A molten pool camera and laser printing device

Abstract

This application relates to a molten pool camera and a laser printing apparatus, including a camera and a housing. The camera is housed within the housing, which has a casing, a top cover, a lens, and a spring plunger. The lens is located at the front end of the camera's lens, and the top cover abuts against the front end of the lens. A limiting groove is formed at the front end of the casing, and the lens is placed within the limiting groove. A latch is formed on the side wall of one end of the limiting groove, and a latching block is formed at one end of the top cover, which can be inserted into the latch. The spring plunger is mounted on the casing, and one end of the spring plunger protrudes from the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove. A positioning groove is formed on the top cover, and the spring plunger can be embedded into the positioning groove. This application utilizes the cooperation between the spring plunger and the top cover to achieve locking. The lens can be replaced and removed simply by manually rotating the top cover. It can be operated accurately even in the narrow space of the sealed cavity of the laser printing equipment, effectively avoiding operational errors caused by limited tool use and reducing the risk of accidental damage to surrounding components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of laser printing technology, and in particular to a melt pool camera and laser printing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Laser melting, a process in metal additive manufacturing, is an advanced manufacturing technology that uses a high-energy laser beam to selectively melt metal powder or wire, stacking them layer by layer to build a three-dimensional solid. This technology, with its ability to create complex structures with high degrees of freedom, occupies an important position in high-end manufacturing fields such as aerospace, nuclear energy, and medicine.

[0003] However, the core challenge of this technology lies in how to precisely control the dynamic interaction process between the laser, powder / wire and molten pool. Even slight fluctuations in parameters such as laser power, scanning speed, and powder characteristics can lead to an imbalance in the molten pool temperature field, metal vapor eruption, or disruption of the continuity of the molten channel, ultimately causing quality problems such as excessive porosity, spheroidization defects, or residual stress concentration.

[0004] In laser printing, the molten pool, as the core area for material melting and solidification, directly determines the microstructure and mechanical properties of the part through its morphology, temperature distribution, and dynamic evolution. Therefore, the molten pool camera becomes a crucial component in laser printing. The molten pool camera can capture molten pool fluctuations and temperature field changes in real time during printing, feeding this data back to the laser cladding head for dynamic adjustments to the next cladding operation, forming a closed loop.

[0005] However, contaminants in the laser printing environment exhibit diverse characteristics, including metal vapor condensation, sputtering particle adhesion, and plasma plume interference. The cumulative effect of these contaminants significantly shortens the effective lifespan of the molten pool camera lenses, necessitating frequent lens replacements during the use of the molten pool camera.

[0006] Currently, laser printing equipment commonly uses a screw-fastening system. Specifically, the lens is pressed against the front end of the housing by a clamping ring or flange structure, and then rigidly fixed by 2 to 4 circumferentially distributed screws that pass through the clamping ring and are threaded into the housing. This fixing method requires the use of specialized tools such as screwdrivers to remove each screw individually during maintenance to replace the lens.

[0007] The existing screw fastening method has the following problems:

[0008] 1. The optical path of laser printing equipment is usually integrated into a sealed cavity. Removing screws requires the use of a miniature screwdriver, which is difficult to operate in a narrow space and has a high error rate, which can easily damage other components.

[0009] 2. Due to the limited space inside the laser printing equipment, even a skilled worker needs 8 to 12 minutes to change a single lens. For users with high precision requirements or lower proficiency in using laser printing equipment, lenses need to be changed frequently. During continuous production, downtime caused by maintenance results in significant consumption of manpower and time costs.

[0010] 3. Frequent replacements can cause repeated friction between the screw and the threaded hole, which can easily lead to permanent damage such as stripping and thread wear. If the thread fails, the molten pool camera needs to be disassembled for repair, which significantly increases the equipment maintenance cost.

[0011] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a fused pool camera that allows for quick and easy lens assembly and disassembly. Summary of the Invention

[0012] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this application is to provide a molten pool camera and laser printing device that can realize the rapid assembly and disassembly of the lens.

