| United States Patent | 6,423,925 |
| Sukhman , et al. | July 23, 2002 |
Each one of multiple laser sources are independently separately mounted on a laser material processing platform and their beam paths are combined by a combiner which includes one or more optical elements mounted in the laser material processing platform which make the beam paths parallel and colinear. The combined beams are then moved in X and Y planes relative to a workpiece supported in the laser material processing platform under the control of a computer in the performance of work in accordance with a work program. The beam path of each laser source and the optical axis of the beam delivery system are each pre-aligned to the same predetermined reference and automatically coincide upon installation such that these components are rapidly and interchangeably interfaceable. The beams are orthogonally polarized and the optical elements of the combiner transmit one beam while reflecting another beam. While two laser beams are shown, an infinite number of laser beams may be used.
| Inventors: | Sukhman; Yefim P. (Scottsdale, AZ); Risser; Christian J. (Scottsdale, AZ); Gorham; Edwin W. (Phoenix, AZ) |
| Assignee: | Universal Laser Systems, Inc. (Scottsdale, AZ) |
| Appl. No.: | 505494 |
| Filed: | February 17, 2000 |
| Current U.S. Class: | 219/121.6; 219/121.61; 219/121.67; 219/121.7; 219/121.76 |
| Intern'l Class: | B23K 026/00; B23K 026/14 |
| Field of Search: | 219/121.6,121.7,121.8,121.61,121.67-121.72,121.75,121.76,121.78 |
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Synrad Series 48 Lasers operation and service manual, release V2.0 Oct. 18, 1995, p. 15, Synrad, Inc., 11816 North Creek Parkway N., Bothell, WA 98011. II-VI Incorporated optics catalog, pp. 17 and 18, Nov. 1995, II-VI Incorporated, 375 Saxonburg Blvd., Saxonburg, PA 16056. |