state. a plurality of flash lamps that generate a minute discharge when a trigger pulse is supplied, and emit flash light by supplying the discharge current in this state; and a DC high voltage power supply circuit that applies a high voltage to these flash lamps; A pulse discharge control device characterized by comprising: switching means for applying the high voltage applied from the DC high voltage power supply circuit to each of the flash lamps to only one of the flash lamps. .