Laser processing aid

Abstract

Provided is a laser processing aid with which, in surface treatment employing a laser beam that is scanned over a workpiece, surface treatment of a peripheral surface of the workpiece is performed efficiently, the laser processing aid assisting the surface treatment employing the laser beam that is scanned over the workpiece, and being provided with a cylindrical main body portion which has one end surface serving as a placement surface and inside which the workpiece can be placed, wherein: an inner peripheral surface of the main body portion is an inclined surface that expands diametrically from the one end surface side toward the other end surface side; the inclined surface is a mirror surface that reflects laser light; and with a single scan of the laser light that is radiated onto the workpiece, it is possible to perform surface treatment of the upper surface side of the workpiece by means of the laser light that is radiated directly at the workpiece, and surface treatment of the peripheral surface of the workpiece by means of the laser light that is reflected by the mirror surface.

Description

Laser processing aids

[0001] The present invention relates to a laser processing aid. More particularly, to a laser processing aid that assists in surface treatment using laser light scanned over a workpiece, and which enables efficient surface treatment of the circumferential surface of the workpiece.

[0002] Traditionally, many fastening components such as bolts and nuts have been used in bridges, transmission towers, plants, tanks, and machine parts, and rust-preventive coatings have been applied to these fastening components to prevent rust. When applying rust-preventive coatings, in order to improve the adhesion between the fastening components and the rust-preventive coating, the surface (exposed surface) of the fastening components installed (fastened) in designated locations on bridges, etc., is laser-cleaned before the rust-preventive coating is applied.

[0003] Here, laser cleaning of fastening members is performed by irradiating the fastening members (workpieces) exposed on the surface of bridges, etc., with laser light from above, for example, as shown in Figure 20. The laser light is irradiated onto the fastening members (workpieces: bolt heads in Figure 20) from a laser processing device for laser cleaning. This is done by scanning the laser light within a predetermined area on the bolt head, for example, as shown in Figures 21(a) to (c). Figure 21(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the case where the laser light is scanned while moving in a zigzag pattern in the X-Y plane, and Figure 21(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the case where the laser light is scanned in a spiral pattern. Figure 21(c) is an explanatory diagram showing the case where the laser light is irradiated in a circular pattern, and the irradiation position of the laser light is changed in stages from the outer circumference to the center of the bolt head.

[0004] Such surface treatment of bolts and the like by laser cleaning is a very useful method because the laser cleaning of the bolt head can be carried out in an extremely short time by the scanned laser beam. However, laser cleaning can only be performed on the surface irradiated by the laser beam emitted from the laser processing apparatus, and there is a problem that cleaning treatment cannot be performed on the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head or the like that is not irradiated by the laser beam. In order to perform laser cleaning on the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head, it is necessary to change the posture of the laser processing apparatus. However, it is extremely inefficient to change the posture of the laser processing apparatus so as to irradiate the entire circumferential surface of the bolt head with the laser beam for cleaning (surface treatment). For the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head, cleaning (surface treatment) for improving the adhesion to the rust preventive paint is carried out by polishing using a cup wire brush or the like, or in fact, cleaning is not performed on the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head in some bolts.

[0005] Since the number of fastening members such as bolts and nuts used in bridges and the like is extremely large, as described above, it is inefficient and unrealistic to change the posture of the laser processing apparatus for each fastening member to perform laser cleaning on the entire circumferential surface area of the processing object (bolt head). Also, when polishing the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head using a cup wire brush or the like, since it is used in combination with the surface treatment using the laser beam, there is a problem that the cleaning (surface treatment) time required for one fastening member is extremely long. In addition, the cleaned portion polished with a cup wire brush or the like has a worse surface cleaning condition compared to the cleaned portion performed using the laser beam, so there is a problem that the applied rust preventive paint is likely to peel off. When cleaning is not performed on the circumferential surface portion of the bolt head, the adhesion to the rust preventive paint is extremely poor, so the applied rust preventive paint is even more likely to peel off.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a laser processing aid that enables efficient surface treatment of the circumferential surface of a workpiece in surface treatment using laser light scanned over the workpiece.

[0007] The object of the present invention is achieved by a laser processing assist device for assisting surface treatment by laser light scanned within a predetermined area including a workpiece, comprising a cylindrical main body having one end face as a mounting surface and capable of arranging the workpiece inside, the inner circumferential surface of the main body being an inclined surface that widens in diameter from the one end face side to the other end face side, the inclined surface being a mirror surface that reflects laser light, and enabling surface treatment of the upper surface of the workpiece by laser light directly irradiated onto the workpiece and surface treatment of the circumferential surface of the workpiece by laser light reflected from the mirror surface, all through a single scan of the workpiece irradiated with laser light.

