Patent US661430A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4488309A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4488309A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Gas laser apparatus
Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
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Filing: 1982-09-13
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Granted: 1984-12-11
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Expires: 2002-09-13
Abstract
Abstract A gas laser apparatus having an anode and a cathode for imparting a glow discharge to a stream of laser gas in response to a high d.c. voltage, also includes a dielectric electrode positioned within said stream of laser gas between the anode and cathode for exciting a pulsed silent discharge of the laser gas in response to an a.c. high voltage power source that supplies a pulsed high a.c. voltage to said dielectric electrode. A pulsed large-current glow discharge is produced between the anode and cathode to thereby emit a large, pulsed laser output. The apparatus may also include controls for controlling the power of the silent discharge excited by the dielectric electrode to thereby control the laser output.
Inventors
- 👤 Masaaki Tanaka
- 👤 Yukio Sato
- 👤 Masao Hishii
- 👤 Haruhiko Nagai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 17:19
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01S; H01S3/00; H01S3/10; H01S3/102; H01S3/104; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/062; B23K26/0622; H01S3/02; H01S3/03; H01S3/038; H01S3/09; H01S3/097; H01S3/0971; H01S3/09713
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A gas laser apparatus having an anode and cathode positioned in an enclosed chamber adapted to provide a stream of laser gas in a discharge area between said anode and cathode, a source of d.c. power for supplying a high d.c. voltage between said anode and cathode, a partially reflecting mirror and a total reflecting mirror positioned with respect to said discharge area to provide an oscillator to produce a laser output, the improvement comprising: a dielectric electrode positioned in said discharge area between said anode and said cathode, and a high voltage a.c. power source connected to provide high voltage a.c. power to said dielectric electrode, whereby a silent discharge is excited between said dielectric electrode and said cathode and anode and a large current glow discharge is produced between said anode and cathode to thereby emit a high power laser output.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A gas laser apparatus having an anode and cathode positioned in an enclosed chamber adapted to provide a stream of laser gas in a discharge area between said anode and cathode, a source of d.c. power for supplying a high d.c. voltage between said anode and cathode, a partially reflecting mirror and a total reflecting mirror positioned with respect to said discharge area to provide an oscillator to produce a laser output, the improvement comprising: a dielectric electrode positioned in said discharge area between said anode and said cathode, and a high voltage a.c. power source connected to provide high voltage a.c. power to said dielectric electrode, whereby a silent discharge is excited between said dielectric electrode and said cathode and anode and a large current glow discharge is produced between said anode and cathode to thereby emit a high power laser output.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A gas laser apparatus as claim in claim 1 wherein said high voltage a.c. power provided to said dielectric electrode is pulsed a.c. power resulting in a high power pulsed laser output.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the dielectric electrode comprises a metal tube coated with a layer of dielectric material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the metal tube is an iron tube.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the dielectric material is glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 4 further comprising means for passing cooling water through said metal tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said d.c. high-voltage power source is a constant-current power supply.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 7 wherein a capacitor is connected in parallel to the output terminal of the constant-current power supply.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said d.c. high-voltage power source is a constant voltage power supply.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a coil connected in series with the output terminal of said constant voltage power supply and a capacitor connected between the output terminal of said coil and ground.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the voltage supplied from said d.c. high voltage power source alone is no.t sufficient to produce a glow discharge between said anode and cathode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the voltage supplied form said d.c. high voltage power source alone is sufficient to produce a glow discharge between said anode and cathode.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said cathode comprises a plurality of electrodes supported on an insulating substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A gas laser apparatus as claimed in claim 13 further comprising stabilizing resistors connected in series circuit with said plurality of electrodes and said d.c. high voltage power supply.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A gas laser apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising control means for controlling the power of the silent discharge excited by said dielectric electrode, said laser output being controlled by controlling the power of the silent discharge.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
56 words
A gas laser apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the d.c. high voltage supplied to said anode and cathode is insufficient alone to product a laser output, and wherein said control means switches said laser from an off position to an on position by switchably applying said high voltage a.c. power to said dielectric eectrode.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the high d.c. voltage supplied between the anode and cathode is not sufficient to cause glow discharge.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the high d.c. voltage supplied between the anode and cathode is sufficient to cause glow discharge but not sufficient to produce a laser output in the absence of silent discharge.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
A gas laser apparatus as claimed in claim 15 further comprising means for controlling the movement of a workpiece to be worked on by said laser output, wherein said silent discharge control means operates in synchronism with said movement control means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said control means controls the power of silent discharge in such a manner that the laser output is slope-controlled.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said control means controls the output of said a.c. high voltage power source.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said a.c. output of said a.c. high voltage power source is amplitude-modulated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
A gas laser apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said a.c. output of said a.c. high voltage power source is frequency-modulated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3781712A
Cited
US4343040A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-12-11 | 1988-06-11 | 1988-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-12-11 | 1992-06-11 | 1992-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-12-11 | 1996-06-11 | 1996-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |