Laser welding system, method and remote water meter module box
By performing laser welding in a vacuum nitrogen environment, the welding quality problem caused by oxygen oxidation was solved, the airtightness and strength of the remote water meter module box were improved, and a highly efficient welding effect was achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- NINGBO WATER METER (GRP) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-26
AI Technical Summary
During laser welding, oxygen in the air reacts with the molten plastic to cause oxidation, which reduces the airtightness and strength of the weld, increases the welding difficulty, and affects the sealing and reliability of the remote water meter module box.
A laser welding system and method are used to create a vacuum in the welding chamber of a sealed container, then fill it with nitrogen gas for laser welding. This avoids oxidation reactions and ensures that the welding is carried out in a nitrogen environment.
It improves the airtightness and strength after welding, avoids the formation of pores, reduces the difficulty of welding, and improves production efficiency and welding quality.
Smart Images

Figure CN122077941A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of remote water meter module box manufacturing technology, and in particular to a laser welding system, method and remote water meter module box. Background Technology
[0002] In humid environments, moisture can easily get into the module box of a remote water meter, damaging the internal electronic components and preventing data transmission. Therefore, ensuring the reliability of the remote water meter module box's seal is a challenge.
[0003] Currently, the base and cover of the remote water meter module box are connected by laser welding. However, during the laser welding process, oxygen in the air is prone to react with the plastic after the laser melts, resulting in the formation of pores inside the weld line, which affects the airtightness and welding strength. In addition, some plastics are oxidized too quickly, which increases the difficulty of laser welding. Summary of the Invention
[0004] This application provides a laser welding system, method, and remote water meter module box to solve the problem that oxygen affects the laser welding effect and operability in the prior art.
[0005] On one hand, this application provides a laser welding system, including: a sealed container having a welding chamber into which a base and a cover of a remote water meter module box are inserted; a gas filling and defilling assembly including an outlet pipe and an inlet pipe sealed and connected to the welding chamber, wherein gas in the welding chamber can be driven to be discharged from the outlet pipe and form a vacuum state, and nitrogen gas can be introduced into the welding chamber through the inlet pipe; and a laser capable of emitting laser light to weld the base and cover of the remote water meter module box located in the welding chamber.
[0006] Preferably, the gas filling and degassing assembly further includes a vacuum pump connected to the gas outlet pipe, a first valve disposed on the gas outlet pipe, a nitrogen source connected to the gas inlet pipe, and a second valve disposed on the gas inlet pipe. The welding chamber can form a vacuum state under the action of the vacuum pump and be filled with nitrogen under the action of the nitrogen source.
[0007] Preferably, the laser welding system further includes a pressure assembly disposed within the welding chamber, the pressure assembly including a pressure plate that can be driven to press the lid against the base.
[0008] Preferably, the laser welding system also includes an oxygen content detector located outside the welding chamber.
[0009] On the other hand, this application also provides a laser welding method, comprising the following steps: Place the base and cover of the remote water meter module box into the welding chamber of the sealed container. Extract the gas from the welding chamber to create a vacuum in the welding chamber; Nitrogen gas is introduced into the welding chamber; Laser welding is used to weld the base and cover located in the welding chamber.
[0010] Preferably, this is achieved using the laser welding system described above.
[0011] Furthermore, this application also provides a remote water meter module box, which is welded using the aforementioned laser welding system and / or welded using the aforementioned laser welding method.
[0012] Preferably, the remote water meter module box includes a base and a cover. The base has welding ribs, and the cover has welding grooves for the welding ribs to be inserted. The welding ribs can be melted and welded to the cover under the action of the laser emitted by the laser.
[0013] Preferably, a limiting surface is also formed on the base, located on one side of the welding rib. The limiting surface is lower than the upper surface of the welding rib in the vertical direction, and the outer edge of the welding groove is in contact with the limiting surface.
[0014] Preferably, a first overflow gap is formed between one sidewall of the welding groove and one sidewall of the welding rib, and a second overflow gap is formed between the other sidewall of the welding groove and the other sidewall of the welding rib.
