# US 11,897,062 B2 · Systems, methods, and apparatus to preheat welding wire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,897,062 B2 - Document ID: US11897062B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/721,119 - Filed: 2019-12-19 - Published: 2020-06-25 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-19 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: James Uecker; Jake Zwayer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897062B2 ## CPC - B23K 9/1093: {Consumable electrode or filler wire preheat circuits} - B23K 9/173: and of a consumable electrode - B23K 9/295: {using consumable wire electrodes} - B23K 9/1006: {Power supply} - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract An example contact tip for a welding torch includes: a first body section having a first diameter and exterior threads, the first body section having channels extending longitudinally along an exterior surface of the first body section to permit gas flow from a first end of the contact tip to a second end of the contact tip through the channels; a first bore portion having a first inner diameter; and a second bore portion having a second inner diameter configured to contact an electrode wire traveling through the second bore portion, the first inner diameter being larger than the second inner diameter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A wire preheating assembly, comprising: a first electrical contact configured to contact an electrode wire over a first contact length of the first electrical contact; and a second electrical contact configured to contact the electrode wire over a second contact length of the second electrical contact; wherein a ratio of the first contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact has a first body length and the second electrical contact has a second body length, the first contact length being less than the first body length and the second contact length being less than the second body length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the first electrical contact comprises a first bore having a first inner diameter along the first contact length, and the second electrical contact comprises a second bore having a second inner diameter along the second contact length. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 3, wherein the first electrical contact comprises a third bore and the second electrical contact comprises a fourth bore, wherein the first bore and the second bore are aligned such that the electrode wire traveling through the wire preheating assembly does not contact the third bore or the fourth bore. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising an electrically insulating spacer between the first and second contact tips. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the first electrical contact, the second electrical contact, and the spacer are rigidly coupled. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The wire preheating assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein a ratio of the first contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.15. ### Claim 8 A contact tip assembly for a welding torch, the contact tip assembly comprising: a first contact tip configured to contact an electrode wire over a first contact length of the first contact tip; and a second contact tip configured to contact the electrode wire over a second contact length of the second contact tip; wherein a ratio of the second contact length to the distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The contact tip assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein the ratio of the second contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.15. ### Claim 10 A consumable electrode-fed welding-type system, comprising: a welding-type power source configured to provide welding-type current to a welding-type circuit, the welding-type circuit comprising a welding-type electrode and a first electrical contact configured to contact an electrode wire over a first contact length of the first electrical contact; an electrode preheating circuit configured to provide preheating current through a first portion of the welding-type electrode via a second electrical contact configured to contact the electrode wire over a second contact length of the second electrical contact; and electrode preheat control circuitry configured to control the electrode preheating circuit, wherein a ratio of the second contact length to the distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The welding-type system as defined in claim 10, wherein the ratio of the second contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.15. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The welding-type system as defined in claim 10, wherein the electrode preheat control circuitry is configured to control the electrode preheating circuit based on at least one of a target preheat voltage, a target preheat current, a target preheat enthalpy, a target preheat resistance, or a target wire temperature. ### Claim 13 A consumable electrode-fed welding-type system, comprising: a welding-type power source configured to provide welding-type current to a welding-type circuit, the welding-type circuit comprising a welding-type electrode and a first electrical contact configured to contact an electrode wire over a first contact length of the first electrical contact; an electrode preheating circuit configured to provide preheating current through a first portion of the welding-type electrode via a second electrical contact configured to contact the electrode wire over a second contact length of the second electrical contact; and electrode preheat control circuitry configured to control a preheating voltage of the electrode preheating circuit, wherein a ratio of the first contact length to the distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The welding-type system as defined in claim 13, wherein the ratio of the first contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.15. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The welding-type system as defined in claim 13, wherein the electrode preheat control circuitry is configured to control the preheating voltage based on at least one of the first contact length, the second contact length, or a total of the first and second contact lengths, and a distance between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The welding-type system as defined in claim 13, wherein a ratio of the second contact length of the second electrical contact to the distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The welding-type system as defined in claim 16, wherein the ratio of the second contact length to a distance between the first and second contact lengths is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 0.15.