Laser welding apparatus

Abstract

To provide a laser welding apparatus that can attain both suppression of damage caused to an urging member by laser heat and suppression of occurrence of poor welding.SOLUTION: A laser emitting apparatus 1 comprises a laser emitting part 110, a front-side urging member 200 and a rear-side urging member 300. The front-side urging member 200 has a front-side moving body 210, a front-side supporting body 220, and a front-side urging part 230. The rear-side urging member 300 has a rear-side moving body 310, a rear-side supporting body 320 and a rear-side urging part 330. The front-side urging part 230 has a front-side tip part, and the rear-side urging part 330 has a rear-side tip part. The front-side support part 220 supports the front-side moving body 210 between a site of a work-piece W to which a laser beam L is emitted by the laser emitting part 110 and the front-side tip part, and the rear-side supporting part 320 supports the rear-side moving body 310 between the site of the work-piece W to which the laser beam L is emitted by the laser emitting part 110 and the rear-side tip part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a laser welding apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-307693 discloses a laser beam nozzle device including a nozzle body and a work pressing device. The nozzle body irradiates a laser beam toward a work from its injection hole. The work pressing device is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a work pressing body disposed around the nozzle body, a free bearing provided on the lower surface of the work pressing body, and an elastic member that presses the work pressing body downward. The free bearing presses the upper surface of the work by the elastic force of the elastic member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a laser welding apparatus as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-307693, when a portion of the work biased by a biasing member is far from the irradiation point by the laser, joint failure may occur. Therefore, it is conceivable to bring the member that biases the work closer to the laser irradiation unit.

[0005] However, with such a structure, there is a concern that the biasing member may be damaged by the heat of the laser.

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a laser welding apparatus capable of achieving both suppression of damage to a biasing member due to the heat of a laser and suppression of the occurrence of joint failure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A laser welding apparatus according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a laser irradiation unit that can irradiate a workpiece with a laser and is movable with respect to the workpiece, a front biasing member provided in front of the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit with respect to the workpiece and capable of applying a biasing force to the workpiece, and a rear biasing member provided behind the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction and biasing the workpiece. The front biasing member has a front moving body that can move in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while being in contact with the workpiece, a front support body that supports the front moving body, and a front biasing portion that biases the front support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the front moving body through the front support body. The rear biasing member has a rear moving body that can move in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while being in contact with the workpiece, a rear support body that supports the rear moving body, and a rear biasing portion that biases the rear support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the rear moving body through the rear support body. The front biasing portion has a front tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the front biasing portion, the rear biasing portion has a rear tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion, the front support body supports the front moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated by the laser irradiation unit and the front tip portion, and the rear support body supports the rear moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated by the laser irradiation unit and the rear tip portion.

Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a laser welding apparatus capable of achieving both suppression of damage to the biasing member due to the heat of the laser and suppression of the occurrence of poor bonding.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings referred to below, the same or corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a laser welding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the laser welding apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the laser welding apparatus taken on a plane different from the cross-section of FIG. 2. The laser welding apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is particularly suitable for welding a resin member and a metal member. However, the welding target in the laser welding apparatus 1 is not particularly limited.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the laser welding apparatus 1 can weld, for example, a work W placed on a support base 2. The laser welding apparatus 1 can also weld the work W while being held by an actuator that can move three-dimensionally. The laser welding apparatus 1 includes a laser irradiation unit 110, a front biasing member 200, a rear biasing member 300, a front protection cover 410, and a rear protection cover 420.

[0013] The laser irradiation unit 110 can irradiate the work W with a laser L. In the present embodiment, the laser irradiation unit 110 irradiates the work W with the laser L such that the irradiation direction of the laser L is orthogonal to the work W. However, the irradiation direction of the laser L may not be orthogonal to the work W.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the workpiece W has a first member W1 and a second member W2 disposed on the first member W1. In the present embodiment, a resin member is used as the first member W1, and a metal member is used as the second member W2. However, each of the members W1 and W2 is not limited to this.

[0015] A front arm 120 and a rear arm 130 are connected to the laser irradiation unit 110. The front arm 120 is provided in front of the laser irradiation unit 110 in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110. The rear arm 130 is provided behind the laser irradiation unit 110 in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110. Each of the arms 120 and 130 has a shape extending in a direction parallel to the irradiation direction of the laser L from the laser irradiation unit 110.

