A coupling component and a water-guided laser processing device containing the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a coupling assembly and a water-guided laser processing device containing the assembly, relating to the technical field of water-guided laser processing. An hourglass-shaped homogenization chamber is provided within the main body of the coupling assembly, and air inlets are provided on the side walls of the main body. The air inlets allow gas to enter the narrow waist section of the homogenization chamber from both sides. The gas is blocked by the water jet and the chamber walls, forming two spindle-shaped vortices flowing in opposite directions, thereby weakening the interference of the airflow on the water jet. The upper vortex flows upward closely adjacent to the water jet, inhibiting the downward transmission of the water jet's surface waves; the lower vortex moves downward along the water jet and then swirls upward, enhancing the suppression effect on the recoil water, thereby improving the stability of the water jet and extending the stable length. In a water-guided laser processing device containing the above-mentioned coupling assembly, the different effects of the two airflows are simultaneously superimposed, allowing the coupling assembly to significantly improve processing quality and efficiency while maintaining constant energy consumption, thereby meeting the processing requirements of workpieces with large aspect ratios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of water-guided laser processing, and in particular to a coupling component and a water-guided laser processing device containing the component. Background Art

[0002] Water-guided laser processing, a novel stress-free processing method, has been widely adopted in the materials processing industry. Water-guided laser processing equipment couples a nanosecond pulsed laser with a fine, high-speed water jet. The water jet's scouring action cools the workpiece in real time during machining, reducing the heat-affected zone (HAZ), improving machining accuracy and quality, and reducing processing time and waste. Common water-guided laser processing techniques also incorporate a coaxial airflow into the coupled energy beam of the laser and water jet, leveraging air pressure to suppress the interference of water splashes from the workpiece surface on the water jet.

[0003] However, existing gas-assisted water-guided laser processing devices suffer from a short stable coupled beam length and insufficient ability to suppress recoil splashes. This is particularly true when processing ceramics, composites, complex multilayer materials, and high-hardness materials like diamond. The device must be larger to maintain a stable coupled beam length sufficient to meet the required processing depth. This makes it difficult to fit into confined workspaces, limiting the device's application range. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem solved by the present invention is how to improve the processing quality and efficiency of a workpiece with a large aspect ratio by using a water-guided laser processing device in a narrow working space.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a coupling component and a water-guided laser processing device containing the component.

[0006] In the first aspect, the present invention provides a coupling component for coupling a light source, a water source, and a gas source, comprising a main body, wherein a coupling hole and a homogenization cavity are coaxially opened inside the main body, the homogenization cavity is hourglass-shaped, and an air inlet is opened on the side wall of the main body, the air inlet is connected to the thin waist section of the homogenization cavity, and the paired air inlet holes are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the main body, and the air inlet holes introduce the gas into the homogenization cavity in a direction perpendicular to the coupling energy beam, so that the gas produces a spindle-shaped flow trajectory.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has but is not limited to the following technical effects:

[0008] The coupling assembly disclosed in the present invention has an hourglass-shaped homogenizing chamber coaxial with the coupling hole set inside the main body, and the auxiliary gas is vertically injected from the thin waist section of the homogenizing chamber to the coupled energy beam of the nanosecond pulse laser and the fine high-speed water jet through the air inlet. The auxiliary gas enters from both sides of the thin waist of the homogenizing chamber. Due to the symmetrical arrangement of the air inlet, the external forces generated by the auxiliary gases introduced on both sides along the radial direction of the water jet can offset each other. The vertically incident airflow changes its direction under the obstruction of the water jet and splits into two, forming two airflows with opposite directions. Due to the restriction of the hourglass-shaped outer contour of the homogenizing chamber, the two spindle-shaped airflows form vortices in their respective half-areas, which have a shaping effect on the boundary of the water jet and further improve the processing stability of the water jet.

[0009] The spindle-shaped airflow in the upper half of the homogenization chamber propagates upward along the water jet boundary, suppressing the downward propagation of the water jet's surface waves and significantly improving the water jet's stability. This significantly enhances the suppression of recoil water. Meanwhile, the spindle-shaped airflow in the lower half of the homogenization chamber moves downward along the water jet and then swirls upward, significantly further suppressing recoil water. This improves the water jet's transmission stability while extending its stable length. Therefore, by incorporating this improved coupling component into a water-guided laser processing device, the different effects of the two spindle-shaped airflows are simultaneously superimposed. This significantly improves processing quality and efficiency while maintaining the device's inherent size, thus meeting the processing requirements of workpieces with large aspect ratios.

