Active Laser Guarding Screen Carbonization Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power lasers can cause damage due to stray beams, as existing active laser guarding systems fail to deactivate the laser when the conductive path is carbonized, leading to continuous conductivity and incomplete deactivation.
Innovation Solution
An active laser guarding system with spaced apart conductors on a screen that carbonizes to form a conductive path upon laser strike, detected by a system to generate a deactivation signal, ensuring the laser is safely shut off.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single conductive path is used in the laser guarding system, then the system structure is simple, but the laser beam may not be reliably deactivated when the conductive path is struck by carbonization
Solution Approach 1:
The single conductive path is segmented into two separate conductors (first conductor and second conductor) that are electrically isolated from each other. Each conductor independently monitors for laser beam strikes, ensuring that if one conductor is struck and carbonized, the other conductor can still detect the breach and trigger laser deactivation, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex multi-layer structures
Solution Approach 2:
The screen material acts as an intermediary that carbonizes when struck by the laser beam. This carbonization creates a conductive path between the two spaced-apart conductors, which the detector can sense. The intermediary carbonized material serves as the detection mechanism that bridges the gap between the physical laser strike and the electrical detection signal, enabling reliable deactivation
2Measurement precision
If the conductive path material is made highly conductive, then the electrical signal detection is improved, but the carbonization may remain conductive and fail to trigger deactivation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on the breakage of the original conductive path to detect laser strikes, the system inverts the detection logic by monitoring for the creation of a new conductive path through carbonization. The detector looks for unexpected conductivity between the two spaced-apart conductors, which indicates a laser strike has occurred. This inversion allows the system to detect strikes even when the original conductors remain intact, improving detection precision while maintaining deactivation reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The carbonized material serves as an intermediary detection medium that temporarily creates conductivity between the two conductors. This intermediary state is precisely what the detector is designed to sense, allowing for accurate detection of laser strikes. The mediator approach transforms the harmful carbonization effect into a useful detection signal
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively deactivates the laser by utilizing the conductive properties of carbonization, preventing damage from stray beams and ensuring user safety by ensuring the laser is turned off even after carbonization occurs.
Implementation Method 1
the screen comprising material, at least between the two conductors, which is arranged to carbonise when struck by a laser beam to form a further conductive path which extends between, and electrically connects, the two conductors
Implementation Method 2
when struck by a laser beam from the laser to form a further conductive path
Data Source
AI summary
An active laser guarding system 1 comprises at least one screen 3 provided with at least two spaced apart conductors 7, 9 each defining a respective electrically conductive path that is electrically separate from the other. The screen 3 comprises material, at least between the two conductors 7, 9, which is arranged to carbonize when struck by a laser beam to form a further conductive path 19 which extends between, and electrically connects, the two conductors 7, 9. The system 1 further comprises a detector 15 operative to detect the further conductive path 19 so formed, the detector 15 being operative to generate a laser deactivation signal response to detecting the further conductive path 19.