Laser nozzle with mobile element of improved external profile

Abstract

The invention relates to a nozzle for laser cutting comprising a nozzle body (1) comprising an axial housing (5) and a first outlet orifice (11) situated in the region of the front face (1a) of the nozzle body (1), a mobile element (2) arranged in the axial housing (5) of the nozzle body (1), comprising a skirt-forming front part (2a) and comprising a second outlet orifice (12), said mobile element (2) being able to be moved in a translational movement inside the axial housing (5) toward the first outlet orifice (11) under the effect of a gas pressure applied to the mobile element (2) until such time as the skirt-forming front part (2a) of the mobile element (2) projects out from the axial housing (5) through the first outlet orifice (11), and an elastic element (8) arranged in the axial housing (5), between the nozzle body (1) and the mobile element (2), applying an elastic return force to the mobile element (2). According to the invention, the front part (2a) comprises an end portion (17) the outside diameter of which decreases progressively toward the second outlet orifice (12). Focusing head and associated laser cutting installation. Laser-beam cutting method employing a nozzle according to the invention, a laser focusing head according to the invention or an installation according to the invention.

Claims

1. A laser nozzle comprising: a nozzle body having an axial seat and a first output orifice located at the front face of the nozzle body, a mobile element placed in the axial seat of the nozzle body, having a front skirt-shaped portion and having a second output orifice, said mobile element being movable in translation in the axial seat towards the first output orifice under the effect of a gas pressure exerted on the mobile element until the front skirt-shaped portion of the mobile element protrudes outside the axial seat through the first output orifice, and an elastic element placed in the axial seat between the nozzle body and the mobile element exerting an elastic return force on the mobile element, wherein the front portion has an end portion in which the external diameter decreases progressively in the direction of the second output orifice.

2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the front portion also has a cylindrical portion of substantially constant external diameter.

3. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the end portion has at least one bevel forming an angle a with the front face of the nozzle body.

4. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the angle a of the bevel is between 0.1 and 80.

5. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the external profile of the end portion is truncated-cone-shaped.

6. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the external profile of the end portion has at least one curved portion.

7. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the external profile of the end portion has at least one convex portion.

8. The nozzle of claim 7, wherein the at least one convex portion has a radius of curvature of between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

9. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion has an external diameter of between 3 mm and 8 mm.

10. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the end portion has an external diameter of between 2.5 mm and 7 mm at the second output orifice.

11. A laser focusing head having at least one focusing optic, comprising a laser nozzle according to claim 1.

12. A laser facility including a laser generator, a laser focusing head and a laser-beam conveying device linked to said laser generator and to said laser focusing head, comprising the laser focusing head of claim 11.

13. The facility of claim 12, wherein the laser generator is a CO.sub.2, YAG, fiber or disk laser generator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) For a further understanding of the nature and objects for the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or analogous reference numbers and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of a focusing head of a conventional laser cutting facility,

(3) FIG. 1B is a schematic representation of the size of the laser spot in relation to the size of the nozzle orifice,

(4) FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-section of the body of a nozzle according to the invention,

(5) FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of a nozzle according to French patent application 1154224,

(6) FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-section of a nozzle according to one embodiment of the invention,

(7) FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-section of the body of a nozzle according to another embodiment of the invention,

(8) FIGS. 6A and 6B show the nozzle according to the invention with the mobile element in two different positions, and

(9) FIG. 7 shows the movement of the mobile element of a nozzle according to the invention over a height difference.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) FIG. 1A shows the focusing head 20 of a conventional laser cutting facility, to which is attached a conventional laser nozzle 21, through which pass a focused laser beam and assist gas (arrow 23) used to expel the metal melted by the beam from the cutting groove 31 formed by the beam 22 in the metal part to be cut 30, for example a steel or stainless-steel sheet.

(11) The assist gas may be an active gas; such as oxygen, air, CO.sub.2 or hydrogen; or an inert gas; such as argon, nitrogen or helium; or a mixture of several of these active and/or inert gases. The composition of the gas is chosen in particular in consideration of the nature of the part to be cut.