[0015] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: During laser welding, the base and cover of the remote water meter module box are placed into the welding chamber of a sealed container. After the welding chamber is evacuated to a vacuum state, it is filled with nitrogen gas. The base and cover of the remote water meter module box are then laser welded in a nitrogen environment to avoid oxidation of the plastic after laser melting. This eliminates the influence of oxygen on laser welding, thereby preventing the formation of pores inside the weld line after welding. This ensures that the airtightness and welding strength of the weld meet the requirements and avoids increasing the difficulty of laser welding due to the influence of oxygen.
[0016] The laser welding method provided in this application possesses all the advantages of the aforementioned laser welding system. The remote water meter module box provided in this application incorporates all the advantages of the laser welding method and / or laser welding system described in this application. Attached Figure Description
[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the specific embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.
[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the laser welding system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 An exploded view of the remote water meter module box provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Longitudinal cross-sectional view of one location of the Zhongyuan Chuan water meter module box; Figure 4 for Figure 3 A magnified view of part A in the image; Figure 5 for Figure 2 A longitudinal section view of another location in the COSCO water meter module box; Figure 6 for Figure 5 A magnified view of part B in the image; and Figure 7 for Figure 2 A 3D view of the base of the Zhongyuan Chuan water meter module box.
[0019] Figure label: 11. Sealed container; 111. Welding chamber; 112. Sealed door; 12. Gas filling / discharging assembly; 121. Gas outlet pipe; 122. Gas inlet pipe; 123. Vacuum pump; 124. First valve; 125. Nitrogen source; 126. Second valve; 127. Main pipe; 128. Pressure relief valve; 13. Laser; 14. Pressure application assembly; 141. Pressure plate; 142. Cylinder; 15. Oxygen content detector; 16. Workbench; 17. Fixture; 18. Collapse value detector; 19. Pressure sensor; 110. Control cabinet; 120. Host computer; 20. Remote water meter module box; 21. Base; 211. Welding rib; 212. Limiting surface; 213. Positioning cylinder; 214. Slot; 22. Box cover; 221. First overflow gap; 222. Second overflow gap; 223. Positioning post; 23. Outer cover; 231. Buckle. Detailed Implementation
[0020] The technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0021] The following is combined Figures 1 to 7 This application describes a laser welding system provided in its embodiments, comprising: a sealed container 11 having a welding chamber 111 into which a base 21 and a cover 22 of a remote water meter module box 20 are inserted; a gas filling / discharging assembly 12 including an outlet pipe 121 and an inlet pipe 122 sealed and connected to the welding chamber 111, wherein the gas in the welding chamber 111 can be driven to be discharged from the outlet pipe 121 and form a vacuum state, and the inlet pipe 122 can introduce nitrogen into the welding chamber 111; and a laser 13 capable of emitting laser light to weld the base 21 and the cover 22 of the remote water meter module box 20 located in the welding chamber 111.
[0022] Before welding, the base 21 and cover 22 of the remote water meter module box 20 are aligned and placed in the welding chamber 111 of the sealed container 11. First, all the gas in the welding chamber 111 is discharged through the vent pipe 121 to make the welding chamber 111 a vacuum state. Then, nitrogen is filled into the welding chamber 111 through the inlet pipe 122. At this time, the base 21 and cover 22 of the remote water meter module box 20 are in a nitrogen environment. The base 21 and cover 22 are welded by the laser 13 to avoid oxidation reaction of the plastic after laser melting, that is, to eliminate the influence of oxygen on laser welding. This avoids the formation of pores inside the weld line after welding, so that the airtightness and welding strength of the weld can meet the requirements, and avoids the increase in the difficulty of laser welding due to the influence of oxygen.