[0008] Furthermore, the above-mentioned object of the present invention is achieved by a laser processing assist device for assisting surface treatment by laser light scanned within a predetermined area including a workpiece, comprising a cylindrical main body having one end face as a mounting surface and capable of arranging the workpiece inside, wherein the cylindrical main body has a plurality of through holes formed along the circumferential direction into which plate-shaped mirror members that reflect laser light can be inserted facing inward, the mirror members are inserted into the through holes at an angle with respect to the mounting surface, the workpiece is arranged within the area surrounded by the mirror members inserted into each of the through holes, and a single scan of the workpiece with laser light irradiated onto it enables surface treatment of the upper surface of the workpiece with laser light directly irradiated onto the workpiece, and surface treatment of the circumferential surface of the workpiece with laser light reflected by the mirror members.

[0009] Furthermore, it is preferable that the main body has a gas channel formed therein that allows gas supplied from the outside to flow out to the inner circumferential surface.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gas outlet of the gas flow path is provided on the upper end side of the main body and is formed to discharge gas toward the upper surface side of the mirror member that is inserted into and installed in the through hole.

[0011] Preferably, the gas outlets are provided in multiple locations corresponding to each of the mirror members that are inserted into and installed in the through-holes.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the main body be configured to be connectable to a dust collector for collecting dust generated by the laser surface treatment of the workpiece.

[0013] Furthermore, the main body is provided with a dust collection channel that connects the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface, and includes a suction port formed on the inner circumferential surface and a discharge port formed on the outer circumferential surface. The dust collector is configured to be connectable to the discharge port of the dust collection channel, and the dust can be collected through the suction port of the dust collection channel.

[0014] Furthermore, it is preferable that a plurality of suction ports are provided, corresponding to each of the mirror members that are inserted into and installed in the through-holes.

[0015] Furthermore, the laser processing aid according to claim 1 is characterized in that the inclination angle of the inclined surface is set to a range of 30° or more and 60° or less.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the mirror member is inclined with respect to the aforementioned mounting surface at an angle of 30° to 60°.

[0017] Furthermore, it is preferable that a base portion is formed on the lower peripheral edge of the cylindrical main body portion, extending radially outward from the main body portion.

[0018] Furthermore, it is preferable that the main body portion is provided with a magnet on one end face.

[0019] Furthermore, it is preferable to further include a support fixing body that is configured to be attachable to the laser irradiation unit of a laser processing apparatus that scans the laser beam over the workpiece, and which supports the main body.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferable that the support and fixing body comprises a fixing portion that can be detachably attached to the laser irradiation portion and a connecting portion that connects the fixing portion and the main body.

[0021] Furthermore, it is preferable that the connecting portion is configured so that the distance between the fixing portion and the main body portion can be varied.

[0022] Furthermore, it is preferable that the connecting portion is formed in a cylindrical shape.

[0023] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cylindrical connecting portion be configured to allow connection of a dust collector for collecting dust generated by the laser surface treatment of the workpiece.

[0024] Furthermore, it is preferable that the cylindrical connecting portion has through holes, and that dust generated by the laser surface treatment of the workpiece is collected by the dust collector through these through holes.

[0025] Furthermore, it is preferable that the height dimension of the main body portion from one end face is greater than the height of the workpiece.

[0026] According to the present invention, a laser processing aid can be provided that efficiently processes the circumferential surface of a workpiece in a surface treatment using laser light scanned over the workpiece.

[0027] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic plan view of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the usage state of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic rear view showing a modified example of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the laser processing aid according to the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a plan view of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic plan view of the main body of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a schematic side view of the main body of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a plan view relating to a modified example of the laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a large cross-sectional view of the main part This is a large cross-sectional view of a modified part of a laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a large cross-sectional view of a modified part of a laser processing aid according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a rear view image of the main part of the laser processing aid shown in Figure 18. This is an explanatory diagram for explaining a conventional laser cleaning method. This is an explanatory diagram for explaining an example of a scanning pattern of laser light emitted from a laser processing device.

[0028] Hereinafter, a laser processing aid 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. The laser processing aid 1 according to the present invention is a laser processing aid that assists in surface treatment (laser cleaning, etc.) using laser light scanned within a predetermined area including a workpiece, and comprises a cylindrical main body 2 as shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of Figure 1 and the schematic plan view of Figure 2. One end face of this main body 2 is a mounting surface 21, and as shown in the explanatory diagram of Figure 3, it is used by being placed on an object on which a workpiece Z (fastening member such as a bolt or nut) to be surface treated with laser light is installed. The workpiece Z is placed inside the cylindrical main body 2.

