US 12,459,054 B2
Laser welding device and laser welding method
Toru Sakai, Hyogo (JP); and Michio Sakurai, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD., Osaka (JP)
Filed by Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., Osaka (JP)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/599,633.
Application 18/599,633 is a division of application No. 16/984,271, filed on Aug. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,964,339.
Application 16/984,271 is a continuation of application No. PCT/JP2019/002615, filed on Jan. 28, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-025737 (JP), filed on Feb. 16, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2024/0207970 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. B23K 26/03 (2006.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B23K 26/21 (2014.01); B23K 31/12 (2006.01); G01B 11/22 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 26/032 (2013.01) [B23K 26/0643 (2013.01); B23K 26/0648 (2013.01); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B23K 26/21 (2015.10); B23K 31/125 (2013.01); G01B 11/22 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laser welding method for welding a welding part with a laser light, the laser welding method comprising:
overlapping the laser light and a measurement light coaxially with each other and applying the laser light and the measurement light to the weld part, a wavelength of the measurement light being different from a wavelength of the laser light;
repeatedly measuring a weld penetration depth of the weld part based on the measurement light that is emitted from an irradiator and reflected on the weld part so as to generate a plurality of measured values while the measurement light is being moved;
determining the weld penetration depth of the weld part based on: (i) one or more of the plurality of measured values; or (ii) an average value of the one or more of the plurality of measured values, the one or more of the plurality of measured values being included within a predetermined range with reference to a greatest side measured value of the plurality of measured values; and
changing: (i) an irradiation position of the measurement light such that the irradiation position of the measurement light moves on a predetermined welding path; and (ii) an optical axis position as the irradiation position of the measurement light such that the optical axis position moves within a region of the weld part having a radius of rotation that is smaller than half of a spot diameter of the laser light.