Measuring instruments for laser tools, laser tools and workpiece processing equipment, and methods for measuring distances.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a measuring instrument (1, 20) for a laser tool (2) for measuring the distance (30) between the measuring instrument (1, 20) and an object (7). The measuring instrument has a laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) through which a measuring laser beam (23) can be radiated onto the object (7, 25). When the measuring laser beam hits the object (7, 25), it can be reflected by the object (7, 25) as a reflected measuring laser beam (28) and can be received by the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22). The measuring instrument has a housing (17) in which the laser triangulation sensor (21, 22) is arranged. According to the invention, the housing (17) has an external shape (18) corresponding to the external shape (19) of the optical protection element (5, 16) of the processing laser optical system (4) of the laser tool (2), thereby allowing the housing (17) and therefore the measuring instrument (1, 20) to be inserted into the laser tool (2). The present invention also relates to a laser tool (2) having such measuring instruments (1, 20), a workpiece processing device (3), in particular a workpiece processing robot, and a method for measuring distance (24).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a measuring instrument for laser tools. Furthermore, this invention relates to a laser tool that can be equipped with such a measuring instrument. This invention also relates to a workpiece processing apparatus having a laser tool. Additionally, this invention relates to a method for measuring the distance between a laser tool and a workpiece. Background Technology

[0002] Laser beam-based manufacturing methods or methods for processing workpieces using laser processing systems require a precise and accurate understanding of the beam profile of the processing laser beam or beam cluster striking the workpiece at the processing point, also known as the Tool Center Point (TCP). This beam profile is determined by beam parameters such as the focusing diameter, beam waist position, laser beam power, beam parameter product (beam quality), and wavelength. A variable parameter that strongly influences the process is the position of the beam waist relative to the workpiece or processing point. Currently, measuring devices or principles are used to measure the beam profile. While these devices or principles can measure the beam profile with high precision when used in laser processing systems, they significantly disrupt the process flow because they are particularly costly. For example, the setup time for using such measuring devices in / on a laser processing system is undesirably long. Therefore, laser processing systems require exceptionally long downtimes, leading to uneconomical operation.

[0003] Therefore, short-term checks of beam parameters during mass production operations, such as in mass manufacturing of car bodies, are particularly costly in this regard, as the laser processing system must be stopped for extended periods. Consequently, only through exceptionally high costs can a suitable and rapid response be made to process disturbances and negative external influences during production (e.g., contamination of the laser optics system, such as protective glass, actuators, such as robots, malfunctions of the laser processing system, etc.). In some cases, undesirable displacements of the processing point, such as due to (even minor) collisions between components of the laser processing system and other objects and / or due to actuators no longer functioning exactly as intended, can cause the desired position of the beam waist to no longer be precisely aligned with the workpiece. This results in compromised dimensional stability and quality of joints or connections in workpieces processed or manufactured by the laser processing system within a batch. Therefore, the ability to respond particularly rapidly to these process disturbances is necessary to advantageously produce process reliability and workpiece dimensional stability.

[0004] Patent document US 2019 / 015931 A1 discloses an apparatus and method for measuring the distance between a laser processing head and a workpiece, wherein a measurement beam is coupled into the processing optical path of a processing beam and focused onto the surface of the workpiece by a focusing lens of the processing optical path, wherein the reflected measurement beam and a reference measurement beam are superimposed and provided to an analysis unit, the analysis unit detecting the distance between the laser processing head and the workpiece based on interferometry.

[0005] However, such conventional equipment or methods are particularly costly because the measurement beam must be deflected multiple times to couple it into the machining optical path, making the equipment exceptionally complex. Furthermore, the particularly complex measurement principles of interferometry result in exceptionally high costs associated with measuring the distance between the laser processing head and the workpiece using such conventional equipment.

[0006] In addition, patent document DE 10 2016 122 830 A1 discloses a method for calibrating a sensor used to measure the distance between the sensor and a surface.

[0007] A remote laser processing device with a sensor scanning device is known from patent document DE 10 2014 113 283 A1. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a measuring instrument that can measure the distance between a workpiece and the measuring instrument with particularly high efficiency.