[0016] The front biasing member 200 is provided in front of the laser irradiation unit 110 in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110 with respect to the workpiece W. Specifically, the front biasing member 200 is connected to the front arm 120. The front biasing member 200 can apply a biasing force to the workpiece W. The front biasing member 200 has a front moving body 210, a front support body 220, and a front biasing portion 230.

[0017] The front moving body 210 is movable in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece W while being in contact with the workpiece W. In the present embodiment, a roller is used as the front moving body 210. The front moving body 210 is made of, for example, metal.

[0018] The front support body 220 supports the front moving body 210. The front support body 220 is made of, for example, metal. Details of the front support body 220 will be described later.

[0019] The forward biasing portion 230 biases the forward support 220 so that a biasing force acts on the workpiece W from the forward moving body 210 via the forward support 220. The forward biasing portion 230 biases the forward support 220 in the same direction as the irradiation direction of the laser L by the laser irradiation unit 110. However, the biasing direction by the forward biasing portion 230 may intersect the irradiation direction of the laser L.

[0020] In the present embodiment, the forward biasing portion 230 is constituted by a gas damper. Specifically, the forward biasing portion 230 has a cylinder 232 formed in a cylindrical shape and a rod 234 that can be displaced relative to the cylinder 232 in the axial direction of the cylinder 232. However, the configuration of the forward biasing portion 230 is not limited to this. The biasing force by the forward biasing portion 230 may be configured to be changeable.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the forward biasing portion 230 has a forward tip portion 236 formed at the tip in the biasing direction by the forward biasing portion 230 and a rear end portion 238 formed at the rear end in the biasing direction. The forward tip portion 236 is constituted by the tip (lower end) of the rod 234. The rear end portion 238 is constituted by the upper end of the cylinder 232. The forward tip portion 236 is fixed to the forward support 220. The rear end portion 238 is fixed to the forward arm 120.

[0022] Here, the forward support 220 will be described. The forward support 220 has a forward connection portion 222, a forward support portion 224, and a forward connection portion 226.

[0023] The front connection part 222 can be connected to the front tip part 236. The front connection part 222 has an inner peripheral surface capable of receiving the front tip part 236. In the present embodiment, the inner peripheral surface is in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the front tip part 236. More specifically, the front tip part 236 is press-fitted into the front connection part 222. That is, the front connection part 222 restrains the front tip part 236 so as to regulate the inclination of the front tip part 236 in a direction intersecting the biasing direction. In a state where the inner peripheral surface is in surface contact with the outer peripheral surface of the front tip part 236, the front tip part 236 is connected to the front connection part 222 by the pin 228.

[0024] The front support part 224 supports the front moving body 210. The front support part 224 supports the front moving body 210 from both sides in a direction orthogonal to both the moving direction and the biasing direction by the front biasing part 230. The front support part 224 supports the front moving body 210 between a part of the work W irradiated with the laser L by the laser irradiation part 110 (hereinafter referred to as "irradiation point P1") and the front tip part 236. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the front support part 224 supports the front moving body 210 so that the biasing force by the front biasing part 230 acts on the intermediate part P3 of the work W via the front moving body 210. The intermediate part P3 is a part of the work W between the irradiation point P1 and the intersection point P2 of the extension line of the biasing direction by the front biasing part 230 and the surface of the work W. That is, the front support part 224 supports the front moving body 210 so that the biasing force by the front biasing part 230 acts on a part of the work W closer to the irradiation point P1 than the intersection point P2. For this reason, the adhesion between the parts in the vicinity of the irradiation point P1 of the first member W1 and the second member W2 is enhanced.

[0025] The front connecting part 226 connects the front connection part 222 and the front support part 224. The front connecting part 226 has a shape extending parallel to the moving direction.

[0026] The rear biasing member 300 is provided behind the laser irradiation unit 110 in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110 with respect to the workpiece W. Specifically, the rear biasing member 300 is connected to the rear arm 130. The rear biasing member 300 has a configuration symmetric to the front biasing member 200 with respect to a plane that is orthogonal to the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110 and passes through the irradiation point P1. For this reason, the description of the rear biasing member 300 is simplified.

[0027] That is, the rear biasing member 300 includes a rear moving body 310, a rear support body 320, and a rear biasing portion 330. The rear support body 320 has a rear connection portion 322 connected to a rear tip portion 336 formed at the tip of a rod 334 in the rear biasing portion 330, a rear support portion 324 that supports the rear moving body 310, and a rear connecting portion 326. The rear biasing portion 330 includes a cylinder 332 and a rod 334.

