Miniaturized laser head

Abstract

A miniaturized laser head is integrally of an I-shaped structure, is mainly made of copper materials, and is characterized by comprising an optical fiber (1), a flexible sealing material (2), an optical fiber connector (3), an optical fiber connector inner core (4), an optical fiber connector outer sleeve (5), a laser head shell (6), a collimating mirror (8), a focusing mirror (9), a multifunctional protective cover (11), a wire feeding device (12) and a contact mounting plate (13). The optical fiber (1) is directly connected with the optical fiber connector (3), and the outside is sealed by the flexible sealing material (2); divergent light beams (7) emitted by the optical fiber are converted into parallel light through the collimating mirror (8), and the parallel light is quickly converted into focused light beams (10) through the focusing mirror (9). The device is small in size, can be suitable for welding work in a narrow area, can be used for welding repair in a narrow space in a land environment, and can also be used in the underwater welding repair process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of laser welding, in particular to a laser head suitable for narrow area or underwater welding, specifically a miniaturized laser head. Background Art

[0002] Compared with other welding technologies, laser welding technology has the advantages of high energy density, good accessibility, and a small heat-affected zone of the weld formed by welding. Conventional laser welding joints are large in size and have a complex internal structure, so it is difficult to complete welding tasks in small areas on land and repair work in small areas underwater.

[0003] Among the existing technologies, the patent with application publication number CN116352265A introduces an L-shaped laser head device and a laser underwater welding device, which places the L-shaped laser head in a sealed shell for sealing; the device is equipped with a ring-shaped air knife device to ensure that there are no water droplets left on the lens. However, the sealed shell occupies a large space and cannot fit tightly with the laser head like flexible materials. The patent with application publication number CN110253143A introduces an underwater laser welding head with a movable air cover, which has good airtightness and can be used in underwater welding work, and the visual module on the laser head can further monitor the welding process. However, in order to install the visual module, the device adds a beam splitter between the collimator and the focusing lens, further increasing the volume of the optical device in the laser head. At the same time, the device places the wire feeder as a whole in the sealed cover, which also further increases the volume of the sealed cover. The large volume is not suitable for welding repair work in narrow underwater areas. The patent application publication number CN118180619A introduces a local dry underwater laser welding device, which is equipped with a drainage hood at the end of the device, has good drainage performance, and uses welding wire shielding gas, which can effectively improve the quality of welding repair. However, the device is relatively long as a whole and is not suitable for welding repair work in narrow areas. At the same time, the upper part of the laser head is not sealed as a whole, so there is a risk of water ingress during underwater welding. The 43rd volume and 4th issue of Nuclear Science and Engineering, entitled: Development of a miniaturized laser head for welding and plugging of heat transfer tubes of steam generators, introduces a miniaturized I-type laser head, which is mainly used in the plugging operation of steam generators in nuclear power plants. The laser head has a simple structure and a small size, which meets the size requirements of steam generator welding plugging operations, and the plugging operation effect is good. However, the laser head is not equipped with wire feeding equipment, and cannot perform welding wire filling repair work. At the same time, the device uses coaxial gas supply and has no external gas supply device, which cannot better protect the welding process. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to design a type I miniaturized laser head to address the problem that existing laser heads are large in size or have single functions and are difficult to adapt to narrow spaces or underwater welding. The laser head is suitable not only for welding work in narrow areas on land, but also for welding repair work in narrow areas underwater.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is: A miniaturized laser head, characterized in that: the laser head is an I-type laser head, including an optical fiber 1, a flexible sealing material 2, an optical fiber connector 3, an optical fiber connector inner core 4, an optical fiber connector jacket 5, a laser head shell 6, a collimating lens 8, a focusing lens 9, a multifunctional protective cover 11, a wire feeding device 12 and a contact mounting plate 13. The optical fiber 1 is directly connected to the optical fiber connector 3, and the flexible sealing material 2 is selected for sealing on the outside, which effectively reduces the width of the laser head; the divergent light beam 7 emitted by the optical fiber is converted into parallel light through the collimating lens 8, and quickly focused into a light beam 10 through the focusing lens 9, which effectively reduces the length of the laser head. Compared with conventional laser heads, the present invention is smaller in size and can be used for welding work in narrow areas; the present invention introduces a flexible sealing material 2, a multifunctional protective cover 11 and a wire feeding device 12, so it can be used not only for onshore welding, but also for underwater welding repair processes.

[0006] The flexible sealing material covers the optical fiber 1, the optical fiber connector 3 and the optical fiber connector jacket 5 very well, so that the sealing effect, heat insulation effect and dustproof effect of the connection between the optical fiber and the optical fiber connector are better.