[0029] The inner circumferential surface of the main body 2 is an inclined surface 22 that widens in diameter from one end face to the other end face, forming the mounting surface 21. This inclined surface 22 is configured as a mirror surface that reflects laser light. The main body 2 is formed of, for example, quartz or glass, and is constructed by applying a mirror coating to the inclined surface 22. It is also preferable that the height dimension of the main body 2 from one end face is greater than the height of the workpiece Z. The inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 22 is preferably set in the range of 30° to 60°, and preferably in the range of 40° to 50°. By setting the inclination angle θ within this angle range, as shown in the explanatory diagram of Figure 4, the laser light irradiated toward the workpiece Z can be efficiently reflected toward the circumferential surface Z2 of the workpiece Z, thereby performing surface treatment on the circumferential surface Z2. In addition, the upper surface Z1 of the bolt head facing the laser processing device that irradiates the laser light is surface-treated by the directly irradiated laser light. In other words, according to the laser processing aid 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention, a single scan of the irradiated laser light makes it possible to perform surface treatment on the upper surface Z1 of the workpiece Z with laser light that is directly irradiated onto the workpiece Z, and surface treatment on the circumferential surface Z2 of the workpiece Z with laser light that is reflected by the mirror surface, thereby enabling extremely efficient surface treatment (laser cleaning) of the workpiece Z.

[0030] Furthermore, by setting the inclination angle θ of the inclined surface 22 to a range of 40° to 50°, the laser light initially reflected by the mirror surface can be reflected again by the mirror surface, so as to be reflected towards the laser irradiation part of the laser processing device. This effectively prevents the laser light from accidentally entering the eyes of the operator operating the laser processing device.

[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), the main body 2 may be configured to have a magnet 3 on one end face (mounting surface 21). By providing such a magnet 3, the laser processing aid 1 can be attracted and fixed to a steel member such as a bridge on which the workpiece Z, which is a fastening member such as a bolt or nut, is installed. This makes it possible to not only place the laser processing aid 1 on a horizontal surface, but also to stably place it on a vertical surface, improving the workability of surface treatment using laser light. In addition, it is possible to prevent the laser processing aid 1 from falling from the steel member such as a bridge on which it is installed, thereby improving the safety of surface treatment work. Here, there are no particular limitations on the size or shape of the magnet 3 provided on one end face (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2, but for example, a sheet-shaped magnet 3 can be preferably exemplified. The sheet-shaped magnet 3 is preferably attached to one end face (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2 via an adhesive or the like. Figure 5(a) shows a configuration in which a sheet-shaped magnet 3 is attached to one end surface (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2, and Figure 5(b) shows a configuration in which a counterbore surface equal to the thickness of the sheet-shaped magnet 3 is formed on one end surface (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2, and the sheet-shaped magnet 3 is attached to this counterbore surface. Furthermore, the shape of the sheet-shaped magnet 3 is not particularly limited, and as shown in Figure 6(a), multiple sheets of rectangular sheet-shaped magnet 3 in plan view may be installed on one end surface (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2, or as shown in Figure 6(b), a circular sheet-shaped magnet 3 with a circular cutout in the center may be installed on one end surface (mounting surface 21) of the main body 2.

[0032] Furthermore, the laser processing aid 1 may be configured to be attachable to the laser irradiation unit of a laser processing device that scans laser light within a predetermined area including the workpiece Z. Specifically, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the laser processing aid 1 may be further configured to include a support fixing body 5 that supports the main body 2 of the laser processing aid 1. This support fixing body 5 can be configured to include a fixing part 51 that can be detachably attached to the laser irradiation unit 101 of the laser processing device 100, and a cylindrical connecting part 52 that connects the fixing part 51 and the main body 2 of the laser processing aid 1. The fixing part 51 is not particularly limited as long as it can be detachably attached to the laser irradiation unit 101 of the laser processing device 100, but for example, it can be configured to include a cylindrical member that fits onto the outer circumference of the laser irradiation unit 101 and a bolt member 53 that is screwed into the side wall of the cylindrical member from the outside to the inside of the side wall. The tip of the bolt member 53, which is screwed into the outside of the side wall of the cylindrical member, presses against the outer circumference of the laser irradiation unit 101, thereby preventing the cylindrical member, which is fitted onto the outer circumference of the laser irradiation unit 101, from falling off. It is more preferable that a hole with a female thread is formed at a predetermined position on the outer circumference of the laser irradiation unit 101, into which the tip of the bolt member 53, which is screwed into the outside of the side wall of the cylindrical member, is screwed.

[0033] The upper end edge 52a of the cylindrical connecting portion 52 is connected to the lower surface of the fixing portion 51. As shown in Figure 7(b), a through hole 54 is formed at the lower end of the connecting portion 52, and a hole 55 with a female thread is formed at a predetermined position on the peripheral wall of the main body portion 2. By screwing the bolt member 56 into the hole 55 with a female thread in the main body portion 2 via the through hole 54 formed at the lower end of the connecting portion 52, the main body portion 2 is detachably connected and fixed to the lower part of the connecting portion 52.

[0034] In a configuration that includes such a support and fixing body 5, the laser irradiation unit 101 of the laser processing apparatus 100 is moved to the upper side of the workpiece Z, and the mounting surface 21 of the laser processing aid 1 is positioned so that it is placed on the surface of the object on which the workpiece Z (fastening members such as bolts and nuts) is installed, etc. Then, by scanning the laser beam within a predetermined area, surface treatment is performed on the surface of the workpiece Z facing the laser irradiation unit 101 and the surface of the workpiece Z not facing the laser irradiation unit 101.

[0035] By providing such a support and fixing body 5, the efficiency of surface treatment work using laser light can be improved. Specifically, for example, if the support and fixing body 5 is not provided, after setting up the laser processing aid 1 in a predetermined position, the laser processing device that irradiates the laser light must be temporarily set up in a predetermined position, the distance between the workpiece Z and the laser light irradiation unit must be measured, and the distance from the workpiece Z to the laser light irradiation unit must be finely adjusted based on the measurement result. In contrast, as shown in Figure 7, when a configuration with a support and fixing body 5 is adopted, the distance between the laser irradiation unit 101 of the laser processing device 100 and the workpiece Z can be kept constant, so the effort of finely adjusting the installation position for each workpiece Z can be eliminated, and surface treatment work using laser light can be performed extremely efficiently.

[0036] Furthermore, since the connecting portion 52 is formed in a cylindrical shape, it is designed in a way that prevents dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece Z with laser light from easily flowing out to the outside, thereby suppressing environmental pollution and health hazards to workers.

[0037] Here, it is preferable that the cylindrical connecting portion 52 is configured to be connectable to a dust collector that collects dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece Z with laser light. Specifically, it is preferable to form a through hole 57 in the cylindrical connecting portion 52 and connect the tube of the dust collector to the through hole 57 so that dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece Z with laser light is collected by the dust collector. The position of the through hole 57 through which the dust passes is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to form the through hole 57 at a position close to the main body portion 2, that is, at the lower part of the connecting portion 52 and above the main body portion 2 to which the lower end is connected, because this effectively suppresses dust from reaching the laser irradiation area and adhering to the laser irradiation area.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the connecting portion 52 is configured to allow for variable distance between the fixing portion 51 and the main body portion 2. The configuration for allowing for variable distance between the fixing portion 51 and the main body portion 2 is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in Figure 8, the cylindrical connecting portion 52 may be configured to include a first cylindrical portion 521 and a second cylindrical portion 522 that slides against the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 521, and the first cylindrical portion 521 may be configured to slide along the axial direction of the second cylindrical portion 522. In order to fix the position of the first cylindrical portion 521 relative to the second cylindrical portion 522, for example, a through hole 26 with a female thread may be formed in the side wall of the second cylindrical portion 522, and a bolt member may be screwed into the through hole 26 so that the tip of the bolt member presses against the outer circumferential portion of the first cylindrical portion 521.

[0039] As described above, by making the distance between the fixing part 51 and the main body part 2 variable in the configuration of the connection part 52, the distance between the focal position of the laser beam irradiated onto the workpiece Z from the laser beam irradiation part 101 of the laser processing apparatus 100 and the workpiece Z can be easily changed. As a result, the laser energy applied to the workpiece Z can be easily changed, and it becomes possible to find the optimal distance between the laser irradiation part 101 and the workpiece Z to achieve the optimal surface treatment state and perform surface treatment.

[0040] Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 7, the support fixing body 5 is configured to be detachably attached to the laser irradiation unit 101 of the laser processing apparatus 100. However, the configuration is not particularly limited to this, and a configuration in which it is integrally fixed to the laser irradiation unit 101 in a manner that does not allow for detachment may also be adopted.

[0041] Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 7, a through hole 54 is formed at the lower end of the connecting portion 52 of the support fixing body 5, and a hole 55 with a female thread is formed at a predetermined position on the peripheral wall of the laser processing aid 1 (main body 2). The laser processing aid 1 is configured to be detachably connected and fixed to the lower part of the connecting portion 52 by screwing a bolt member 56 into the hole 55 with a female thread in the main body 2 through the through hole 54 formed at the lower end of the connecting portion 52. However, the laser processing aid 1 may be configured to be integrally fixed to the lower part of the connecting portion 52 in a manner that prevents it from being detachably attached, for example, by using an adhesive or the like.

