US 12,257,655 B2Granted

Vibrating welding apparatus and method

AssigneeHuys Industries Limited

InventorsNigel Scotchmer, Franklin Rementer

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Abstract

A welding electrode apparatus may be mounted to a robot that presents it to a workpiece along a pre-programmed path conforming to the surface of the workpiece. The welding electrode apparatus has a first drive for rotating the welding electrode about its own axis. The electrode handle has a second rotating drive having an imbalance to impose vibration on the welding rod transverse to the axis of the rod. The first drive may turn relatively slowly; the second drive may turn more quickly. The first drive has an electrical pickup by which to carry DC power to the electrode. The two rotating drives impose two frequencies of vibration into the apparatus, causing a make-and-break contact for low power spark deposition, while at the same time causing the electrode to bounce and impact the surface. The forward end of the apparatus may include a cowling and a delivery line to provide shielding gas to the electrode.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of operating an automated welding apparatus to applying an electro-spark discharge (ESD) coating to a workpiece, the automated welding apparatus having an electrode holder, the welding electrode having a long axis, the automated welding apparatus having a multi-degree-of-freedom programmable robot;

an ESD power supply;
and an ESD welding head mounted to the robot, the ESD welding head being electrically connected to the ESD power supply, the method including:
mounting a welding electrode in the electrode holder, the welding electrode having a long axis;
using a first drive of the automated welding apparatus to rotate the electrode holder, to rotate the welding electrode about the long axis of the welding electrode;
using a vibrator of the automated welding apparatus to vibrate the welding electrode;
operating the robot to convey the welding head along a path corresponding to a surface of the workpiece, including advancing the welding rod to engage the workpiece;
using the vibrator including using a second drive to move an imbalance member to move said welding electrode in vibrating intermittent contact with the workpiece while the electrode is rotating about the long axis of the welding rod;
and
vibrating the welding rod independently of driving the welding rod rotationally.

6 more elements

An Electro-Spark Discharge (ESD) welding apparatus for use with a welding electrode having a long axis, to apply an ESD coating to a workpiece, said ESD welding apparatus comprising:

an ESD power supply;
a robot and an ESD welding head mounted to the robot;
the robot being programmed to convey the ESD welding head along a path relative to a workpiece;
the ESD welding head having a welding electrode holder in which to receive the welding electrode;
the ESD welding head being electrically connected to the ESD power supply;
an electrical connection attached to said welding electrode holder, by which to apply electricity from the ESD power supply to the welding electrode;
a first drive mounted to rotate the welding electrode about the long axis of the welding electrode;
an oscillator, said oscillator including a second drive of said ESD welding apparatus, said second drive being a rotating drive, said second drive being mounted to vibrate the welding electrode relative to the robot, said second drive being independent of said first drive;
and a feedback controller mounted to govern said first drive.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/393,203Filed 3 Aug 2021 · division
Priority: 28 Dec 2016
Published: US 2021/0370432 A12 Dec 2021
Granted: 25 Mar 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B23K 9/30
Supporting devices for electrodes: vibrating holders for electrodes
B23K 9/04
Arc welding or cutting: welding for other purposes than joining, e.g. built-up welding
B23K 9/0953
Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters: using computing means
B23K 9/1006
Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls: power supply

Family

Application62/439,691Us provisional application · filed 28 Dec 2016
Application62/581,496Us provisional application · filed 3 Nov 2017
Application15/856,146Parent of this division · filed 28 Dec 2017
US 2021/0370432 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Dec 2021
US 11,077,516 B2Parent of this division
US 2018/0178308 A1Published application
US 12,257,655 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.