TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an adapter for enabling changing the numerical aperture value of the laser beam in fiber laser systems.

PRIOR ART

Beam parameters in fiber laser systems include important features that make up the capability of the system. These parameters are selected according to the application field. The adjustability of these parameters also increases the operability of fiber laser systems. In a fiber laser system to be used for material cutting purposes, if beam parameters are not appropriate, the problems of material flow in the cutting region and the inability to discharge completely occur.

In addition, as can be seen in Figure 6, the laser beam is transmitted via optical fiber to the optical imaging systems where industrial fiber laser systems are integrated into that in the known art, and the material is processed by focusing after the transmitted laser beam passes through the collimating optical system and the focusing optical system. If the beam parameters are not appropriate during this process, particles that form during processing may enter the optical imaging system and adhere to the components of the imaging system. This will cause damage to the imaging systems.

All the problems mentioned above have made it necessary to make an innovation in the related technical field as a result.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an adapter for fiber laser systems to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and to bring new advantages to the related technical field.

The object of the invention is to provide an adapter for enabling adjusting the numerical aperture value of the laser beam in fiber laser systems. The present invention relates to an adapter for enabling changing the numerical aperture value of the laser beam in fiber laser systems to realize all the objects that are mentioned above and will emerge from the following detailed description. Accordingly, the fiber through which the beam advances comprises a first region having a constant first diameter, a narrowing region that is conically narrowed following the said first region, a narrowed region having a constant second diameter at the end of the said narrowing region, and an exit region having a third diameter larger than the second diameter following the said narrowed region.

The first diameter is equal to the third diameter in a possible embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A representative schematic view of the application of fiber laser systems using the adapter of the invention is given in Figure 1 .

A representative view of the adapter of the invention is given in Figure 2.

A representative view of the steps of the production method of the adapter of the invention is given in Figures 3a-3d.

Figure 4 shows representative views of the beams emanating from the cutting head when used in the prior art and the invention.

A representative view of the optical imaging system is given in Figure 5 in the case of the use of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a representative view of the optical imaging system in the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, an adapter (30) for the fiber laser systems according to the invention is explained with examples that do not have any limiting effect only for a better understanding of the subject.

As can be seen in Figure 1 , the adapter (30) of the invention is connected to the fiber (20) in fiber laser systems (10). After the adapter (30), the laser beams (21 ) enter the beam profile meter (40). With the beam profile meter (40), beam quality, deviation angle, beam diameter, and similar parameters of the laser beam (21 ) are measured.

As can be seen in Figure 2, the fiber (20) forming the adapter (30) has a circular crosssection in a possible embodiment of the invention. The adapter (30) has a first region (31 ) from which the beam (21 ) comes. The first region (31) has a first diameter (D1 ). The first diameter (D1 ) remains constant through the first region (31 ).

There is a narrowing region (32) following the first region (31). The narrowing region (32) has an increasingly narrowing cross-section. In other words, the narrowing region (32) is provided in a conical form.

At the end of the narrowing region (32), there is a narrowed region (33) having a constant second diameter (D2). The said second diameter (D2) is smaller than the first diameter (D1 ).

There is an exit region (34) provided following the said narrowed region (33). The exit region (34) has a third diameter (D3) larger than the second diameter (D2). The third diameter (D3) is provided in a constant cross-section.

According to the said embodiment, when the beams (21) enter the narrowing region (32) from the first region (31), they change direction due to decreasing cross-section and the numerical aperture value increases gradually. The beam (21) passes from the narrowing region (32) to the narrowed region (33) in the constant cross-section and advances with a larger numerical aperture value compared to the first region (31). Then, the beams passing from the narrowed region (33) to the exit region (34) having a larger diameter advance without any change in the numerical aperture value due to the sudden increase in the crosssection. Therefore, the beams (21 ) exit the exit region (34) with a numerical aperture value greater than the first region (31 ) into which they enter the adapter (30). The diameters of the exit region (34) and the first region (31) are provided equally in a possible embodiment of the invention. This allows a larger numerical aperture value to be obtained in the beams (21) that come out of the adapter (30) with the same diameter as they enter.

Different numerical aperture values can be obtained by changing the taper of the narrowing region (32) in the said embodiment. In addition, a laser of the desired diameter can be obtained by selecting the diameter of the exit region (34) at different values. The adapter (30) according to the invention can be produced with different techniques. The fiber (20) has a constant diameter as can be seen in Figure 3a in a possible embodiment of the invention. Then, a part of the fiber (20) is narrowed and brought to the form in Figure 3b. Then, the first region (31 ), the narrowing region (32), and the narrowed region (33) seen in Figure 3c are obtained by cutting from the narrowed region (33) in the middle. Finally, the adapter (30) is finalized by connecting a fiber (20) of the desired diameter to the narrowed region (33).

As can be seen in Figure 4, the laser beams (21 ) coming out of the cutting head (70) come out with a greater deviation angle than the prior art. In other words, the first deviation angle (a1 ) of the laser beam (21 a) of prior art is smaller than the second deviation angle (a2) of the laser beam (21b) of the invention.

The laser beam is transmitted to optical imaging systems (50) where fiber laser systems are integrated, via the optical fiber (20), and the material (60) is processed by focusing after the transmitted laser beam passes through the collimating optical system (51) and the focusing optical system (52). As can be seen in Figure 6, if the beam parameters are not appropriate during this process, the particles (61) that form during the processing may enter into the optical imaging system (50) and adhere to the components of the imaging system. This causes damage to the imaging systems (50). As can be seen in Figure 5, the particles (61) formed during the processing are prevented from entering and damaging the optical imaging system (50) thanks to the laser beam (21) with the appropriate beam parameter obtained by adding the adapter (30) according to the invention to the system.

In addition, the numerical aperture value is increased thanks to the adapter (30) of the invention. In this way, a cleaner discharge is possible during cutting. In other words, the flow of the material at the cutting edges is prevented, the burr is reduced and the part is separated smoothly.

The scope of protection of the invention is specified in the attached claims and cannot be limited to those explained for sampling purposes in this detailed description. It is evident that a person skilled in the art may exhibit similar embodiments in light of the abovementioned facts without departing apart from the main theme of the invention. REFERENCE NUMBERS GIVEN IN THE FIGURES

10 Fiber laser system

20 Fiber

21 Beam

21 a Laser beam of prior art

21 b The laser beam of the invention a1 First deviation angle a2 Second deviation angle

30 Adapter

31 First region

32 Narrowing region

33 Narrowed region

34 Exit region

40 Beam profile meter

50 Optical imaging system

51 Collimating optical system

52 Focusing optical system

60 Material

61 Particle

70 Cutting Head

D1 First diameter

D2 Second diameter

D3 Third diameter