An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding

Abstract

The utility model relates to robot welding equipment technical field, specifically disclose a kind of integrated buffer wire feeder for robot welding include: wire feeder, connect in the shell of welding robot;Wire buffering guide mechanism, between welding wire reel and wire feeder, and the welding wire that enters wire feeder is sequentially guided, tension buffering and accurate straightening;Wire buffering guide mechanism, between wire feeder and the welding torch of welding robot, including at least one curved pipeline, the core pain point in traditional welding robot wire feeding system is solved, realizes the stability, continuous and efficient of wire feeding process. Through structural innovation and system integration, not only improve the welding quality and robot adaptability, also reduce maintenance cost and energy consumption, have wide application prospect and commercial value in industrial welding field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of robotic welding equipment technology, and specifically discloses an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding. Background Technology

[0002] In existing welding robot systems, the wire feeder is typically located independently outside the welding robot body, such as mounted on the periphery of the equipment or on a fixed base, and connected to the welding torch on the robot's end effector via a long wire feeding hose. This arrangement is convenient for industrial welding applications, but it has a series of inherent drawbacks that seriously affect the stability, quality, and efficiency of the welding process.

[0003] Specifically, in existing wire feeding systems, the wire feeding path is typically several meters long. This long path causes the welding wire to experience significant frictional resistance and bending stress during transport, resulting in fluctuations in the wire feeding speed. These fluctuations directly affect the stability of the electric arc, making it difficult to maintain constant welding parameters. Consequently, defects such as poor weld formation, porosity, and lack of fusion are easily generated, reducing the mechanical properties of the welded joint.

[0004] Furthermore, when the robot moves at high speed or stops and starts abruptly, the welding wire is prone to backlash at the wire feed wheel due to inertia, causing a momentary interruption in the welding process. This interruption not only disrupts the continuity of the weld but may also make it difficult to re-ignite the arc, increasing the risk of welding failure.

[0005] Another prominent problem is the lack of an effective buffering mechanism in existing wire feeding systems. When the welding wire is released from the wire spool, it is often affected by tension fluctuations and the bending deformation of the wire itself. These disturbances are directly transmitted to the wire feeding process, resulting in unstable wire feeding. Especially in long-term welding operations, the accumulated errors will exacerbate the inconsistency of welding quality.

[0006] Meanwhile, long-distance wire feeding hoses and their associated tubing can easily interfere with workpieces, fixtures, or surrounding equipment during robot movement. This interference not only limits the robot's workspace and path planning flexibility but can also cause tubing wear, entanglement, or even damage, increasing maintenance costs and downtime.

[0007] In summary, existing welding robot systems with independently arranged wire feeders have significant shortcomings in terms of wire feeding stability, anti-interference ability, and motion adaptability. In view of this, this utility model provides an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of long wire feeding paths, lack of effective buffering, and easy backlash and interference in traditional welding robot systems.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the basic solution of this utility model provides an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, comprising: The wire feeder is attached to the outer shell of the welding robot; The wire feeding buffer and guide mechanism is located between the wire spool and the wire exit machine, and guides, buffers tension, and precisely straightens the wire entering the wire exit machine in sequence; The wire feeding buffer guide mechanism is located between the wire feeder and the welding torch of the welding robot, and includes at least one section of curved pipe.

[0010] Furthermore, the wire feed buffer guide mechanism includes: The primary guide and buffer assembly is located outside the wire feeder housing and guides and buffers the tension of the welding wire; The secondary guide buffer assembly is located inside the wire feeder and precisely straightens the welding wire.

[0011] Furthermore, the primary guide buffer assembly includes a fixed sleeve disposed outside the wire feed machine housing, a ceramic guide ring disposed sequentially inside the fixed sleeve along the wire feed direction, and a miniature spring buffer.

[0012] Furthermore, the secondary guide buffer assembly includes an adjustable straight roller located inside the wire extruder.

[0013] Furthermore, the adjustable straight wheel includes at least one set of rollers with adjustable wheel spacing.

[0014] Furthermore, the curved pipe is S-shaped.

[0015] Furthermore, the inlet of the curved pipe is aligned with the wire exit point of the wire extrusion machine, and a flexible conduit is provided between the outlet of the curved pipe and the welding torch of the welding robot.

[0016] Furthermore, a connecting block is provided between the curved pipe and the flexible conduit, the connecting block connecting the curved pipe and the flexible conduit.

[0017] Furthermore, it also includes an integrated mounting structure for connecting the wire feeder to the welding robot.

[0018] Furthermore, the integrated mounting structure includes a mounting flange located on the top of the wire feeder housing, the mounting flange having several standardized mounting holes that mate with the outer shell of the welding robot.

