Water-jet guided laser processing device

Abstract

The invention provides a water-jet guided laser processing device which comprises a snakelike robot which comprises a mechanical joint assembly used for forming a snakelike body of the snakelike robot, and a channel is formed in the mechanical joint assembly; the water-guided laser coupling cavity is installed at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly and comprises a high-pressure water nozzle and a laser emitting device, the high-pressure water nozzle is configured to output high-pressure water flow, and the laser emitting device is configured to emit laser into the high-pressure water flow through the high-pressure water nozzle to form a laser coupling water beam; the first flexible pipe is located in the channel of the mechanical joint assembly, a water channel is formed in the hollow portion of the first flexible pipe, the refractive index of the inner wall face, forming the water channel, of the first flexible pipe is lower than that of water, and the first end of the first flexible pipe is connected with the high-pressure water nozzle so that the water channel can receive the laser coupling water beam; the second end of the first flexible pipe is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly so that the laser coupling water beam in the water channel can be output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of processing technology, and in particular to a water-guided laser processing device. Background Technology

[0002] The water-guided laser processing device confines the laser within a slender water jet with a diameter of tens of micrometers, maintaining an extremely high laser energy density within the water jet. This enables high-precision material removal, while the presence of the water medium allows heat to be carried away promptly during the laser ablation process, achieving low-damage, high-quality laser processing of the workpiece.

[0003] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the water-guided laser coupling cavity 100 of the water-guided laser processing head in a related technology water-guided laser processing apparatus. High-pressure water enters the water-filling chamber 102 through the high-pressure water inlet 101, passes through the high-pressure water nozzle 103, and generates a capillary laminar water jet 104. The diameter of the capillary laminar water jet 104 (hereinafter referred to as the water jet) is typically 40-100 μm. Coaxial high-pressure gas enters the gas-filling chamber 106 through the protective gas inlet 105 and is ejected from the gas nozzle 107 to form an annular protective gas flow 108 surrounding the water jet 104, enhancing the anti-interference capability of the water jet 104 and dispersing the water layer on the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 to be processed. The collimated laser beam 109 enters the high-pressure water nozzle 103 through the focusing objective lens 110 and the window lens 111. The collimated laser beam 109 is guided into the water jet 104 in the form of total internal reflection at the water / air interface. The collimated laser beam 109 is guided to the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 to be processed in the cylindrical water jet 104, so as to achieve laser melting and evaporation ablation zone, thereby removing the material.

[0004] Water-guided laser processing equipment typically includes a water-guided laser processing head and a multi-axis motion platform holding the workpiece. In practical applications, the water-guided laser processing head is fixed and does not move; the multi-axis motion platform holds the workpiece and moves to position and process the water jet. However, conventional water-guided laser processing equipment cannot meet the specific processing requirements of certain workpieces, such as internal cavities, deep blind holes, or areas with poor internal accessibility.

[0005] The above statements are for the purpose of providing background information in relation to this application only, and do not necessarily constitute prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a water-guided laser processing device, which aims to improve the flexibility of the water-guided laser processing device so that it can be used in more processing scenarios.

[0007] This application provides a water-guided laser processing apparatus, comprising:

[0008] A snake-like robot, including a mechanical joint assembly for forming the snake-like body of the snake-like robot, the mechanical joint assembly having a channel inside;

[0009] A water-guided laser coupling cavity, installed at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly, includes a high-pressure water nozzle and a laser emission device. The high-pressure water nozzle is configured to output a high-pressure water flow, and the laser emission device is configured to inject laser light into the high-pressure water flow through the high-pressure water nozzle to form a laser-coupled water beam.

[0010] A first flexible tube is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly. The hollow portion of the first flexible tube forms a water channel. The refractive index of the inner wall surface of the first flexible tube forming the water channel is lower than that of water. A first end of the first flexible tube is connected to the high-pressure water nozzle so that the water channel receives the laser-coupled water beam. A second end of the first flexible tube is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly so that the laser-coupled water beam in the water channel is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly.

[0011] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus,

[0012] The water-guided laser coupling cavity also includes a gas nozzle configured to output a protective gas flow.

[0013] The water-guided laser processing device further includes a second flexible tube, which is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly and sleeved on the outer periphery of the first flexible tube. A protective gas channel is formed between the second flexible tube and the first flexible tube. The first end of the second flexible tube is connected to the gas nozzle so that the protective gas channel receives the protective gas flow. The second end of the second flexible tube is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly so that the protective gas flow in the protective gas channel is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly.

