Laser processing apparatus

Claim 2

A laser shaping apparatus comprising: laser means for emitting a laser beam, a first lens for focusing the laser beam from said laser means onto the shaping surface of a workpiece as a shaping laser beam, means for projecting a monitor light beam through said first lens onto said shaping surface from which it is reflected a second lens for focusing said reflected monitor light beam, a vibrating plate with a pinhole therein for passing the monitor light beam focused by said second lens, a vibrating means for vibrating said vibrating plate, a light detector for receiving the light passed through the pinhole of said vibrating plate, a phase sensitive detector for rectifying an output signal from said light detector in sychronization with a reference signal from said vibrating means, and means for adjusting the distance between said first lens and the workpiece upon receipt of an output signal from said phase sensitive detector, wherein said laser means emits laser beams in two opposite directions and wherein the laser beam in one direction is used as said shaping laser beam, while the laser beam in the opposite direction is used as said monitor light beam.

Claim 3

A laser shaping apparatus comprising: laser means for emitting a laser beam, means for providing a monitor light beam, a first lens for simultaneously focusing the shaping laser beam from said laser means and said monitor light beam, a workpiece disposed so as to receive the shaping laser beam and the monitor light beam focused by said first lens, a second lens for focusing a portion of said monitor light beam reflected from said workpiece, a vibrating plate with a pinhole therein for passing the monitor light beam focused by said second lens, vibrating means for vibrating said vibrating plate, a light detector for receiving the light passed through the pinhole of said vibrating plate, and for providing an output signal indicative thereof, a phase sensitive detector for rectifying said output signal from said light detector and, means for adjusting the distance between said first lens and the workpiece upon receipt of an output signal from said phase sensitive detector, wherein the focal point of the shaping laser beam through said first lens and that of the monitor light beam are positioned in a common plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said first lens and simultaneously spaced a small distance from each other.

Claim 4

A laser shaping apparatus comprising: laser means for emitting a laser beam, means for providing a monitor light beam, a first lens for simultaneously focusing the shaping laser beam from said laser means and said monitor light beam, a workpiece disposed so as to receive the shaping laser beam and the monitor light beam focused by said first lens, a second lens for focusing a portion of said monitor light beam reflected from said workpiece, a vibrating plate with a pinhole therein for passing the monitor light beam focused by said second lens, vibrating means for vibrating said vibrating plate, a light detector for receiving the light passed through the pinhole of said vibrating plate, and for providing an output signal indicative thereof, a phase sensitive detector for rectifying said output signal from said light detector and, means for adjusting the distance between said first lens and the workpiece upon receipt of an output signal from said phase sensitive detector, wherein the focal point of the shaping laser beam through said first lens and that of the monitor light beam are positioned in a common plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said first lens and simultaneously spaced a small distance from each other.

Claim 5

A laser processing apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said laser means emits laser beams in two opposite directions, the laser beam in one direction being used as said shaping laser beam while the laser beam in the opposite direction is used as said monitor light beam.

Claim 6

A laser shaping apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the energy of the laser beam used as a monitor light beam is of insufficient amplitude to shape by melting said workpiece.

Claim 7

A laser shaping apparatus comprising: a laser means for emitting a laser beam, means for providing first and second monitor light beams, a first lens for focusing the laser beam of said laser means and said first and second monitor light beams, a workpiece disposed so as to receive said laser beam and reflect portions of said first and second monitor light beams focused by said first lens, a second lens for focusing said reflected portions of said first and second monitor light beams, a vibrating plate with a first pinhole therein for passing the first monitor light beam focused by said second lens and with a second pinhole therein for passing the second monitor light beam focused by said second lens, vibrating means for vibrating said vibrating plate, two light detectors for receiving the light passed respectively through said first and second pinholes, two phase sensitive detectors for rectifying output signals from said two light detectors in synchronization with a reference signal from said vibrating means, and, means for adjusting the distance between the said first lens and said workpiece in response to a signal representing the sum of the respective output signals from said two phase sensitive detectors.

Claim 8

A laser shaping apparatus comprising: a laser means for emitting a laser beam, means for providing first and second monitor light beams, a first lens for focusing the laser beam of said laser means and said first and second monitor light beams, a workpiece disposed so as to receive said laser beam and reflect portions of said first and second monitor light beams focused by said first lens, a second lens for focusing said reflected portions of said first and second monitor light beams, a vibrating plate with a first pinhole therein for passing the first monitor light beam focused by said second lens and with a second pinhole therein for passing the second monitor light beam focused by said second lens, vibrating means for vibrating said vibrating plate, two light detectors for receiving the light passed respectively through said first and second pinholes, two phase sensitive detectors for rectifying output signals from said two light detectors in synchronization with a reference signal from said vibrating means, and, means for adjusting the distance between the said first lens and said workpiece in response to a signal representing the sum of the respective output signals from said two phase sensitive detectors.

Claim 9

A laser shaping apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the focal point of the laser beam passing through said first lens and of the first and second monitor light beams are in a common place perpendicular with respect to the optical axis of said first lens and wherein the focal point of the first monitor light beam and that of the second monitor light beam are disposed symmetrically in relationship to the focal point of the laser beam and are equally spaced a small distance apart.

Claim 10

A laser shaping apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said laser means emits laser beams in two opposite directions and wherein the laser beam in one direction is used as said shaping laser and wherein the laser beam in the opposite direction is further divided into two beams, one of which is used as said first monitor light beam and the other of which is used as said second monitor light beam.

Claim 11

A laser shaping apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the energy of the laser beams used as first and second monitor light beams are set to levels insufficient in amplitude to shape said workpiece by melting.