[0042] Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 7, the connecting portion 52 of the support and fixing body 5 is made of a cylindrical member, but the configuration is not particularly limited to this. For example, the connecting portion 52 may be made of a rod-shaped member, with the fixing portion 51 connected to the upper end of the rod-shaped member and the main body 2 connected to the lower end. Also, the number of rod-shaped members is not particularly limited. The connecting portion 52 may be made of a single rod-shaped member, or it may be made of multiple rod-shaped members.

[0043] Furthermore, while the above description of the embodiment mainly describes laser cleaning as the content of surface treatment using laser light with the laser processing aid 1, the specific content of the surface treatment is not particularly limited to cleaning, and the laser processing aid 1 according to the present invention can also be used for laser marking and surface alteration.

[0044] Next, the laser processing aid 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Similar to the laser processing aid 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the laser processing aid 1 according to this second embodiment is a laser processing aid that assists surface treatment (such as laser cleaning) with laser light that scans within a predetermined area including the processing object Z. As shown in the perspective image of FIG. 9 and the plan image of FIG. 10, it includes a cylindrical main body portion 2 and a plurality of plate-like mirror members 7. As shown in the schematic configuration plan views of FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 and the schematic configuration side view of FIG. 12 of the main body portion 2, one end face side thereof is a mounting surface 21. Similar to FIG. 3 described above, for example, it is placed and used on an object on which a processing object Z (fastening members such as bolts and nuts) to be subjected to surface treatment by laser light is installed. Further, the processing object Z is arranged inside the cylindrical main body portion 2 and within a region surrounded by a plurality of arranged mirror members 7. Further, as shown in FIG. 9 and the like, on the mounting surface 21 side (lower peripheral edge portion side) of the main body portion 2, a base portion 25 that projects outward in the radial direction of the main body portion 2 is formed to improve mounting stability. Needless to say, the main body portion 2 may be configured by omitting this base portion 25.

[0045] Furthermore, multiple through holes 26 are formed along the circumferential direction on the upper side of the main body 2, into which plate-shaped mirror members 7 that reflect laser light can be inserted toward the inside of the main body 2. As shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 13, these mirror members 7 are configured to be inserted into the through holes 26 at a predetermined inclination angle θ with respect to the mounting surface 21. It is also preferable that the height dimension from one end face of the main body 2 is greater than the height of the workpiece Z. The workpiece Z is placed within the area surrounded by each mirror member 7 inserted into each through hole 26, and with a single scan of the irradiated laser light, it is possible to treat the surface of the upper side Z1 of the workpiece Z with laser light that is directly irradiated onto the workpiece Z, and to treat the surface of the circumferential surface Z2 of the workpiece Z with laser light reflected by the mirror members 7. Although Figure 9 and others show a configuration in which the mirror members 7 are arranged on the upper side of the main body 2, the configuration is not particularly limited to this, and through holes 26 may be provided near the center of the height direction of the main body, and the mirror members 7 may be inserted into these through holes 26.

[0046] The mirror member 7 is constructed, for example, by applying a mirror coating to a base material that is rectangular in plan view. The base material is preferably made from a material such as quartz or glass. The mirror member 7 is inserted into the through hole 26 with the mirror-coated surface (mirror surface) facing upward. The length of the mirror member 7 in the insertion direction is preferably such that when it is inserted into the through hole 26 and the lower end (insertion end) reaches the position of the mounting surface 21, the portion that protrudes upward from the through hole 26 can be grasped with a finger. However, as long as the length does not fall out of the through hole 26 when the lower end reaches the position of the mounting surface 21, there is no problem. For example, the length may be such that when the lower end of the mirror member 7 reaches the position of the mounting surface 21, the upper end is flush with the through hole 26.

[0047] Also, the shape and size of the through-hole 26 are preferably formed such that the inserted mirror member 7 can slide with a slight resistance during insertion. Specifically, it is preferable to form the shape and size (cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area) of the through-hole 26 to be the same as, slightly larger than, or slightly smaller than the shape and size (cross-sectional shape and cross-sectional area) of the mirror member 7 inserted into the through-hole 26.

[0048] The number and width dimension of the mirror members 7 are appropriately determined according to the size of the main body 2, the size of the workpiece Z to be processed, etc. However, when the tip of each mirror member 7 in the insertion direction reaches the placement surface 21 position, it is preferable to set the number and width dimension so that the entire periphery of the workpiece Z can be reflected by the plurality of mirror members 7. In particular, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 14, when the tip of each mirror member 7 inserted into the through-hole 26 reaches the position of the placement surface 21, the side edges on the tip side in the insertion direction of the adjacent mirror members 7 are close to each other (for example, the distance between the side edges is 1 mm or less), or it is preferable to set the number, width dimension, and insertion angle of the mirror members so that they contact each other.

[0049] Also, the mirror member 7 inserted and installed in the through-hole 26 is preferably inclined with respect to the placement surface 21 within a range of 30° or more and 60° or less, and is preferably set within a range of 40° or more and 50° or less. By setting the inclination angle θ within such an angle range, the laser light irradiated toward the workpiece Z can be efficiently reflected toward the peripheral surface Z2 of the workpiece Z to perform surface treatment on the peripheral surface. Also, the upper surface Z1 of the bolt head facing the laser processing apparatus side that irradiates the laser light is surface-treated by the directly irradiated laser light. That is, according to the laser processing aid 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, by one scan of the irradiated laser light, the surface treatment of the upper surface side of the workpiece Z by the laser light directly irradiated to the workpiece Z and the surface treatment of the peripheral surface of the workpiece Z by the laser light reflected by the mirror surface can be performed, and the surface treatment (laser cleaning) of the workpiece Z can be performed extremely efficiently.

[0050] Furthermore, by setting the inclination angle θ of the mirror member 7, which is inserted and installed in the through hole 26, to a range of 40° to 50°, the laser light initially reflected by the mirror surface can be reflected again by the mirror surface, so as to be reflected towards the laser irradiation part of the laser processing device. This effectively prevents the laser light from accidentally entering the eyes of the operator of the laser processing device.

[0051] When using the laser processing aid 1 according to this second embodiment, similar to the laser processing aid 1 according to the first embodiment described above, the main body 2 may be configured to have a magnet 3 on one end face (mounting surface 21), as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Alternatively, the support and fixing body 5 shown in Figure 7 may be further provided, so that it can be attached to the laser irradiation unit 101 of a laser processing device that scans the laser beam within a predetermined area including the workpiece Z. If the support and fixing body 5 is configured to have a cylindrical connecting part 52, a dust collector for collecting dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece Z with laser light may be connected. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, the connecting part 52 of the support and fixing body 5 may be configured so that the distance between the fixing part 51 and the main body 2 is variable. Also, as described with respect to the first embodiment above, the support and fixing body 5 may be configured to be integrally fixed to the laser irradiation unit in a manner that prevents it from being detachably attached. Furthermore, the main body portion 2 may be integrally fixed to the lower part of the connecting portion 52 in a manner that prevents it from being detachably attached, via an adhesive or the like. Alternatively, the connecting portion 52 of the support fixing body 5 may be constructed from a rod-shaped member instead of a cylindrical member, with the fixing portion 51 connected to the upper end of the rod-shaped member and the main body portion 2 connected to the lower end. In addition, the laser processing aid 1 according to the second embodiment is not particularly limited to cleaning in terms of the specific surface treatment, as in the first embodiment, and can also be used for laser marking and surface alteration.

[0052] Furthermore, in the laser processing aid 1 according to the second embodiment, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 15, the main body 2 may be configured such that a gas passage 8 is formed to allow gas such as air or nitrogen supplied from the outside to flow out to the inner circumferential surface side of the main body 2. Such a gas passage 8 can be configured, for example, to include a communication hole 81 that connects the outer circumferential surface and the inner circumferential surface of the main body 2, and a cylindrical connection port 82 provided at the outer circumferential surface side opening of the communication hole 81. Multiple such gas passages 8 may be formed. The connection port 82 is a member to which a supply pipe (not shown) to which gas is supplied is connected. By providing a gas passage 8, gas can be allowed to flow out from the outside to the inner circumferential surface side of the main body 2, forming a gas flow on the inner circumferential surface side (inside) of the main body 2, thereby suppressing the cooling of the mirror member 7 and preventing dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece with laser light from adhering to the mirror surface of the mirror member 7.

[0053] Furthermore, the gas outlet 8a of the gas flow path 8 is preferably provided on the upper end side of the main body 2, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 16, and is formed to discharge gas such as air or nitrogen toward the upper surface (mirror surface) of the mirror member 7 which is inserted and installed in the through hole 26. By adopting such a configuration, the cooling effect of the mirror member 7 can be further enhanced, and the adhesion of dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece with laser light to the mirror surface of the mirror member 7 can be further suppressed.

[0054] Furthermore, it is preferable that the gas outlets 8a of the gas passage 8 be provided in multiple locations corresponding to each mirror member 7 inserted and installed in the through hole 26. More specifically, it is preferable to configure the gas passage 8 to have the same number of locations as the number of mirror members 7. For example, in the configuration of the gas passage 8 shown in Figure 15, it is preferable to configure the gas outlets 8a of the communication hole 81 to be located at positions facing the lower side (the side opposite to the mirror surface) of each mirror member 7, or at positions that allow gas to flow out through the gaps between the mirror members 7. Also, in the configuration of the gas passage 8 shown in Figure 16, it is preferable to configure the gas outlets 8a to be located above each mirror member. By providing multiple gas outlets 8a of the gas passage 8 in this way, corresponding to each mirror member 7 inserted and installed in the through hole 26, each mirror member can be effectively cooled, and the adhesion of dust to each mirror surface can be further suppressed.