[0013] The above-mentioned objective of this application is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0014] A molten pool camera includes a camera and a housing. The camera is disposed within the housing. The housing has a shell, a top cover, a lens, and a spring plunger. The lens is disposed at the front end of the camera lens. The top cover abuts against the front end of the lens. A limiting groove is formed at the front end of the shell, and the lens is placed in the limiting groove. A latch is formed on the side wall of one end of the limiting groove. A latching block is formed at one end of the top cover, and the latching block can be inserted into the latch. The spring plunger is mounted on the shell, and one end of the spring plunger protrudes from the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove. A positioning groove is formed on the top cover, and the spring plunger can be embedded in the positioning groove.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper cover includes a fitting portion, the fitting portion being annular, the fitting portion extending into the limiting groove, the fitting portion abutting against the lens, the locking block being disposed on the outer side of one end of the fitting portion, and the positioning groove being formed on the outer side of the other end of the fitting portion.

[0016] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sidewall of one end of the limiting groove on the housing extends towards the front end to form a protrusion, and one end of the upper cover abuts against the lower edge of the protrusion.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the upper cover further includes a fitting portion, the fitting portion being annular, the fitting portion being connected to the fitting portion, the upper edge of the fitting portion abutting against the lower edge of the protrusion, and the rear end face of the fitting portion abutting against the front end face of the housing.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a gripping notch is provided on the rear end face of the cover portion opposite to the locking block.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the side walls on both sides of the limiting groove on the housing are recessed towards the rear end to form a recessed opening. The size of the recessed opening gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end. The upper cover is provided with protrusions on both sides, and the protrusions fit into the recessed openings. The protrusions can be inserted into the recessed openings.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the size of the bayonet opening is larger than the size of the card block.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spring plunger includes a fixed part, an elastic part, and a spherical part, with the two ends of the elastic part respectively connected to the fixed part and the spherical part; a fixing hole is provided on the housing and extends to the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove, the fixing part is installed in the fixing hole, and at least a portion of the spherical part protrudes from the fixing hole.

[0022] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fixing hole is provided with an internal thread, and the fixing part is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread; the size of the fixing hole is larger than the size of the spherical part.

[0023] A laser printing apparatus includes the aforementioned molten pool camera and a laser cladding head, wherein the molten pool camera is disposed on one side of the laser cladding head.

[0024] In summary, the beneficial technical effects of this application are as follows:

[0025] 1. This application features a limiting groove at the front end of the housing. After the lens is placed in the groove, it is initially positioned by inserting the locking block of the upper cover into the side wall of the limiting groove. Then, the spring plunger protruding from the other side wall of the limiting groove cooperates with the upper cover to complete the locking. The entire process of disassembly and assembly does not require special tools such as screwdrivers. The upper cover can be opened and closed by manually rotating it, which facilitates lens replacement. It can also be operated accurately in the narrow space of the sealed cavity of the laser printing equipment, effectively avoiding operational errors caused by limited tool use and reducing the risk of accidental damage to surrounding components.

[0026] 2. The action of opening the top cover and replacing the lens in this application only requires manually rotating the top cover, which is simple and quick to operate and saves a lot of time and labor costs.

[0027] 3. This application uses a spring plunger to fix the top cover, which can be repeatedly opened and closed at high frequency, eliminating the need to replace the entire housing due to thread failure and reducing equipment maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the molten pool camera.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the molten pool camera cut along its axis.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the outer casing of the molten pool camera, cut along the axis of the spring plunger.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the outer shell of the molten pool camera, cut along its axis.