[0009] This technical problem is solved by the measuring instrument according to the invention. Furthermore, this technical problem is solved by the laser tool according to the invention and by the workpiece processing equipment according to the invention. Additionally, this technical problem is solved by the method according to the invention.

[0010] According to the present invention, a measuring instrument for a laser tool is provided for measuring the distance between the measuring instrument and an object. The measuring instrument has a laser triangulation sensor that radiates a measuring laser beam onto the object. Upon impact with the object, the measuring laser beam is reflected by the object as a reflected measuring laser beam, which is received by the laser triangulation sensor. The measuring instrument has a housing in which the laser triangulation sensor is disposed. The housing has an external shape corresponding to the external shape of an optical protective element of the laser processing optical system of the laser tool. During laser processing, the optical protective element is inserted into the laser tool to protect the optical elements of the processing laser optical system from contamination or damage. Thus, the measuring instrument can be inserted into the laser tool in place of the optical protective element to measure the distance. A mirror element is provided in the housing, which deflects the measuring laser beam toward the object and the reflected measuring laser beam toward the laser triangulation sensor. The mirror element ensures that the measuring laser beam emitted by the laser triangulation sensor is coaxial with the optical path of the processing laser beam of the laser tool.

[0011] The features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the measuring instruments according to the invention should be considered as the features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the laser tools according to the invention, and vice versa. The features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the laser tools according to the invention should be considered as the features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the workpiece processing equipment according to the invention, and vice versa. The features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the equipment according to the invention should be considered as the features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the methods according to the invention, wherein the devices of the equipment can be used or employed to carry out the steps of the methods. The features, advantages, and advantageous designs described with respect to the methods according to the invention should also be considered as the features, advantages, and advantageous designs of the equipment according to the invention.

[0012] The measuring instrument according to the invention is used for laser tools, wherein the laser tools are particularly designed to project a processing laser beam onto, onto, and / or into a workpiece in order to process the workpiece by means of the processing laser beam. Such laser processing includes, for example, removing or separating material, joining, e.g., welding material, improving the surface of the workpiece, etc. Particularly important for laser processing is that the workpiece is oriented with particular precision relative to the laser tool, or the laser tool is oriented with particular precision relative to the workpiece, in order to ensure particularly high quality of the laser processing and therefore the workpiece. Because a processing laser beam with a beam waist is formed by the processing laser optics system of the laser tool during operation, the position of the beam waist characterizes the processing point (TCP: tool center point) of the laser tool. Therefore, if the actual distance and the target distance between the laser tool and the workpiece are undesirably different from each other, the beam waist and therefore the processing point relative to the workpiece will be undesirably misaligned. Thus, in the laser processing of the workpiece, the quality of the laser processing and / or the quality of the processed workpiece is compromised.

[0013] To measure the distance (i.e., the actual distance) between the measuring instrument and an object, particularly a workpiece, the measuring instrument has a laser triangulation sensor through which a measuring laser beam is radiated from the measuring instrument onto (or towards) the object. Upon impact with the object or workpiece, the measuring laser beam can be reflected by the object, particularly by its outer surface, as a reflected measuring laser beam. This reflected beam is then directed towards the laser triangulation sensor, where it is received. Here, the measuring laser beam (at least partially) is projected back onto the surface of the object or workpiece as a reflected measuring laser beam, forming a reflection angle between the measuring laser beam and the reflected measuring laser beam. This reflection angle corresponds to the distance between the measuring instrument and the workpiece. This means that the reflected measuring laser beam arrives at the laser triangulation sensor at an incident angle related to the reflection angle, and the distance between the measuring instrument and the object can be detected or determined by processing the value of the incident angle using a suitable analysis unit.

[0014] The measuring instrument also has a housing in which a laser triangulation sensor is disposed. Here, the housing is at least partially translucent, thereby enabling the measuring laser beam emitted by the laser triangulation sensor to exit from the housing as specified and the reflected measuring laser beam to enter the housing as specified. In other words, the housing is transmissive in relation to the wavelength of the reflected measuring laser beam and the wavelength used for the measuring laser beam.