[0010] Optionally, the coupling hole is divided into an incident section and an injection section along the flow direction of the coupled energy beam, and the homogenization chamber is located between the incident section and the injection section; the coupling assembly also includes an outer cylinder, which is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the main body and sealed with the main body, and the outer cylinder is used to connect the light source and the water source, and a homogenization water channel is provided between the main body and the outer cylinder, and the homogenization water channel is connected to the incident section of the coupling hole.

[0011] Optionally, a focusing lens is fixedly mounted on the end surface of the main body close to one end of the incident section, and a gap is left between the focusing lens and the end surface of the main body, and the gap is used to connect the homogenized water channel and the incident section of the coupling hole.

[0012] Optionally, a lens groove is formed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder, and the focusing lens is sealed and embedded in the lens groove.

[0013] Optionally, the homogenizing water channel is arranged around the coupling hole.

[0014] Optionally, an annular air channel is provided between the main body and the outer cylinder, and the annular air channel is connected to the air source and is connected to the homogenization chamber through the air inlet hole.

[0015] Optionally, the main body includes a main body part and a nozzle arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the coupling hole, the incident section is opened in the main body part, and the injection section is opened in the nozzle; the main body part has a first conical groove, the nozzle has a second conical groove, and the homogenization chamber is formed by splicing the first conical groove and the second conical groove.

[0016] Optionally, a radial sealing structure is provided on the abutting surface between the main body portion and the nozzle.

[0017] Optionally, the body portion is gap-fitted with the nozzle.

[0018] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a water-guided laser processing device, which is controlled by a CNC numerical control system and includes a laser component, a water supply system, an air supply system, and a coupling component as described above. The laser component is used to emit laser into the coupling hole, the water supply system is used to provide a water source into the coupling hole, and the air supply system is used to provide an air source into the homogenization cavity through the air inlet.

[0019] Since the technical improvements and technical effects of the water-guided laser processing device are the same as those of the coupling assembly, the water-guided laser processing device will not be described in detail. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional exploded view of the coupling component of an embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 2 This is an exploded front view of a coupling assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 3 It is an axial cross-sectional view of the coupling assembly.

[0023] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of spindle-shaped gas flow.

[0024] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the suppression effect of the spindle-shaped gas on the recoil water in the lower half.

[0025] Description of reference numerals:

[0026] 1. Main body; 11. Coupling hole; 111. Incident section; 112. Injection section; 12. Homogenizing chamber; 121. First conical groove; 122. Second conical groove; 13. Air inlet; 14. Main body; 15. Nozzle; 2. Outer cylinder; 21. Lens groove; 3. Homogenizing water channel; 4. Focusing lens; 41. Gap; 5. Annular air channel; 6. Radial sealing structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present invention. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] The Z-axis in the accompanying drawings represents the vertical direction, that is, the up-down position, with the positive direction of the Z-axis representing the top and the reverse direction of the Z-axis representing the bottom. The X-axis in the accompanying drawings represents the horizontal direction and is designated as the front-to-back position, with the positive direction of the X-axis representing the front side and the reverse direction of the X-axis representing the rear side. The Y-axis in the accompanying drawings represents the left-to-right position, with the positive direction of the Y-axis representing the left side and the reverse direction of the Y-axis representing the right side. It should also be noted that the aforementioned Z-axis, Y-axis, and X-axis are merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of the present invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0029] The term "including" and its variations used in this document are open inclusions, that is, "including but not limited to"; the term "based on" means "based at least in part on"; the term "one embodiment" means "at least one embodiment"; the term "another embodiment" means "at least one other embodiment"; the term "some embodiments" means "at least some embodiments"; the term "optionally" means "optional embodiments". The relevant definitions of other terms will be given in the following description. It should be noted that the concepts of "first", "second", etc. mentioned in the present invention are only used to distinguish different devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units.

[0030] It should be noted that the modifications of "one" and "multiple" mentioned in the present invention are illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art should understand that unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context, it should be understood as "one or more".

[0031] Water-guided laser processing equipment couples nanosecond pulsed lasers with fine, high-speed water jets. The energy of the coupled energy beam is distributed in a flat-top pattern. Therefore, the stability of the water jet and the length of the stable zone have a crucial impact on processing quality and efficiency.

[0032] In related technologies, the coupled energy beam's stable length is too short, insufficiently suppressing the recoil spray. The recoil spray disrupts the water jet flow, resulting in low coupled energy beam stability. This is particularly true when machining high-aspect-ratio workpieces made of high-hardness materials such as ceramics, composites, complex multilayer materials, and diamond. Traditional air-assisted water-guided laser machining devices typically require increased size to improve the water jet's kinetic energy, making them difficult to operate within confined workspaces, limiting their application.