[0032] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Camera; 2. Housing; 21. Housing; 211. Limiting groove; 2111. Bayonet; 212. Protrusion; 213. Recess; 22. Top cover; 221. Locking block; 222. Fixing hole; 223. Fitting part; 2231. Positioning groove; 224. Covering part; 2241. Grip notch; 225. Protrusion; 23. Lens; 24. Spring plunger; 241. Fixing part; 242. Elastic part; 243. Spherical part. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] like Figures 1-2 As shown, a molten pool camera includes a camera 1 and a housing 2. The camera 1 has a main body and a lens connected to the front end of the main body. It is worth noting that the front and rear ends in this application are defined based on the working direction of the molten pool camera. Specifically, the front end is the side of the molten pool camera facing the monitoring target, i.e., the molten pool in the laser printing process. Structurally, the lens of the camera 1 needs to directly capture the molten pool image; therefore, the front end of the lens is the side closest to the molten pool. Figure 1 The lower right side is the front end, such as... Figure 2 The right side is the front end, while the rear end refers to the side of the molten pool camera that is away from the molten pool. The front end and rear end are relative concepts in terms of direction. For example, if the lens part is located at the front end of the main body part, then the main body part is located at the rear end of the lens part.

[0035] Furthermore, the camera 1 is encapsulated within the housing 2, which includes a housing 21, a top cover 22, a lens 23, and a spring plunger 24. The housing 21 and the top cover 22 together form an accommodating space for the camera 1. The lens 23 is located at the front end of the lens of the camera 1. As a key component directly facing the molten pool monitoring environment, its main function is to isolate external contaminants, such as metal splashes, vapors, and fumes, while allowing specific wavelengths of light required for monitoring to pass through to ensure image quality. The lens 23 can be selected from existing optical protective lens structures commonly used in high-temperature environments, such as those made of quartz glass or sapphire, which have high temperature resistance, impact resistance, and high light transmittance. Its size matches the optical path at the front end of the lens of the camera 1, and can completely cover the effective imaging area of ​​the lens.

[0036] The housing 21 of the outer shell 2 serves as an overall support structure. Its front end has a limiting groove 211 that is adapted to the shape of the lens 23. The depth of the limiting groove 211 is greater than the thickness of the lens 23. When the lens 23 is installed, the edge part of the lens 23 is embedded in the limiting groove 211. The initial positioning is achieved by the circumferential constraint of the groove wall, preventing the lens 23 from shifting in the radial direction.

[0037] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, a latch 2111 is provided on the side wall of one end of the limiting groove 211. The latch 2111 is a rectangular or arc-shaped groove structure that is recessed inward. Correspondingly, a latch 221 is provided on one end of the upper cover 22 that protrudes outward. The latch 221 can extend into the latch 2111. When the lens 23 is placed in the limiting groove 211 and the upper cover 22 is fastened to the front end of the lens 23, the latch 221 can be inserted into the latch 2111 to form a preliminary positioning.

[0038] like Figure 3 As shown, the spring plunger 24 is mounted on the housing 21, specifically at the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove 211. The spring plunger 24 employs a common elastic positioning structure found in the prior art. Under the action of the spring force, the spring plunger 24 can extend and retract along its own axis, and in its natural state, this end protrudes from the side wall surface of the limiting groove 211. Correspondingly, a positioning groove 2231 corresponding to the position of the spring plunger 24 is provided at the edge of the upper cover 22. The positioning groove 2231 is an inwardly recessed circular or polygonal groove, the size of which is adapted to the end of the spring plunger 24 protruding from the side wall. When the locking block 221 is inserted into the locking slot 2111, the upper cover 22 is rotated until the rear end face of the upper cover 22 is in contact with the front end face of the housing 21. The spring plunger 24 is then locked into the groove. At this time, the upper cover 22 will press tightly against the front end face of the lens 23, fixing the lens 23 between the limiting groove 211 and the upper cover 22, preventing it from loosening due to vibration or impact during operation.

[0039] When it is necessary to replace the lens 23, simply pry the other end of the top cover 22 with the locking block 221 as the axis. During the prying process, the force applied to the top cover 22 is transmitted to the spring plunger 24, which overcomes the spring force and causes the spring plunger 24 to retract, thus allowing the spring plunger 24 to disengage from the positioning groove 2231. Then, remove the locking block 221 from the locking slot 2111, and the top cover 22 can be removed and the lens 23 can be replaced. The whole process does not require any tools and is convenient and efficient.