[0023] Laser welding of the base 21 and the lid 22 is performed in a pure nitrogen atmosphere. The absence of oxygen eliminates its influence and prevents oxidation. The molten plastic between the base 21 and lid 22 flows more freely, resulting in a stronger connection and a high-quality weld. This improves the overall weld quality between the base 21 and lid 22, and in some cases, the tensile strength of the material can even reach or exceed that of the base material. Furthermore, laser welding in this nitrogen atmosphere allows for more flexible selection of welding parameters, such as using higher power and slower speeds. It also prevents oxidation and scorching of the plastic, saving time required for re-welding due to defects and improving production efficiency.
[0024] Nitrogen was chosen to fill the welding chamber 111 because air has the highest nitrogen content, making it easy to obtain and cost-effective.
[0025] Specifically, the top of the sealed container 11 is made of highly transparent quartz glass. The laser 13 is located outside the sealed container 11. The laser emitted by the laser 13 passes through the top of the sealed container 11 and is focused on the welding rib 211 of the base 21 (described in detail later). The sealed container 11 has an inlet and outlet, and a sealing door 112 is provided at the inlet and outlet. The base 21 and the cover 22 are inserted into and removed from the welding chamber 111 through the inlet and outlet. At this time, the sealing door 112 is open. During the process of evacuating and filling the welding chamber 111 with nitrogen, and during the welding process of the base 21 and the cover 22, the sealing door 112 is closed.
[0026] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the laser welding system provided in the embodiments of this application.
[0027] In some embodiments provided in this application, the gas filling and degassing assembly 12 further includes a vacuum pump 123 connected to the gas outlet pipe 121, a first valve 124 disposed on the gas outlet pipe 121, a nitrogen source 125 connected to the gas inlet pipe 122, and a second valve 126 disposed on the gas inlet pipe 122. The welding chamber 111 can form a vacuum state under the action of the vacuum pump 123 and be filled with nitrogen under the action of the nitrogen source 125.
[0028] After the base 21 and the cover 22 are placed into the welding chamber 111, the vacuum pump 123 and the first valve 124 are turned on to extract the gas inside the welding chamber 111 from the gas outlet pipe 121, so that the inside is in a vacuum state. Then the nitrogen source 125 and the second valve 126 are turned on, and nitrogen enters the welding chamber 111 from the gas inlet pipe 122, so that the welding chamber 111 forms a nitrogen environment, and the cover 22 and the base 21 are laser welded.
[0029] Specifically, the vacuum pump 123 can be a dry spiral vacuum pump 123 to keep the vacuum system oil-free and prevent backflow from contaminating the sealed cavity. The nitrogen source 125 can be a nitrogen cylinder or a nitrogen generator. The nitrogen cylinder stores high-purity dry nitrogen, and the nitrogen generator needs to add an adsorption dryer to the inlet pipe 122 to make the nitrogen extremely dry.
[0030] The nitrogen in the nitrogen source 125 has a purity of not less than 99.99%, and the nitrogen in the welding chamber 111 is 0.5 MPa, which is higher than the standard atmospheric pressure. Before welding, nitrogen at this pressure can enter between the base 21 and the cover 22. After welding, nitrogen at this pressure is also retained between the base 21 and the cover 22. Even if local gaps appear between the base 21 and the cover 22 after welding due to long-term use, the pressurized nitrogen inside can delay the air interaction between the inside and outside of the base 21 and the cover 22, thereby extending the service life of the remote water meter module box 20. In the traditional remote water meter module box 20, since there is no pressurized gas between the base 21 and the cover 22, internal potting compound treatment is required. For some fragile electronic components on the base 21, the stress of the potting compound may cause a large current, thus shortening the service life of the remote water meter module box 20. This application replaces potting compound with nitrogen, which can avoid the above-mentioned situation caused by potting compound. The vacuum pump 123 can be used to draw a vacuum and the nitrogen source 125 can be used to fill the nitrogen gas. These operations can be repeated 2 to 3 times depending on the actual situation, until the oxygen content in the welding chamber 111 is less than 0.1%, so as to better eliminate the oxidation reaction during the welding process.
