Processing head of a laser processing machine with a gas supply and a compensation system for balancing the forces exerted by the supplied gas

摘要

In a laser machining head (10) with movable laser beam (5) focusing optics (FO) (25), a compressed gas supply (90, 95) and a compensating system for force transferred from each gas stream onto the FO based on a gas chamber (60, 70) floodable with gas and containing a piston surface (61.1, 71.1), each gas outlet opening (73) of one gas supply (95) is such that the gas stream is introduced into a region (75) adjoining the FO on the inlet side of the laser beam. A laser machining head (10) has laser beam (5) focusing optics (FO) (25), moved and/or adjusted by a fluid drive; and at least one supply (90, 95) of compressed gas(es), with outlet opening(s) (63, 73) for each gas to provide gas streams (64, 74) into spatial regions (65, 75) adjacent to the FO. A compensating system for force transferred from each gas stream onto the FO consists of a gas chamber (GC) (60, 70) floodable with gas and a piston surface (61.1, 71.1) movable in the GC, contacted by gas, permanently attached to the FO and arranged so that force transferred from the gas onto the FO is at least partially compensated by force transferred from the gas onto the piston surface. The GC is integrated in the gas supply so that the GC is flooded with gas supplied to the outlet openings via inlet openings (62, 72) in the GC; and the gas must flow through the GC (after passing through the inlet openings) to reach the outlet openings. The GC is concentric with the laser beam propagation direction, and the gas-contacting piston surfaces are in the form of rings concentric with this direction. The novel feature is that each outlet opening (73) of one supply system (70, 72, 73, 95) is arranged so that each gas stream is introduced into a spatial region (75) adjoining the FO on the inlet side of the laser beam. An independent claim is included for laser machining apparatus incorporating the machining head.