(12) The beam that impacts the part melts the metal, which is then expelled beneath the part by the pressure of the assist gas.

(13) FIG. 1B clearly shows the area S1 of the orifice 24 of the nozzle 21 in relation to the size S2 of the focal spot of the beam 22. As shown, the area S1 is much greater than the size S2 of the focal spot of the beam 22, which means, in the case of conventional nozzles, a high consumption of assist gas, of which only a small proportion is used to expel the molten metal from the cutting groove 31.

(14) To considerably reduce the gas consumption and the pressure required for cutting, French patent application 1154224 proposes a laser nozzle that is able and designed to cut with a laser beam using a lesser gas pressure and/or gas flow rate on account of a particular nozzle architecture that makes it possible to force a greater proportion of gas into the groove 31 and to efficiently expel the molten metal therefrom, regardless of the laser power and the wavelength of the beam.

(15) According to document FR 1154224, the laser nozzle has at least two essential components, namely a nozzle body 1 cooperating with a mobile element 2 arranged movably inside the nozzle body 1, an embodiment of which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

(16) More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle body 1, which is made of a conductive material, for example copper or brass, is designed to be attached to the laser focusing head 20 of the laser facility.

(17) Advantageously, the nozzle body 1 is an axisymmetric part crossed end to end by an axial seat 5 along the axis AA, which extends from the rear face lb of the body 1 to the front face la of said body 1.

(18) The axial seat 5 opens out at the front face la and the rear face lb of the nozzle body 1. The rear face lb therefore has a first input orifice 11, while the front face la has a first output orifice 11 from the nozzle body 1, the first input and output orifices 11, 11 being coaxial to the axis AA.

(19) This axial seat 5 is in fact a recess, for example a cylindrical recess with an internal shoulder 9 projecting radially towards the center of the seat 5, said internal shoulder 9 being formed by a restriction 15 of the area of the axial seat 5 level with the first output orifice 11 located on the front face 1a of the nozzle body 1.

(20) The nozzle in document FR 1154224 also includes a mobile element 2 that is inserted into the seat 5 of the nozzle body 1, preferably coaxially with the body 1, as shown in FIG. 3. This mobile element 2 is able and designed to move in translation along the axis AA inside the seat 5 of the nozzle body 1.

(21) According to document FR 1154224, this mobile element 2 includes a front portion 2a forming a cylindrical (i.e. tubular) skirt 6 arranged in the axial seat 5 of the nozzle body 1 and including an axial passage 4 with a second output orifice 12 opening out from the front portion 2 forming said skirt 6.

(22) While the nozzle is in use, the laser beam 22 and the assist gas 23 pass through the axial passage 4 of the mobile element 2 and come out through the second output orifice 12 opening out from the front portion 2a forming said skirt 6.

(23) The mobile element 2 can be moved axially in relation to the body 1 of the nozzle along the axis AA. Indeed, the mobile element 2 moves under the effect of the pressure of the assist gas 23 that is exerted on said mobile element 2, which tends to push it towards the part to be cut 30.

(24) The translational movement of the mobile element 2 along the axis AA causes the skirt 6 to move towards the upper surface 30 of the sheet to be cut, before they come into contact with one another, as shown in FIG. 4A.

(25) Thus, the gas is channeled by the skirt 6 and is concentrated on the laser spot and therefore the groove, which significantly improves the efficiency thereof and the metal is more effectively expelled.

(26) An elastic element 8, such as a spring, is arranged in the axial seat 5, between the nozzle body 1 and the mobile element 2 such that it exerts an elastic return force on the mobile element 2 in a direction tending to move it away from the part to be cut. Thus, on completion of the cut, when the gas is cut off and the gas pressure is no longer being exerted on the mobile element 2, the latter can be returned to the idle position thereof and therefore the skirt 6 can go back inside the seat 5.

