Apparatus for refocusing reflected energy at a target focal point

Claim 2

Apparatus for the energized beam heat working of a workpiece comprising: an energized beam source; a workpiece upon which heat working is to be performed; primary focusing optics means to receive the energized beam and to focus the energized beam at an optical focal point on the workpiece; and refocusing optics means operably disposed between said primary focusing optics means and the workpiece to receive reflected beam energy from the workpiece and to refocus the reflected beam energy back to the optical focal point of the primary focusing optics means.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said primary focusing optics means comprises: a lens holder; a focusing lens mounted in said lens holder; and a support member disposed above the workpiece to removably mount said lens holder, said support member includIng means to dissipate heat absorbed from the energized beam by the lens.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said support member heat dissipating means comprises a flange disposed around and extending outwardly from said support member.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said refocusing optics means is a substantially hemispherical mirror having the same focal point as said primary focusing optics means.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said substantially hemispherical mirror has moderate translucence to visible light.

Claim 7

Apparatus for the energized beam heat working of a workpiece comprising: a workpiece upon which heat working is to be performed; a substantially hollow cylindrical support member disposed above the workpiece to be heat worked; a high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam source; a primary focusing lens to receive the high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam from said source and focus the energized beam at a focal point on the workpiece; a primary focusing lens holder to mount said primary focusing lens, said lens holder removably disposed in said substantially hollow cylindrical support member; a substantially annular member affixed to said substantially hollow cylindrical support member and extending towards the workpiece; a substantially hemispherical mirror removably mounted to said substantially annular member, said substantially hemispherical mirror being at least moderately reflective to the energized beam; and a central opening located in said hemispherical mirror having the same focal point as the primary focusing lens through which the energized beam is focused at the focal point by the primary focusing lens.

Claim 8

Apparatus for the energized beam heat working of a workpiece comprising: a workpiece upon which heat working is to be performed; a substantially hollow cylindrical support member disposed above the workpiece to be heat worked; a high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam source; a primary focusing lens to receive the high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam from said source and focus the energized beam at a focal point on the workpiece; a primary focusing lens holder to mount said primary focusing lens, said lens holder removably disposed in said substantially hollow cylindrical support member; a substantially annular member affixed to said substantially hollow cylindrical support member and extending towards the workpiece; a substantially hemispherical mirror removably mounted to said substantially annular member, said substantially hemispherical mirror being at least moderately reflective to the energized beam; and a central opening located in said hemispherical mirror having the same focal point as the primary focusing lens through which the energized beam is focused at the focal point by the primary focusing lens.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said substantally hollow, cylindrical support member includes a heat dissipating flange disposed around and extending outward therefrom.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said substantially annular member includes a gas inlet means to receive a flow of an inert gas over the primary focusing lens.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 and in addition a window, of material substantially transparent to the focused energized beam, disposed in the central opening of said mirror.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said mirror is at least moderately translucent to visible light.

Claim 13

In combination: a workpiece upon which heat working is to be performed: a source of an energized beam; energized beam focusing means disposed between said source and said workpiece to focus the energized beam at a target focal point on said workpiece, a first portion of the focused energized beam absorbed at the target focal point on said workpiece to perform a heat working thereon and a second portion of the focused energized beam reflected from the target focal point on said workpiece; and reflected energized beam refocusing means disposed between said energized beam focusing means and said target focal point on said workpiece to refocus the reflected energized beam back to the target focal point, said energized beam focusing means and said reflected energized beam refocusing means having the same target focal point on said workpiece, said reflected energized beam refocusing means having a central opening therein through which the focused energized beam passes from the energized beam focusing means to the workpiece.

Claim 14

In combination: a workpiece upon which heat working is to be performed: a source of an energized beam; energized beam focusing means disposed between said source and said workpiece to focus the energized beam at a target focal point on said workpiece, a first portion of the focused energized beam absorbed at the target focal point on said workpiece to perform a heat working thereon and a second portion of the focused energized beam reflected from the target focal point on said workpiece; and reflected energized beam refocusing means disposed between said energized beam focusing means and said target focal point on said workpiece to refocus the reflected energized beam back to the target focal point, said energized beam focusing means and said reflected energized beam refocusing means having the same target focal point on said workpiece, said reflected energized beam refocusing means having a central opening therein through which the focused energized beam passes from the energized beam focusing means to the workpiece.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said reflected energized beam focusing means is a substantially hemispherical mirror having a focal point at the target focal point.

Claim 16

In combination: a workpiece, partly absorptive and partly reflective to an energized beam, upon which a heat working is to be performed; a high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam source; a primary energized beam focusing lens disposed between said source and said workpiece to receive the energized beam from said source and focus the beam at a target focal point on said workpiece; a primary focusing lens holDer disposed around said primary focusing lens to mount said primary focusing lens; a substantially hollow cylindrical support means disposed above said workpiece to removably support said primary energized beam focusing lens holder; a substantially annular member affixed to said substantially hollow cylindrical support member and extending towards said workpiece; and a substantially hemispherical mirror removably mounted to said substantially annular member to refocus any energized beam reflected from the workpiece back to the target focal point, said focusing lens and said hemispherical mirror having the same target focal point, said mirror having a central opening therein through which the focused energized beam passes from the focusing lens to the workpiece.

Claim 17

In combination: a workpiece, partly absorptive and partly reflective to an energized beam, upon which a heat working is to be performed; a high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam source; a primary energized beam focusing lens disposed between said source and said workpiece to receive the energized beam from said source and focus the beam at a target focal point on said workpiece; a primary focusing lens holDer disposed around said primary focusing lens to mount said primary focusing lens; a substantially hollow cylindrical support means disposed above said workpiece to removably support said primary energized beam focusing lens holder; a substantially annular member affixed to said substantially hollow cylindrical support member and extending towards said workpiece; and a substantially hemispherical mirror removably mounted to said substantially annular member to refocus any energized beam reflected from the workpiece back to the target focal point, said focusing lens and said hemispherical mirror having the same target focal point, said mirror having a central opening therein through which the focused energized beam passes from the focusing lens to the workpiece.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said source of the high intensity, collimated, coherent, energized beam is a laser.