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US 8,569,653 B2Granted
Drive roll assembly for wire feeder
AssigneeLincoln Global, Inc.
InventorEdward Enyedy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A wire feeder includes a wire feeder housing that may enclose one or more drive rollers rotatably connected with respect to the wire feeder housing for engaging welding wire. The one or more drive rollers may be adjustable and adapted to drive the welding wire to a welding gun connected to the wire feeder. A drive motor is incorporated for delivering power for rotating the one or more drive rollers. Friction reducing devices, such as bearings, may be utilized and positioned between one or more driver rollers and the housing, where the bearings are electrically non-conducting for preventing the discharge of electrical energy across the bearing surfaces.
Claims28
A wire feeder for conveying associated welding wire, comprising:
- a wire feeder housing having
- an apertured feed plate longitudinally disposed therein;
- a welding gun operatively connected to the wire feeder for conveying associated welding wire used in arc welding;
- one or more drive rollers with an inwardly-projecting hub rotatably connected to the apertured feed plate for engaging the associated welding wire, the one or more drive rollers being adapted to drive the associated welding wire to the welding gun;
- at least a first driver motor operatively connected to deliver power for rotating the one or more drive rollers;
- and,
- one or more bearings positioned between one or more drive rollers and a periphery of said inwardly-projecting hub of said one or more drive rollers and the feed plate for reducing rolling friction, said one or more bearings coaxial with each of said one or more drive rollers, wherein each of the one or more bearings is electrically non-conducting for preventing the discharge of electrical energy across the one or more bearings, and further wherein the one or more bearings comprise:
- an inner bearing race spaced apart from an outer bearing race, at least one of said one or more driver rollers adjacent thereto;
- and,
- a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the rolling elements are positioned between the inner race and the outer race;
- and, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are covered with an electrically non-conducting material.
8 more elements
A drive system for a welding wire feeder conveying associated electrically charged wire, comprising:
- a generally rigid feed plate;
- at least one pair of drive rollers rotatably connected with respect to the feed plate, wherein the drive rollers are spaced apart to propel the associated electrically charged wire;
- and,
- means for reducing rolling friction operatively positioned between the at least one pair of drive rollers and the feed plate, said means for reducing rolling friction being coaxially positioned with said at least one pair of drive rollers, and wherein said means for reducing rolling friction is electrically non-conducting for substantially preventing the discharge of electrical energy between the feed plate and the at least one pair of drive rollers, and further wherein
- the feed plate includes one or more recesses;
- and,
- wherein said means for reducing rolling friction comprises a ring bearing having a central aperture disposed therein:
- at least one bearing race and a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the at least one bearing race is received into the one or more recesses;
- and,
- wherein the at least one bearing race or the plurality of rolling elements is coated or constructed from a non-conductive dielectric material.
7 more elements
A wire feeder for conveying associated welding wire, comprising:
- a wire feeder housing having an apertured feed plate longitudinally disposed therein;
- a welding gun operatively connected to the wire feeder for conveying associated welding wire used in arc welding;
- at least one drive roller with an inwardly-projecting hub rotatably connected to the apertured feed plate with an opposed roller having a mating inwardly-projecting hub for engaging the associated welding wire, the at least one drive roller being adapted to drive the associated welding wire to the welding gun;
- at least a first driver motor operatively connected to deliver power for rotating the at least one drive roller;
- and,
- at least one pair of bearings positioned between said drive roller and opposed roller and about a periphery of said inwardly-projecting hubs of said rollers and the feed plate for reducing rolling friction, said at least one pair of bearings coaxial with each of said rollers, wherein each of the at least one pair of bearings is electrically non-conducting for preventing the discharge of electrical energy across the one or more bearings, and further wherein each of the bearings comprise:
- an inner bearing race spaced apart from an outer bearing race;
- and,
- a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the rolling elements are positioned between the inner race and the outer race;
- and, wherein the plurality of rolling elements are electrically non-conducting;
- and further wherein
- at least one of the inner bearing race and the outer bearing race is electrically non-conducting.
9 more elements
A drive system for a welding wire feeder conveying associated electrically charged wire, comprising:
- a generally rigid apertured feed plate having one or more recesses;
- at least one pair of drive rollers rotatably connected with respect to the feed plate, wherein the drive rollers are spaced apart to propel the associated electrically charged wire, said drive rollers having a pair of opposed rollers which matingly engage with each of said drive rollers;
- and,
- means for reducing rolling friction operatively positioned between each of said rollers and the feed plate, said means for reducing rolling friction being coaxially positioned with said rollers, and wherein said means for reducing rolling friction is electrically non-conducting for substantially preventing the discharge of electrical energy between the feed plate and the rollers, and further wherein
- each of said means for reducing rolling friction comprises:
- at least one bearing race and a plurality of rolling elements, wherein the at least one bearing race is received into the one or more recesses of said feed plate;
- and,
- wherein the at least one bearing race or the plurality of rolling elements is coated or constructed from a non-conductive dielectric material.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.