Pulsation Removing Pipe for Stable Laser Water Column

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Solution Overview

Problem

High-pressure gas requirements in laser processing machines increase transportation and installation costs due to the need for high-pressure gas handling and refilling, which is not feasible without pressurized gas from an accumulator.

Innovation Solution

A pulsation removing pipe is inserted between the pump and the nozzle, increasing the pipe length and volume to reduce or eliminate pressure pulsations in the liquid, allowing for stable liquid ejection without pressurized gas.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If an accumulator with high-pressure gas is used to supply high-pressure liquid, then the liquid pressure is sufficient for processing, but transportation and installation costs increase due to the need for high-pressure gas handling and refilling

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliquid pressureVSAvoidinstallation cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the accumulator component from the system. Instead of using a high-pressure gas accumulator to supply liquid pressure, the patent employs a high-pressure pump that directly generates the required liquid pressure without needing stored gas pressure, thereby eliminating transportation and refilling costs associated with high-pressure gas handling

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the pneumatic-mechanical system (high-pressure gas in accumulator) with a direct hydraulic system (high-pressure pump). The pump mechanically generates high liquid pressure through direct mechanical action on the liquid, substituting the indirect method of using compressed gas to pressurize the liquid

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of manufacture

If a high-pressure pump supplies liquid directly to the nozzle, then installation cost is reduced, but pressure pulsations in the liquid cause instability in the water column and laser beam

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation costVSAvoidliquid pressure stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a pulse damper as an intermediary component between the high-pressure pump and the nozzle. This device absorbs and dampens pressure pulsations from the pump, providing stable liquid pressure to the nozzle without requiring an accumulator, thus maintaining both cost-effectiveness and processing stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The pulse damper provides beforehand cushioning by being pre-installed in the liquid supply line to absorb pressure pulsations before they reach the nozzle. This preventive measure ensures stable water column formation and laser beam stability without requiring post-pump pressure stabilization systems

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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

This solution reduces pressure pulsations in the liquid, ensuring stable water column formation and laser beam stability during processing, eliminating the need for high-pressure gas handling and reducing installation costs.

Implementation Method 1

By increasing the length of the pipe from the pump to the nozzle, and by increasing the volume of the pipe from the pump to the nozzle, pressure pulsations of the liquid supplied to the nozzle are reduced or eliminated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure pulsation damping: Damping

Data Source

PatentEP3305457B1Machine tool
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 MAKINO MILLING MASCH CO LTD
  • EP3305457B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3305457B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4

AI summary

This machine tool (10) is provided with: a pump (44) which pressurizes a liquid; a nozzle (26b) which ejects the liquid pressurized by the pump (44) toward a workpiece (W); and a pulsation removing pipe (50) which is provided between a discharge port of the pump (44) and the nozzle (26b) and which is formed by being wound a plurality of turns or by being bent zigzaged a plurality of times, wherein the workpiece is processed while the pressurized liquid is ejected.