[0040] It should be further noted that the front end face and rear end face in this application refer to the end faces of each component located at the front end and the rear end, respectively.

[0041] Further, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the top cover 22 includes a fitting part 223, which is generally annular and its shape is adapted to the edge contour of the lens 23. The annular fitting part 223 can form a uniform circumferential contact with the edge of the front end face of the lens 23, avoiding local stress that could cause the lens 23 to break.

[0042] The dimensions of the mating part 223 match the inner dimensions of the limiting groove 211, allowing it to smoothly extend into the limiting groove 211. The depth of insertion is based on aligning the rear end face of the mating part 223 with the edge of the front end face of the lens 23. When the mating part 223 is fully inserted into the limiting groove 211, the annular mating part 223 abuts tightly against the edge of the front end face of the lens 23. The lens 23 is stably pressed into the limiting groove 211 by uniform circumferential pressure. This pressing method not only prevents the lens 23 from shifting due to vibration during operation, but also does not block the effective light-transmitting area of ​​the lens 23, ensuring that the lens of the camera 1 can normally capture the molten pool image through the lens 23.

[0043] A locking block 221 is provided on the outer side of one end of the fitting part 223. The position of the locking block 221 corresponds to the locking slot 2111 on the side wall of the limiting groove 211. After the locking block 221 is inserted into the locking slot 2111, the fitting part 223 gradually fits into the inner wall of the limiting groove 211 as the upper cover 22 rotates.

[0044] A positioning groove 2231 is provided on the outer side of the other end of the fitting part 223. The position of the positioning groove 2231 corresponds to the spring plunger 24 installed on the housing 21. When the locking block 221 first extends into the locking slot 2111, and the fitting part 223 fits against the inner wall of the limiting groove 211, the spring plunger 24 will spring into the positioning groove 2231 under its own elastic force, preventing the top cover 22 from falling off due to vibration or external force, thereby forming a double fixation with the cooperation of the locking block 221 and the locking slot 2111.

[0045] Preferred, such as Figure 3As shown, the spring plunger 24, as the core elastic locking component for quick assembly and disassembly of the lens 23, consists of three parts: a fixed part 241, an elastic part 242, and a spherical part 243. These three parts are connected sequentially along the axial direction to form a whole. The fixed part 241 is a columnar structure of a certain length, and its outer wall can be threaded or designed with an interference fit to form a stable connection with the housing 21. The elastic part 242 is an elastic component with axial extension and contraction capabilities. It can be made of cylindrical helical spring, disc spring, or elastic rubber column, etc. The two ends of the elastic part 242 are fixedly connected to the fixed part 241 and the spherical part 243, respectively. It can generate contraction deformation when subjected to axial pressure and automatically reset after the pressure is released. The spherical part 243 is a smooth spherical or hemispherical structure with a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the elastic part 242 to ensure that a stepped structure is formed after connecting with the elastic part 242.

[0046] A fixing hole 222 is provided on the housing 21 corresponding to the installation position of the spring plunger 24. The fixing hole 222 extends radially along the housing 21, with one end penetrating to the outer wall of the housing 21 and the other end extending to the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove 211 to form an opening. The diameter of the opening is slightly larger than the diameter of the spherical part 243. During assembly, the fixing part 241 of the spring plunger 24 is inserted into the fixing hole 222 from one side of the outer wall of the housing 21. The fixing hole 222 has an internal thread, and the fixing part 241 has an external thread that matches the internal thread. It is fixed to the inner wall of the fixing hole 222 by tightening the thread or by interference fit, so that the fixing part 241 is completely embedded in the hole and does not protrude from the outer wall of the housing 21. The spherical part 243 protrudes from the side wall of the limiting groove 211 in its natural state. Since the opening diameter of the fixing hole 222 on the side wall of the limiting groove 211 is larger than the diameter of the spherical part 243, the elastic part 242 can be pulled into the fixing hole 222 after receiving axial pressure.

