Arrangement for Measuring the Quantity of Protective Gas

Abstract

An arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas for robot-controlled importable welding torches with a protective gas nozzle in the measuring arrangement, characterized in that the measuring arrangement includes a spring-mounted receiving cup in the direction of the insertion of a welding torch in and/or with the measuring arrangement, with a sealing ring surrounding the welding torch on its outer circumference.

Claims

1. An arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas for robot-controlled importable welding torches with a protective gas nozzle in the measuring arrangement, characterized in that the measuring arrangement comprises a spring-mounted receiving cup in the direction of the insertion of the welding torch, with a sealing ring surrounding the welding torch on its outer circumference.

2. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein the spring deflection of the receiving cup is configurable.

3. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein the spring deflection of the receiving cup can be observed.

4. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein at least one distance sensor is assigned to the spring deflection of the receiving cup.

5. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein a pressure sensor with overload protection is assigned to the springs.

6. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein the sealing ring is interchangeably kept in the insertion opening of the receiving cup.

7. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein the sealing ring is made from a temperature-resistant, flexible material.

8. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the sealing ring receiving the welding torch is adapted to the outer shape of the welding torch.

9. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein an output is located on the receiving cup for the connection of a measuring tube indicating the flowing quantity of protective gas.

10. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein a reservoir for capturing dirt particles is arranged below the output for the connection of the flow meter.

11. The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas according to claim 1, wherein a separate cleaning pot with surrounding vertical brushes is assigned to the receiving cup for the cleaning of the outer mantel of the welding torch.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0023] The arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas illustrated in the drawing shows a welding torch 2 in the area of a mounting plate 1 of a casing (not shown), which is moved in a controlled manner via a robotic arm, also not shown. The welding torch 2 includes a gas nozzle 3 for the outflow of protective gas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The casing (not shown) is appropriately designed such that connecting parts protruding from the side of the measuring arrangement are secured against breakages owing to impact, but are accessible and observable via an open area.

[0025] For measurement of the protective gas quantity, the welding torch 2 is inserted into the sealing ring 4, wherein the conical tip of the gas nozzle 3 of the welding torch 2 is pressed into the adjusted opening 5 in the sealing ring 4.

[0026] The sealing ring 4 is kept in a receiving cup 6 using a ring nut 7. After removing the ring nut 7, the sealing ring 4 can be removed from its support in the receiving cup 6 and replaced. The rim of opening 5 can be conically refracted or cylindrical. It can also be different on the bottom and on the top, so that dual use is possible for various welding torch shapes simply by turning it in its support.

[0027] Since the gas nozzle 3 of the welding torch 2 becomes hot during the welding procedure and the measurement of the protective gas quantity is cyclically repeated immediately after a welding procedure, the sealing ring 4 must be made from a temperature-resistant, preferably non-gaseous, in particular silicone-free material. For airtight installation in the opening 5, even in case of moderate external contamination of the gas nozzle 3, it is advantageous for the material of the sealing ring 4 to additionally have a certain degree of flexibility. A 75+/10% Shore hardness has proven to be advantageous.

[0028] For the secure airtight installation of the gas nozzle 3 in the opening 5 of the sealing ring 4, the welding torch 2 is inserted under pressure into the opening 5.

[0029] The receiving cup 6 is mounted via a spiral spring 8 onto the mounting plate 1 and thus generates a counter-pressure when inserting the welding torch 2 in the opening 5. The force of the counter-pressure can be visually observed via the spring deflection between the bottom rim 9 of the receiving cup 6 and the mounting plate 1. The preloading of the spiral spring 8 can be adjusted via a nut 10 below the mounting plate 1.

[0030] A pressure sensor (not shown) with overload protection can be inserted into the mounting of the spiral spring 8. Alongside visual observation of the spring deflection, a distance sensor 11 can also be arranged at the bottom rim 9 of the receiving cup 6. Instead of the spiral spring 8 shown, other spring elements such as disk springs or shock absorbers can also be provided. To protect the spring elements against contamination, these can be enclosed by a sleeve.

[0031] The configurable mounting of the receiving cup 6 in the mounting plate 1 also allows slight tilting motions of the receiving cup 6, which can offset a not precisely vertical insertion of the welding torch 2 into the opening 5. Inserting the welding torch 2 under pressure leads to friction between the outer circumference surface of the gas nozzle 3 and the delimitation of the opening 5. The outer circumference can be abraded by dirt particles here. When the welding torch 2 is placed on the sealing ring 4, an impact can occur through which the adhering dirt particles can be released inside the gas nozzle 3. The dirt particles released fall into the receiving cup 6 and are captured by a reservoir 12. To prevent dirt particles from being deposited above the reservoir 12, the inner wall surface of the receiving cup 6 leads to the reservoir 12 with a tapered design. The reservoir 12 can be emptied via a drain screw 13.

[0032] Above the reservoir 12, there is an output 14 on the receiving cup 6 for the connection of a measuring tube 15 measuring the flowing quantity of protective gas. The measuring tube 15 is also arranged on the mounting plate 1 and is connected via a flexible cable 16, in particular made from a silicone-free material, to the output on the receiving cup 6, in order to be able to balance out variations as a result of the spring deflection of the receiving cup 6. With spring-mounting of the mounting plate 1, a rigid cable 16 can also be provided.

[0033] The measuring tube 15 is transparent and is equipped with a scale 17. With the flow of the protective gas, a ball 18 is visibly lifted in the measuring tube 15. The height of the ball 18 according to the target flow rate of the protective gas can be visually indicated via an adjustable marking 19. An indicator detecting the ball 18 which emits a signal when the ball 18 passes through it can also be assigned to the marking 19. Several other markings 19 of this kind and/or indicators assigned to them can naturally also be provided for the indication of the upper and lower limits.

[0034] The measuring tube 15 is open at the top for the outflow of the protective gas. To prevent foreign particles from falling into the measuring tube 15, the upper opening is covered.

[0035] For the removal of heavy contaminations from the welding torch 2, a cleaning pot 20 is also arranged on the mounting plate 1 near the receiving cup 6. Elongated, upright brushes which rotate via a motor 22 around the longitudinal axis of the cleaning pot 20 are advantageously arranged in the cleaning pot 20. The welding torch 2 is then first, with optional robotic control, inserted into the cleaning pot 20 before insertion into the receiving cup 6.

[0036] The illustrated arrangement for measuring the quantity of protective gas forms an equipment unit which can be arranged in the working area of a robotic arm.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0037] 1 Mounting plate [0038] 2 Welding torch [0039] 3 Gas nozzle [0040] 4 Sealing ring [0041] 5 Opening in the sealing ring [0042] 6 Receiving cup [0043] 7 Ring nut [0044] 8 Spiral spring [0045] 9 Bottom rim of the receiving cup [0046] 10 Nut [0047] 11 Distance sensor [0048] 12 Reservoir [0049] 13 Drain screw [0050] 14 Outlet for the flow meter [0051] 15 Measuring tube [0052] 16 Flexible cable [0053] 17 Scale [0054] 18 Ball [0055] 19 Marking [0056] 20 Cleaning pot [0057] 21 Brushes [0058] 22 Motor