[0015] To improve the measuring instrument in this way, enabling particularly efficient measurement of the distance between the workpiece and the measuring instrument, according to the invention, the housing has an external shape that corresponds to the external shape of the optical protective element of the machining laser optical system of the laser tool. Thus, the housing and therefore the laser triangulation sensor (i.e., the measuring instrument as a whole) can be inserted into the laser tool, for example, into the housing of the laser tool, and especially into the machining laser optical system. The machining laser optical system particularly has multiple optical elements, such as lenses, mirrors (or mirror surfaces), prisms, and / or combinations thereof. To protect these light-refracting optical elements from external contamination (e.g., preventing the workpiece material from being melted, vaporized, torn, or blown away by the machining laser beam), the machining laser optical system particularly has an optical protective element, for example, designed as a protective glass plate. Such an optical protective element, i.e., the protective glass plate, is particularly designed to allow light to pass through with minimal interference, especially without refraction or with only very slight refraction. In particular, the housing of laser tools, such as the housing of a processing laser optical system, is at least partially formed by optical protective elements or by a protective glass plate, thereby ensuring that the processing laser beam exiting from the optical elements is emitted from the housing and toward the workpiece during the operation of the laser tool while irradiating the optical elements.

[0016] Therefore, the housing of the measuring instrument and the optical protection element correspond to each other in such a way that the housing of the measuring instrument can be inserted into the laser optical system of the laser tool in place of the optical protection element, and conversely, the optical protection element can also be inserted into the laser optical system of the laser tool in place of the housing of the measuring instrument.

[0017] The measuring instrument is designed to be particularly movable relative to the laser tool, i.e., constructed independently of the laser tool. For example, the measuring instrument, especially its housing, is designed as an insertion element corresponding to the receiving element of the laser tool, which corresponds both to the housing of the measuring instrument and to the optical protective element. Therefore, the measuring instrument or the optical protective element can be inserted into the receiving element of the laser tool as respective insertion elements. Advantageously, the receiving element for the optical protective element (“protective glass pull-out”) is standardized, thus the position of the optical protective element relative to the machining point of the laser tool is known. Therefore, when the measuring instrument is inserted into the laser tool, the position of the measuring instrument relative to the machining point of the laser tool is known. Thus, it is possible to determine the distance between the laser tool and the workpiece based on the distance between the machining point and the optical protective element using the measuring instrument.

[0018] In general, for measuring instruments, one can consider using distance sensors designed differently from laser triangulation sensors, such as ultrasonic sensors, as alternatives to or supplements to laser triangulation sensors.

[0019] The measuring instrument incorporates a mirror element within its housing, which deflects the measuring laser beam toward the object or workpiece and the reflected measuring laser beam toward the laser triangulation sensor. Specifically, both the measuring and reflected laser beams are deflected by approximately 90 degrees by the mirror element. This ensures a particularly compact shape for the measuring instrument, allowing for, for example, a horizontal configuration where the radiation direction of the measuring laser beam from the laser triangulation sensor extends transversely to the optical intermediate axis of the laser tool's machining laser optics system. This transversely extending measuring laser beam is deflected by the mirror element, ultimately directing the measuring laser beam toward the object or workpiece. Therefore, by means of the mirror element, such as a deflecting mirror, the optical path or beam path of the measuring laser beam can be redirected into the optical path or beam path of the machining laser optics system. This advantageously enables the distance between the laser tool or measuring instrument and the object or workpiece to be detected directly at the machining point of the laser tool, which is particularly important for uneven workpieces. In other words, the distance formed directly between the machining laser optics system and the object is measured during the operation of the measuring instrument. Because through the mirror element, the measuring laser beam emitted by the laser triangulation sensor can be projected onto the processing point coaxially with respect to the beam path or optical path of the processing laser beam, and especially at least partially, through the processing laser optical system.

[0020] According to another advantageous design of the measuring instrument, the measuring instrument has an output unit through which a distance value characterizing the distance between the measuring instrument and the object can be provided. For example, the output unit has a display through which the distance value can be provided, for example, in text form, especially in numerical form. This allows the operator of the measuring instrument and / or laser tool to read the distance value from the output unit, especially from the display, so that the laser tool can be adjusted or readjusted based on the distance value to ensure particularly high quality of laser processing and therefore of the workpiece.