[0028] The front protective cover 410 protects the front biasing portion 230 from the laser L. In the present embodiment, the front protective cover 410 has a shape that protects the rod 234 from the laser L. However, the front protective cover 410 may be formed in a shape that protects both the rod 234 and the cylinder 232. The front protective cover 410 is made of metal or the like. The front protective cover 410 is fixed to the front support body 220. The front protective cover 410 has a facing wall 412 facing the laser L and a pair of side walls 414 connected to the facing wall 412. The pair of side walls 414 face each other in a direction orthogonal to both the axial direction of the rod 234 and the moving direction. In FIG. 3, the illustration of the front protective cover 410 is omitted.

[0029] The rear protective cover 420 protects the rear biasing portion 330 from the laser L. The rear protective cover 420 has a configuration symmetric to the front protective cover 410 with respect to the reference plane. For this reason, the description of the rear protective cover 420 is simplified. That is, the rear protective cover 420 has a facing wall 422 and a pair of side walls 424.

[0030] As described above, in the laser welding apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the front support 220 supports the front moving body 210 between the portion (irradiation point P1) irradiated with the laser L by the laser irradiation unit 110 and the front tip 236, and the rear support 320 supports the rear moving body 310 between the irradiation point P1 and the rear tip 336. Therefore, while securing the distance between each biasing unit 230, 330 and the laser L, it is possible to bias the portion near the irradiation point P1 of the workpiece W by the moving bodies 210, 310. Thus, both suppression of damage to the biasing units 230, 330 due to the heat of the laser L and suppression of the occurrence of poor joining are achieved.

[0031] Note that the front connecting portion 226 may have a shape extending in a direction intersecting the direction (parallel to the moving direction) orthogonal to the biasing direction by the front biasing unit 230. The same applies to the rear connecting portion 326.

[0032] The arrangement of the cylinder 232 and the rod 234 in the front biasing unit 230 may be reversed. The same applies to the rear biasing unit 330.

[0033] Also, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the laser welding apparatus 1 may further include a front rotation restricting member 510 and a rear rotation restricting member 520.

[0034] The front rotation restricting member 510 restricts the rotation of the front moving body 210 with the biasing direction by the front biasing unit 230 as the rotation axis. Specifically, the front rotation restricting member 510 has a front plate portion 512 and a front fixing portion 514.

[0035] The front plate portion 512 is located in front of the front arm 120 in the moving direction. The front plate portion 512 is fixed to the front arm 120. The front plate portion 512 is formed in a flat plate shape extending from the front arm 120 to the front support 220.

[0036] The front fixing portion 514 is fixed to the front support 220. The front fixing portion 514 is connected to the lower end portion of the front plate portion 512. The front fixing portion 514 is located on one side of the front connection portion 222 in a direction orthogonal to both the biasing direction by the front biasing portion 230 and the moving direction. The front fixing portion 514 is fixed to the front connection portion 222. For example, the front plate portion 512 and the front fixing portion 514 are formed by bending a single metal plate.

[0037] The rear rotation restricting member 520 has a configuration symmetric to the front rotation restricting member 510 with respect to a plane that is orthogonal to the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit 110 and passes through the irradiation point P1 as a reference plane. That is, the rear rotation restricting member 520 includes a rear plate portion 522 fixed to the rear arm 130, and a rear fixing portion 524 that is connected to the lower end portion of the rear plate portion 522 and is fixed to the rear connection portion 322.

[0038] In the forms shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the relative rotation of the front moving body 210 with respect to the front arm 120 about the biasing direction by the front biasing portion 230 as a rotation axis, and the relative rotation of the rear moving body 310 with respect to the rear arm 130 about the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion 330 as a rotation axis are restricted.

[0039] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described plurality of exemplary embodiments are specific examples of the following aspects.

[0040] A laser welding apparatus according to an aspect of this disclosure includes a laser irradiation unit that can irradiate a workpiece with a laser and is movable with respect to the workpiece, a front biasing member provided in front of the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit with respect to the workpiece and capable of applying a biasing force to the workpiece, and a rear biasing member provided behind the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction and biasing the workpiece. The front biasing member includes a front moving body that can move in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while being in contact with the workpiece, a front support body that supports the front moving body, and a front biasing portion that biases the front support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the front moving body via the front support body. The rear biasing member includes a rear moving body that can move in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while being in contact with the workpiece, a rear support body that supports the rear moving body, and a rear biasing portion that biases the rear support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the rear moving body via the rear support body. The front biasing portion has a front tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the front biasing portion, and the rear biasing portion has a rear tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion. The front support body supports the front moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the front tip portion, and the rear support body supports the rear moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the rear tip portion.

