US 9,539,663 B2Granted

Device and method for contacting a welding rod and contact shell

AssigneeFronius International GmbH

InventorsWolfgang Grossauer, Manfred Hubinger, Andreas Leonhartsberger

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for contacting a welding wire (13) in a welding torch (10), including at least two contact shells (31) having a contact area (32) for contacting the welding wire (13), and to a contact shell (31) for contacting a welding wire (13). In order to make the contact of the welding wire as constant and permanent as possible during the lifetime of a contacting device, the contact shells (31) have a holding section (48) and are arranged inside a sleeve (37) to define a rotational axis (43), the sleeve (37) being fastened to a nozzle pipe (38) having an integrated pressure mechanism (36), and the pressure mechanism (36) being adapted to exert pressure (33) on the contact shells (31). The sleeve (37) includes a holding device (42) for exerting a counter-force (34) onto the contact shells (31). The welding wire (13) is contacted in the contact area (32) of the contact shells (31) with a contact force (35).

Claims13

Dependent claims

A device for contacting a welding wire in a welding torch, the device comprising:

a) a nozzle pipe (38);
b) a pressure mechanism (36) integrated in said nozzle pipe (38);
c) a sleeve (37) fastened to said nozzle pipe (38);
said sleeve (37) comprising a holding device (42);
and
d) at least two contact shells (31) arranged inside said sleeve (37) and movable about a rotational axis (43) oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said contact shells (31), each of said at least two contact shells (31) comprising:
i) a contact area (32) disposed at a front end of said contact shell (31) at which front end the welding wire exits said contact shell, said contact area (32) contacting the welding wire with a radially-effecting contact force (35);
and
ii) a holding section (48) disposed opposite said contact area (32) at a rear end of said contact shell (31) at which rear end the welding wire enters said contact shell (31), the holding section comprising:
a front face (45) having a base area formed as a substantially circular segment and two contact points (47) disposed at opposite ends of a chord of said substantially circular segment, said rotational axis (43) corresponding to said chord connecting said two contact points (47);
and
an elevation (46) positioned parallel to and above said rotational axis (43), said elevation (46) dividing said front face (45) into separate sections dropping obliquely starting from said elevation (46), thereby forming an outer clearance (49) between said front face (45) and said pressure mechanism (36);
wherein when said pressure mechanism exerts an axial pressure (33) on said elevation (46) of said contact shells (31), said contact points (47) of said contact shells (31) are pressed against said holding device (42) of said sleeve (37), producing a counter-force (34) acting substantially on the ends of the rotational axis (43), the axial pressure (33) is converted into the radially-effecting contact force (35) via the counter-force (34) and the outer clearance (49) has a maximum height;
and
wherein when the welding wire is conveyed through said contact shells (31), said contact shells (31) are pressed apart in said contact area (32) substantially normal to the welding wire and said outer clearance (49) is reduced.

12 more elements

A method for contacting a welding wire in a welding torch, the method comprising steps of:

a) providing a nozzle pipe (38), a pressure mechanism (36) integrated in the nozzle pipe (38), and a sleeve (37) fastened to the nozzle pipe (38), wherein the sleeve (37) comprises a holding device;
b) arranging at least two contact shells (31) inside the sleeve (37) and movably about a rotational axis (43) oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the contact shells (31), wherein each of the at least two contact shells (31) comprises:
a contact area (32) disposed at a front end of the contact shell (31) at which front end the welding wire exits said contact shell, the contact area (32) contacting the welding wire with a radially-effecting contact force (35);
and
a holding section (48) disposed opposite the contact area (32) at a rear end of the contact shell (31) at which rear end the welding wire enters the contact shell (31), the holding section comprising:
a front face (45) having a base area formed as a substantially circular segment and two contact points (47) disposed at opposite ends of a chord of the substantially circular segment, the rotational axis (43) corresponding to the chord connecting the two contact points (47);
and
an elevation (46) positioned parallel to and above the rotational axis (43), the elevation (46) dividing the front face (45) into separate sections dropping obliquely starting from the elevation (46), thereby forming an outer clearance (49) between the front face (45) and the pressure mechanism (36);
c) exerting a pressure (33) in an axial direction on a respective elevation (46) of the at least two contact shells (31), thereby pressing the two contact points (47) of the contact shells (31) against the holding device (42) of the sleeve (37) to generate a counter-force (34) and converting the pressure (33), via the counter-force (34), into the radially-effecting contact force (35) contacting the welding wire in the contact area (32), such that the outer clearance (49) has a maximum height;
and
(d) conveying the welding wire through the contact shells (31), such that the contact shells (31) are pressed apart in the contact area (32) substantially normal to the welding wire and the outer clearance (49) is reduced.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/998,577Filed 27 Nov 2009
Priority: AT 1852/200827 Nov 2008
Published: US 2011/0204035 A125 Aug 2011
Granted: 10 Jan 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B23K 9/123
Devices for guiding electrodes, e.g. guide tubes: serving also as contacting devices supplying welding current to an electrode
B23K 9/1336
Means for feeding electrodes, e.g. drums, rolls, motors: driving means
B23K 9/173
Making use of shielding gas: and of a consumable electrode
B23K 9/287
Supporting devices for electrodes: supporting devices for electrode holders