[0031] Specifically, the inflation / deflation assembly 12 also includes a main pipe 127 and a pressure relief valve 128 installed on the main pipe 127. One end of the main pipe 127 is sealed to the sealed container 11 to communicate with the welding chamber 111, and the other end is connected to both the outlet pipe 121 and the inlet pipe 122, forming a three-way bifurcation at the connection point. After the base 21 and the cover 22 are welded together, the pressure relief valve 128 is first opened to balance the pressure in the welding chamber 111 with atmospheric pressure, and then the sealed door 112 is opened to remove the base 21 and the cover 22.
[0032] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In some embodiments provided in this application, the laser welding system further includes a pressure assembly 14 disposed in the welding chamber 111, the pressure assembly 14 including a pressure plate 141, the pressure plate 141 being driven to press the cover 22 against the base 21.
[0033] Before laser welding, the base 21 and the cover 22 are separate and need to be fixed in the connection position to prevent them from shifting during laser welding. Therefore, a pressure application component 14 is provided. During laser welding, the pressure plate 141 is always pressed against the cover 22 to keep it firmly against the base 21. In this way, the position of the cover 22 relative to the base 21 remains unchanged during welding, and the two will not shift. After laser welding is completed, the pressure plate 141 continues to press against the cover 22 for a predetermined time to maintain pressure. During the pressure maintenance, the pressure value applied to the cover 22 by the pressure plate 141 is constant to ensure that the thermal stress after welding is naturally eliminated. This predetermined time is set according to the welding effect and can be 2 seconds.
[0034] Specifically, the pressure application assembly 14 also includes two cylinders 142 connected below the pressure plate 141. The two cylinders 142 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the pressure plate 141, with the base 21 and the cover 22 located between the two cylinders 142. The pressure plate 141 is pressed against the cover 22 by the shortening of the cylinders 142. The laser welding system also includes a worktable 16 and a clamp 17. The fixed ends of the cylinders 142 and the clamp 17 are both fixed on the worktable 16. The clamp 17 is used to hold the base 21 and fix the base 21 relative to the worktable 16 so that when the pressure plate 141 applies pressure to the base 21 through the cover 22, the clamp 17 can provide sufficient support for the base 21. The clamp 17 is a contour clamp that can fix the base 21.
[0035] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In some embodiments provided in this application, the laser welding system also includes an oxygen content detector 15 disposed outside the welding chamber 111.
[0036] After laser welding is completed, the welding chamber 111 is filled with high-concentration nitrogen gas and has extremely low oxygen content. If the surrounding space is limited, nitrogen gas will be released into the surrounding space after the sealing door 112 is opened, affecting the oxygen content of the surrounding space. Therefore, an oxygen content detector 15 is installed on the outer wall of the sealed container 11 outside the welding chamber 111 to detect the oxygen content of the surrounding environment. When the oxygen content is lower than the safe value, the alarm connected to the oxygen content sensor will sound an alarm to prompt the operator to leave the site to ensure the safety of the operator.
[0037] Please continue reading. Figure 1 In some embodiments provided in this application, the laser welding system further includes a control cabinet 110, a host computer 120, a collapse value detector 18 disposed in the welding chamber 111, and a pressure sensor 19 for detecting the pressure in the welding chamber 111. The host computer 120 is electrically connected to the collapse value detector 18.
[0038] The collapse value detector 18 is used to detect the collapse amount of the welding rib 211 (described in detail later) of the base 21 in real time during the laser welding process until the laser welding is completed. The detected collapse value is then sent to the host computer 120. The host computer 120 determines whether the welding of the base 21 and the cover 22 is qualified based on the detected collapse value. If the collapse value is within the set value range, it is considered qualified; if the collapse value is outside the set value range, it is considered unqualified. The set value range is determined based on the welding effect and test results, and can be 0.45mm to 0.55mm. Four collapse value detectors 18 are evenly distributed around the outer periphery of the base 21 and the cover 22, jointly detecting the collapse value at different locations. This ensures that the cover 22 is in a horizontal state after the base 21 and the cover 22 are welded, thus ensuring the consistency of the welding. The collapse value detector 18 can be a laser welding collapse value detector 18.
