Improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube
By designing an annular water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe, and a spiral return gas pipe, the problems of residual stress from welding and uneven cooling in glass carbon dioxide laser tubes were solved, improving the stability and cooling efficiency of the laser and expanding its application range.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NANTONG PURUI SCI & TECH INSTR
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
The residual stress generated during the welding process of existing glass CO2 laser tubes is difficult to completely eliminate, resulting in insufficient laser stability and service life. The cooling water pipes also have poor cooling uniformity, affecting cooling efficiency and application range.
The design employs an annular inlet and outlet pipe, allowing the cooling water path to bypass the water-cooled jacket. Combined with a spiral return pipe, this optimizes the flow path of cooling water and gas, increases elasticity and support points, eliminates welding stress, and improves cooling uniformity and heat exchange efficiency.
It significantly improves the structural stability and cooling efficiency of laser tubes, extends their service life, enhances the stability and application range of lasers, and reduces equipment costs and maintenance difficulty.
Smart Images
Figure CN224249147U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of carbon dioxide laser technology, specifically relating to an improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube. Background Technology
[0002] A carbon dioxide laser (hereinafter referred to as a laser) is a gas laser that uses carbon dioxide gas as its working medium and has wide applications in industrial production. Its core component is a glass carbon dioxide laser tube (hereinafter referred to as a laser tube), which typically consists of a discharge tube, a water-cooling jacket, and a gas storage jacket. The discharge tube, as the main area for laser generation, is coaxially covered by a water-cooling jacket to cool it during operation and ensure stable laser operation. The water-cooling jacket is further covered by a gas storage jacket, which not only protects the water-cooling jacket but also serves as a channel for storing and transporting carbon dioxide gas. Traditionally, laser tubes typically have inlet and outlet water pipes directly welded to the top and bottom ends of the water-cooling jacket, extending through the gas storage jacket to the outside. While this achieves the entry and exit of cooling water and fixation of the laser tube, this rigid connection easily generates residual stress during the welding and fabrication of the laser glass blank. This residual stress cannot be released and can lead to laser tube breakage due to temperature changes or vibrations during later assembly, transportation, and use, severely affecting the normal operation of the laser.
[0003] To alleviate the residual stress caused by welding, a spiral tube structure is currently used to weld and fix the drain pipe to the water-cooling jacket and the gas storage jacket. However, because the drain pipe is long and the outlet is usually located at the top of the gas storage jacket, the cooling water in the water-cooling jacket is difficult to drain in time and tends to remain in the drain pipe. In low-temperature environments such as winter, this residual cooling water is very likely to freeze, which can damage the drain pipe or even cause the water-cooling jacket to crack, affecting the normal use of the laser tube.
[0004] Existing technologies address the issue of cooling water remaining in the drain pipe and water-cooling jacket freezing and causing the jacket to crack in winter. For example, patent application CN219779406U – "A Cooling Water Pipe with Same-Side Inlet and Outlet and a Glass Carbon Dioxide Laser Tube" – addresses this problem by changing the position and shape of the inlet and outlet pipes to ensure complete drainage of cooling water. However, because the existing laser tube's inlet pipe is still directly welded to the water-cooling jacket, it's difficult to completely eliminate residual stress generated during welding, thus compromising the laser's stability and lifespan. Furthermore, the existing cooling water pipes for laser tubes exhibit poor cooling uniformity, severely impacting cooling efficiency and limiting the laser's application range. Therefore, a new technical solution is needed to address these problems. Utility Model Content
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube to solve the problems mentioned in the background art, such as the difficulty in completely releasing the residual stress generated during the welding process, which makes it difficult to ensure the stability and service life of the laser, and the poor cooling uniformity of the cooling water pipes of existing laser tubes, which seriously affects the cooling efficiency and thus limits the application range of the laser.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: an improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube, comprising a water-cooled sleeve and a gas storage sleeve coaxially covering the outside of the water-cooled sleeve. A discharge tube is coaxially covered inside the water-cooled sleeve. One end of the discharge tube is connected to the positive terminal of the water-cooled sleeve. The positive terminal of the water-cooled sleeve is connected to an annular water inlet pipe. The annular water inlet pipe extends from the rear end face of the water-cooled sleeve along the upper axial direction to the lower part of the water-cooled sleeve and penetrates the gas storage sleeve to the outside. The other end of the discharge tube is connected to the negative terminal of the water-cooled sleeve. The negative terminal of the water-cooled sleeve is connected to an annular water outlet pipe. The annular water outlet pipe extends from the front end face of the water-cooled sleeve along the lower axial direction to the upper part of the water-cooled sleeve and penetrates the gas storage sleeve to the outside.
