Patent ID: 7112761

Claim:
A hand-held laser fusion welding assembly for treating a workpiece, comprising: a main body dimensioned to be grapsed by a hand and adapted to couple to at least a laser delivery system; a nozzle coupled to the main body and having an aperture through which laser light from the laser delivery system may pass; and a gas lens coupled to the main body and surrounding at least a portion of the nozzle, the gas lens adapted to receive a flow of inert gas from an inert gas delivery system and configured, upon receipt thereof, to develop an inert gas atmosphere at least adjacent the nozzle aperture, the as lens comprising: a mount section coupled to the main body, a gas supply section coupled to the mount section and extending radially therefrom, the gas supply section having a gas inlet port adapted to receive the flow of inert gas, and a plurality of gas outlet ports in fluid communication with the gas inlet port through which the flow of inert gas passes, and a lens section coupled to the gas supply section and extending axially therefrom, the lens section having an inner peripheral surface that at least partially surrounds the nozzle and that defines a cavity with which each of the gas outlet ports is in fluid communication.