[0039] The control cabinet 110 is equipped with a controller, which can be a PLC. The controller is electrically connected to the pressure sensor 19, the first valve 124, the second valve 126, and the pressure relief valve 128. The first valve 124 and the second valve 126 are closed. When a vacuum is required in the welding chamber 111, the controller controls the first valve 124 to open. The pressure sensor 19 monitors the pressure in the welding chamber 111 in real time and sends the pressure value to the controller. The controller determines whether the welding chamber 111 is in a vacuum state based on the pressure value. If a vacuum state is reached, the controller controls the first valve 124 to close and the second valve 126 to open. The pressure sensor 19 continues to monitor the pressure in the welding chamber 111 in real time and sends the pressure value to the controller. The controller determines whether the nitrogen pressure in the welding chamber 111 reaches 0.5 MPa. If it does, the controller controls the second valve 126 and the pressure relief valve 128 to close. After laser welding is completed, the controller controls the pressure relief valve 128 to open and begin rapid pressure relief. Among them, the first valve 124, the second valve 126 and the pressure relief valve 128 are all solenoid valves, so that they can be remotely controlled by the controller.
[0040] The laser welding system also includes a galvanometer system electrically connected to the host computer 120. The host computer 120 contains welding software; different workpieces correspond to different welding paths. The galvanometer system can adjust the optical path according to the welding path selected by the host computer 120, directing the laser emitted by the laser 13 along the welding path to weld the workpiece. The laser 13 can be a fiber laser 13 with a center wavelength of 1940nm and an average output power of 300W. The output power ratio of the laser 13 can be adjusted according to different workpieces.
[0041] The laser welding system used in this application is as follows: Open the welding software on the host computer 120, select the welding trajectory corresponding to the base 21 and the cover 22, and after the base 21 and the cover 22 are fastened together, they are clamped by the contour clamp 17. The operator closes the sealing door 112 or the sealing door 112 is automatically closed by the controller. The controller controls the first valve 124 to open, and at the same time starts the vacuum pump 123 to evacuate the welding chamber 111. The pressure sensor 19 monitors the pressure in the welding chamber 111 in real time until the pressure in the welding chamber 111 drops to the preset value, then the controller closes the first valve 124. Nitrogen source 125 starts operating, and the second valve 126 is opened via the controller, allowing nitrogen to fill the welding chamber 111. Pressure sensor 19 monitors the pressure inside the welding chamber 111 in real time. Once the nitrogen in the welding chamber 111 reaches the preset pressure range, cylinder 142 actuates, driving pressure plate 141 to press the cover 22 tightly onto the base 21. Laser 13 is activated, emitting laser light that passes through the galvanometer system along the welding trajectory set by the host computer 120 for welding. During this process, collapse value detector 18 monitors the collapse value in real time and sends it to the host computer 120. After welding, pressure is maintained for a predetermined time, i.e., pressure plate 141 continuously presses the cover 22 tightly onto the base 21. After the pressure maintenance ends, welding is complete. Pressure relief valve 128 is opened via the controller. Once pressure sensor 19 detects that the pressure inside the welding chamber 111 is balanced with atmospheric pressure, sealing door 112 is opened, or opened via the controller. The operator then removes the welded base 21 and cover 22.
[0042] This application also provides a laser welding method, including the following steps: Place the base 21 and cover 22 of the remote water meter module box 20 into the welding chamber of the sealed container; Extract the gas from the welding chamber to create a vacuum in the welding chamber; Nitrogen gas is introduced into the welding chamber; The base 21 and the cover 22 located in the welding chamber are welded using a laser.
[0043] During the welding process, the lid 22 is always pressed tightly against the base 21.