[0014] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the end face of the second end of the second flexible tube is closer to the first end of the mechanical joint assembly than the end face of the second end of the first flexible tube.

[0015] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, a positioning structure is provided between the second flexible tube and the first flexible tube at least at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly. The positioning structure is configured such that the second end of the second flexible tube is concentrically positioned with the second end of the first flexible tube, so that the protective airflow forms an annular protective airflow with an equal thickness of airflow layer around the laser-coupled water beam.

[0016] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus,

[0017] The first flexible tube is made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water; or

[0018] The first flexible tube includes a material layer forming the inner wall of the water channel, which is made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water.

[0019] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the channel of the mechanical joint assembly is located at the radial center of the mechanical joint assembly.

[0020] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, a monitoring device is also included, which is disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly and configured to monitor the movement process of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly and the processing process of the laser-coupled water beam.

[0021] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the monitoring device includes a visual monitoring device.

[0022] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus,

[0023] The snake-like robot also includes a drive device for controlling the movement of the mechanical joint components;

[0024] The water-guided laser processing apparatus further includes a control device coupled to the drive device and configured to control the movement of the mechanical joint assembly by controlling the drive device.

[0025] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the water-guided laser processing apparatus further includes a monitoring device disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly and configured to monitor the movement process of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly and the processing process of the laser-coupled water beam. The control device is also coupled to the monitoring device and configured to control the drive device according to the monitoring results of the monitoring device.

[0026] Based on the water-guided laser processing device provided in this application, a water-guided laser coupling cavity is coupled to a snake-like robot, and a first flexible tube is provided. The snake-like robot can move flexibly in complex and narrow environments. The first flexible tube can transport the laser-coupled water beam from the first end to the second end of the mechanical joint assembly, so that the laser-coupled water beam generated at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly can reach the second end of the mechanical joint assembly to process the surface of the workpiece to be processed at the second end. This forms a multi-degree-of-freedom flexible water-guided laser processing device, which can fully utilize the advantages of water-guided laser processing and the characteristics of snake-like robots to meet the laser processing application needs of specific scenarios such as deep cavities and poor accessibility. This improves the flexibility of the water-guided laser processing device so that it can be used in more processing scenarios.

[0027] Other features and advantages of this application will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the principle structure of the water-guided laser coupling cavity of the water-guided laser processing head in a water-guided laser processing device for related technologies.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram with partial cross-section of the water-guided laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram of part A.

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram of section B with partial cross-section.

[0033] Figure 5 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the water-guided laser processing device during the processing of the workpiece inside the processing chamber.

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the control principle block diagram of the water-guided laser processing device.

[0035] Figures 1 to 6 In the figures, the labels represent:

[0036] 100. Water-guided laser coupling cavity;

[0037] 101. High-pressure water inlet;

[0038] 102. Water-filled chamber;

[0039] 103. High-pressure water nozzle;

[0040] 104. Water jet;

[0041] 105. Protect the gas inlet;

[0042] 106. Inflatable chamber;

[0043] 107. Gas nozzle;

[0044] 108. Circular protective airflow;

[0045] 109. Collimated laser beam;

[0046] 110. Focusing objective lens;

[0047] 111. Window mirror;

[0048] 200. Workpiece to be processed;

[0049] 201. The surface of (the workpiece to be processed);

[0050] 300. Snake-like robot;

[0051] 301. Mechanical joint assembly;

[0052] 302. Drive rope;

[0053] 303. Drive unit;

[0054] 400. Water-guided laser coupling cavity;

[0055] 401. High-pressure water inlet;

[0056] 402. Water-filled chamber;

[0057] 403. High-pressure water nozzle;

[0058] 405. Protect the gas inlet;

[0059] 406. Inflatable chamber;

[0060] 407. Gas nozzle;

[0061] 409. Collimated laser beam;

[0062] 410. Focusing objective lens;

[0063] 411. Window mirror;

[0064] 500, First Flexible Pipe;

[0065] 501. Waterway;

[0066] 600, Second flexible tube;

[0067] 601. Protective air passage;

[0068] 700. Monitoring devices;

[0069] 800. Control device;

[0070] W, water;

[0071] G. Protective gas;

[0072] WR, laser-coupled water jet;

[0073] B. Chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0074] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit this application or its application or use. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0075] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0076] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0077] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0078] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0079] This application provides a water-guided laser processing device, including a snake robot 300, a water-guided laser coupling cavity 400, and a first flexible tube 500.

