Patent ID: 6770845
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A supporting structure (10) for sheet material as for sheet metal material (100) cut out by a laser device (200) located above the sheet metal and focused on the same, with means of movement between the laser device and the sheet material and/or supporting structure, with the supporting structure comprising substantially vertically mounted parallel rows of identical narrow sheet strips (12), each having raised integrated support areas (22) for the sheet material (100) between recessed grooves (20), characterized in that(a) one-piece, solid, thin, pointed needles (24) are set onto the integrated support areas (22), the free upper ends of said needles forming points of support (26) for the sheet material (100) laid upon them, (b) the needles (24) consist of material substantially more heat-resistant than the rest of the supporting structure, (c) each of the thin, heat-resistant needles projects so markedly above the support areas (22) that no damage to the less heat-resistant material of the same and no soiling of the underside of the sheet material (100) is caused by the laser cutting operation, and (d) the lower end of each thin, heat-resistant needle (24) is held in an upper through hole (34) in the raised integrated support areas (22) for the sheet material (100).