[0044] The laser relief process of the base 21 and cover 22 of the remote water meter module box 20 is carried out in a nitrogen environment, which can prevent the plastic after laser melting from undergoing an oxidation reaction, that is, eliminate the influence of oxygen on laser welding, thereby preventing the formation of pores inside the weld line after welding, so that the airtightness and welding strength of the weld can meet the requirements, and avoid increasing the difficulty of laser welding due to the influence of oxygen.
[0045] In some embodiments provided in this application, the laser welding system described above is used.
[0046] It should be noted that the laser welding method is implemented through a laser welding system, which includes all the advantages of the laser welding system mentioned above, and will not be elaborated here.
[0047] Please refer to Figures 2 to 7 ,in, Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the remote water meter module box 20 provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 and Figure 5 These are longitudinal cross-sectional views of two different locations of the remote water meter module box 20. Figure 4 and Figure 6 They are respectively Figure 3 A magnified view of part A and Figure 5 A magnified view of part B in the image. Figure 7 This is a 3D view of the base 21.
[0048] This application embodiment also provides a remote water meter module box 20, which is welded using the laser welding system described above, and / or welded using the laser welding method described above.
[0049] It should be noted that the remote water meter module box 20 is welded using a laser welding system and / or laser welding method, thus encompassing all the advantages of the laser welding system and / or laser welding method mentioned above, which will not be elaborated here.
[0050] Please refer to Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 7 In some embodiments provided in this application, the remote water meter module box 20 includes a base 21 and a cover 22. A welding rib 211 is formed on the base 21, and a welding groove for inserting the welding rib 211 is formed on the cover 22. The welding rib 211 can be melted and welded to the cover 22 under the action of the laser emitted by the laser 13.
[0051] The welding groove of the lid 22 is aligned with the welding rib 211. The welding rib 211 melts under the laser action of the laser 13 and connects with the wall of the welding groove, thus achieving the welding of the lid 22 and the base 21. After the welding rib 211 melts, it can overflow into the welding groove. The welding groove wraps around the welding rib 211, which can increase the connection area between the lid 22 and the base 21, thereby increasing the stability of the connection between the two.
[0052] The base 21 and the lid 22 are made of the same material. The compatibility and melting temperature of the same material make it easier to perform laser welding, thereby improving the effectiveness of the welding. The lid 22 is made of a light-transmitting material, so the laser emitted by the laser 13 can pass through the lid 22 and move along the welding rib 211 of the base 21 to melt the welding rib 211.
[0053] Please continue reading. Figures 2 to 4 and Figure 7In some embodiments provided in this application, a limiting surface 212 located on one side of the welding rib 211 is also formed on the base 21. The limiting surface 212 is lower than the upper surface of the welding rib 211 in the vertical direction, and the outer edge of the welding groove is in contact with the limiting surface 212.
[0054] During the welding process, the lid 22 is pressed firmly against the base 21 to prevent misalignment. After the welding rib 211 melts, the lid 22 moves closer to the base 21; this movement distance is the collapse value. To ensure the collapse value is within a reasonable range, a limiting surface 212 is provided. When the lid 22 moves to the outer edge of the welding groove and contacts the limiting surface 212, the lid 22 cannot move further. This position of the lid 22 is its relative position to the base 21 after welding. A collapse value within a reasonable range can improve the reliability of the welding. The lid 22 is pressed evenly against the base 21, ensuring that all positions on the outer edge of the welding groove of the lid 22 contact the limiting surface 212, thereby ensuring the consistency of the welding and preventing the lid 22 from tilting.
[0055] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments provided in this application, a first overflow gap 221 is formed between one sidewall of the welding groove and one sidewall of the welding rib 211, and a second overflow gap 222 is formed between the other sidewall of the welding groove and the other sidewall of the welding rib 211.
[0056] The solder formed after the welding rib 211 melts can simultaneously overflow into the first overflow gap 221 and the second overflow gap 222. The large overflow area facilitates the venting of the solder, thereby ensuring that the weld line is free of pores after welding. On the other hand, it provides sufficient flow space for the molten solder, thereby increasing the contact area between the welding groove and the solder, thus increasing the welding strength between the base 21 and the cover 22, and ensuring the sealing between the two.