[0080] The snake robot 300 includes a mechanical joint assembly 301 for forming the snake body of the snake robot 300, the mechanical joint assembly 301 having a channel inside.

[0081] A water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 is installed at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and includes a high-pressure water nozzle 405 and a laser emission device. The high-pressure water nozzle 405 is configured to output a high-pressure water flow, and the laser emission device is configured to inject laser into the high-pressure water flow through the high-pressure water nozzle 405 to form a laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0082] The first flexible tube 500 is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The hollow portion of the first flexible tube 500 forms a water channel 501. The refractive index of the inner wall surface of the water channel 501 formed by the first flexible tube 500 is lower than that of water. The first end of the first flexible tube 500 is connected to a high-pressure water nozzle 405 so that the water channel 501 receives a laser-coupled water beam WR. The second end of the first flexible tube 500 is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 so that the laser-coupled water beam WR in the water channel 501 is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301.

[0083] like Figures 2 to 6 As shown, the water-guided laser processing apparatus of this embodiment couples a water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 with a snake-like robot 300, and also incorporates a first flexible tube 500. The snake-like robot 300 can move flexibly in complex and confined environments. The first flexible tube 500 can transport a laser-coupled water beam WR from the first end to the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301, allowing the laser-coupled water beam WR generated at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 to reach the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and process the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 at the second end. This forms a multi-degree-of-freedom flexible water-guided laser processing apparatus, fully utilizing the advantages of water-guided laser processing and the characteristics of a snake-like robot to meet the laser processing application needs in specific scenarios such as deep cavities and poor accessibility, such as repair work like water-guided laser cutting and laser drilling inside engines. This improves the flexibility of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, enabling its use in a wider range of processing scenarios.

[0084] like Figures 2 to 4As shown, in some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 further includes a gas nozzle 407. The gas nozzle 407 is configured to output a protective gas flow. The water-guided laser processing apparatus also includes a second flexible tube 600. The second flexible tube 600 is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and is sleeved around the outer periphery of the first flexible tube 500. A protective gas channel 601 is formed between the second flexible tube 600 and the first flexible tube 500. A first end of the second flexible tube 600 is connected to the gas nozzle 407 so that the protective gas channel 601 receives the protective gas flow. A second end of the second flexible tube 600 is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 to output the protective gas flow within the protective gas channel 601 from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301.

[0085] The water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 also includes a gas nozzle 407, and the water-guided laser processing device also includes a second flexible tube 600, forming a dual channel of laser-coupled water jet and protective gas. This improves the stability of the laser-coupled water jet WR and enables the blowing away of residual water layer on the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 to be processed, thereby improving the ablation efficiency of the laser-coupled water jet WR on the material of the surface 201.

[0086] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the end face of the second end of the second flexible tube 600 is closer to the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 than the end face of the second end of the first flexible tube 500.

[0087] The end face of the second end of the second flexible tube 600 is closer to the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 than the end face of the second end of the first flexible tube 500, which is beneficial for the protective gas to form better protection for the laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0088] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, a positioning structure is provided between the second flexible tube 600 and the first flexible tube 500 at at least the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The positioning structure is configured such that the second end of the second flexible tube 600 and the second end of the first flexible tube 500 are concentrically arranged, so that the protective airflow forms an annular protective airflow with an equal thickness of airflow layer on the outer periphery of the laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0089] The positioning structure is designed to create a ring-shaped protective airflow with equal thickness around the laser-coupled water beam WR, which facilitates better all-around protection of the laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0090] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the first flexible tube 500 is made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water; or the first flexible tube 500 includes a material layer made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water forming the inner wall of the water channel 501.

[0091] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301 is located in the radial center of the mechanical joint assembly 301.

[0092] The channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301 is located in the radial center of the mechanical joint assembly 301, which facilitates the accurate manipulation of the position and orientation of the second flexible tube 600 and the first flexible tube 500 by controlling the mechanical joint assembly 301, thereby facilitating better control of the water-guided laser processing.

[0093] like Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, in some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, a monitoring device 700 is also included. The monitoring device 700 is disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and is configured to monitor the movement process of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and the laser-coupled water beam WR, i.e., the water-guided laser processing process.