[0021] Relatedly, it has further proven advantageous that the output unit has a data communication element (as an alternative or supplement to the display) through which distance values ​​can be provided to the workpiece processing equipment in data form. In other words, it is specified that during the operation of the measuring instrument, especially during the operation of the laser tool, which is particularly part of the workpiece processing equipment, the distance value is provided by the output unit of the workpiece processing equipment, particularly the control unit of the workpiece processing equipment, wherein the control unit of the workpiece processing equipment is designed, for example, to adjust or readjust the actuator of the workpiece processing equipment, such as a robotic arm, based on the provided distance value. This is because, for example, the laser tool can be designed as a distal end-effector of a robot, which forms the workpiece processing equipment. However, it is equally desirable for the laser tool to be arranged on the distal end-effector of the robot or the workpiece processing equipment. It is particularly advantageous that the control unit of the workpiece processing equipment can control both the actuator of the workpiece processing equipment and the laser tool, and especially the measuring instrument; for this purpose, the measuring instrument, for example, is coupled to or can be coupled to the control unit. According to this design, at least for adjustment or readjustment, an operator can be eliminated, because the adjustment or readjustment process can be automated by means of the measuring instrument that cooperates with the workpiece processing equipment in the described manner. The operator (e.g., to trigger the adjustment or readjustment) advantageously only needs to insert the measuring instrument into the machining laser optics system of the laser tool, replacing the optical protection element. This eliminates the source of human error from the adjustment or readjustment process by providing distance values ​​directly to the workpiece machining equipment via data communication elements.

[0022] In another (second) aspect, the present invention relates to a laser tool for laser processing of objects, particularly workpieces, the laser tool having a measuring instrument designed as described above. Based on the measuring instrument designed for measuring the distance between the measuring instrument and the workpiece, the laser tool is configured to determine the distance between the object or workpiece and the laser tool by measuring the distance between the measuring instrument and the object or workpiece and determining, for example, calculating, the distance between the object / workpiece and the laser tool therefrom. Here, the laser tool has a laser source and a processing laser optical system, wherein the processing laser optical system includes a receiving element by which optical protective elements of the processing laser optical system can be reversibly and non-destructively removed from the processing laser optical system and / or inserted into the processing laser optical system.

[0023] To enable particularly efficient measurement of the distance between a workpiece and a laser tool using a laser tool, according to this invention, the housing of the measuring instrument has an external shape corresponding to the external shape of the optical protective element. This allows the housing and, consequently, the measuring instrument to be reversibly and non-destructively inserted into and / or removed from the processing laser optical system. This means that when the optical protective element is removed from the processing laser optical system as specified, the measuring instrument can be inserted into the processing laser optical system as specified. In other words, both the optical protective element and the measuring instrument are designed to correspond to the processing laser optical system, and therefore, they are interchangeable for use with respect to that system.

[0024] The present invention also includes an extension design of the laser tool according to the invention, having features already described with respect to the extended design of the measuring instrument according to the invention. Therefore, the corresponding extended design of the laser tool according to the invention will not be described again here.

[0025] According to another (third) aspect of the invention, the workpiece processing equipment, particularly the workpiece processing robot, has a laser tool designed as described above. This means that the workpiece processing equipment is designed to measure the distance between the workpiece and the laser tool or measuring instrument, particularly efficiently, by means of the laser tool, which includes measuring instruments, in order to ensure particularly high quality of laser processing and thus (processed) workpieces.

[0026] The present invention also includes extensions to the workpiece processing apparatus according to the invention, having features already described with respect to the extended designs of the measuring instruments according to the invention and / or the extended designs of the laser tools according to the invention. Therefore, these corresponding extensions to the workpiece processing apparatus according to the invention will not be described again herein.

[0027] In another (fourth) aspect, the invention also relates to a method for determining the distance between a laser tool and, for example, an object designed as a workpiece, wherein the optical protective element of the laser tool is reversibly and non-destructively removed from the processing laser optics system of the laser tool, and a measuring instrument is inserted into the processing laser optics system in place of the optical protective element. This means that the laser tool and the measuring instrument are designed according to the above description.