(27) The elastic element 8 therefore makes it possible to limit the wear caused to the skirt 6 during the sheet drilling phases that usually proceed the cutting phases. Indeed, drilling is most commonly undertaken with low gas pressures, typically less than 4 bar. The elastic element then exerts a sufficient return force for the skirt 6 to return completely or almost completely into the seat 5, where it is protected from the projections of molten metal generated by the drilling.

(28) Furthermore, the elastic element 8 facilitates the rapid movement of the cutting head at short distances above the sheet, with no cutting gas or beam, since the gas then ceases to exert pressure on the mobile element and the skirt 6 goes back inside the seat 5. Only the skirt 6 goes back up, and it is not necessary to lift the focusing head holding the nozzle.

(29) According to document FR 1154224, the mobile element 2 has a front portion 2a forming a cylindrical skirt 6, i.e. one with a constant external diameter along the axis AA.

(30) As explained above, this cylindrical shape causes problems if any obstacles, irregularities, overthicknesses or height differences above the level of the top surface of the sheet to be cut are present on the surface of the sheet to be cut, for example caused by projections of molten metal or cut parts that remain wedged in the skeleton of the sheet.

(31) Indeed, in this arrangement, the external peripheral wall of the front portion 2a forms a wall perpendicular to the surface of the sheet to be cut, i.e. vertical, providing relatively significant resistance to obstacles, in particular at the high cutting speeds found in laser cutting, typically between 0.1 and 50 m/min, depending on the thickness of the sheet to be cut. This results in poor absorption of the impacts by the skirt 6 and movement of said skirt that is easily hindered, slowed down, abruptly braked or even stopped. In other words, the external cylindrical profile of the skirt encourages frontal impacts with the external surface of said skirt and any obstacles on the sheet.

(32) Furthermore, the presence of a sharp edge at the extremity of the front portion 2a, as shown in FIG. 3, is more liable to start a crack in or rupture of the skirt 6 in the event of impact, making the mobile element 2 more fragile.

(33) To overcome this, the present invention proposes a laser nozzle with an improved mobile element, which in particular has a front skirt-shaped portion 2a that is able and designed to move over obstacles, irregularities or height differences when the mobile element is in the working position thereof, i.e. in contact with the upper surface of the sheet to be cut.

(34) More specifically, the front portion 2a of said mobile element includes an end portion designed to pass over a height difference or an obstacle with or without a significantly reduced impact on the skirt 6, and with no or very little reduction in the movement speed of the nozzle.

(35) According to the invention, the front portion 2a has an end portion 17 in which the external diameter lessens progressively in the direction of the second output orifice 12. Consequently, the front portion 2a is designed to help it to pass over height differences or obstacles on the surface of the sheet. The impacts are better absorbed since the progressive reduction in the external diameter of the end portion 17 helps the skirt 6 to move back up towards the seat 5 when the skirt 6 encounters a height difference or a one-off obstacle.

(36) End portion means a portion of the front portion 2a located at the extremity of said front portion, i.e. facing the upper surface of the sheet to be cut.

(37) In one embodiment of the invention, the end portion 17 has at least one bevel 18 forming an angle () with the front face 1a of the nozzle body 1. The angle of the at least one bevel 18 is between 0.1 and 80, and preferably between 10 and 45.

(38) In the example shown in FIG. 4, the end portion 17 includes a single bevel 18. Preferably, the external profile of the end portion 17 is truncated-cone-shaped.

(39) Advantageously, the front portion 2a also includes a cylindrical portion 16 of substantially constant external diameter, preferably arranged upstream of the end portion 17, i.e. further away from the second output orifice 12 than the end portion 17.

(40) In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 5, the external profile of the end portion 17 has at least one curved portion. Preferably, the external profile of the end portion 17 has at least one convex portion. The radius of curvature of the at least one convex portion is typically between 0.1 mm and 2 mm.

(41) The present invention therefore makes it possible to eliminate or largely limit the presence of sharp edges at the end of the front portion 2a.