[0094] Monitoring the movement of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and the processing of the laser-coupled water jet WR by the monitoring device helps the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 to travel to the processing position along a suitable path and accurately execute the processing process according to the processing requirements.

[0095] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the monitoring device 700 includes a visual monitoring device. The visual monitoring device includes, for example, a camera or video camera, to determine the location of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and its surrounding environment using images or videos acquired by the camera or video camera.

[0096] like Figures 2 to 6 As shown, in some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the snake robot 300 further includes a drive device 303 for controlling the movement of the mechanical joint assembly 301; the water-guided laser processing apparatus also includes a control device 800, which is coupled to the drive device 303 and configured to control the movement of the mechanical joint assembly 301 by controlling the drive device 303.

[0097] By controlling the mechanical joint assembly 301 through the control device 800 and the control drive device 303, the snake robot 300 and the first flexible tube 500 and the second flexible tube 600 carried by it can be automatically controlled by the control device 800, and the processing process of the water-guided laser can be automatically controlled.

[0098] like Figures 2 to 6As shown, in some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the water-guided laser processing apparatus further includes a monitoring device 700, which is disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and configured to monitor the movement process of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and the processing process of the laser-coupled water beam WR. The control device 800 is also coupled to the monitoring device 700 and is configured to control the drive device 303 according to the monitoring results of the monitoring device 700.

[0099] The control device 800 controls the drive device 303 to control the movement of the mechanical joint assembly 301 based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device 700. The control device 800 can automatically control and adjust the travel path, position and attitude of the snake robot 300 and the first flexible tube 500 and the second flexible tube 600 carried by it in real time based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device 700. It can also automatically control and adjust the processing of the water-guided laser in real time based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device 700.

[0100] In some embodiments of the water-guided laser processing apparatus, the control device 800 may be implemented as a general-purpose processor, a programmable logic controller (PLC), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, or any suitable combination thereof for performing the functions described herein.

[0101] The following combination Figures 2 to 6 The water-guided laser processing apparatus of this embodiment will be described in more detail.

[0102] The water-guided laser processing device includes a snake robot 300, a water-guided laser coupling cavity 400, a first flexible tube 500, a second flexible tube 600, a monitoring device 700, and a control device 800.

[0103] The snake-like robot 300 includes a mechanical joint assembly 301, a drive rope 302, and a drive device 303. The mechanical joint assembly 301 has a channel located radially at its center along its entire length. The snake-like robot 300 is a biomimetic robot. Its structure includes a snake-like body formed by a continuous robotic arm strip structure. The mechanical joint assembly 301 can be driven to move by the drive device 303. The drive device 303 drives the mechanical joint assembly 301 via the drive rope 302. The drive rope 303 is connected to the joint array of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The drive rope 303 has a tension-pull structure, which allows the continuous robotic arm strip structure to deform, thereby enabling the snake-like robot 300 to move flexibly in complex and narrow environments.

[0104] The water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 is installed at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The water-guided laser coupling cavity 400 includes a high-pressure water inlet 401, a water-filling chamber 402, a water-pressurized nozzle 403, a protective gas inlet 405, a gas-filling chamber 406, and a gas nozzle 407.

[0105] High-pressure water enters the water filling chamber 402 through the high-pressure water inlet 401, and then is output through the high-pressure water nozzle 405 to form a high-pressure water flow.

[0106] The protective gas enters the inflation chamber 406 through the protective gas inlet 405, and then is output through the gas nozzle 407 to form a protective gas flow.

[0107] The laser emission device includes a focusing objective lens 410 and a window mirror 411. The window mirror 411 is disposed on the side of the high-pressure water nozzle 405 away from the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and forms part of the cavity wall of the water-filled chamber 402. The focusing objective lens 410 is located on the side of the window mirror 411 away from the high-pressure water nozzle 405. The collimated laser beam 409 passes sequentially through the focusing objective lens 410 and the window mirror 411 and is injected into the high-pressure water flow through the high-pressure water nozzle 405 to form a laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0108] A first flexible tube 500 is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301, and the hollow portion of the first flexible tube 500 forms a water channel 501. The refractive index of the inner wall surface of the first flexible tube 500 forming the water channel 501 is lower than that of water. In this embodiment, the first flexible tube 500 has a flexible tube body and a total reflection coating on the inner surface of the flexible tube body. The inner surface of the total reflection coating forms the channel wall of the water channel 501. The material of the total reflection coating is a flexible low-refractive-index material with a refractive index less than 1.333, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. The total reflection coating can be formed on the inner surface of the tube body of the first flexible tube 500 by deposition. The laser beam entering the high-pressure water flow can achieve total reflection confinement within the water channel 501.

