TORCH FOR ARC WELDING OR CUTTING AND METHOD USING SAID TORCH

Abstract

The invention relates to a torch for plasma processing. The sealing and electrically conductive connection between different components of the torch is realized by using at least one elastically deformable and electrically conductive sealing member.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A torch for plasma processing comprising a torch body, a nozzle and an electrode wherein at least two components of the torch are connected to each other in an electrically conducting manner, wherein at least two of the components are connected to each other via at least one electrically conductive and elastically deformable sealing member.

13. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the at least two connected components are part of the main conducting path of the torch.

14. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the at least two connected components are part of a secondary conducting path of the torch.

15. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the sealing member is an electrically conductive O-ring.

16. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the torch comprises a plurality of electrically conductive and elastically deformable sealing members, whereof at least two differ from one another geometrically.

17. The torch according to claim 12, wherein two of the at least two connected components are the torch body and the nozzle.

18. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the torch is configured to be usable in a process selected from the group of metal inert gas (MIG) welding, metal active gas welding (MAG), tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, plasma arc welding and plasma cutting, marking and spraying.

19. The torch according to claim 12, wherein the at least one electrically conductive and elastically deformable sealing member comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of conductive polymers, conductive rubber or non-conductive elastomers, thermoplastic elastomers, neoprene, silicone rubbers, silicone caulks, poly (vinyl chloride) and EPDM and is optionally coated with a layer containing aluminum, conductive fabric, silver, nickel, graphite or other conductive carbon materials or interspersed with aluminum, silver, copper, nickel, graphite, carbon or other electrically conductive particles.

20. A method of plasma processing, comprising arc welding and/or cutting and/or spraying, wherein a torch according to claim 12 is used.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein it comprises a step of verifying the sealing connection of the at least two connected components by measuring the electrical conductivity between the at least two connected components.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein it comprises a step of verifying the electrically conducting connection of the at least two connected components by detecting fluid leakage.

Description

[0022] In the following, the invention is described in further detail with reference to one preferred embodiment, which is visualized schematically in FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section of the front part of a torch according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention.

[0024] The torch illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an electrode E, a plasma nozzle A, and a torch body B. The nozzle constricts the plasma F generated from the working gas (active gas or inert gas) by the electric current flowing from the electrode E to the nozzle A or the work piece (not shown). The body B and the nozzle are connected by electrically conductive and elastically deformable sealing members D in the form of O-rings. In this case, the O-rings have different diameters, but exhibit the same cross section. These O-rings confine the fluid coolant to the cooling channel C and prevent it from leaking into the flow path of the working gas or plasma F while ensuring the same electric potential in the nozzle and the torch body.