(42) The cylindrical portion 16 preferably has an external diameter of between 3 mm and 8 mm, and preferably around 6 mm.

(43) At the second output orifice 12, i.e. at the end face of the front portion 2a facing the sheet to be cut, the end portion 17 has an external diameter of between 2.5 and 7 mm, preferably around 4 mm.

(44) It should be noted that the external peripheral wall of the mobile element 2 has a stop 10, preferably an annular stop extending around all or part of the periphery of said mobile element 2, the elastic element 8 being positioned between the shoulder 9 and the stop 10.

(45) Optionally, at least one sealing elements 7 is arranged between the nozzle body 1 and the mobile element 2, in particular one or more O-rings 7, which makes it possible to provide a seal between the nozzle body 1 and the mobile insert 2. Preferably, said at least one sealing element 7 is placed in a peripheral slot 14 made in the external peripheral wall of the mobile element 2.

(46) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the nozzle according to the invention is of standard size, i.e. it is not larger than a conventional cutting nozzle, which is advantageous and compatible with nested cutting, in which parts are taken from a single sheet with very limited gaps between different parts.

(47) Furthermore, the nozzle according to the invention has the other advantage of being compatible with capacitive sensor systems. Indeed, the part made of copper or another conductive material is adapted to the height specified by the capacitive sensor, as in a standard nozzle. It is the mobile insert 2 that, under the pressure of the gas, comes into contact with the sheet 30 to be cut, thereby enabling gas leaks to be limited.

(48) The mobile element 2 is preferably made of an electrically isolating, composite, technical ceramic, polymer material, for example polyether ether ketone (Peek), Vespel, ceramic or Pyrex, and has the same internal geometry as a laser cutting nozzle, i.e. it may have an internal profile that is conical, with or without a cylindrical output channel, truncated-cone-shaped, convergent/divergent (i.e. de Laval nozzle) or any other suitable geometry.

(49) It should be noted that electrically isolating material means a material that does not conduct electricity, i.e. that prevents electrical current from passing between two electrically conductive elements.

(50) Preferably, the mobile element 2 is an axisymmetric part formed from a single block of material.

(51) If the mobile element 2 is not made of an electrically isolating material, at least one portion of the external surface of the mobile element 2 is covered with a layer of electrically isolating material, which may or may not be rigidly connected to the mobile element 2. This layer of isolating material is then used as an electrically isolating interface between the mobile element 2 and the nozzle body 1.

(52) Furthermore, the nozzle according to the invention includes a mobile element 2 in which the diameter of the output orifice 12 is between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

(53) Indeed, the mobile element 2 of the nozzle according to the invention is therefore able to move between several positions including at least: an idle position in which the skirt 6 of the front portion 2a is completely or almost completely withdrawn into the axial seat 5 of the nozzle body 1, as shown in FIG. 6B, and a working position in which the skirt 6 of the front portion 2a protrudes completely or almost completely outside the axial seat 5 of the nozzle body 1 through the first output orifice 11, and comes into contact with the part to be cut, as shown in FIG. 6A.

(54) Naturally, the mobile element 2 can occupy intermediate positions in which the skirt 6 protrudes only partially outside the axial seat 5 of the nozzle body 1. These intermediate positions can notably depend on the pressure exerted by the gas on the mobile element 2.

(55) Indeed, the combination of the specific external profile of the extremity of the front portion 2a with the arrangement of the elastic element 8 provides an even greater improvement to operation of the nozzle according to the invention.

(56) Firstly, the shape of the end portion enables the skirt 6 to pass over a height difference or a one-off obstacle by enabling the skirt to move back into the seat 5, thereby avoiding frontal impacts with the obstacles on the sheet.

