FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(See Section 10 and Rule 13)

Title of invention:

OPTICAL SCISSOR FOR CUTTING AND END WELDING OF WIRE

Applicant:
SCANTECH LASER PVT. LTD.
An Indian Company

Having address:
A-517, T.T.C. Industrial Area,
MIDC, Mahape,
Navi Mumbai – 400701,
India

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of laser cutting and welding. Particularly, the invention relates to a system for cutting and subsequent end welding of the wire. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for composite laser cutting and end welding using split laser beam and recombining split laser beam at desired angle for cutting and welding operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Laser beam cutting and welding operations are known for long in the manufacturing industry. Some of known applications for laser beam are laser cutting, laser marking, laser welding, and other laser machining and laser micromachining applications.

Traditionally, lamp manufacturing industry uses non laser process for cutting and end welding the tungsten wire, where the diameter of the tungsten wire is typically much less than its length. The tungsten wire has property of strands entanglement due to which individual strand of wire entangles after cutting operation and causes difficulty in the subsequent handling process. The drawback leads to heavy losses and affect product quality in down line addition. This causes substantially consumption of time and costly resources of the manufacturer.

Off late, wire manufacturing industry majorly relying on a laser beam for cutting and joining operations. While manufacturing various processes for wire cutting and joining generally include a wire sawing machine, blade, and a laser cutting and welding machine. However, the instrumentation and a process of cutting and joining still have certain issues related to ease of cutting and quality of welding.

So there is a long felt need for a system which is able to satisfactorily address the said problems of the prior art. In order to solve the above mentioned problems, the present invention proposes a system for cutting and end welding for the wire having diameter less than length and also increase the production at reduced cost.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The principle object is to provide a system and method for cutting the wire having thickness much less than length and subsequent end welding the wire or welding multiple strands.

Another significant object is to provide a system and method for reducing production time and costs, as well as improved manufacturing accuracy.

Still another object is to provide a system and method for enabling the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly to provide greater stability and reliability of cutting/joining operation due to lesser number of optical components.

Still another object is to provide a system that enables the cutting of object having thickness much less than length and typically below 2 mm wire or bundled wire diameters of the wire and further preventing wire bundled or multi strand wire entanglement.

Still another object is to provide a system comprising a cutting head motorized wire disposing the system to maintain cutting length between the two pulses of the laser.

Yet another object is to provide system for recombining and focusing the laser beam on the object for cutting and welding operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Before the present systems and methods, enablement are described, it is to be understood that this application is not limited to the particular systems, and methodologies described, as there can be multiple possible embodiments which are not expressly illustrated in the present disclosures. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application.

The present invention provides a composite laser based wire cutting and welding system, the system comprising; a means for generating a laser beam; a beam splitter configured to split the laser beam into a first split laser beam, a second split laser beam and diverging the first split laser beam; a reflector for deniably the second split laser beam; a plurality of an optical fiber cable for guiding the first and second split laser beam; a cutting and joining zone for providing specific boundary for cutting and joining operation; a plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly for recombining the first and second split laser beam to generate a circumventaily integrated operating laser beam at the cutting and welding zone; a means for controlling the said adaptable nozzle lens assembly ; a means for feeding the said wire into the cutting and joining zone; a sensor means to sense the displacement of the wire; and a means for cooling the said laser generating means to increase the efficiency thereof.

In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly is provided for achieving faster speed for cutting and end welding operation of user desired shape and size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, are better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings exemplary constructions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods and system disclosed. In the drawings:

Figure 1 illustrates front plain view showing the configuration of the composite cutting and welding system in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates enlarged view showing the wire feeder and adaptable nozzle lens assembly position for cutting and welding operation.

Figure 3 illustrates the embodiment for the system illustrating the propagation of the laser including beam splitting in two equal halves.

Figure 4 illustrates the position of wire from wire feeder with respect to the adaptable nozzle lens assembly as one of the exemplary embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Some embodiments of this invention, illustrating all its features, will now be discussed in detail.

The words "comprising," "having," "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items.

It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present invention, the preferred, systems and methods are now described.

The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.

Figure 1 illustrates blockwise front plain view for configuration of the composite cutting and welding system in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

The system 100 comprises a means for generating 102 laser beam 200; a beam splitter 112; a reflector 112’ disposed with the beam splitter 112; a plurality of optical fiber cable 108 for transmitting laser beam i.e. first optical fiber cable 108(a) and second optical fiber cable 108(b); a plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116 for cutting and subsequent welding of the wire i.e. first adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116(a) and second adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116(b); a means for controlling 118 (not shown in figure) the plurality of the adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116 through a numerical controller 120 (not shown in figure); a cutting and welding zone 130; a means for feeding 122 the wire into the cutting and welding zone 130; a sensor means 124 (not shown in figure) to sense the displacement of the wire; a collecting chamber 104 configured to guide the wire and aligning the wire with laser beam; and a means for cooling 126 (not shown in figure) the said laser generating means 102 to increase the efficiency thereof.