[0028] The present invention also includes extended designs of the method according to the invention having features already described regarding the laser tool according to the invention, the measuring instrument according to the invention, and / or the workpiece processing equipment according to the invention. Therefore, these corresponding extended designs of the method according to the invention will not be described again herein.

[0029] The present invention also includes combinations of features of the described embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0030] The following describes embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a laser tool with a processing laser optical system is shown, into which measuring instruments or optical protection components can be inserted. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The embodiments described below are preferred embodiments of the present invention. In these embodiments, the components described are individual features of the present invention that can be viewed independently of each other. These features also independently form extensions of the present invention and can therefore be considered as components of the present invention individually or in combinations different from those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by other features of the present invention already described.

[0032] In the accompanying drawings, elements with the same function are respectively assigned the same reference numerals.

[0033] The following sections collectively describe the measuring instruments, laser tools, workpiece processing equipment, and measuring methods.

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a laser tool 2 with a processing laser optical system 4 is shown, into which a measuring instrument 1 or an optical protective element 5 can be inserted. First, the laser tool 2 is described, wherein the optical protective element 5 is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4. The laser tool 2 is designed to project a processing laser beam 6 onto a workpiece 7, wherein the beam waist 8 of the processing laser beam 6 characterizes the processing point 9 of the laser tool 2. For example, the beam waist 8 coincides with the processing point 9. The position of the beam waist 8 and therefore the position of the processing point 9 are determined by the processing laser optical system, which is generally indicated by reference numeral 4. For this purpose, the processing laser optical system 4 has at least two optical elements 10, such as lenses, mirrors, etc. Through these optical elements 10, during the operation of the laser tool 2, the laser coupled to the processing laser optical system 4 is transformed into the processing laser beam 6 using the laws of optical physics, i.e., by focusing, refracting, deflecting, reflecting, etc., thereby ultimately producing the position of the beam waist 8 and thus the processing point 9 of the laser tool 2. Here, the processing laser optical system 4 has an optical intermediate axis 11, which, for example, forms the longitudinal central axis of the processing laser optical system 4. The optical intermediate axis 11 or the longitudinal central axis of the processing laser optical system 4, for example, characterizes the beam path or optical path of the processing laser beam 6.

[0035] The laser beam 6, converted from the processing laser optical system 4, is coupled to the optical element 10 of the processing laser optical system 4 via the processing laser source 13 on the input side 12 of the processing laser optical system 4, thereby emitting the laser beam 6 as the processing laser beam 6 on the output side 14 of the processing laser optical system 4. The processing laser source 13 can be, for example, a laser diode and / or other laser sources. It should be particularly understood that the processing laser source 13 can be arranged remotely from the processing laser optical system 4, so that the processing laser can be coupled to the processing laser optical system 4 on the input side 12, for example, via an optical transmission element, such as an optical transmission cable.

[0036] The processing laser optical system 4 and therefore the laser tool 2 also have an optical protection element 5, which protects the optical element 10 from contamination or damage when molten material on the workpiece 7 is ejected or thrown up during its laser processing. For this purpose, the optical protection element 5, designed, for example, to protect a glass plate, is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4, particularly coaxially with respect to the optical intermediate axis 11. For this purpose, the laser tool 2, and especially the processing laser optical system 4, has a receiving element 15 corresponding to the optical protection element 5, wherein the optical protection element 5 forms a (first) insertion element 16. Therefore, the optical protection element 5 or the first insertion element 16 and the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2 or the processing laser optical system 4 are designed to form a holding device. Here, the holding device has a receiving element 15 and a first insertion element 16 inserted into the receiving element, i.e., the optical protection element 5. For example, it is specified that a frictional fit and / or form fit are formed between the insertion element 16 and the receiving element 15, and thus between the optical protection element 5 and the receiving element, thereby securing or being able to secure the optical protection element 5, as the first insertion element 16, in the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4. Furthermore, it is specified that the frictional fit or achievable fit between the insertion element 16 and the receiving element 15 can be reversibly and non-destructively released, so that the optical protection element 5, as the first insertion element 16, can be reversibly and non-destructively removed from the receiving element 15 and thus from the processing laser optical system 4.