(57) This is shown in FIG. 7, where the mobile element 2 is shown schematically with the skirt 6 thereof (body 1 omitted for the sake of clarity) moving over a sheet to be cut 30 in a cutting direction 32. In the absence of any obstacles, the skirt 6 moves in contact with the sheet on account of the pressure exerted by the cutting gas on the mobile element 2, represented by the unbroken arrow (.sub.). As shown, when an obstacle or a height difference is encountered, in this case a height difference or a step simulated by a part 33 placed on the sheet 30, the raising of the skirt 6, shown by the dotted arrow ( - - - ) is facilitated by the bevel formed on the end portion 17. Once above the obstacle 33, the skirt 6 approaches the surface of the obstacle 33 and continues channeling the cutting gas into the groove.

(58) Furthermore, the elastic element 8 makes it possible to limit the pressure exerted by the mobile element 2 on the part to be cut when same is moving towards the part under the effect of the cutting gas. More specifically, the return force of the elastic element 8 is advantageously dimensioned such as to hold the mobile element 2 in contact with the part to be cut, while limiting the pressure that said element exerts on the sheet, such as to significantly minimize or even eliminate any risk of the sheet from which the part is being cut being deformed, the surface of the sheet being scratched, and the sheet being dragged.

(59) In this way, the present invention provides greater flexibility of movement for the skirt 6 and enables it to follow the variations in level that may occur on the surface of the sheet to be cut, which facilitates the industrial use thereof.

(60) This limits the risk of the machine being stopped as a result of obstructions to the movement of the head and abrupt impacts between the skirt and obstacles.

(61) The solution provided by the present invention therefore results in a nozzle with a movable element in which the robustness, service life and implementation are improved in relation to a nozzle according to document FR 1154224.

EXAMPLES

(62) In order to demonstrate the efficiency of the nozzle according to the invention in relation to a standard nozzle, i.e. a conventional nozzle with no mobile element, and therefore of forcing the gas into the cutting groove by implementing a skirt mounted on a mobile element, comparative tests can be carried out using a cutting facility with a CO.sub.2 laser generator to generate a laser beam that is carried to a laser focusing head including focusing optics, specifically lenses.

(63) As applicable, the laser focusing head is fitted with a standard nozzle with an output orifice with a diameter of 1.8 mm or a nozzle according to FIG. 3 with a cylindrical mobile skirt and a conical axial passage with a cylindrical output channel with a diameter of 1.8 mm. Furthermore, the external profile of the movable skirt includes a bevel with an angle of approximately 30 from horizontal, i.e. from the front face of the nozzle body.

(64) The assist gas used is nitrogen.

(65) The sheet to be cut is 304L grade stainless steel 5 mm thick.

(66) Furthermore, a height difference of 0.8 mm is simulated on a zone of the sheet to be cut, covering a portion of the sheet to be cut with another piece of sheet 0.8 mm thick, as shown schematically in FIG. 7.

(67) The laser beam has a power of 4 kW and the cutting speed is 2.6 m/min.

(68) The results obtained demonstrate that: with the standard nozzle, a gas pressure of 14 bar is not enough to obtain a quality cut. Indeed, at 14 bar, the cut edges have numerous attached burrs. This demonstrates that the evacuation of the molten metal is imperfect on account of an inadequate action of the gas on the molten metal to be expelled. To eliminate these burrs, a pressure of 16 bars was required. with the nozzle according to the invention, tests carried out at pressures of between 1 and 5 bar resulted in cuts of good quality, i.e. in cut edges with no attached burrs. The skirt of the nozzle makes it possible to channel the gas into the groove and to efficiently expel the molten metal. Furthermore, the nozzle easily passes over the simulated 0.8 mm height difference on the sheet with no stop-starting or excessive reduction in the cutting speed when passing over the height difference. It should be noted that 0.8 mm is typically the maximum height of height differences or obstacles encountered on a sheet cut using a laser beam.

(69) These tests clearly show the efficiency of a nozzle according to the invention, which helps to considerably reduce the gas pressures required compared to a standard nozzle, all conditions being equal, and therefore to reduce gas consumption.

(70) It will be understood that many additional changes in the details, materials, steps and arrangement of parts, which have been herein described in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments in the examples given above.