[0007] Furthermore, one end of the annular water inlet pipe is connected to the rear end face of the positive end of the water-cooled sleeve and communicates with the interior of the water-cooled sleeve; the other end of the annular water inlet pipe extends from the rear end face of the water-cooled sleeve along the upper axial direction of the water-cooled sleeve for three-quarters of a turn and then extends through the gas storage sleeve to the outside in the direction of the vertical axis of the water-cooled sleeve; the connection point between the annular water inlet pipe and the water-cooled sleeve forms a 270-degree angle with the water inlet of the annular water inlet pipe.
[0008] Furthermore, one end of the annular water outlet pipe is connected to the front end face of the negative end of the water-cooled sleeve and is connected to the interior of the water-cooled sleeve; the other end of the annular water outlet pipe extends from the front end face of the water-cooled sleeve along the lower axial direction of the water-cooled sleeve for three-quarters of a turn and then extends through the gas storage sleeve to the outside in the direction of the vertical axis of the water-cooled sleeve; the connection point between the annular water outlet pipe and the water-cooled sleeve forms a 270-degree angle with the outlet of the annular water outlet pipe.
[0009] Furthermore, a spiral return pipe is connected between the positive end of the water-cooled jacket and the end of the gas storage jacket. One end of the spiral return pipe is connected to the lower end face of the positive end of the water-cooled jacket and is connected to the interior of the gas storage jacket. The other end of the spiral return pipe extends straight from the lower end of the water-cooled jacket towards the negative end of the water-cooled jacket to one-sixth of the length of the water-cooled jacket. Then, starting from that point, it spirally winds around the water-cooled jacket in the opposite direction of the axial direction of the water-cooled jacket.
[0010] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:
[0011] 1. This utility model utilizes the annular inlet and outlet water pipes to completely eliminate residual stress generated during the welding process of the laser tube. This not only increases the elasticity of the annular inlet and outlet water pipes but also allows the laser tube to better adapt to the thermal expansion and contraction of the glass material during welding, effectively absorbing and releasing welding stress. This significantly improves the structural stability of the laser tube, reduces the risk of breakage due to residual stress, and extends the service life of the laser. By using the annular inlet and outlet water pipes as the channels for cooling water to enter and exit the water-cooling jacket, the flow path of the cooling water is optimized, allowing the cooling water to flow more evenly through the water-cooling jacket, improving cooling efficiency, ensuring that the discharge tube is adequately cooled during operation, and effectively preventing performance degradation or damage caused by overheating. At the same time, the uniform distribution of cooling water also reduces thermal stress caused by excessive local temperature differences, further enhancing the stability of the laser tube. This makes the laser tube have a wider range of applications in industrial production. Whether operating continuously in high-temperature environments or intermittently in low-temperature environments, the laser tube exhibits excellent performance and stability, thus meeting more diverse application needs.
[0012] 2. This utility model uses an annular water inlet pipe as the pipeline for cooling water to enter the water-cooled jacket, which allows the cooling water to be distributed more evenly inside the water-cooled jacket, improving cooling efficiency. It also helps to reduce hot spots and temperature unevenness during the cooling process. The bypass design of the annular water inlet pipe increases the support points of the annular water inlet pipe on the water-cooled jacket, thereby improving the stability of the laser and helping to reduce system instability caused by water flow impact or vibration. By designing the annular water inlet pipe to bypass the rear end face of the water-cooled jacket and penetrate the gas storage jacket, space utilization is optimized. This not only simplifies the connection process between the water inlet pipe and the water-cooled jacket, reduces installation steps and required components, and improves the usability of the laser tube, but also makes the laser more compact and efficient, helping to reduce the equipment footprint and manufacturing costs.
[0013] 3. This utility model uses an annular water outlet pipe as the pipeline for discharging cooling water from the water-cooled jacket. This not only ensures that the water flows along a more optimized path when leaving the water-cooled jacket, but also helps to reduce water flow resistance, improve water discharge efficiency, and promote the effective dissipation of heat inside the water-cooled jacket. The bypass design of the annular water outlet pipe increases the fixing points of the annular water outlet pipe on the water-cooled jacket, thereby enhancing the structural stability of the laser, helping to resist external vibration and impact, and ensuring the long-term stable operation of the equipment. By designing the annular water outlet pipe to bypass the front end of the water-cooled jacket and penetrate the gas storage jacket, the existing space is fully utilized, avoiding additional space occupation, which helps to reduce equipment costs, improve the compactness and aesthetics of the overall layout, and at the same time makes maintenance and inspection work simpler, effectively reducing maintenance difficulty and cost.