[0037] As will be explained in detail below, the measuring instrument 1 has a housing 17, the external shape 18 of which is designed such that the measuring instrument 1 and the optical protection element 5 have the same external shapes 18, 19. In other words, the housing 17 of the measuring instrument 1 is designed such that the external shape 18 of the measuring instrument 1 and the external shape 19 of the optical protection element 5 correspond at least to the extent that the measuring instrument 1 can replace the optical protection element 5 in insertion into the processing laser optical system 4. This, for example, means that the housing 17 of the measuring instrument 1 has means for achieving frictional and / or form fit between the measuring instrument 1 and the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4. In other words, the measuring instrument 1 forms an additional (e.g., a second) insertion element 20 for receiving the element 15. Thus, the measuring instrument 1 or the second insertion element 20 and the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2 or the processing laser optical system 4 are designed to form a holding device. Here, the holding device has the receiving element 15 and (as a replacement for the optical protection element 5) the second insertion element 20 inserted into the receiving element, i.e., the measuring instrument 1.

[0038] The measuring instrument 1 has a distance sensor 21, particularly a laser triangulation sensor 22, through which a measuring laser beam 23 can be emitted or radiated. This measuring laser beam can be aligned with the workpiece 7, particularly with the surface 25 of the workpiece 7, to measure the distance 24. For this purpose, the laser triangulation sensor 22 or the distance sensor 21 in this example has a measuring laser source 26, which is designed differently from the processing laser source 13. In addition, the measuring instrument 1 has a mirror element 27, through which the measuring laser beam 23 is aligned with the workpiece 7 or the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 during operation. When the measuring laser beam 23 strikes the surface 25 of the workpiece 7, the measuring laser beam is reflected by the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 as a reflected measuring laser beam 28, wherein a reflection angle is formed between the measuring laser beam 23 and the reflected measuring laser beam 28, and the distance 24 can be characterized by this reflection angle. In this example, it is also specified that the measuring laser beam 23 and the reflected measuring laser beam 28 are deflected by approximately 90 degrees by the mirror element 27, thereby enabling a particularly compact construction of the measuring instrument 1, for example, when the structure of the laser triangulation sensor 22 is particularly tall, it can be mounted horizontally.

[0039] To determine the distance 24 between the laser tool 2, particularly the output side 14 of the laser tool 2, and the workpiece 7, particularly the surface 25 of the workpiece, particularly quickly and efficiently during mass production, the optical protective element 5 or the first insertion element 16 can be removed from the laser tool 2, particularly from the processing laser optical system 4, according to the method used to measure the distance 24. Thereafter, the measuring instrument 1 or the (second) insertion element 20 can be inserted into the laser tool 2, particularly the processing laser optical system 4, by inserting the measuring instrument 1 into the receiving element 15 of the laser tool 2 or the processing laser optical system 4. In other words, the optical protective element 5 is replaced with the measuring instrument 1 for measuring the distance 24. Before this, the processing laser beam 6 must be deactivated, for example, by turning off the processing laser source 13.

[0040] Therefore, the laser tool 2 is described below, wherein the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the processing laser optical system 4. It can be seen that the measuring laser beam 23 is radiated onto the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 via the laser triangulation sensor 22 and the mirror element 27, such that the measuring laser beam 23 is reflected back to the laser triangulation sensor 22 as a reflected measuring laser beam 28 through the surface 25. Here, the reflected measuring laser beam 28 is deflected by the mirror element 27 in this example. Since the geometric arrangement of the receiving element 15 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 facing the workpiece 7 is known, the geometric arrangement of the measuring instrument 1 inserted in the receiving element 15 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 is also known. In this method, for example, it is specified that the distance 30 between the measuring instrument 1 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 is detected or measured by the measuring instrument 1. Since the geometric arrangement of the measuring instrument 1 relative to the end 29 of the laser tool 2 is known at this time, the distance 24 between the laser tool 2 and the workpiece 7 can be determined by simple mathematical operations (which can be performed, in particular, by the control unit or calculation unit of the measuring instrument 1, not shown). In this way, the distance 24 can be accurately determined in a very short measurement time, for example, within a few seconds. Thus, it can be determined in a particularly simple way whether the beam waist 8 or the processing point 9 is arranged relative to the workpiece 7 in a desired manner, so as to ensure particularly high or advantageous quality of laser processing and therefore of the workpiece 7 processed by laser processing.