[0057] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments provided in this application, two positioning cylinders 213 protrude from the base 21, and two positioning posts 223 protrude from the cover 22 respectively. The positioning posts 223 can be inserted into the positioning cylinders 213 one by one.
[0058] Before welding, the positioning pin 223 of the cover 22 is inserted into the positioning cylinder 213 of the base 21 to play a positioning role and prevent the relative position of the two from shifting during the laser welding process.
[0059] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6In some embodiments provided in this application, the remote water meter module box 20 also includes an outer cover 23. After the box cover 22 is welded to the base 21, the outer cover 23 is placed on the base 21. The box cover 22 is located between the outer cover 23 and the base 21. The outer wall of the base 21 has a slot 214, and the inner wall of the outer cover 23 has a buckle 231 that is inserted into the slot 214, thereby realizing the connection between the outer cover 23 and the base 21.
[0060] Specifically, multiple slots 214 are evenly spaced along the circumference of the base 21, and multiple buckles 231 are evenly spaced along the circumference of the outer cover 23, corresponding to the slots 214. Each buckle 231 is inserted into a slot 214 to achieve a stable connection between the outer cover 23 and the base 21. There can be two slots 214 and two buckles 231.
[0061] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.
[0062] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0063] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between the components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication between two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0064] In this application, the term "some embodiments," etc., refers to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.
[0065] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting this application. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of this application.
Claims
1. A laser welding system, characterized in that, include: A sealed container forming a welded chamber into which a base and a cover for a remote water meter module box are inserted; A gas filling and degassing assembly includes an outlet pipe and an inlet pipe that are sealed and connected to the welding chamber, wherein gas in the welding chamber can be driven to exit from the outlet pipe and create a vacuum, and the inlet pipe can introduce nitrogen gas into the welding chamber; and A laser capable of emitting laser light to weld the base and cover of the remote water meter module box located in the welding chamber.
2. The laser welding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas filling and degassing assembly also includes a vacuum pump connected to the outlet pipe, a first valve disposed on the outlet pipe, a nitrogen source connected to the inlet pipe, and a second valve disposed on the inlet pipe. The welding chamber can form a vacuum state under the action of the vacuum pump and be filled with nitrogen under the action of the nitrogen source.
3. The laser welding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser welding system also includes a pressure application assembly disposed within the welding chamber, the pressure application assembly including a pressure plate that can be driven to press the lid against the base.
4. The laser welding system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The laser welding system also includes an oxygen content detector located outside the welding chamber.
5. A laser welding method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Place the base and cover of the remote water meter module box into the welding chamber of the sealed container. Extract the gas from the welding chamber to create a vacuum in the welding chamber; Nitrogen gas was introduced into the welding chamber; The base and the lid located in the welding chamber are welded using a laser.
6. The laser welding method according to claim 5, characterized in that, This is achieved using the laser welding system described in any one of claims 1 to 4.
7. A remote water meter module box, characterized in that, It is welded using the laser welding system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and / or welded by the laser welding method according to claim 5.
8. The remote water meter module box according to claim 7, characterized in that, The remote water meter module box includes a base and a cover. The base has welding ribs, and the cover has welding grooves for inserting the welding ribs. The welding ribs can be melted and welded to the cover by the laser emitted by the laser.
9. The remote water meter module box according to claim 8, characterized in that, The base also has a limiting surface located on one side of the welding rib. The limiting surface is lower than the upper surface of the welding rib in the vertical direction, and the outer edge of the welding groove is in contact with the limiting surface.
10. The remote water meter module box according to claim 8, characterized in that, A first overflow gap is formed between one sidewall of the welding groove and one sidewall of the welding rib, and a second overflow gap is formed between the other sidewall of the welding groove and the other sidewall of the welding rib.