[0007] In order to facilitate the protection of the laser and the underwater welding repair, the multifunctional protective cover 11 is connected to the laser head housing by threaded connection, and a sealing gasket is used to seal the connection to further improve its sealing performance. The multifunctional protective cover has good sealing performance. After connecting to the protective gas, it can protect the onshore welding process, and after connecting to the drainage gas, it can realize the underwater welding repair work.

[0008] The advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. The present invention adopts a flexible sealing material 2 for sealing, which effectively reduces the width of the laser head; the present invention simplifies the optical system of the laser head, further reduces the distance between the collimating lens 8 and the focusing lens 9, and effectively reduces the length of the laser head, thereby realizing the miniaturization of the laser head, so that the laser head can be used in welding work in narrow areas.

[0009] 2. The flexible sealing material used in the present invention has good waterproof, heat-insulating and dust-proof effects. After coating the optical fiber 1, the optical fiber connector 3 and the optical fiber connector jacket 5, the optical fiber connection of the laser head can have better waterproof, heat-insulating and dust-proof properties.

[0010] 3. The multifunctional protective cover 11 adopted in the present invention has a compact structure and good sealing performance. When welding on land, the protective cover can be introduced with protective gas to protect the welding process on land very well; after the drainage gas is introduced into the protective cover, good drainage performance can be guaranteed, and the local dry cavity can be well maintained underwater, thereby realizing underwater welding repair work.

[0011] 4. The wire feeding device 12 used in the present invention is connected to the multifunctional protective cover 11 by means of a threaded connection. The wire feeding device adopts a specially customized wire feeding nozzle and has a straightening function, which can further improve the stability of welding repair.

[0012] Compared with the traditional laser head, the miniaturized laser head invented in this paper further simplifies the internal structure and reduces the size of the laser head while ensuring the necessary functions, making it suitable for welding operations in narrow areas. At the same time, the present invention adopts a new sealing design, which makes the overall waterproof performance of the laser head better, and the multifunctional protective cover installed at the bottom has a good drainage effect, so it is suitable for welding repair work in narrow underwater areas. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the miniaturized laser head of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of the appearance structure of the miniaturized laser head of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the miniaturized laser head of the present invention. In the figure: 1 is optical fiber, 2 is flexible sealing material, 3 is optical fiber connector, 4 is optical fiber connector inner core, 5 is optical fiber connector jacket, 6 is laser head shell, 7 is optical fiber connector outlet laser, 8 is collimating lens, 9 is focusing lens, 10 is focused laser, 11 is multifunctional protective cover, 12 is wire feeding device, and 13 is contact mounting plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The advantages and solutions of the present invention are further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0017] like Figure 1-Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , a miniaturized laser head has an appearance as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown. Its overall structure is I-shaped, and the overall structural material is mainly copper, including optical fiber 1, flexible sealing material 2 (which can be made of high-temperature resistant silicone plate), optical fiber connector 3, optical fiber connector inner core 4, optical fiber connector jacket 5, laser head shell 6, collimator 8, focusing lens 9, multifunctional protective cover 11, wire feeding device 12 and contact mounting plate 13, as shown Figure 1 , 3As shown. The optical fiber 1 is introduced from the outside and connected to the optical fiber connector 3, the optical fiber connector inner core 4 is fixed to the outside of the optical fiber connector 3 through the contact mounting plate 13, and the optical fiber connector jacket 5 is matched with the optical fiber connector inner core 4 through a mechanical connection. In order to ensure the sealing of the connection between the optical fiber 1 and the optical fiber connector 3 and the sealing of the optical fiber connector jacket 5, a flexible sealing material 2 is used to fit and seal it, so as to ensure the sealing and waterproofness of the upper part of the laser head during the welding process.

[0018] The laser head housing 6 is tightly connected to the optical system of the laser head by threaded connection. The optical system of the laser head is mainly composed of a collimator 8 and a focusing lens 9. The divergent light beam 7 emitted by the optical fiber is converted into parallel light by the collimator, and the parallel light is focused by the focusing lens 9. The laser is refocused at the welding position to form a light spot, thereby performing the welding process.