[0041] Alternatively or additionally, it may be specified that when the laser tool 2 or the workpiece processing equipment 3 is put into use, the laser tool 2 or the workpiece processing equipment 3 having the laser tool 2, together with the measuring instrument 1, is calibrated, for example, by manually adjusting the desired or ideal distance between the end 29 of the laser tool 2 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7. In this case, the measuring instrument 1 may be adjusted such that deviations of the laser tool 2 and / or the workpiece 7 from the ideal distance are detected by the measuring instrument 1, by measuring or detecting a distance that is larger or smaller than the ideal distance.

[0042] In this example, the measuring instrument 1 also has an output unit 31 through which distance values ​​characterizing distance 24 and / or distance 30 can be provided. For example, the output unit 31 is specified to have a display 32, through which the distance values ​​can be provided, for example, in text, especially numerical form, to the operator of the laser tool 2 or the measuring instrument 1. In another advantageous design of the measuring instrument 1, the output unit 31 has a data communication element 33 as an alternative or supplement to the display 32, through which the distance values ​​can be provided in data form to the workpiece processing equipment 3, especially the control device of the workpiece processing equipment. This means, for example, that when measuring or detecting distance 24, the measuring instrument 1 provides the distance value characterizing distance 24 to the control device of the workpiece processing equipment 3 via the data communication element 33. Specifically, the control device of the workpiece processing equipment 3 is designed to receive the distance values ​​as input control signals, meaning that the control device can control the actuator 34 of the workpiece processing equipment 3 based on the distance values. In other words, it is possible in the workpiece processing equipment 3 to automatically or autonomously adjust the distance 24 once the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4 or laser tool 2 as specified.

[0043] The workpiece processing equipment 3 has a laser tool 2 and therefore (if the measuring instrument 1 is inserted into the laser tool 2) a measuring instrument 1. Here, the workpiece processing equipment 3 is designed as a workpiece processing robot or at least has a workpiece processing robot. This means that the actuator 34 of the workpiece processing equipment 3 can be designed, for example, as a robot actuator, wherein the laser tool 2 forms, for example, the distal end part of the workpiece processing robot or is disposed on this distal end part. Accordingly, the control device of the workpiece processing equipment 3 is designed as a robot control device, in particular providing the distance value in data form to the robot control device via the data communication element 33 of the output unit 31, so that (after the distance 24 has been detected by the measuring instrument 1) the robot control device accordingly controls the workpiece processing robot, i.e., the actuator 34, for adjustment or readjustment. Therefore, if there is a misalignment of distance 24, causing the machining point 9 of the laser tool 2 forming the machining point of the workpiece processing equipment 3 to be misaligned relative to the workpiece 7 in an undesirable manner, the robot programming can be influenced, for example, by a robot control device, according to which the actuator 34 or the robot actuator can be controlled or controlled so as to (re)adjust the distance 24 so that the machining point 9 of the laser tool 2 or the workpiece processing equipment 3 is arranged or positioned relative to the workpiece 7 as desired.

[0044] This invention generally indicates how to measure distance 24 particularly efficiently using a measuring instrument 1, a laser tool 2, a workpiece processing device 3, and / or a method for measuring distance 24, without significantly interrupting the batch production or batch processing process in an unfavorable manner. Since the measuring instrument 1 can be inserted into the receiving element 15 of the processing laser optical system 4 as specified, the particularly long and unfavorable setup time for modifying the laser tool 2 to measure distance 24 is eliminated. Instead, the optical protective element 5 or protective glass plate is removed particularly efficiently from the receiving element 15, i.e., from the processing laser optical system 4, in a simple manner, after which the measuring instrument 1 can be inserted into the receiving element 15, i.e., into the processing laser optical system 4, with equal efficiency or simplicity. This achieves extremely short measurement times and particularly rapid deployment, and performing this measurement does not require personnel to possess specialized knowledge beyond operating the laser tool 2 and replacing or substituting the optical protective element 5.

