Patent ID: 7728967

Claim:
A laser maintenance apparatus, comprising: a laser system including an optical system for emitting, in a first irradiation condition, a generation laser beam for generating an ultrasonic wave in a portion of an object on which maintenance is to be performed, and including a laser source configured to generate and detect a detection laser beam which interacts with the ultrasonic wave generated by the laser light beam in the first condition; a light transmitting device for transmitting laser light emitted from the laser system; a laser irradiation device for irradiating laser light transmitted by the light transmitting device to the object portion; a transporting/scanning mechanism for transporting the light transmitting device and the laser irradiation device to a portion near the object portion, and scanning over an arbitrary range at the object portion, the transporting/scanning mechanism includes: a polygonal main body casing opened on at least one side; a seat for seating the transporting/scanning mechanism at the object portion; and a guide mechanism for guiding the light transmitting device and a cable for transmitting power/control signals for scanning operations; a control board for control/monitoring of scanning motion of the transporting/scanning mechanism; a work carriage for suspending and moving the transporting/scanning mechanism one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally from an upper portion of a reactor vessel to the object portion so as to position the transporting/scanning mechanism, wherein the laser system includes an element for changing an irradiation condition of the generation laser beam between the first irradiation condition of the laser beam between the first condition and a second irradiation condition for preventive laser maintenance of the object portion, and wherein an insertion tube for inserting the laser irradiation device disposed on a front end thereof to the object portion, a vertical driving mechanism and a rotational driving mechanism for causing vertical and rotational motion of the laser irradiation device via the insertion tube, a seating detecting device for detecting the seating of the transporting/scanning mechanism on the object portion, and a fixing mechanism for fixing the transporting/scanning mechanism to the object portion after the seating, are provided in the main body casing, and the transporting/scanning mechanism has an overload insertion preventing member for preventing overload insertion of the inserting tube to be inserted to the object portion.