[0019] Similarly, the multifunctional protective cover 11 is connected to the laser head housing 6 in the form of a threaded connection, and a sealing gasket is used to seal the bottom of the connection. The wire feeding device 12 is connected to the multifunctional protective cover 11 in the form of a threaded connection. The wire feeding device uses a wire feeding nozzle with a straightening function, so that the welding wire is fed straight into the welding position, which can further improve the stability of the welding repair. The multifunctional protective cover 11 has good sealing performance and can provide good protection for the welding process. After adding a quick-connect connector to the multifunctional protective cover, the protective gas is introduced into the protective cover during the onshore welding process, which can provide good protection for the welding process; the drainage gas is introduced into the protective cover during underwater welding, which can form a local dry cavity in the protective cover, thereby realizing underwater welding repair work in narrow areas.

[0020] The examples given above are only used to illustrate the present application. The present invention is not limited to the above examples. Non-essential changes, modifications, substitutions, and combinations made by those skilled in the art based on the technical features of the present invention are all included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0021] The present invention does not involve parts that are the same as the prior art or can be implemented by using the prior art.

Claims

1. A miniaturized laser head, characterized in that: The overall structure is an I-type structure, comprising an optical fiber (1), a flexible sealing material (2), an optical fiber connector (3), an optical fiber connector inner core (4), an optical fiber connector outer shell (5), a laser head outer shell (6), a collimating lens (8), a focusing lens (9), a multifunctional protective cover (11), a wire feeding device (12) and a contact mounting plate (13); the optical fiber (1) is connected to the optical fiber connector (2); the optical fiber connector inner core (4) is connected to the optical fiber connector (3) via the contact mounting plate (13); the optical fiber connector outer shell (5) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via a mechanical connection; the flexible sealing material (2) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via the contact mounting plate (13); the flexible sealing material (3) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via a mechanical connection; the flexible sealing material (5) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via a mechanical connection; the flexible sealing material (2) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via the contact mounting plate (13); the flexible sealing material (3) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via the contact mounting plate (13); ... the contact mounting plate (13); the flexible sealing material (5) is connected to the optical fiber connector inner core (4) via the contact mounting plate The material (2) is used to cover a portion of the optical fiber (1), the optical fiber connector (3) and the optical fiber connector jacket (5) as a whole; the laser head housing (6) is connected to the optical fiber connector jacket (5) by mechanical connection; the collimating lens (8) and the focusing lens (9) are connected to the laser head housing (6) by threaded connection; the multifunctional protective cover (11) is connected to the laser head housing (6) by threaded connection; the wire feeding device (12) is connected to the multifunctional protective cover (11) by threaded connection, so that the fed welding wire is located directly below the light beam (10).

2. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The optical fiber (1) emits a divergent light beam (7), which is converted into parallel light after passing through a collimator (8); the parallel light is converted into a focused light beam (10) through a focusing lens (9), and is focused to a welding position at the bottom of the multifunctional protective cover (11), wherein the focal length of the collimator is 30 mm to 50 mm, and the focal length of the focusing lens is 50 mm to 500 mm.

3. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laser head housing (6) and the multifunctional protective cover (11) are copper components, which are 50% lighter than commercially available laser heads and are suitable for solid-state lasers, semiconductor lasers and liquid lasers. The laser power range during use is 500W-6000W. When the laser power is less than 3000W, cooling by a cooling device is not required. When the laser power is greater than 3000W, a water cooling device needs to be connected inside the laser head.

4. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible sealing material (2) has excellent waterproof, heat-insulating and dust-proof effects. The flexible sealing material wraps the optical fiber (1), the optical fiber connector (3) and the optical fiber connector jacket (5) together as a whole by means of a coating, so that the optical fiber connection of the laser head has better waterproof and heat-insulating effects.

5. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The multifunctional protective cover (11) is connected to the laser head housing (6) by threads, the connection is firm and the gasket is provided, which has good sealing and heat insulation effects. During the onshore welding process, protective gas can be introduced to ensure the stability of the laser. During the underwater welding process, drainage gas can be introduced into the multifunctional protective cover (11) to serve as a drainage device for drainage. During the underwater welding process, contact sealing materials (such as flame-retardant sponges) and non-contact sealing materials (such as installing a water curtain device to isolate external water, thereby cooperating with the protective gas to form a local dry cavity) can be installed under the multifunctional protective cover (11), so that the application environment of the laser head underwater is more extensive.

6. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wire feeding device (12) is connected to the multifunctional protective cover (11) by means of a threaded connection, which facilitates wire filling and repair work in narrow areas on land and underwater; the wire feeding device uses a wire feeding nozzle with a straightening function, so that the welding wire is fed straight into the welding position, thereby improving the stability of the welding repair.

7. The miniaturized laser head according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: The flexible sealing material (2) is made of a high temperature resistant silicone plate.

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