[0041] In this laser welding apparatus, since the front support body supports the front moving body between the portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the front tip portion, and the rear support body supports the rear moving body between the portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the rear tip portion, it is possible to bias the portion near the irradiation point of the workpiece by each moving body while ensuring the distance between each biasing portion and the laser. Therefore, both suppression of damage to the biasing member due to the heat of the laser and suppression of the occurrence of poor bonding are achieved.

[0042] Furthermore, the front support has a front connection portion connectable to the front tip portion, the rear support has a rear connection portion connectable to the rear tip portion, the front connection portion restrains the front tip portion so as to regulate the front tip portion from inclining in a direction intersecting the biasing direction, and the rear connection portion restrains the rear tip portion so as to regulate the rear tip portion from inclining in a direction intersecting the biasing direction, which is preferable.

[0043] In this aspect, inclination of each support with respect to each biasing portion is suppressed. Thus, the biasing force by each biasing portion is effectively transmitted to each moving body.

[0044] Moreover, it is preferable that the laser welding apparatus further includes a front rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the front moving body about the biasing direction by the front biasing portion, and a rear rotation restricting member that restricts rotation of the rear moving body about the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion.

[0045] In this aspect, rotation of the front moving body about the biasing direction by the front biasing portion and rotation of the rear moving body about the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion are restricted.

[0046] It should be noted that all aspects of the embodiments disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0047] 1 Laser welding device, 110 Laser irradiation unit, 200 Front biasing member, 210 Front moving body, 220 Front support, 222 Front connection part, 224 Front support part, 226 Front connecting part, 230 Front biasing part, 232 Cylinder, 234 Rod, 236 Front tip part, 300 Rear biasing member, 310 Rear moving body, 320 Rear support, 322 Rear connection part, 324 Rear support part, 326 Rear connecting part, 330 Rear biasing part, 332 Cylinder, 334 Rod, 336 Rear tip part, 510 Front rotation restricting member, 520 Rear rotation restricting member, W Workpiece, W1 First member, W2 Second member.

Claims

1. A laser irradiation unit capable of irradiating a workpiece with a laser and movable with respect to the workpiece, A front biasing member provided in front of the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction of the laser irradiation unit with respect to the workpiece and capable of applying a biasing force to the workpiece, A rear biasing member provided behind the laser irradiation unit in the moving direction and biasing the workpiece, A front protection cover that protects the front biasing member from the laser irradiated from the laser irradiation unit, A rear protection cover that protects the rear biasing member from the laser irradiated from the laser irradiation unit, and comprising: The front biasing member includes: A front moving body movable in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while contacting the workpiece, A front support body that supports the front moving body, A front biasing portion that biases the front support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the front moving body via the front support body, The rear biasing member includes: A rear moving body movable in the moving direction with respect to the workpiece while contacting the workpiece, A rear support body that supports the rear moving body, A rear biasing portion that biases the rear support body so that the biasing force acts on the workpiece from the rear moving body via the rear support body, The front biasing portion has a front tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the front biasing portion, The rear biasing portion has a rear tip portion formed at the tip of the biasing direction by the rear biasing portion, The front support body supports the front moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the front tip portion, The rear support body supports the rear moving body between a portion of the workpiece irradiated with the laser by the laser irradiation unit and the rear tip portion, The front protection cover includes an opposing wall located between the laser irradiated from the laser irradiation unit and the front biasing portion, The rear protection cover includes an opposing wall located between the laser irradiated from the laser irradiation unit and the rear biasing portion, a laser welding apparatus.

2. The front support body has a front connection portion connectable to the front tip portion, The rear support body has a rear connection portion connectable to the rear tip portion, The front connection portion restrains the front tip portion so as to regulate the front tip portion from tilting in a direction intersecting the biasing direction, The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rear connecting portion restrains the rear tip portion so as to regulate the inclination of the rear tip portion in a direction intersecting the urging direction.

3. a front rotation restricting member that restricts the rotation of the front moving body about the urging direction by the front urging portion as a rotation axis; The laser welding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rear rotation restricting member that restricts the rotation of the rear moving body about the urging direction by the rear urging portion as a rotation axis.

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