[0109] The first end of the first flexible tube 500 is connected to the high-pressure water nozzle 405 so that the water channel 501 receives the laser-coupled water beam WR. The second end of the first flexible tube 500 is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 so that the laser-coupled water beam WR in the water channel 501 is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 forms the processing end of the water-guided laser processing device.

[0110] The second flexible tube 600 is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and is sleeved around the outer periphery of the first flexible tube 500. A protective gas channel 601 is formed between the second flexible tube 600 and the first flexible tube 500. The first end of the second flexible tube 600 is connected to the gas nozzle 407 so that the protective gas channel 601 receives the protective gas flow. The second end of the second flexible tube 600 is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 so that the protective gas flow in the protective gas channel 601 is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301. The end face of the second end of the second flexible tube 600 is closer to the first end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 than the end face of the second end of the first flexible tube 500.

[0111] A positioning structure is provided at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 between the second flexible tube 600 and the first flexible tube 500. The positioning structure is configured to make the second end of the second flexible tube 600 and the second end of the first flexible tube 500 concentrically arranged, so that the protective airflow forms an annular protective airflow with equal thickness of airflow layer on the outer periphery of the laser-coupled water beam WR.

[0112] A monitoring device 700 is disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and is configured to monitor the movement of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and the laser-coupled water beam WR, i.e., the processing process of water-guided laser. The monitoring device 700 includes a camera, which determines the position of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly 301 and its surrounding environment by acquiring images from the camera.

[0113] The control device 800 is coupled to the drive device 303 and the monitoring device 700 and is configured to control the drive device 303 according to the monitoring results of the monitoring device 700.

[0114] like Figure 5As shown, the water-guided laser processing apparatus of this application embodiment can perform laser processing on the surface 201 of the workpiece 200 to be processed within the cavity of cavity B. By controlling the drive device 303 of the snake robot 300 and the camera image-assisted guidance as a monitoring device 700, the control device 800 automatically controls the snake robot 300 to pass through the inlet of cavity B and reach the processing area of ​​the surface 201 of the workpiece 200. High-pressure water is supplied to the high-pressure water inlet 401 of the water-guided laser coupling cavity 400, protective gas is supplied to the protective gas inlet 405 of the water-guided laser coupling cavity 400, and a collimated laser beam 409 is incident on the focusing objective lens 410 and window lens 411 of the laser emission device, thereby realizing water-guided laser processing on the processing area of ​​the surface 201 of the workpiece 200.

[0115] As can be seen from the description of the above embodiments, the water-guided laser processing device of this application embodiment forms a multi-degree-of-freedom flexible water-guided laser processing device through an organic composite water-guided laser coupling cavity and a snake-shaped robot, and has at least one of the following technical effects:

[0116] The first flexible tube connects to the water-guided laser coupling cavity, forming a flexible water channel. The water channel is embedded in the channel of the mechanical joint component of the snake robot. The laser beam focused by the focusing lens can achieve total internal reflection constraint within the flexible water channel to form a laser-coupled water beam, realizing the spatial transfer of laser energy. The movement and positioning of the mechanical joint component of the snake robot can be controlled by an external snake robot drive device, guiding the laser-coupled water beam to the area to be processed and realizing water-guided laser processing.

[0117] The mechanical joint components of the snake robot are embedded with a first flexible tube. By driving the snake robot to move and position in space with multiple degrees of freedom, it can realize water-guided laser processing function with multiple degrees of freedom in space. It has a wide range of applications and can achieve efficient and low-damage water-guided laser processing applications in laser processing applications in narrow and complex internal cavities and areas with poor spatial accessibility, such as on-wing laser cutting and laser drilling repair of workpieces inside aero engines.

[0118] The second end of the mechanical joint assembly of the snake robot, namely the water-guided laser processing end, has a small structural size, high processing accessibility, and strong resistance to processing interference, which can effectively improve the processing flexibility and adaptability of the water-guided laser processing device.

