Moving a laser processing head relative to a clamping claw

1. A laser processing device comprising:

a laser processing head including processing optics for focusing a laser beam onto a workpiece;

a clamping claw system including a first clamping claw and a second clamping claw that are configured to cooperate to clamp the workpiece during laser processing, the first clamping claw defining a clamping claw opening through which the laser beam is focused onto the workpiece; and

a light-tight housing arranged to shield a portion of the laser beam extending between the processing optics and the first clamping claw during laser processing,

wherein the laser processing head and the first clamping claw are two separate components configured to be moved independently from each other, and

wherein the laser processing head and the clamping claw system include respective shielding portions that are configured to be moved relative to each other between a first position in which the respective shielding portions do not complement each other to form the light-tight housing and a second position in which the respective shielding portions complement each other to form the light-tight housing, the shielding portion of the clamping claw system being different from the first clamping claw and adjoining the clamping claw opening.

2. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein, with the light-tight housing formed, the respective shielding portions of the laser processing head and the clamping claw system are configured to be moved relative to each other while maintaining the light-tight housing.

3. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective shielding portions are tubular, and at least one of the respective shielding portions is flexible.

4. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective shielding portions are configured to be positioned with their ends in abutment to form the light-tight housing.

5. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective shielding portions are configured to be positioned one inside the other to form the light-tight housing.

6. The laser processing device of claim 5 , wherein the two shielding portions engage one inside the other by at least approximately 20 millimeters.

7. The laser processing device of claim 5 , wherein overlapping ends of the respective shielding portions are configured to be displaced transversely relative to each other.

8. The laser processing device of claim 5 , wherein an engaged end of one of the respective shielding portions has an inner surface that tapers in a conical manner in a direction away from the other of the respective shielding portions.

9. The laser processing device of claim 5 , wherein an engaged end of one of the respective shielding portions has an outer surface that tapers in a conical manner in a direction away from the other of the respective shielding portions.

10. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portion of the clamping claw system has a length of at least approximately 50 millimeters.

11. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portion of the clamping claw system defines an opening that tapers in a conical manner in a direction towards the clamping claw opening.

12. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the respective shielding portions are coupled to each other in a magnetic or pneumatic manner.

13. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portion of the clamping claw system is constructed as a flexible shielding pipe, and wherein the shielding portion of the laser processing head is constructed as a rigid shielding pipe.

14. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein one of the respective shielding portions comprises a flexible sealing element positioned in light-tight abutment with the other of the respective shielding portions when the light-tight housing is formed.

15. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein one of the respective shielding portions comprises a cross jet arranged for protection of the processing optics.

16. The laser processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a proximity switch operable to permit switching-on of the laser beam in response to the respective shielding portions being in the second position forming the light-tight housing.

17. The laser processing device of claim 1 , further comprising a workpiece sensor responsive to a presence of a workpiece clamped by the clamping claw system and disabling switching-on of the laser beam when no workpiece is clamped.

18. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the clamping claw is a first clamping claw, the device further comprising a second clamping claw that cooperates with the first clamping claw to clamp the workpiece, where the second clamping claw comprises comprising a temperature sensor responsive to a temperature of the second clamping claw and operable to switch off the laser beam when a predetermined temperature of the second clamping claw is exceeded.

19. The laser processing device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one photo detector responsive to a wavelength of the laser beam and configured to switch off the laser beam in response to detection of laser radiation.

20. The laser processing device of claim 1 , wherein the shielding portion of the clamping claw system has a plurality of pipe openings arranged besides each other, and the pipe openings at least partially overlap with each other.

21. A laser processing device comprising:

a laser processing head including:

processing optics for focusing a laser beam onto a workpiece, and

a laser processing head shielding portion; and

a clamping claw system including:

a first clamping claw and a second clamping claw configured to cooperate to clamp the workpiece during laser processing, the first clamping claw defining a clamping claw opening through which the laser beam is focused onto the workpiece, and

a clamping claw shielding portion being different from the first clamping claw and adjoining the clamping claw opening,

wherein the laser processing head shielding portion and the clamping claw shielding portion are two separate components configured to be moved with respect to each other between a first position in which the two separate components complement each other to form a light-tight housing arranged to shield a portion of the laser beam extending between the processing optics and the clamping claw system during laser processing, and a second position in which the two separate components do not complement each other to form the light-light housing.