[0019] The principle and effect of this solution are as follows: 1. The dual buffering and straightening mechanism ensures that the welding wire entering the wire feed wheel is straight and the tension is constant. Simultaneously, the S-shaped curved channel eliminates backlash, effectively improving the tension fluctuation attenuation rate and reducing wire straightness deviation, thus significantly improving wire feeding stability. Furthermore, stable wire feeding results in stable arc and droplet transfer, good weld bead consistency, and low rates of defects such as spatter and porosity, leading to a significant improvement in welding quality.

[0020] 2. The overall structure is compact and highly integrated. It can be directly installed on the robot through the mounting flange, realizing the integration of the wire feeder and the welding robot. The integrated installation structure can shorten the length of the flexible guide tube and reduce wire feeding resistance. At the same time, it reduces the risk of interference, improves the utilization rate of the welding robot's workspace, and extends the maintenance cycle. Furthermore, it has high overall reliability, is easy to maintain, has a robust structure, and key buffer and straightening components are easy to adjust and replace.

[0021] 3. This utility model, through structural innovation and system integration, effectively solves the core pain points of traditional welding robot wire feeding systems, achieving stable, continuous, and efficient wire feeding. It improves welding quality and robot adaptability, while also reducing maintenance costs and energy consumption, demonstrating broad application prospects and commercial value in the industrial welding field. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, according to an embodiment of this application, is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the wire feed buffer guide structure in an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, according to an embodiment of this application, is shown. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the wire feeding buffer guide structure in an integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, as proposed in an embodiment of this application, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by this utility model in order to achieve the intended utility model purpose, the following detailed description of the specific implementation methods, structure, features and effects of this utility model is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments.

[0025] The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings include: welding robot 1, wire feeder 2, primary guide buffer assembly 3, fixed sleeve 31, ceramic guide ring 32, miniature spring buffer 33, flexible conduit 4, connecting block 5, and curved pipe 6.

[0026] An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, implementing, for example... Figure 1 As shown: It includes an integrated mounting structure connected to the housing of the welding robot 1, a wire feeder 2 that is installed and fixed by the integrated mounting structure, a wire feed buffer guide mechanism located between the wire feeder 2 and the welding wire spool, and a wire feed buffer guide mechanism located between the wire feeder 2 and the welding torch of the welding robot 1.

[0027] The wire feeding buffer guide mechanism includes a primary guide buffer assembly 3 and a secondary guide buffer assembly to sequentially guide, buffer tension, and precisely straighten the welding wire. The primary guide buffer assembly 3 includes a fixed sleeve 31 fixedly mounted on the housing of the wire feeder 2, a ceramic guide ring 32 disposed inside the fixed sleeve 31, and a miniature spring buffer 33. The ceramic guide ring 32 provides a low-friction inlet to guide the direction of the welding wire. The ceramic guide ring 32 and the miniature spring buffer 33 are sequentially installed inside the sleeve along the wire feeding direction to absorb the tension agitation from the welding wire spool, thus playing an initial buffering role. The secondary guide buffer assembly includes an adjustable straightening wheel, which consists of a set of rollers with adjustable wheel spacing, located inside the housing of the wire feeder 2, to straighten the welding wire.

[0028] The welding wire enters the fixed sleeve 31 from the welding wire spool. First, it passes through the ceramic guide ring 32 to reduce the initial resistance. Then, it contacts the miniature spring buffer 33, which adopts a spring-damping mechanism. It automatically compresses or releases according to the change in welding wire tension, absorbing instantaneous tension fluctuations. The welding wire enters the housing of the wire feeder 2 and is precisely straightened by the adjustable straightening wheel to eliminate bending and twisting, ensuring that the welding wire enters the wire feeding wheel in a straight line. This effectively improves the attenuation rate of tension fluctuations, reduces the straightness deviation of the welding wire, and greatly improves the stability of wire feeding.

[0029] The wire feeding buffer guide mechanism includes an S-shaped curved pipe 6 integrally formed and mounted on the housing of the wire feeder 2. The inlet of the curved pipe 6 is aligned with the wire feeding tangent point of the wire feeder 2. After the welding wire is fed out, it must continuously pass through this curved pipe 6. The curved shape of the curved pipe 6 generates a constant and moderate frictional resistance on the welding wire. When the welding robot 1 stops suddenly or changes direction, generating an inertial force that causes the welding wire to retract, this resistance can effectively offset it, thereby suppressing the welding wire backlash and ensuring the continuous and stable welding process. For example, when the welding robot 1 stops suddenly, the inertial force of the welding wire causes the welding wire to move backward, but the curved section of the S-shaped curved pipe 6 increases the decoupling resistance, converting the backlash energy into frictional heat and dissipating it, thereby maintaining the continuous forward feeding of the welding wire. That is, by utilizing the resistance generated by the curved shape of the curved pipe 6, the backlash of the welding wire is effectively suppressed, significantly reducing the probability of welding interruption and ensuring the continuity and consistency of the weld.