[0047] When the top cover 22 is assembled, during the rotation of the fitting part 223 of the top cover 22 within the limiting groove 211, its outer wall first contacts the protrusion 212 of the spherical part 243 and applies radial pressure, forcing the spherical part 243 to compress the elastic part 242 and retract into the fixing hole 222. When the top cover 22 rotates to the point where the positioning groove 2231 is aligned with the opening of the fixing hole 222, the restoring force of the elastic part 242 pushes the spherical part 243 out, causing the protrusion 212 of the spherical part 243 to embed into the positioning groove 2231, forming a lock. This structural design utilizes the deformation of the elastic part 242 to achieve the automatic extension and retraction of the spherical part 243, enabling locking and unlocking without additional tools. At the same time, the smooth surface of the spherical part 243 reduces friction and wear with the top cover 22. Combined with the stable installation of the fixing part 241, it ensures both structural strength in the locked state and meets the durability requirements for high-frequency disassembly and assembly.

[0048] Furthermore, the positioning groove 2231 is set as an arc-shaped groove with a depth slightly greater than the diameter of the spring plunger 24 head, to ensure that the plunger can be stably embedded and is not easy to fall off.

[0049] The positioning groove 2231 is designed as an arc-shaped groove, the curvature of which matches the outer contour of the spherical part 243 of the spring plunger 24. When the spherical part 243 is embedded in the groove, the arc-shaped groove wall can circumferentially wrap around the spherical part 243. The groove depth is slightly greater than the diameter of the spherical part 243, which ensures that most of the spherical part 243 is embedded in the groove to achieve stable locking, while avoiding excessive resistance during unlocking due to excessive depth.

[0050] This design significantly facilitates manual unlocking. When replacing lens 23, the operator can simply apply rotational force by holding the top cover 22 without any tools. Because the positioning groove 2231 is arc-shaped, the contact between the spherical part 243 and the groove wall is surface contact rather than point contact. During rotation, the groove wall exerts a component force along the tangential direction of the arc on the spherical part 243. This component force pushes the spherical part 243 to compress the elastic part 242 of the spring plunger 24, causing the spherical part 243 to gradually exit from the positioning groove 2231. During this process, the guiding effect of the arc-shaped groove wall prevents jamming. The operator can clearly perceive the unlocking point by hand. The entire unlocking process only requires rotating the top cover 22 by approximately 15° to 30°, greatly reducing the force required for manual operation and the difficulty of operation. It is especially suitable for quickly replacing lens 23 within the confined space of a laser printing device.

[0051] Overall, the ring-shaped design of the fitting part 223 achieves the positioning of the upper cover 22 and the housing 21 through cooperation with the limiting groove 211. The locking blocks 221 and positioning grooves 2231 set at both ends respectively form a fixation from two dimensions, which not only ensures the reliability of the lens 23 pressing, but also provides a structural basis for subsequent disassembly and assembly operations. The entire process is tool-free and the operation is smooth.

[0052] At one end of the housing 21, where the retaining groove 211 forms the bayonet 211, the sidewall of the retaining groove 211 extends along the front end to form a protrusion 212. This protrusion 212 is an extension of the sidewall of the retaining groove 211 and is integrally formed with the housing 21. During the assembly of the upper cover 22, the upper edge of the fitting part 223 naturally abuts against the lower edge of the protrusion 212. After installation, the upper edge of the fitting part 223 and the lower edge of the protrusion 212 are in contact, and the front end face of the upper cover 22 is flush with the front end face of the protrusion 212. During the installation of the upper cover 22, the lower edge of the protrusion 212 provides clear positioning and rotation guidance for the upper cover 22, facilitating disassembly and assembly by the operator.

