US 11,945,043 B2
Energy beam generation systems and optical systems with expanded scan fields
Stephan Hunze, Lichtenfels (DE)
Assigned to Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels (DE)
Filed by Concept Laser GmbH, Lichtenfels (DE)
Filed on Nov. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/953,434.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161355 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 26/00 (2014.01); B23K 26/03 (2006.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/342 (2014.01); B23K 26/352 (2014.01); B33Y 30/00 (2015.01); G02B 13/00 (2006.01); G02B 13/22 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 26/0006 (2013.01) [B23K 26/032 (2013.01); B23K 26/0648 (2013.01); B23K 26/342 (2015.10); B23K 26/352 (2015.10); B33Y 30/00 (2014.12); G02B 13/0005 (2013.01); G02B 13/22 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical system for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, the optical system comprising:
a first optical assembly comprising or configured as a first flat-field lens, the first flat-field lens having a first nominal scan field with a first flat focal plane;
a first scan field expansion assembly comprising one or more first field-expanding optical elements, the one or more first field-expanding optical elements secured to a field-expansion housing and having a flat portion and a curved portion at radially different regions;
a beam generation device configured to generate an energy beam;
a scanner arranged proximal to the beam generation device, the scanner directing the energy beam received from the beam generation device at a first angle onto the flat portion and the curved portion of the one or more first field-expanding optical elements at a different, second angle, the curved portion configured to expand the first nominal scan field to a first expanded scan field coinciding with the first flat focal plane,
wherein the first expanded scan field has a cross-sectional width and/or area that exceeds a corresponding cross-sectional width and/or area of the first nominal scan field.