[0033] In response to the problems existing in the above-mentioned related technologies, this embodiment provides a coupling component.

[0034] like Figure 1-Figure 3 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a coupling assembly comprising a main body 1, coaxially defined within the main body 1 are a coupling hole 11 and a homogenizing chamber 12. The homogenizing chamber 12 is hourglass-shaped, and an air inlet 13 is formed on the sidewall of the main body 1. The air inlet 13 communicates with the narrow waist of the homogenizing chamber 12. Pairs of air inlet 13 are symmetrically distributed on either side of the main body 1. The air inlet 13 directs gas into the homogenizing chamber 12 perpendicular to the coupling energy beam, creating a spindle-shaped flow path. The gas and water are pressurized within the homogenizing chamber 12 and then coupled with the laser, forming a coupled energy beam that is ejected onto the workpiece, thereby performing processes such as drilling and grooving.

[0035] like Figure 1 、 Figure 3 As shown, specifically, the outer contour of the main body 1 is cylindrical, the coupling hole 11 is located at the axis of the main body 1 and runs through the entire main body 1, and the homogenization cavity 12 divides the coupling hole 11 into an incident section 111 and an injection section 112. The coupled energy beam of the nanosecond pulse laser and the fine high-speed water jet enters the main body 1 from the incident section 111 of the coupling hole 11, passes through the homogenization cavity 12, and is emitted from the injection section 112. The homogenization cavity 12 includes two conical chambers, which are respectively located above and below the thin waist section. The length direction of the air inlet 13 extends radially outward along the main body 1, and the two air inlet holes 13 are located on the same diameter of the main body 1. The two air inlet holes 13 are both connected to the gas source of the auxiliary gas. The two auxiliary gases enter from both sides of the thin waist of the homogenization cavity 12 respectively and flow perpendicularly to the coupled energy beam.

[0036] In this embodiment, five pairs of air inlets 13 are provided, for a total of ten. Due to the symmetrical arrangement of the air inlets 13, the auxiliary gases on both sides are synchronously introduced into the homogenization chamber 12, and the external forces generated along the radial direction of the water jet can offset each other, thereby minimizing the disturbance of the airflow to the water jet along the radial direction. The airflow perpendicular to the coupled energy beam changes its direction under the obstruction of the water jet and splits into two, forming two airflows flowing in opposite directions. After being restricted by the conical outer contour of the homogenization chamber 12, the airflow forms a spindle-shaped trajectory. The two spindle-shaped airflows then form vortices in their respective half-regions, thereby shaping and stabilizing the water jet during the processing process, further improving the stability of the water jet.

[0037] It is worth noting that Figure 4 As shown, the spindle-shaped airflow in the upper half of the homogenization chamber 12 flows upward along the water jet boundary, suppressing the downward propagation of the water jet's surface waves. Meanwhile, the spindle-shaped airflow in the lower half of the homogenization chamber 12 propagates downward along the water jet and then swirls upward, significantly suppressing the recoil water. This improves the water jet's transmission stability and extends its stable length. Therefore, by incorporating this improved coupling assembly into a water-guided laser processing device, the different effects of the two spindle-shaped airflows are simultaneously superimposed. While maintaining the device's inherent size, this significantly improves processing quality and efficiency, thus meeting the processing requirements of workpieces with large aspect ratios.

[0038] like Figure 2 、 Figure 3 As shown, optionally, the coupling assembly also includes an outer cylinder 2, which is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the main body 1 and sealed with the main body 1. The outer cylinder 2 serves to connect the light source and the water source. A homogenized water channel 3 is provided between the main body 1 and the outer cylinder 2, and the homogenized water channel 3 is connected to the incident section 111 of the coupling hole 11.

[0039] Specifically, in this embodiment, the homogenizing channel 3 is annular and surrounds the coupling hole 11. High-pressure water flows into the outer cylinder 2, first flowing into the homogenizing channel 3, forming a stable and uniform slow flow, before entering the coupling hole 11 to couple with the laser beam. In other embodiments, the homogenizing channel 3 can also be configured as a spiral, a square pool, or other shapes, depending on the structural characteristics of the main body 1 and the outer cylinder 2.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, optionally, a focusing lens 4 is fixedly mounted on the end face of the main body 1 close to the incident section 111 , and a gap 41 is left between the focusing lens 4 and the end face of the main body 1 , and the gap 41 can connect the homogenized water channel 3 and the incident section 111 of the coupling hole 11 .

