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US 6,184,487 B2Granted
Electrode inspection system
OwnerPaul R. Visscherinventor
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OwnerPaul R. Visscherinventor
Estimating the term…
An improved inspection system for verifying that resistance welding electrodes have been properly dressed; that associated pairs of the electrodes are aligned with each other within predetermined tolerances; and that the pressure applied by a weld gun to the electrodes and material being welded is within predetermined standards. The system incorporates low pressure air apparatus that evaluates the back pressure resulting from the fit of collet geometry relative to the form of the electrode tip, and apparatus to verify the alignment of opposing electrodes with respect to each other and incorporating fiber-optic sensors that evaluate the alignment of collets with respect to each other. The system also provides apparatus for verifying that the proper pressure is applied to the workpieces by the electrodes during the welding operation.
An electrode inspection system for verifying that a resistance welding electrode has been dressed to predetermined tolerances, said inspection system comprising, in combination, sensor means defining a cavity adapted to receive a tip portion of a welding electrode, said sensor means defining first and second air passageways, one end portion of said first air passageway communicating with said cavity, the other end portion of said first air passageway being connectable to a source of low pressure air, one end portion of said second air passageway communicating with said cavity, the other end portion of said second air passageway communicating with atmosphere, and means effective to determine whether low pressure air applied to said first air passageway passes through said cavity and said second air passageway to atmosphere.
An electrode inspection system for verifying that resistance welding electrodes have been dressed to predetermined tolerances, said system comprising, in combination, sensor means defining a cavity adapted to receive a tip portion of a welding electrode, said sensor means defining first and second air passageways, one end of said first air passageway communicating with said cavity, the other end portion of said first air passageway being connectable to a source of low pressure air, one end portion of said second air passageway communicating with said cavity, the other end portion of said second air passageway communicating with atmosphere, and means effective to determine the back pressure of the low pressure air in said first air passageway.
An inspection system for verifying that a resistance welding electrode has been dressed to predetermined criteria, said system comprising, in combination, sensor means including a pair of collets each defining a cavity adapted to receive a tip portion of a welding electrode, said collets being disposed in aligned relationship and being movable with respect to each other, said collets defining light passageways normally disposed in aligned relationship, said sensor means including light generating and reflected light sensing means, means effective to transmit light through said light passageways defined by said collets, means effective to transmit light reflected by one of said collets through the light passageway defined by the other of said collets, and means effective to determine whether the reflected light received by said light sensing means meets predetermined values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.