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| Cooling system for a self-contained laser head. |  |
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The cooling system described here is capable of cooling a laser, laser power supply, and a laser light valve from one single circulating unit. The differing degrees of cooling needed by the different components are taken into account and one cooling system takes care of the different thermal loads. The cooling system avoids premature laser failure due to overheating. The system also provides thermal protection for a laser in case of cooling failure.
Benefits Summary
The cooling system presented here allows the self-contained cooling of a laser head or laser system from one single cooling source, which accomodates the different cooling loads from the laser, laser power supply and laser light valve. In this way, overheating of the laser with ensuing premature failure is avoided. In case of coolant flow failure, the laser is protected against damage. more
Development Summary
The technology is and has been sold in commercial systems (platesetters). more
IP Summary
This technology is supported by 1 US patent and 1 European patent. The most recent year of issue is 2004. more
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| Technology Benefits Description |
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A self-contained laser head consisting of a laser, power supply and light valve can be cooled from a single coolant source.
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The laser is protected against damage by overheating or by coolant flow problems.
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| Technology Differentiation and Uniqueness |
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The different thermal loads of the laser system components ( laser, power supply and light valve ) are accomodated by a single cooling system.
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| Development Stage |
Commercialization
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| Development Status Summary |
The technology is and has been sold in commercial systems (platesetters).
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| Application and Potential Advantage |
| 1 | Laser head : The technology allows a self contained laser head (laser, power supply and light valve) to be cooled by a single cooling source. Different thermal loads of the different components are taken into account. Premature laser failure is prevented. |
| 2 | Laser setters : Self contained laser heads are used in image or plate setters that use lasers to write images. The self-contained head is movable and the single coolant system covering all the components of the head prevents laser failure. |
| 3 | Keywords : Laser systems, laser cooling, light valve cooling, grating light valve (GLV), digital mirror device (DMD), laser power supply, laser device, laseer heat management. |
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| Patent Information |
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| Number | Title | Country | Status | Date |
| US
6765941 | Method and apparatus for cooling a self-contained laser head | US | Issued | 07/20/2004 |
| US Class | Intl. Class | References Cited |
| | H01S 003/04 | US
3393374
US
3569860
US
3745482
US
4096450
US
4163199
US
4379203
US
4586185
US
5311528
US
5327442
US
5331653
US
5375518
US
5422899
US
5465661
US
5572538
US
5748656
US
5749295
US
5781574
US
5806950
US
5848081
US
5940420
US
6007205
US
6043456
US
6058718
US
6115396
US
6266352
US
6552355
US
6570900 |
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| Number | Title | Country | Status | Date |
| EP
1328046 | | EP | Pending | |
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| Technology Provided By |
Agfa-Gevaert NV
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| Related Competency |
The Agfa-Gevaert Group develops, produces and distributes an extensive range of analog and digital imaging systems and IT solutions, mainly for the printing industry and the healthcare sector, as well as for specific industrial applications. AGFA has more than 100 years of experience in the production of imaging materials and has extensive in-house R&D capabilities covering different fields such as chemistry and materials science, coating technology for film and other substrates, and digital equipment and software development.
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| Provider Transaction Status |
Has engaged in Introductions
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| Long Description |
Laser systems sometimes need to be self-contained, especially when they are built in into moving laser heads as in instruments such as plate or image setters.
Such a moving laser head contains a laser, but also its power supply and often a light valve (grating light valve or digital mirror device). These components each have a different thermal load requiring a different amount of cooling.
The technology described here allows the cooling of the different components to be supported simultaneously by a single cooling system. This is achieved by applying different coolant flow rates tuned to each component, but all from a single coolant circulating unit.
The cooling system is built such that protection against low coolant flow related failures is independently provided in each parallel coolant supply branch. In this way, premature failure of the laser due to overheating is avoided. A schematic representation of the cooling circuit is given below :
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| Collaboration Type Sought |
License
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| Collaboration Description |
The technology can be licensed.
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| Terms and Restrictions |
Terms are negotiable. No restrictions.
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| Seller Support |
Documentation, Personnel
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| Available Technical Assistance |
A mock up of the cooling loops is available. Limited support is available for technology transfer.
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