Welder with indirect sensing of weld fastener position
AssigneeDoben Limited
InventorsLarry Koscielski, Simon Britton, Matt Branoff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An upper electrode assembly for welding fasteners includes a body that supports an electrode that has an aperture. The aperture is configured to receive a movable pin of a lower electrode assembly arranged opposite the upper electrode assembly. The lower electrode assembly supports a fastener in a welding position. The upper electrode assembly includes a position sensor which includes a position sensor member that is arranged in the body and is configured to cooperate with the pin to detect a fastener welding characteristic.
Claims21
An electrode assembly for welding fasteners, wherein the electrode assembly includes a body supporting an electrode having an aperture, the aperture is configured to receive a movable pin of another electrode assembly arranged opposite the electrode assembly, the other electrode assembly supports a fastener in a welding position, the electrode assembly comprising:
- a position sensor including a position sensor member arranged in the body and configured to cooperate with the pin to detect a fastener welding characteristic.
A weld gun assembly including first and second electrode assemblies, the first electrode configured to support a workpiece to which a fastener is welded, the weld gun assembly comprising:
- the first electrode assembly includes a movable pin configured to support the fastener in a welding position;
- and
- a second electrode assembly includes a body supporting an electrode having an aperture, the aperture is configured to receive the movable pin, the second electrode assembly has a position sensor member arranged in the body and configured to cooperate with the pin to detect a fastener welding characteristic.
A method of detecting a fastener welding characteristic during welding, the method comprising the steps of:
- supporting a fastener with a movable pin at one electrode assembly;
- clamping the fastener to a workpiece with the one electrode assembly and another electrode assembly, wherein a position sensor member is carried by the other electrode assembly;
- and
- engaging the movable pin with the position sensor member during the clamping step to detect a fastener welding characteristic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.