Rotatable Laser Head Without Fiber Delivery for Asymmetric Beams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser systems using optical delivery fibers are expensive and prone to failure, and symmetric laser beams may not be ideal for all materials and processing conditions, leading to inefficiencies in cutting, welding, and other materials processing operations.
Innovation Solution
Laser systems that transmit beams directly from a laser resonator to a laser head without using a delivery fiber, maintaining asymmetric properties and utilizing wavelength beam combining systems, with rotatable beam rotators to adjust beam orientation and shape for efficient processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If optical delivery fibers are used to transmit laser beams, then beam transmission is achieved, but system cost increases and reliability decreases due to fiber failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the optical delivery fiber from the laser system, eliminating the component that causes reliability issues and failure. The laser resonator directly couples to the laser head without an intermediate fiber, thereby extracting the problematic element while maintaining beam transmission functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces free space as an intermediary medium for beam transmission between the laser resonator and laser head, replacing the optical fiber. This allows direct coupling while avoiding the reliability and cost issues associated with fibers, particularly for high-power applications.
2Productivity
If symmetric laser beams are used for processing, then processing direction flexibility is improved, but processing efficiency decreases for specific materials and geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes asymmetric laser beams produced by wavelength beam combining systems to optimize processing efficiency for specific materials and geometries. The asymmetric beam shape allows tailored energy distribution that matches particular processing requirements, improving productivity for targeted applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a rotatable beam rotator that can dynamically adjust the orientation and shape of the laser beam during processing. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt the asymmetric beam to different processing directions and geometries, maintaining both efficiency and versatility.
3Manufacturing precision
If optical delivery fibers are used, then beam homogenization is achieved, but beam quality degradation occurs and system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the optical delivery fiber that causes beam quality degradation through homogenization and other effects. By eliminating this intermediate component, the system maintains the original beam quality characteristics from the resonator directly to the laser head.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses wavelength beam combining to create a beam that replicates the desired properties without requiring fiber homogenization. The combining system produces a beam with controlled characteristics that eliminates the need for fiber-based quality adjustment.
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 approach reduces system failure risks and costs while enabling more efficient and effective processing by maintaining beam quality and adaptability to various materials and geometries, avoiding the degradation associated with optical fibers.
Implementation Method 1
a beam rotator configured to (a) receive the output beam and optically rotate the output beam by a rotation angle
Implementation Method 2
focusing optics for focusing the output beam toward the workpiece
Implementation Method 3
Wavelength beam combining (WBC) is a technique for scaling the output power and brightness from laser diodes, laser diode bars, stacks of diode bars, or other lasers arranged in a one- or two-dimensional array
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, a laser head receives a laser output beam from a laser system or resonator without the use of a delivery optical fiber, and any asymmetry of the laser output beam may be maintained. The laser head may be physically rotatable to control orientation of the laser beam along a processing path on a workpiece.