Laser spot welder

Claim 2

In combination with an industrial robot, having a wrist end effector movable through multivector spatial orientations, an improved material treating apparatus, wherein the improvement comprises: (a) a base frame; (b) means for mounting said frame to said movable end effector; (c) a piston, linearly movable in a cylinder affixed to said base frame; (d) a hollow piston rod member affixed to said piston, having a laser beam conductor bore aligned for focusing a laser beam at a target; (e) a compression member carried by said piston rod member, to positions proximal and distal to said target; (f) a laser aperture coaxially aligned with said laser beam conductor bore; and (g) laser beam source means for directing a laser beam into said laser aperture, through said conductor bore, to said target.

Claim 3

The aperture of claim 1, wherein said compression member comprises one end of said hollow piston rod member.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said laser aperture comprises a tubular member relatively fixed to said base and telescopically fitted with the opposite end of said hollow piston rod member.

Claim 5

The aperture of claim 3, wherein a laser focus lens is carried in unison with said hollow piston rod member as said member moves relative to said base frame.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a laser focus lens is relatively fixed with respect to said base frame and aligned coaxially with said hollow piston rod member.

Claim 7

A laser welding system, comprising in combination: (a) an industrial robot having a wrist and wrist end effector movable through multi-vector spatial orientations; (b) a workpiece support base located proximate to said robot; (c) a laser welder, comprising: (1) a base frame; (2) an anvil relatively fixed to said base frame; (3) an anvil compression member movably mounted on said base frame; (4) means for moving said anvil compression member linearly with respect to said anvil; (5) a laser beam conductor carried by said frame, linearly movable with said compression member and aligned for focusing a laser beam at a welding target proximal to said anvil, (6) a laser aperture aligned with said laser beam conductor, and (7) laser beam source means for directing a laser beam into said laser aperture, and (d) means for mounting said laser welder to said robot wrist end effector wherein said laser welder is orientable by said robot with respect to said workpiece support base to effect welding operations on a workpiece.

Claim 8

A laser welding system, comprising in combination: (a) an industrial robot having a wrist and wrist end effector movable through multi-vector spatial orientations; (b) a workpiece support base located proximate to said robot; (c) a laser welder, comprising: (1) a base frame; (2) an anvil relatively fixed to said base frame; (3) an anvil compression member movably mounted on said base frame; (4) means for moving said anvil compression member linearly with respect to said anvil; (5) a laser beam conductor carried by said frame, linearly movable with said compression member and aligned for focusing a laser beam at a welding target proximal to said anvil, (6) a laser aperture aligned with said laser beam conductor, and (7) laser beam source means for directing a laser beam into said laser aperture, and (d) means for mounting said laser welder to said robot wrist end effector wherein said laser welder is orientable by said robot with respect to said workpiece support base to effect welding operations on a workpiece.

Claim 9

In combination with an industrial robot having a wrist end effector movable through multi-vector spatial orientations, an improved laser spotwelder, comprising: (a) a base frame generally comprising an elongate plate and an upright extension at one end and including means for mounting said frame to said end effector; (b) an anvil affixed to said upright extension; (c) an anvil compression member comprising an end portion of a movable linearly extensible piston rod; (d) a piston, coaxially affixed to said piston rod and closely fitted to a relatively fixed fluid cylinder mounted to said base frame plate, so as to advance and retract said anvil compression member relative to said anvil; (e) a coaxial laser conductor bore through said piston rod and aligned to focus a laser beam at a welding target proximal to said anvil; (f) a laser aperture through an aperture member affixed to said base frame plate, said aperture member and said piston rod telescopically fitted to one another; and (g) laser beam source means for directing a laser beam into said laser aperture, through said conductor bore, to said target.

Claim 10

In combination with an industrial robot having a wrist end effector movable through multi-vector spatial orientations, an improved laser spotwelder, comprising: (a) a base frame generally comprising an elongate plate and an upright extension at one end and including means for mounting said frame to said end effector; (b) an anvil affixed to said upright extension; (c) an anvil compression member comprising an end portion of a movable linearly extensible piston rod; (d) a piston, coaxially affixed to said piston rod and closely fitted to a relatively fixed fluid cylinder mounted to said base frame plate, so as to advance and retract said anvil compression member relative to said anvil; (e) a coaxial laser conductor bore through said piston rod and aligned to focus a laser beam at a welding target proximal to said anvil; (f) a laser aperture through an aperture member affixed to said base frame plate, said aperture member and said piston rod telescopically fitted to one another; and (g) laser beam source means for directing a laser beam into said laser aperture, through said conductor bore, to said target.

Claim 11

The laser spotwelder of claim 7, wherein said anvil comprises a ring-like member and said anvil compression member comprises a ring-like end of said piston rod.

Claim 12

The laser spotwelder of claim 7, wherein said anvil comprises, in part, at least one roller having its rotary axis transverse to the linear axis of said piston rod, and further wherein said anvil compression member comprises, in part, at least one roller carried on said piston rod end portion, said rollers oppositely disposed to one another and carried on parallel rotary axes.

Claim 13

The laser spotwelder of claim 7, wherein said laser beam source means includes a jointed light pipe conductor system connecting a remote laser beam generator to said laser aperture.