[0014] 4. This utility model adopts a spiral return pipe design that first extends in a straight line and then spirally winds, effectively increasing the length of the gas flow path. This allows the gas to exchange heat more fully with the water-cooled jacket during the return process, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the gas. It also helps the gas maintain a certain speed and pressure during flow, ensuring that the gas can smoothly return to the storage jacket. The spiral return pipe's design, spirally wound in the opposite direction to the water-cooled jacket's axis, allows the gas to contact the jacket wall multiple times during flow, increasing both the heat exchange area and efficiency. This allows the cooling water in the water-cooled jacket to effectively absorb and remove heat from the gas, maintaining its low temperature. The spiral shape of the return pipe also increases the structural strength of the laser tube, enabling it to absorb and disperse vibrations and impacts generated by the gas flow, thus protecting the water-cooled jacket and storage jacket from damage. This further enhances the stability and durability of the laser tube, allowing the laser to maintain stable performance output during long-term operation. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;
[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the water-cooled jacket (including the annular inlet pipe, the annular outlet pipe, the spiral return pipe, and the discharge pipe).
[0017] Figure 3 This is a side view of the connection between the annular water inlet pipe and the water-cooling jacket and the gas storage jacket of this utility model.
[0018] Figure 4 This is a side view of the connection between the annular water outlet pipe and the water-cooling jacket and the gas storage jacket of this utility model.
[0019] The components include: 1. Discharge tube; 2. Water-cooled jacket; 3. Gas storage jacket; 4. Annular water inlet pipe; 5. Annular water outlet pipe; and 6. Spiral return gas pipe. Detailed Implementation
[0020] The following embodiments are used to further illustrate the content of this utility model, and do not limit the application of this utility model.
[0021] Please see Figures 1-4 This utility model provides an improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube, including a discharge tube 1 for laser, a water-cooled sleeve 2 for cooling, and a gas storage sleeve 3 for gas storage. The gas storage sleeve 3 is coaxially wrapped around the outside of the water-cooled sleeve 2, and the discharge tube 1 is coaxially wrapped around the inside of the water-cooled sleeve 2 with its two ends connected to the positive and negative terminals of the water-cooled sleeve 2, respectively.
[0022] Please see Figures 1-3 The positive end of the water-cooled jacket 2 is connected to an annular water inlet pipe 4 for cooling water to enter. The annular water inlet pipe 4 runs from the rear end face of the water-cooled jacket 2 along the upper axial direction of the water-cooled jacket 2 to the lower part of the water-cooled jacket 2 and extends to the outside through the gas storage jacket 3.
[0023] Its specific structure is as follows: one end of the annular water inlet pipe 4 is connected to the rear end face of the positive end of the water-cooled jacket 2 and communicates with the interior of the water-cooled jacket 2, while the other end extends from the rear end face of the water-cooled jacket 2, around three-quarters of the way along the upper axial direction of the water-cooled jacket 2, and then extends through the gas storage jacket 3 to the outside, aligned with the vertical axis of the water-cooled jacket 2, so that the connection point of the annular water inlet pipe 4 and the water inlet of the annular water inlet pipe 4 form a 270-degree angle (e.g., Figure 3 (As shown).
[0024] Please see Figures 1-2 and Figure 4 The negative end of the water-cooled jacket 2 is connected to an annular water outlet pipe 5 for discharging cooling water. The annular water outlet pipe 5 extends from the front end face of the water-cooled jacket 2 along the axial direction of the lower part of the water-cooled jacket 2 to the upper part of the water-cooled jacket 2 and penetrates the gas storage jacket 3 to the outside.
[0025] Its specific structure is as follows: one end of the annular water outlet pipe 5 is connected to the front end face of the negative end of the water-cooled jacket 2 and communicates with the interior of the water-cooled jacket 2, while the other end extends from the front end face of the water-cooled jacket 2, around three-quarters of the way along the lower axial direction of the water-cooled jacket 2, and then extends through the gas storage jacket 3 to the outside, aligned with the vertical axis of the water-cooled jacket 2; so that the connection point between the annular water outlet pipe 5 and the water-cooled jacket 2 forms a 270-degree angle with the outlet of the annular water outlet pipe 5 (e.g., Figure 4 (As shown).
[0026] Please see Figures 1-2A spiral return pipe 6 for gas reflux is connected between the positive end of the water-cooled jacket 2 and the end of the gas storage jacket 3. One end of the spiral return pipe 6 is connected to the lower end face of the positive end of the water-cooled jacket 2 and communicates with the interior of the gas storage jacket 3. The other end extends straight from the lower end of the water-cooled jacket 2 towards the negative end of the water-cooled jacket 2 to one-sixth of the length of the water-cooled jacket 2. Then, starting from that point, it spirally winds around the water-cooled jacket 2 in the opposite direction of the axial direction of the water-cooled jacket 2.
[0027] The working principle and usage process of this utility model are as follows: Figures 1-4 This improved glass CO2 laser tube, as illustrated, can be assembled simply by placing the entire tube on the laser (the functions and structures of conventional equipment such as lasers are well-known in the field, and their connection settings are also common knowledge, so they will not be described in detail here, nor are they shown in the accompanying drawings). This completely eliminates the residual stress generated during the welding process, allowing the laser tube to better adapt to the thermal expansion and contraction of the glass material during welding, effectively absorbing and releasing welding stress. This significantly improves the structural stability of the laser tube, reduces the risk of breakage due to residual stress, and extends the lifespan of the laser. This laser tube represents a further improvement upon existing glass CO2 laser tubes with inlet and outlet cooling water pipes on the same side. Furthermore, by optimizing the flow path of the cooling water, it allows for more uniform flow through the water-cooled jacket, improving cooling efficiency and ensuring that the discharge tube receives sufficient cooling during operation. This effectively prevents performance degradation or damage caused by overheating. The uniform distribution of cooling water also reduces thermal stress caused by excessive local temperature differences, further enhancing the stability of the laser tube and thus enabling its wider application in industrial production.
[0028] When the laser tube requires cooling during operation, cooling water is first pumped into the annular inlet pipe 4 through a circulating water pump (the functions and structures of conventional equipment such as circulating water pumps are well-known in the field, and their connection settings are also common knowledge, so they will not be described in detail here, nor are they shown in the attached drawings). The cooling water then fills the water-cooled jacket 2 through the annular inlet pipe 4. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide gas is introduced into the gas storage jacket 3 and refluxed using the spiral return pipe 6, further purging the cooling water within the water-cooled jacket 2. After sufficient heat exchange, the cooling water from the heat exchange process is discharged from the annular outlet pipe 5 at the other end of the water-cooled jacket 2, thereby achieving the purpose of cooling the discharge tube 1. When the laser tube is shut down and does not require cooling, the cooling water will be discharged quickly through the water-cooled jacket 2 along the shape of the annular outlet pipe 5 until it is completely drained, so that the cooling water will not remain in the annular outlet pipe 5 and the water-cooled jacket 2. This effectively avoids the problem of the water-cooled jacket 2 cracking due to the freezing of residual cooling water when the laser tube is shut down in winter, thus ensuring the normal use of the laser tube.
Claims
1. An improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube, comprising a water-cooled jacket and a gas storage jacket coaxially covering the outside of the water-cooled jacket, characterized in that, The positive end of the water-cooled jacket is connected to an annular water inlet pipe. The annular water inlet pipe runs from the rear end face of the water-cooled jacket along the upper axial direction to the lower part of the water-cooled jacket and penetrates the gas storage jacket to extend to the outside. The negative end of the water-cooled jacket is connected to an annular water outlet pipe. The annular water outlet pipe runs from the front end face of the water-cooled jacket along the lower axial direction to the upper part of the water-cooled jacket and penetrates the gas storage jacket to extend to the outside. One end of the annular water inlet pipe is connected to the rear end face of the positive end of the water-cooled sleeve and communicates with the interior of the water-cooled sleeve. The other end of the annular water inlet pipe extends from the rear end face of the water-cooled sleeve along the upper axial direction of the water-cooled sleeve for three-quarters of a turn and then extends through the gas storage sleeve to the outside, aligned with the vertical axis of the water-cooled sleeve. The connection point between the annular water inlet pipe and the water-cooled sleeve forms a 270-degree angle with the water inlet of the annular water inlet pipe. One end of the annular water outlet pipe is connected to the front end face of the negative end of the water-cooled jacket and is connected to the interior of the water-cooled jacket. The other end of the annular water outlet pipe extends from the front end face of the water-cooled jacket along the lower axial direction of the water-cooled jacket for three-quarters of a turn, and then extends through the gas storage jacket to the outside, aligned with the vertical axis of the water-cooled jacket. The connection point between the annular water outlet pipe and the water-cooled jacket forms a 270-degree angle with the outlet of the annular water outlet pipe.
2. The improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, A spiral return pipe connects the positive end of the water-cooled jacket to the end of the gas storage jacket.
3. An improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube according to claim 2, characterized in that, One end of the spiral return pipe is connected to the lower end face of the positive end of the water-cooled jacket and communicates with the interior of the gas storage jacket. The other end of the spiral return pipe starts from the lower end of the water-cooled jacket and extends in a straight line towards the negative end of the water-cooled jacket to one-sixth of the length of the water-cooled jacket. Then, starting from that point, it spirally winds around the water-cooled jacket in the opposite direction of the water-cooled jacket axis.
4. An improved glass carbon dioxide laser tube according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water-cooled jacket is coaxially encased inside a discharge tube, one end of which is connected to the positive terminal of the water-cooled jacket, and the other end of which is connected to the negative terminal of the water-cooled jacket.