IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,491,579
Granted Patent B2
US 12,491,579 · App. 17/185,929 · Granted Dec 9, 2025

Optical machining apparatus

Inventor: Hiroshi Ohno (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
B23K26/36B23K26/0604B23K26/0619
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,491,579
App. No.
17/185,929
Granted
Dec 9, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, an optical machining apparatus includes a first light source, and a second light source. The first light source is configured to radiate a first beam onto a first position of a surface of a work in such a manner as to transfer heat at a temperature lower than a melting temperature of the work from the first position of the work to a second position of a surface of the work on an opposite side to the first position. The second light source is configured to radiate a second beam onto the second position such that a temperature of the work exceeds the melting temperature of the work, in a state in which a temperature of the second position is raised by the transfer of the heat.

Claims (45)

1 . An optical cutting apparatus comprising:

a first light source;

a second light source; and

a controller configured to control radiation of a first beam from the first light source and radiation of a second beam from the second light source,

wherein

the first light source is controlled by the controller to radiate the first beam onto a first position of a surface of a work in such a manner as to transfer heat by absorption of the first beam at the first position of the surface of the work at a temperature lower than a melting temperature of the work from the first position of the surface of the work to a second position of a surface of the work on an opposite side to the first position; and

the second light source is controlled by the controller to radiate the second beam onto the second position such that a temperature of the work exceeds the melting temperature of the work in order to cut the work between the first position and the second position, in a state in which a temperature of the second position is raised by the transfer of the heat,

a first optical axis of the first beam is oblique with respect to a normal of the work, a second optical axis of the second beam is not oblique as much as that of the first beam, and an angle between the first optical axis and the second optical axis is defined such that the first light source of the first beam is prevented from being irradiated with the second beam.

2 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein;

the controller is configured to cause the second light source to radiate the second beam in accordance with the transfer of the heat to the second position by the radiation of the first beam from the first light source onto the first position.

3 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:

the controller is configured to control a radiation timing of the first beam from the first light source and a radiation timing of the second beam from the second light source, and

the controller is configured to adjust the radiation timing of the first beam from the first light source and the radiation timing of the second beam from the second light source, based on information of the work.

4 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising:

a temperature monitor configured to measure a surface temperature of a position which is distant, by a predetermined distance, from the second position of the work,

wherein the controller is configured to adjust a radiation intensity of the second beam from the second light source, based on a temperature measurement value measured by the temperature monitor.

5 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control the first position on which the first beam is radiated, and the second position on which the second beam is radiated, in such a manner as to keep a positional relationship between the first position and the second position.

6 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein a first beam spot diameter of the first beam at the first position is made greater than a second beam spot diameter of the second beam at the second position.

7 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first wavelength of the first beam is different from a second wavelength of the second beam, and is set to have a higher absorptivity to the work prior to melting, than the second wavelength.

8 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first collector including a first optical element which is provided between the first light source and the work and is configured to diffuse a beam shape at the first position of the first beam, which is emitted from the first light source, into a straight-line shape extending in a first axial direction orthogonal to a second axial direction; and

a second collector including a second optical element which is provided between the second light source and the work and is configured to diffuse a beam shape at the second position of the second beam, which is emitted from the second light source, into a straight-line shape extending in a third axial direction which is parallel to the first axial direction, and which is orthogonal to a fourth axial direction.

9 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the first collector includes a third optical element which is provided between the first optical element and the work and is configured to collect the first beam, which is diffused by the first optical element in the second axial direction, into the first axial direction, and

the second collector includes a fourth optical element which is provided between the second optical element and the work and is configured to collect the second beam, which is diffused by the second optical element in the fourth axial direction, into the third axial direction.

10 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first assist gas port provided on a side of the first position of the work and configured to jet or suction a gas; and

a second assist gas port provided on a side of the second position of the work and configured to jet or suction the gas,

wherein:

an optical axis of the first light source is inclined to a normal line of a surface including the first position of the work, and

the first assist gas port and the second assist gas port are opposed to each other, with the work being interposed therebetween.

11 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second optical axis of the second beam has different directions with respect to the normal of the workpiece.

12 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

a beam shape of the first beam on the first position of the surface of the work is an ellipse, a length of a major axis of the ellipse being a diameter of the first beam,

a beam shape of the second beam on the second position of the surface of the work is a circle, and

the diameter of the first beam on the first position of the surface of the work is greater than a diameter of the second beam on the second position of the surface of the work.

13 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the first light source and the second light source are configured such that the first beam enables the transfer of the heat toward a wider area of the work in comparison with that of the second beam.

14 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 ,

wherein the second optical axis of the second beam is orthogonal to a front surface of the work.

15 . The optical cutting apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the first light source faces the first position of the surface of the work, and

the second light source faces the second position of the surface of the work on the opposite side to the first position.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2021
From: OHNO, HIROSHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 056804/0494 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2020-155057 · Sep 16, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220080528A1 · Mar 17, 2022
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