[0053] Furthermore, the upper cover 22 also includes a cover portion 224, which has an annular structure. Its inner diameter is adapted to the outer diameter of the fitting portion 223. The two are connected as a whole by an integral molding process, forming a stepped structure in which the fitting portion 223 extends into the limiting groove 211 and the cover portion 224 covers the outer front end of the shell 21. After the upper cover 22 is fastened, the front end face of the cover portion 224 is flush with the front end face of the protrusion 212, giving the shell 2 a stronger sense of unity. After the top cover 22 is fastened, the upper edge of the cover portion 224 and the lower edge of the protrusion 212 form a tight abutment. This fit is a reinforcement of the existing top cover 22 limiting structure. On the basis of the circumferential fixation of the fitting portion 223 through the locking block 221 and the locking slot 2111, the surface contact fit between the upper edge of the cover portion 224 and the lower edge of the protrusion 212 further restricts the displacement of the top cover 22 in the front end direction, avoids the axial force generated by equipment vibration or molten pool impact causing the top cover 22 to loosen, and at the same time disperses the pressure on the fitting portion 223, reducing the risk of wear of local structures.

[0054] Meanwhile, the rear end face of the cover 224 fits tightly against the front end face of the housing 21. This design creates a dual sealing effect. On the one hand, the annular cover 224, by fitting circumferentially against the front end face of the housing 21, can prevent splashed metal particles and dust from entering the limiting groove 211 through the gap between the housing 21 and the top cover 22, thus preventing contaminants from adhering to the rear end face of the lens 23 or the lens surface. On the other hand, the fit between the rear end face of the cover 224 and the front end face of the housing 21 complements the sealing of the cover 223 within the limiting groove 211, significantly improving the overall dustproof and waterproof rating of the structure and meeting the stringent protection requirements of the laser printing environment.

[0055] In addition, see Figure 4 As shown, on the rear end face of the cover 224, i.e. the side that fits against the front end face of the housing 21, a gripping notch 2241 is provided at the end opposite to the position of the latch 221. The notch is recessed radially inward along the cover 224, and its shape is adapted to an adult finger. Preferably, its shape is arc-shaped or rectangular, and its edges are rounded to avoid scratching the operator's hands or gloves.

[0056] Since the locking block 221 is located on the outer side of one end of the fitting part 223, its corresponding position on the cover part 224 is one of the force points. The grip notch 2241 and the locking block 221 are symmetrically distributed, forming two force fulcrums during rotational operation. When the operator needs to unlock or lock the top cover 22, their fingers can naturally insert into the grip notch 2241, cooperating with the outer circumferential surface of the cover part 224 near the locking block 221 on the opposite side to form a two-point clamping force structure. This design significantly improves the fit and friction between the hand and the cover part 224, ensuring stable force application and preventing slippage even in the narrow cavity of the laser printing equipment or when the operator is wearing protective gloves.

[0057] The notch 2241 further optimizes the convenience of manual operation. During unlocking, applying force to the notch generates a larger rotational torque, allowing the top cover 22 to more easily overcome the resistance between the spring plunger 24 and the positioning groove 2231, thereby separating the locking block 221 from the latch 2111. During locking, the notch provides a clear force guide for the finger, ensuring that the locking block 221 accurately engages with the latch 2111 when the top cover 22 is rotated into place, while the spring plunger 24 smoothly engages with the positioning groove 2231. Compared to the notchless annular cover 224, this structure significantly reduces the force required for a single rotation, making it particularly suitable for quickly installing and removing the lens 23 in space-constrained industrial environments, further shortening maintenance time and improving operational safety. Simultaneously, the contact feedback between the cover 224 and the protrusion 212 and the housing 21 allows the operator to judge by feel whether the top cover 22 is properly installed, further simplifying the blind operation process in confined spaces.

[0058] Further, see Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the two side walls of the upper limit groove 211 of the housing 21 are recessed along the rear end direction to form recessed openings 213. These recessed openings 213 are not of uniform diameter, but rather gradually decrease in size from the front end to the rear end. Their cross-section can be designed as a wedge shape or an arc-shaped gradient. The recessed openings 213 on both sides are symmetrically distributed and are equidistant from the central axis of the limit groove 211. This gradual size design makes the front opening of the recessed opening 213 slightly wider and the bottom of the rear end slightly narrower, forming a natural guide slope.