[0055] Furthermore, in the laser processing aid 1 according to the second embodiment, the main body 2 may be configured so that a dust collector for collecting dust generated by surface treatment of a workpiece with laser light can be connected, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 17. Specifically, the tip of the suction pipe S provided by the dust collector is configured to be connected to a dust collection channel 9 formed in the main body 2. The dust collection channel 9 connects the inner circumferential surface side and the outer circumferential surface side of the main body 2 and is configured to include a dust suction port 91 formed on the inner circumferential surface side and a dust discharge port 92 formed on the outer circumferential surface side. Multiple such dust collection channels 9 may be formed. In Figure 17, the dust collection channel 9 is configured as a through hole. The tip of the suction pipe S provided by the dust collector can be fitted into the dust discharge port 92. With this configuration, dust generated by surface treatment of a workpiece with laser light can be efficiently collected by the dust collector via the dust suction port 91 of the dust collection channel 9.

[0056] Furthermore, it is preferable that the dust collection channel 9 has multiple dust suction ports 91 corresponding to each mirror member 7 inserted and installed in the through hole 26. More specifically, it is preferable to configure the dust collection channel 9 to have the same number of ports as the number of mirror members 7, for example, by positioning the dust suction ports 91 of the dust collection channel 9 opposite the lower surface side (the side opposite to the mirror surface) of each mirror member 7, or opposite the gap between the mirror members 7. By providing multiple dust suction ports 91 of the dust collection channel 9 corresponding to each mirror member 7 inserted and installed in the through hole 26, dust can be effectively sucked up, further suppressing dust from adhering to the mirror surface of each mirror member 7.

[0057] Furthermore, the main body 2 may be configured to include both the gas passage 8 and the dust collection passage 9 described above. An example of a configuration in which the main body 2 includes both the gas passage 8 and the dust collection passage 9 is shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 18. Figure 19 shows a rear view of the main part of the laser processing aid 1 according to the configuration in Figure 18. Note that the plan view in Figure 14 described above is a plan view of the laser processing aid 1 according to Figure 18. The main body 2 has a hollow space 83 inside on its upper side to constitute the gas passage 8. This hollow space 83 is formed around the entire circumference on the upper side of the main body 2. The communication hole 81 is configured to connect to the through hole 26 into which the mirror member 7 is inserted, as shown in Figures 18 and 19, and is configured to communicate the space 83 with the inside (inner circumferential surface) of the main body 2, and is configured to discharge gas toward the upper surface (mirror surface) of the mirror member 7 that is inserted and installed in the through hole 26. Furthermore, the connection port 82 to which the supply piping (not shown) that supplies gas is connected is also configured to communicate with the space 83. In addition, multiple connection ports 82 can be provided in the circumferential direction of the main body 2, for example, as shown in the plan view of Figure 14. The gas flowing in from each connection port 82 passes through the space 83 and flows out from the gas outlet 8a of the communication hole 81, and flows from the top to the bottom of the mirror surface of the mirror member 7.

[0058] Furthermore, the main body 2 has a second hollow space 93 inside on its lower side, thereby forming a dust collection channel 9. This hollow second space 93 is formed around the entire circumference on the lower side of the main body 2. In Figure 18, etc., the second space 93 is formed at the position where the base portion 25 is formed on the lower side of the main body 2. Multiple through holes 94 are connected to this space 93. One opening of each through hole 94 is formed on the inside (inner circumferential surface) of the main body 2, and this opening constitutes a dust suction port 91. The dust suction ports 91 of each through hole 94 are configured to be, for example, located opposite the lower surface side (the side opposite to the mirror surface) of each mirror member 7, or opposite the gap between the mirror members 7. In addition, in the configuration shown in Figure 18, etc., a single through hole 95 having a dust discharge port 92 is provided on the outer surface side of the main body. This through-hole 95 is in communication with the second space 93. Alternatively, the system may be configured to have multiple through-holes 95 that communicate with the second space 93, and the tip of the suction pipe S of the dust collector connected to each of them. When the dust collector is operated, the dust generated by the laser surface treatment of the workpiece is collected from the inside of the main body 2, passing through each dust suction port 91, the second space 93, and the dust discharge port 92, and then collected in the dust collector via the suction pipe S.