[0119] The first and second flexible tubes connect to the water-guided laser coupling cavity, forming a dual channel for the laser-coupled water beam and the protective gas. The dual channels are embedded in the channels of the mechanical joint components of the snake robot. The laser beam, focused by the focusing lens, can achieve total internal reflection constraint within the flexible water channel, realizing the spatial transfer of laser energy. The inner and outer "wrapping" structure of the dual channels allows the protective gas to follow the second flexible tube for spatial transfer, and achieves ring protection for the laser-coupled water beam at the end outlet of the second end of the mechanical joint components of the snake robot. This improves the stability of the laser-coupled water beam and also enables the function of blowing away the residual water layer on the surface of the workpiece to be processed, thereby improving the ablation efficiency of the laser-coupled water beam on the surface of the workpiece.

[0120] The monitoring device at the water-guided laser processing end can monitor and provide spatial movement data of the snake robot for auxiliary guidance of the snake robot's movement, and can monitor the water-guided laser processing process in real time.

[0121] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application and not to limit them; although this application has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the specific implementation of this application or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features, all of which should be covered within the scope of the technical solutions claimed in this application.

Claims

1. A water-guided laser processing device, characterized in that, include: A snake-like robot (300) includes a mechanical joint assembly (301) for forming the snake's body of the snake-like robot (300), the mechanical joint assembly (301) having a channel inside; A water-guided laser coupling cavity (400), mounted at the first end of the mechanical joint assembly (301), includes a high-pressure water nozzle (405) and a laser emission device. The high-pressure water nozzle (405) is configured to output a high-pressure water flow, and the laser emission device is configured to inject laser light into the high-pressure water flow through the high-pressure water nozzle (405) to form a laser-coupled water beam (WR). A first flexible tube (500) is located within the channel of the mechanical joint assembly (301). The hollow portion of the first flexible tube (500) forms a water channel (501). The refractive index of the inner wall surface of the first flexible tube (500) forming the water channel (501) is lower than that of water. The first end of the first flexible tube (500) is connected to the high-pressure water nozzle (405) so that the water channel (501) receives the laser-coupled water beam (WR). The second end of the first flexible tube (500) is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) so that the laser-coupled water beam (WR) in the water channel (501) is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301).

2. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water-guided laser coupling cavity (400) also includes a gas nozzle (407) configured to output a protective gas flow. The water-guided laser processing device further includes a second flexible tube (600), which is located in the channel of the mechanical joint assembly (301) and sleeved on the outer periphery of the first flexible tube (500). A protective gas channel (601) is formed between the second flexible tube (600) and the first flexible tube (500). The first end of the second flexible tube (600) is connected to the gas nozzle (407) so that the protective gas channel (601) receives the protective gas flow. The second end of the second flexible tube (600) is located at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) so that the protective gas flow in the protective gas channel (601) is output from the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301).

3. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The end face of the second end of the second flexible tube (600) is closer to the first end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) than the end face of the second end of the first flexible tube (500).

4. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, A positioning structure is provided between the second flexible tube (600) and the first flexible tube (500) at least at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301). The positioning structure is configured such that the second end of the second flexible tube (600) and the second end of the first flexible tube (500) are concentrically arranged so that the protective airflow forms an annular protective airflow with an equal thickness of airflow layer on the outer periphery of the laser-coupled water beam (WR).

5. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first flexible tube (500) is made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water; or The first flexible tube (500) includes a material layer made of a material with a refractive index lower than that of water forming the inner wall of the water channel (501).

6. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The channel of the mechanical joint assembly (301) is located in the radial center of the mechanical joint assembly (301).

7. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a monitoring device (700) disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) and configured to monitor the movement of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) and the processing of the laser-coupled water beam (WR).

8. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The monitoring device (700) includes a visual monitoring device.

9. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The snake robot (300) also includes a drive device (303) for controlling the movement of the mechanical joint assembly (301). The water-guided laser processing apparatus further includes a control device (800) coupled to the drive device (303) and configured to control the movement of the mechanical joint assembly (301) by controlling the drive device (303).

10. The water-guided laser processing apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes a monitoring device (700) disposed at the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) and configured to monitor the movement of the second end of the mechanical joint assembly (301) and the processing of the laser-coupled water beam (WR). The control device (800) is also coupled to the monitoring device (700) and configured to control the drive device (303) based on the monitoring results of the monitoring device (700).

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