[0059] Correspondingly, protrusions 225 are integrally formed on both outer walls of the top cover 22. The shape of the protrusions 225 perfectly matches the inner contour of the recess 213. If the recess 213 is wedge-shaped, the protrusions 225 are correspondingly wedge-shaped; if the recess 213 is an arc-shaped gradient, the outer contour of the protrusions 225 is also arc-shaped. The size of the protrusions 225 changes synchronously from the front end to the rear end with the shrinkage ratio of the recess 213. When assembling the top cover 22, the protrusions 225 are inserted along the front opening of the recess 213. Guided by the gradual slope of the recess 213, they will naturally tighten towards the inner side of the limiting groove 211 until the protrusions 225 are completely fitted with the inner wall of the recess 213, achieving precise fitting.

[0060] This structural design offers significant advantages. Firstly, the tapering guide effect of the recess 213 eliminates the need for deliberate alignment of the top cover 22 during insertion. The position is automatically corrected simply by the engagement of the protrusion 225 with the slope of the recess 213. This is particularly advantageous in the narrow cavities of laser printing equipment, allowing operators to quickly complete initial positioning without visual alignment, significantly reducing the difficulty of blind operation. Secondly, the tight fit between the protrusion 225 and the recess 213 provides additional constraint. Combined with the fixing of the top cover 22's locking block 221 and locking slot 2111, and the spring plunger 24 and positioning groove 2231, this further restricts the circumferential and radial sway of the top cover 22, improving the overall structural stability under high-temperature vibration conditions. Furthermore, when disassembly is required, pulling the top cover 22 along the front end causes the protrusion 225 to slide naturally out along the slope of the recess 213. With the application of force through the grip notch 2241, the entire process requires no tools, ensuring structural strength while maintaining the design philosophy of rapid assembly and disassembly.

[0061] For further details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figures 2-4 In this application, the slot 2111 on the side wall of the limiting groove 211 of the housing 21 is larger than the size of the block 221 on the outside of the fitting part 223 of the upper cover 22. The core purpose is to reserve sufficient space for the rotation operation of the upper cover 22 and ensure that the locking and unlocking process is smooth and without interference.

[0062] Specifically, after the locking block 221 is inserted into the bayonet slot 2111, the upper cover 22 needs to be rotated to lock or unlock with the spring plunger 24. Since the bayonet slot 2111 is larger than the locking block 221, this size difference allows the locking block 221 to have some room for rotation within the bayonet slot 2111. When the operator rotates the upper cover 22, the locking block 221 will not get stuck due to being tightly fitted to the inner wall of the bayonet slot 2111.

[0063] Meanwhile, this size design also takes into account ease of assembly. Precise alignment is not required when inserting the locking block 221 into the bayonet 2111. The ample space for rotational adjustment reduces the precision requirements, especially in the confined spaces of laser printing equipment. Operators can quickly complete rotational locking by feel, significantly improving assembly and disassembly efficiency. Furthermore, the guiding effect of the recessed opening 213 and the protrusion 225, combined with the rotational space design of the bayonet 2111 and locking block 221, further ensures the stability of the upper cover 22 during rotation, avoiding structural interference caused by misalignment. This makes single rotation operations smoother and effectively solves the problem of rotational jamming in traditional tight-fitting structures.

[0064] Furthermore, this application also protects a laser printing apparatus that integrates the aforementioned molten pool camera and includes a laser cladding head for performing metal powder or filament melting operations. The two are assembled as a whole by a structural bracket or integrated mounting base, wherein the molten pool camera is disposed on one side of the laser cladding head.