Figure 1 illustrates a means for generating laser source (102) which generates a laser beam 200. The laser beam 200 generated may be ND: YAG laser for reliability and flexible operation. The generated laser beam (200) splits in two equal halves i.e. first split laser beam 200(a) and second split laser beam 200(b) via the beam splitter 112. The said beam splitter 112 deflects first split laser beam 200(a) to the first optical fiber cable 108(a) , the reflector 112’ deflect the second split laser beam 200(b) to the second optical fiber cable 108(b). According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the beam splitter 112 and the reflector 112’ is made up of group of any birefringent materials or simply partial trangmilltor and reflector combinatory. The beam splitter 112 splits light into beams of differing polarization. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention the said optical fibers cable 108 comprises optical fibers that act as a wave guide.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention transformed physical characteristics of the laser beam comprises of uniform beam of , low haze, good dimensional stability, and required optical quality for the cutting and welding of the wire.

In another embodiment of the invention, a beam splitter 112 splits laser beam 200 in two equal halves i.e. first split beam 200(a) and second split beam 200(b). The beam splitter 112 diverge first half of split laser beam 200(a) to the first optical fiber cable 108(a) wherein the first optical fiber cable 108(a) enables to transmit the laser beam 200(a) from the beam splitter 112 to the first adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116(a). According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention the beam splitter 112 is made of group of low auto fluorescence substrates with dense ultra-durable coatings.

In another embodiment of the invention, a reflector 112’ diverges second half of split laser beam 200(b) to the second optical fiber cable 108(b) wherein the second optical fiber cable 108(b) enables to transmit the split laser beam 200(b) from the reflector 112’ to second adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116(b). According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention the reflector 112’ is a dynamically maneuverable steerable onward 45 degrees mirror.

In another embodiment of the invention, the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116 comprises at least one lens for recombining and focusing split laser beam 200(a) and 200(b) to the desired object for cutting and welding operation. The plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116 can be adjustable to desired angle for cutting and welding operation. According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly116 may be adjusted to varying degrees of angle in the range of -120 degrees to +120 degrees to obtain enhanced cutting and welding performance. The plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116 also enables to provide greater stability and reliability of cutting and welding operation due to lesser number of optical components.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cutting and welding zone 130 may be characterized for specifying boundary for cutting and welding wire by the laser fire fired by the adaptable nozzle lens assembly 116.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cut and weld wire pieces are encapsulated into the collecting chamber 104 via a wire feeder 204 keeping its position perpendicular with respect to a plane of the system 100 (as shown in figure.2).

In another embodiment of the invention, the means for feeding 122 the wire may be automatic wire feeder system for enabling the transmission of the wire to the cutting and welding zone.
In another embodiment of the invention, a sensor means 124 used to sense the displacement of the wire. The sensor means 124 prevents the quantity of the wire from getting waste at block position.

In another embodiment of the invention present invention further comprises a cooling means 126 for cooling the heated laser means 102 providing the system to have increased efficiency and proper transmission of laser beam.

Figure 2 illustrates enlarged view showing the wire feeder and adaptable nozzle lens assembly position for cutting and welding operation.

Figure 3 illustrates the embodiment for the laser beam split in to two equal halves.

In another embodiment of the invention the laser beam 200 strikes to the beam splitter 112 where the laser beam 200 splits in two equal energy beams (power wise) i.e. 200(a) and 200(b), wherein 50% of power is directed towards first optical fiber cable 108(a) via a beam splitter 112 and remaining 50% is directed towards second optical cable 108(b) via reflector 112’.

Figure 4 illustrates the position of wire from wire feeder with respect to the adaptable nozzle lens assembly as one of the exemplary embodiment of the invention.

The preceding description has been presented with reference to various embodiments of the invention. Persons skilled in the art and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate that alterations and changes in the described process and methods of operation can be practiced without meaningfully departing from the principle, spirit and scope of this invention.

WE CLAIM:

1. A composite laser based wire cutting and joining system, the system comprising;
a means for generating a laser beam;
a beam splitter configured to split the laser beam into a first split laser beam, a second split laser beam and diverging the first split laser beam;
a reflector for deniably the second split laser beam;
a plurality of an optical fiber cable for guiding the first and second split laser beam;
a cutting and joining zone for providing specific boundary for cutting and joining operation;
a plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly for recombining the first and second split laser beam to generate a circumventaily integrated operating laser beam at the cutting and joining zone;
a means for controlling the said adaptable nozzle lens assembly;
a means for feeding the said wire into the cutting and joining zone;
a sensor means to sense the displacement of the wire; and
a means for cooling the said laser generating means to increase the efficiency thereof.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the optical fiber cables enables the split laser beam transmit to the plurality of the adaptable nozzle lens assembly .

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the joining process may be welding brazing, or soldering.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly comprises at least one lens for recombining and focusing the each split laser beam to the cutting and joining zone for obtaining circumventially integrated laser beam performance.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly may be settable to varying degree angle for achieving the desired shape and size for object.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly adjusted within the range of -120 degrees to +120 degrees to obtain enhanced cutting and joining performance.& cut edge finish from tapered to ball type finish

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a means for controlling the plurality of adaptable nozzle lens assembly is numerical controller for controlling laser fire at prescribed time delay for cutting and joining operation.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the laser beam generated is ND: YAG laser for reliability and flexible operation.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprises a collecting chamber configured to guide the wire and aligning the wire with the circumventaily integrated operating laser beam.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for feeding the wire is an automatic feeder system for enabling the transmission of the wire to the cutting and joining zone.