[0041] Specifically, focusing lens 4 is an essential component for coupling the laser beam to the water jet. Conventional water-guided laser processing equipment typically places focusing lens 4 close to the coupling assembly to save space. However, this solution ingeniously separates focusing lens 4 from the coupling assembly's main body 1, leaving a 1mm gap 41 between the end faces of focusing lens 4 and main body 1. This gap 41 is connected to the homogenizing water channel 3, allowing the slow flow in homogenizing water channel 3 to flow into coupling hole 11 through gap 41. Due to water tension, a properly designed width of gap 41 allows the water flow to form a near-stationary, stable water layer as it passes through gap 41, further improving the stability of the water jet.

[0042] In this embodiment, the focusing lens 4 not only focuses light but also serves as a barrier for the gap 41 to form a stable water layer.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, optionally, a lens groove 21 is opened on the inner wall of the outer tube 2 , and the focusing lens 4 is sealed and embedded in the lens groove 21 .

[0044] Specifically, the focusing lens 4 is embedded in the lens groove 21 by pressing, and a rubber sealing ring and a sealing gasket are provided between the focusing lens 4 and the inner wall of the outer tube 2 to achieve sealing to prevent water from leaking outward.

[0045] like Figure 3 As shown, optionally, an annular air channel 5 is provided between the main body 1 and the outer cylinder 2 , and the annular air channel 5 is connected to the air source and is connected to the homogenization chamber 12 through the air inlet 13 .

[0046] Specifically, the annular air channel 5 has a similar function to the homogenizing water channel 3 , and can buffer the auxiliary gas before it enters the homogenizing chamber 12 , thereby further weakening the interference effect of the auxiliary gas on the water jet.

[0047] In this embodiment, the main body 1 can be formed in one piece to achieve a better sealing effect for the homogenization chamber 12. In other embodiments, the homogenization chamber 12 can also be formed by combining multiple parts.

[0048] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the main body 1 optionally adopts a split design. The main body 1 includes a body portion 14 and a nozzle 15, which are arranged in sequence along the axial direction of the coupling hole 11. The incident section 111 of the coupling hole 11 is provided in the main body portion 14, and the injection section 112 is provided in the nozzle 15. The main body portion 14 has a first tapered groove 121, and the nozzle 15 has a second tapered groove 122. The homogenization chamber 12 is formed by the combination of the first tapered groove 121 and the second tapered groove 122.

[0049] The nozzle 15 is also a necessary component in water-guided laser processing, which plays the role of pressurized injection coupling energy beam. In related technologies, the nozzle 15 is mostly installed below the outside of the homogenization structure.

[0050] It is worth noting that in this embodiment, the homogenizing chamber 12 is formed by combining the first conical groove 121 and the second conical groove 122, and the nozzle 15 also becomes a part of the main body 1, thereby shortening the length of the device and making the device more adaptable to a narrow working environment.

[0051] Optionally, the nozzle 15 is clearance-fitted to the body portion 14 .

[0052] like Figure 3 As shown, specifically, an assembly hole is opened at the bottom of the main body part 14, and the nozzle 15 and the main body part 14 are clearance-fitted to facilitate assembly and disassembly.

[0053] like Figure 1 、 Figure 3 As shown, in addition, since the air inlet 13 needs to be provided at the narrow waist portion of the homogenizing chamber 12, in this embodiment, a strip groove can be directly formed on the end surface of the main body 1 or the nozzle 15. The main body 1 and the nozzle 15 abut and surround each other so that the strip groove becomes the air inlet 13. Compared with forming a through hole in the outer peripheral wall of the complete main body 1, this embodiment can reduce the difficulty of opening the hole.

[0054] like Figure 3 、 Figure 4 As shown, in addition, since the spindle-shaped gas effects in the upper and lower halves of the homogenization chamber 12 are different, the tapers of the conical grooves in the upper and lower halves can be different. Specifically, multiple simulation tests can be performed by changing the taper of the homogenization chamber 12 to obtain a specific taper that can achieve the best effect of the upper spindle-shaped airflow and the lower spindle-shaped airflow.

[0055] In this embodiment, the upper and lower halves of the homogenizing chamber 12 are formed on different components, allowing for flexible configuration of first and second tapered grooves 121, 122 with varying tapers according to processing requirements. In this embodiment, the angle between the conical surface and the bottom surface of the first tapered groove 121 is 60°, while the angle between the conical surface and the bottom surface of the second tapered groove 122 is 75°.

[0056] like Figure 5 As shown, a simulation test was conducted using the homogenization chamber with a specific taper in this embodiment, where the red arrows represent the water jet and its flow direction, and the lines of different colors represent the flow velocity distribution within the gas flow field. As can be seen in the figure, the water jet and gas are ejected from different outlets. After being ejected from the outlet, the gas is sucked by the water jet and transmitted downward along the water jet. The auxiliary gas ejected from the hourglass-shaped homogenization chamber 12 closely adheres to the water jet and is sprayed onto the workpiece surface in an almost vertical path, minimizing gas dispersion loss and concentrating the gas impact force, which has a strong suppressive effect on the recoil water mist. This achieves good results in suppressing recoil spray and significantly improves the stability of the water jet.

