Robot-laser system

Abstract

A robot-laser system having a minimum number of mirrors for reflecting a laser beam from a fixed laser beam source to a desired location wherein the mirrors are mounted within the hollow, servo-controlled parts of the robot to move therewith. Only a single mirror is mounted within is associated controlled part to reflect the laser beam as it travels between adjacent controlled parts. The robot has a number of degrees of freedom constituted by two orthogonally related linear movements along intersecting longitudinal axes and two orthogonally related rotary joints having intersecting pivotal axes. Preferably, two of the mirrors are mounted so that the laser beam strikes and is reflected from both points of axes intersection within two of the controlled parts. In one of disclosed embodiments a mirror mounted in the base of the robot reflects the laser beam from the source to the other mirrors.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A robot-laser system for providing a laser beam at a desired location, the system comprising: a laser beam source for generating a laser beam;   a robot having at least three degrees of freedom and including a base and a .Iadd.single motorized .Iaddend.robot arm .Iadd.having a motor mounted on said arm .Iaddend.supported on said base, the robot arm having first and second elongated arm parts, the second arm part projecting from the first arm part, the robot arm having a wrist mechanism located at the distal end of the second arm part, said arm parts and said wrist mechanism being hollow and fluidly interconnected to define a laser beam path therewithin extending through said first arm part, along the entire projecting length of said second arm part and through said wrist mechanism, said arm parts and said wrist mechanism being adpated to direct the laser beam therewithin; .[.and.].   at least one mirror for reflecting the laser beam, a single mirror being mounted to and supported by said arm therewithin at a position of fluid interconnection between the arm parts to move therewith and reflect the laser beam wherein a first one of said degrees of freedom comprises a linear movement of said first arm part along an axis coincident with said laser beam path, a second one of said degrees of freedom comprises a linear movement of said second arm part along a second axis coincident with said laser beam path through the second arm part and a third one of said degrees of freedom comprises a rotary movement of one of said arm parts about said laser beam path.Iadd.; and   first and second drive means for linearly driving the first and second arm parts, respectively, and third drive means for rotatably driving the one of said arm parts about said laser beam path. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       2. A robot-laser system for providing a laser beam at a desired location, the system comprising: a laser beam source for generating a laser beam;   a robot having at least three degrees of freedom and including a hollow base and a .Iadd.single motorized .Iaddend.robot arm .Iadd.having a motor mounted on said arm .Iaddend.supported on said base, the base being fluidly interconnected to said source, the robot arm having a hollow first arm part and an elonaged, hollow second arm part projecting from the first arm part, the robot arm having a hollow wrist mechanism located at a distal end of the second arm part, said wrist mechanism having at least one rotational axis and at least one knuckle rotatably supported on said axis; said first arm part being fluidly interconnected with said base, said first arm part being fluidly interconnected to said second arm part and said second arm part and said wrist mechanism being fluidly interconnected to define a laser beam path therewithn extending through the base, through the first arm part, along the projecting length of said second arm part and through said wrist mechanism; said base, said first and second arm parts and said wrist mechanism being adpated to direct the laser beam therewithin; .[.and.].   at least two mirrors for reflecting the laser beam, a first one of said mirrors being mounted to and supported by said knuckle therewithin to move therewith and reflect the laser beam, and a single mirror being supported by said arm therewithin at a position of fluid interconnection between the arm parts to reflect the laser beam to the first one mirror wherein a first one said degrees of freedom comprises a linear movement of said first arm part along an axis coincident with said laser beam path, a second one of said degrees of freedom comprises a linear movement of said second part along a second axis coincident with said laser beam path through the second arm part and a third one of said degrees of freedom comprises a rotary movement of one of said arm parts about said laser beam path.Iadd.; and   first and second drive emans for linearly driving the first and second arm parts, respectively, and third drive means for rotatably driving said one of said arm parts about said laser beam path. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       3. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said robot has at least five degrees of freedom. 
     
     
       4. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said first and second degrees of freedom are constituted by two orthogonally related linear movements along intersecting longitudinal axes, and wherein the single mirror is mounted so that the laser beam strikes the single mirror at the point of intersection of the longitudinal .[.axis.]. .Iadd.axes. .Iaddend. 
     
     
       5. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the number of mirrors is less than the number of degrees of freedom of the robot. 
     
     
       6. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 including focusing means mounted on said robot for focusing the reflected laser beam at the desired location. 
     
     
       7. The invention as claimed in claim 6 wherein said focusing means comprises a focusing lens. 
     
     
       8. The invention as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 including a track wherein said robot is mounted on said track to move thereon. 
     
     
       9. The system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said base is fluidly interconnected to said source by an aperture extending completely through a wall of said base. .Iadd. 
     
     
       10.  The system of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein each of said first, second and third drive means includes a servo motor. .Iaddend.