[0065] As the core execution component, the laser cladding head emits a high-energy laser beam that must be directly incident on the printing surface along the axis to form a molten pool. The molten pool camera is positioned to the side, which avoids the direct path of the laser beam, preventing optical interference, and allows for complete capture of the molten pool's shape, temperature distribution, and the melting state of the surrounding powder through an oblique viewing angle. This side-mounted installation ensures that the front end of the molten pool camera's lens is always directly facing the molten pool area and maintains a reasonable distance from the laser cladding head. This reduces the thermal impact of the cladding head's high temperature on the camera while ensuring the integrity of the monitoring field of view.

[0066] Thanks to the quick assembly and disassembly structure of the molten pool camera, when the lens 23 is contaminated by splashes during laser printing and needs to be replaced, the operator can directly maintain the lens 23 of the side-mounted molten pool camera without avoiding the laser cladding head. The lens 23 can be replaced by rotating the top cover 22. The whole process takes less time in the narrow equipment space, which greatly reduces the downtime of the device for maintenance.

[0067] The embodiments described in this specific implementation are preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A molten pool camera, characterized in that, Includes a camera (1) and a housing (2), wherein the camera (1) is disposed within the housing (2), and the housing (2) has a shell (21), a top cover (22), a lens (23), and a spring plunger (24). The lens (23) is disposed at the front end of the lens of the camera (1), and the top cover (22) abuts against the front end of the lens (23). A limiting groove (211) is formed at the front end of the shell (21), and the lens (23) is placed in the limiting groove (211). 1) A slot (2111) is provided on one side wall, and a locking block (221) is provided on one end of the upper cover (22). The locking block (221) can be inserted into the slot (2111). The spring plunger (24) is installed on the housing (21) and one end of the spring plunger (24) protrudes from the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove (211). A positioning groove (2231) is provided on the upper cover (22), and the spring plunger (24) can be embedded in the positioning groove (2231).

2. The molten pool camera according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top cover (22) includes a fitting part (223), which is annular and extends into the limiting groove (211). The fitting part (223) abuts against the lens (23). The locking block (221) is located on the outer side of one end of the fitting part (223), and the positioning groove (2231) is located on the outer side of the other end of the fitting part (223).

3. The molten pool camera according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sidewall of one end of the limiting groove (211) on the housing (21) extends toward the front end to form a protrusion (212), and one end of the upper cover (22) abuts against the lower edge of the protrusion (212).

4. The molten pool camera according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper cover (22) also includes a cover portion (224), which is annular. The fitting portion (223) is connected to the cover portion (224). The upper edge of the cover portion (224) abuts against the lower edge of the protrusion (212), and the rear end face of the cover portion (224) abuts against the front end face of the housing (21).

5. The molten pool camera according to claim 4, characterized in that, A gripping notch (2241) is provided on the rear end face of the cover (224) opposite to the locking block (221).

6. The molten pool camera according to claim 1, characterized in that, The side walls of the limiting groove (211) on both sides of the housing (21) are recessed towards the rear end to form a recess (213). The size of the recess (213) gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end. The upper cover (22) is provided with protrusions (225) on both sides. The protrusions (225) fit into the recess (213) and can be inserted into the recess (213).

7. The molten pool camera according to claim 1, characterized in that, The size of the slot (2111) is larger than the size of the card block (221).

8. The molten pool camera according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring plunger (24) includes a fixed part (241), an elastic part (242), and a spherical part (243). The two ends of the elastic part (242) are respectively connected to the fixed part (241) and the spherical part (243). The housing (21) has a fixing hole (222) that extends to the side wall of the other end of the limiting groove (211). The fixing part (241) is installed in the fixing hole (222), and at least a portion of the spherical part (243) protrudes from the fixing hole (222).

9. The molten pool camera according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fixing hole (222) is provided with an internal thread, and the fixing part (241) is provided with an external thread that mates with the internal thread; The size of the fixing hole (222) is larger than the size of the spherical part (243).

10. A laser printing device, characterized in that, The device includes the molten pool camera as described in any one of claims 1-9, and further includes a laser cladding head, wherein the molten pool camera is disposed on one side of the laser cladding head.

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