[0057] like Figure 3 As shown, optionally, a radial sealing structure 6 is provided on the abutting surface between the body portion 14 and the nozzle 15 .

[0058] Specifically, since there is a seam between the abutting surface of the body portion 14 and the nozzle 15, a radial sealing structure 6 is provided on the abutting surface to improve the sealing performance of the joint to prevent air and water leakage. Preferably, sealing teeth are provided on the abutting surface to ensure a concave-convex fit between the end surfaces of the body portion 14 and the nozzle 15, and a sealing layer is applied on the tooth surface to achieve radial sealing.

[0059] An embodiment of the present invention provides a water-guided laser processing device comprising a laser assembly, a water supply system, an air supply system, and the coupling assembly described above. The laser beam generated by the laser assembly is emitted into a coupling hole 11 through the coupling assembly's focusing lens 4. The water supply system introduces high-pressure water into the coupling hole 11 to couple with the laser beam. The air supply system introduces auxiliary gas into a homogenizing chamber 12 through an air inlet 13 to suppress recoil spray during processing.

[0060] The beneficial effects of the water-guided laser processing device of this embodiment relative to the prior art are the same as those of the coupling assembly described above, and will not be described in detail here.

[0061] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and these changes and modifications will fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A coupling assembly for coupling a light source, a water source, or an air source, characterized in that: The invention comprises a main body (1), wherein a coupling hole (11) and a homogenizing cavity (12) are coaxially provided inside the main body (1), wherein the homogenizing cavity (12) is hourglass-shaped, and an air inlet hole (13) is provided on a side wall of the main body (1), wherein the air inlet hole (13) is connected to the thin waist section of the homogenizing cavity (12), and the paired air inlet holes (13) are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the main body (1), and the air inlet holes (13) guide gas into the homogenizing cavity (12) in a direction perpendicular to the coupling energy beam, so that the gas generates a spindle-shaped flow trajectory.

2. The coupling assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that The coupling hole (11) is divided into an incident section (111) and an ejection section (112) along the flow direction of the coupled energy beam, and the homogenization chamber (12) is located between the incident section (111) and the ejection section (112); the coupling assembly further comprises an outer cylinder (2), the outer cylinder (2) being coaxially sleeved on the outside of the main body (1) and sealedly connected to the main body (1), the outer cylinder (2) being used to connect a light source and a water source, and a homogenization water channel (3) being provided between the main body (1) and the outer cylinder (2), the homogenization water channel (3) being connected to the incident section (111) of the coupling hole (11).

3. The coupling assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that A focusing lens (4) is fixedly mounted on the end surface of the main body (1) close to one end of the incident section (111), and a gap (41) is left between the focusing lens (4) and the end surface of the main body (1), and the gap (41) is used to connect the homogenized water channel (3) and the incident section (111) of the coupling hole (11).

4. The coupling assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that A lens groove (21) is formed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder (2), and the focusing lens (4) is sealed and embedded in the lens groove (21).

5. The coupling assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that The homogenizing water channel (3) is arranged around the coupling hole (11).

6. The coupling assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that An annular air channel (5) is provided between the main body (1) and the outer cylinder (2), and the annular air channel (5) is connected to an air source and is connected to the homogenizing chamber (12) through the air inlet (13).

7. The coupling assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that The main body (1) comprises a body portion (14) and a nozzle (15) sequentially arranged along the axial direction of the coupling hole (11); the incident section (111) is opened in the body portion (14), and the injection section (112) is opened in the nozzle (15); the body portion (14) is provided with a first conical groove (121), and the nozzle (15) is provided with a second conical groove (122); and the homogenization chamber (12) is formed by combining the first conical groove (121) and the second conical groove (122).

8. The coupling assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that A radial sealing structure (6) is provided on the abutting surface between the main body portion (14) and the nozzle (15).

9. The coupling assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that The body portion (14) and the nozzle (15) are clearance-matched.

10. A water-guided laser processing device controlled by a CNC numerical control system, characterized in that: The invention comprises a laser component, a water supply system, an air supply system and a coupling component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the laser component is used to emit laser light into the coupling hole (11), the water supply system is used to provide a water source into the coupling hole (11), and the air supply system is used to provide an air source into the homogenization chamber (12) through an air inlet (13).

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