[0045] Furthermore, measuring instrument 1 has a particularly low cost, as it is significantly cheaper than conventional measuring systems (which can cost tens of thousands of euros), costing less than one thousand euros. This results in a particularly economically advantageous measuring method, which contributes to achieving exceptionally high and, especially consistently, quality in workpiece 7.

[0046] Furthermore, by projecting the measuring laser beam 23 along the beam path of the processing laser beam 6, for example along the optical intermediate axis 11, onto the surface 25 of the workpiece 7, the distance 24 between the laser tool 2 and the surface 25 of the workpiece 7 can be detected with particular precision. Since the distance 24 is measured or detected directly at the processing point 9, this is better than detecting the distance 24 at a distance from the processing point 9.

[0047] List of reference numerals

[0048] 1. Measuring Instruments

[0049] 2 Laser tools

[0050] 3. Workpiece processing equipment

[0051] 4. Processing Laser Optical System

[0052] 5 Optical Protection Components

[0053] 6. Processing laser beams

[0054] 7 workpieces

[0055] 8 beam waist

[0056] 9 processing points

[0057] 10 optical components

[0058] 11 Optical intermediate axis

[0059] 12 input side

[0060] 13. Processing laser source

[0061] 14 Output Side

[0062] 15 housing elements

[0063] 16 Insert Components

[0064] 17 housing

[0065] 18 external shape

[0066] 19External shape

[0067] 20 Insert Components

[0068] 21 Distance Sensor

[0069] 22 Laser Triangulation Sensor

[0070] 23 Measuring the laser beam

[0071] 24 distance

[0072] 25 surface

[0073] 26. Measuring laser source

[0074] 27 mirror components

[0075] 28 Reflection Measurement Laser Beam

[0076] 29 end

[0077] 30 distance

[0078] 31 Output Unit

[0079] 32 monitors

[0080] 33 Data Communication Components

[0081] 34 Executive agencies

Claims

1. A measuring instrument for laser tools, used to measure the distance between the measuring instrument and an object, the measuring instrument having a laser triangulation sensor capable of radiating a measuring laser beam onto the object, the measuring laser beam being reflected by the object upon impact and received by the laser triangulation sensor, and the measuring instrument having a housing in which the laser triangulation sensor is disposed, wherein, The housing has an external shape that corresponds to the external shape of the optical protective element of the laser tool's processing laser optical system. During laser processing, this optical protective element is inserted into the laser tool to protect the optical components of the processing laser optical system from contamination or damage. Thus, a measuring instrument can be inserted into the laser tool in place of the optical protective element to measure the distance. Its features are, A mirror element is provided in the housing, which can deflect the measuring laser beam toward the object and deflect the reflected measuring laser beam toward the laser triangulation sensor. The mirror element enables the measuring laser beam emitted by the laser triangulation sensor to be coaxial with the optical path of the processing laser beam of the laser tool.

2. The measuring instrument according to claim 1, Its features are, An output unit is provided, through which a distance value characterizing the distance between the measuring instrument and the object can be provided.

3. The measuring instrument according to claim 2, Its features are, The output unit has a display through which the distance value can be provided.

4. The measuring instrument according to claim 2 or 3, Its features are, The output unit has a data communication element, and the distance value can be provided to the workpiece processing equipment in data form.

5. A laser tool for laser processing an object, comprising a measuring instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, enabling the determination of the distance between the laser tool and the object by means of the laser tool, said laser tool comprising a processing laser source and a processing laser optical system, the processing laser optical system having a receiving element through which an optical protective element of the processing laser optical system can be reversibly and non-destructively detached from the processing laser optical system. Its features are, The housing of the measuring instrument has an external shape that corresponds to the external shape of the optical protection element, thereby enabling the measuring instrument to be reversibly and non-destructively detachably inserted into the processing laser optical system.

6. A workpiece processing device comprising the laser tool according to claim 5.

7. A method for determining the distance between a laser tool and an object according to claim 5, characterized in that, The optical protective element of the laser tool is reversibly and without damage removed from the processing laser optical system of the laser tool, and the measuring instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 4 is inserted into the processing laser optical system in place of the optical protective element.

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