[0030] A connecting block 5 is provided at the outlet of the curved pipe 6. The connecting block 5 is connected to the welding gun at the end of the welding robot 1 through a flexible conduit 4. The connecting block 5 connects the curved pipe 6 and the flexible conduit 4, which not only makes the curved pipe 6 and the flexible conduit 4 more stable, but also facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the curved pipe 6.

[0031] After being fed out of the wire feeder 2, the welding wire directly enters the curved pipe 6 of the wire feed buffer guide mechanism, and then reaches the welding torch via the connecting block 5 and the short flexible guide tube 4. Due to the shortened path, the resistance of the welding wire feeding is reduced, the wire feeding speed is more stable, and arc instability and weld defects caused by resistance fluctuations are avoided.

[0032] The integrated mounting structure includes a mounting flange located at the bottom of the housing of the wire feeder 2 and connected to the welding robot 1. The mounting flange uses standardized mounting holes to mate with the housing of the welding robot 1, for example, using 4-10M threaded holes, so that the entire wire feeder can be directly installed onto the corresponding interface of the first or second axis of the welding robot 1 through studs, realizing the integration of the wire feeder and the welding robot 1. Moreover, the integrated mounting structure can shorten the length of the flexible guide tube 4 and reduce the wire feeding resistance.

[0033] The integrated installation structure ensures the wire feeder is flush against the welding robot 1, preventing the long cable bundle from being exposed. The wire feed buffer guide mechanism connects to the welding torch via the connecting block 5 and the short flexible conduit 4, reducing the swaying space of the cable during the movement of the welding robot 1 and lowering the risk of collisions with the workpiece and fixtures. As the welding robot 1 moves, the short flexible conduit 4 bends with the robot's joints, but due to its short length and the rigid support provided by the S-shaped curved pipe 6, it is less prone to entanglement or swinging. This reduces the risk of interference, improves the utilization rate of the welding robot 1's workspace, and extends the maintenance cycle.

[0034] As can be seen, this embodiment, through multi-stage buffering and straightening mechanisms combined with a short-path design, achieves more stable wire feeding speed fluctuation control, improved arc stability, better weld quality consistency, and reduced defect rate. Furthermore, the S-shaped curved pipe 6 acts as a passive backlash suppressor, requiring no additional sensors or control systems, resulting in a simple structure, high reliability, and suitability for high-speed welding scenarios. Simultaneously, the wire feeding buffer guide mechanism integrates guiding, buffering, and straightening functions into a compact space, solving the problems of large space occupation and poor performance of traditional independent buffers, making it particularly suitable for high-density welding robot workstations. Moreover, the integrated installation combines the wire feeder and robot, shortening the pipeline length and improving the robot's motion flexibility and path planning freedom, making it suitable for welding complex geometric workpieces. It solves the core pain points of traditional welding robot wire feeding systems, achieving a stable, continuous, and efficient wire feeding process. This not only improves welding quality and robot adaptability but also reduces maintenance costs and energy consumption, demonstrating broad application prospects and commercial value in the industrial welding field.

[0035] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to limit the present utility model in any way. Although the present utility model has been disclosed above with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the present utility model. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present utility model. Any indirect modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present utility model without departing from the scope of the present utility model shall still fall within the scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding, characterized in that, include: The wire feeder is attached to the outer shell of the welding robot; The wire feeding buffer and guide mechanism is located between the wire spool and the wire exit machine, and guides, buffers tension, and precisely straightens the wire entering the wire exit machine in sequence; The wire feeding buffer guide mechanism is located between the wire feeder and the welding torch of the welding robot, and includes at least one section of curved pipe.

2. The integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wire feeding buffer guide mechanism includes: The primary guide and buffer assembly is located outside the wire feeder housing and guides and buffers the tension of the welding wire; The secondary guide buffer assembly is located inside the wire feeder and precisely straightens the welding wire.

3. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 2, characterized in that, The primary guide buffer assembly includes a fixed sleeve located outside the wire feed machine housing, a ceramic guide ring arranged sequentially inside the fixed sleeve along the wire feeding direction, and a miniature spring buffer.

4. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The secondary guide buffer assembly includes an adjustable straight roller located inside the wire extruder.

5. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 4, characterized in that, The adjustable straightening wheel includes at least one set of rollers with adjustable wheel spacing.

6. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 1, characterized in that, The curved pipe is S-shaped.

7. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 6, characterized in that, The inlet of the curved pipe is aligned with the wire exit point of the wire extrusion machine, and a flexible conduit is provided between the outlet of the curved pipe and the welding torch of the welding robot.

8. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 7, characterized in that, A connecting block is provided between the curved pipe and the flexible conduit, and the connecting block connects the curved pipe and the flexible conduit.

9. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an integrated mounting structure for connecting the wire feeder to the welding robot.

10. An integrated buffer wire feeder for robotic welding according to claim 9, characterized in that, The integrated mounting structure includes a mounting flange located on the top of the wire feeder housing. The mounting flange has several standardized mounting holes and mates with the outer shell of the welding robot.

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