[0059] 1 Laser processing aid 2 Main body 21 Mounting surface 22 Inclined surface 25 Base 26 Through hole 3 Magnet 5 Support fixing body 51 Fixing part 52 Connecting part 521 First cylindrical part 522 Second cylindrical part 7 Mirror member 8 Gas flow path 8 8a Gas outlet 81 Communication hole 82 Connection port 83 Space 9 Dust collection flow path 91 Dust suction port 92 Dust outlet 93 Second space 94 Through hole (through hole connecting the second space 93 and the inner circumferential surface of the main body 2) 95 Through hole (through hole connecting the second space 93 and the outer circumferential surface of the main body 2) Z Workpiece Z1 Top surface of workpiece Z2 Circumferential surface of workpiece S Dust collector suction piping

Claims

1. A laser processing aid for assisting surface treatment using laser light scanned within a predetermined area including a workpiece, comprising a cylindrical main body with one end face serving as a mounting surface and capable of accommodating the workpiece inside, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the main body is an inclined surface that widens in diameter from the one end face side to the other end face side, the inclined surface is a mirror surface that reflects laser light, and a single scan of the irradiated laser light enables surface treatment of the upper surface of the workpiece with laser light directly irradiated onto the workpiece, and surface treatment of the circumferential surface of the workpiece with laser light reflected from the mirror surface.

2. A laser processing aid for assisting surface treatment by scanning a laser beam within a predetermined area including a workpiece, comprising a cylindrical body portion having one end face as a mounting surface and into which the workpiece can be placed, wherein the cylindrical body portion has a plurality of through holes formed along the circumferential direction into which plate-shaped mirror members that reflect laser light can be inserted inward, the mirror members are inserted into the through holes at an angle with respect to the mounting surface, and the workpiece can be placed within the area surrounded by the mirror members inserted into each of the through holes, and a single scan of the irradiated laser beam enables surface treatment of the upper surface of the workpiece by laser light directly irradiated onto the workpiece, and surface treatment of the circumferential surface of the workpiece by laser light reflected by the mirror members.

3. The laser processing aid according to claim 2, characterized in that the main body has a gas channel formed therein that allows gas supplied from the outside to flow out to the inner circumferential surface side.

4. The gas discharge port of the gas flow path is provided on the upper end side of the main body and is formed to discharge gas toward the upper surface side of the mirror member which is inserted into the through hole and installed, according to claim 3.

5. The laser processing aid according to claim 4, characterized in that a plurality of gas outlets are provided corresponding to each of the mirror members inserted and installed in the through-holes.

6. The laser processing aid according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the main body is configured to be connectable to a dust collector for collecting dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece with laser light.

7. The main body portion has a dust collection channel that connects the inner circumferential surface side and the outer circumferential surface side, and is provided with a dust suction port formed on the inner circumferential surface side and a dust discharge port formed on the outer circumferential surface side, the dust collector is configured to be connectable to the dust discharge port of the dust collection channel, and the dust is configured to be collected through the dust suction port of the dust collection channel as described in claim 6.

8. The laser processing aid according to claim 7, characterized in that a plurality of suction ports are provided corresponding to each of the mirror members inserted and installed in the through-hole.

9. The laser processing aid according to claim 1, characterized in that the inclination angle of the inclined surface is set to a range of 30° or more and 60° or less.

10. The laser processing aid according to claim 2, characterized in that the mirror member is inclined with respect to the aforementioned mounting surface at an angle of 30° to 60°.

11. The laser processing aid according to claim 2, characterized in that a base portion is formed on the lower peripheral edge of the cylindrical main body portion, extending radially outward from the main body portion.

12. The laser processing aid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the main body portion is provided with a magnet on one end face thereof.

13. The laser processing aid according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a support fixing body that is configured to be attachable to a laser irradiation unit of a laser processing apparatus that scans a laser beam within a predetermined area including the object to be processed, and which supports the main body.

14. The laser processing aid according to claim 13, characterized in that the support fixing body comprises a fixing part that can be detachably attached to the laser irradiation part, and a connecting part that connects the fixing part and the main body.

15. The laser processing aid according to claim 14, characterized in that the connecting portion is configured to allow for variable distance between the fixing portion and the main body portion.

16. The laser processing aid according to claim 14, characterized in that the connecting portion is formed in a cylindrical shape.

17. The laser processing aid according to claim 16, wherein the cylindrical connecting portion is configured to allow connection of a dust collector for collecting dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece with laser light.

18. The laser processing aid according to claim 17, characterized in that a through hole is formed in the cylindrical connecting portion, and dust generated by surface treatment of the workpiece with laser light is collected by the dust collector through the through hole.

19. The laser processing aid according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height dimension of the main body portion from one end face is greater than the height of the workpiece.

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