A dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot

Abstract

This invention provides a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator for installation at the end effector of an industrial robot, comprising a base, an insulating sleeve, a torch diameter, and a nozzle. Its core improvement lies in the sequential arrangement of a main flow channel, a secondary flow channel surrounding the main flow, a uniform cross-section mixing chamber, and a gradually expanding diffuser inside the nozzle. A scaling nozzle is located at the outlet of the main flow channel. The scaling structure accelerates the main flow gas and induces the secondary flow, achieving efficient and uniform mixing within the mixing chamber, followed by effective pressure recovery via the diffuser. This structure effectively solves the problems of uneven gas mixing, large pressure loss, and unstable flow rate in existing welding torches, offering advantages such as good mixing uniformity, stable flow rate, and high welding precision, making it particularly suitable for high-speed welding scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of industrial robot technology, and in particular to a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end of an industrial robot, especially a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator with optimized airflow mixing and pressure recovery functions. Background Technology

[0002] Robot end effectors are tools installed at the end of industrial robot arms to perform specific tasks. Welding torches, as one of the core components, perform welding operations during the welding process, with their nozzles spraying shielding gases or mixed gases to create a stable welding environment.

[0003] Existing welding torches generally suffer from the following technical defects when performing high-speed, high-precision welding tasks: First, the mainstream and secondary auxiliary airflows are not mixed evenly in the mixing chamber, resulting in unstable gas jetting effects and affecting welding quality; second, the pressure loss during airflow mixing and acceleration is significant, making it difficult to maintain a stable high-speed flow state and limiting welding efficiency; third, the unreasonable structural design of the mixing chamber and downstream diffuser leads to low airflow pressure recovery efficiency and is prone to generating shock waves and other interference phenomena at high speeds, further reducing jetting accuracy and stability.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of welding torch actuator that can optimize its internal flow channel structure, achieve efficient and uniform mixing of airflow, effectively reduce pressure loss, and maintain stable high-speed flow. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end of an industrial robot, which aims to achieve efficient and uniform mixing of the two airflows, reduce pressure loss, and maintain a stable high-speed flow state.

[0006] According to the purpose of this utility model, this utility model provides a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end of an industrial robot, including a base, an insulating sleeve, a torch diameter, and a nozzle; the end of the base is provided with an internal thread for connection with the end arm of the industrial robot; the insulating sleeve is connected between the base and the torch diameter; the torch diameter is a hollow, curved tubular structure, and the end of the torch diameter is connected to the nozzle; the nozzle has a main flow channel, a secondary flow channel, a mixing chamber, and a diffuser arranged sequentially along the airflow direction; the outlet end of the main flow channel is provided with a scaling nozzle; the secondary flow channel is arranged around the main flow channel, and the outlet of the secondary flow channel is connected to the inlet of the mixing chamber; the mixing chamber is a pipe with a constant cross-section, and the inlet of the mixing chamber is connected to the outlet of the scaling nozzle and the outlet of the secondary flow channel respectively; the inlet of the diffuser is connected to the outlet of the mixing chamber.

[0007] Furthermore, the outer surface of the base is provided with a multi-segment arc-shaped elastic corrugated tube, and the corrugated tube is made of temperature-resistant and flame-retardant rubber.

[0008] Furthermore, the end of the gun caliber is provided with an external thread, and the nozzle is detachably connected to the gun caliber through the external thread.

[0009] Furthermore, the bending angle of the gun caliber is between 90 degrees and 135 degrees.

[0010] Furthermore, the zoomable nozzle includes an integrally formed constriction section, throat, and diffuser section.

[0011] Furthermore, the inlet of the secondary flow channel is a convex cylindrical structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the inner wall of the mixing chamber is provided with a turbulence enhancement structure.

[0013] Furthermore, the turbulence enhancement structure is an annular groove uniformly distributed along the axis of the mixing chamber.

[0014] Furthermore, the depth of the annular groove is 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, the inner wall of the diffuser has a tapered or curved gradually flared structure.

[0016] This utility model integrates the main flow channel, the scaling nozzle, the surrounding secondary flow channel, the equal cross-section mixing chamber, and the diffuser inside the nozzle. This allows the main flow gas to be accelerated by scaling and efficiently ejected into the secondary flow, achieving thorough and uniform mixing in the mixing chamber. The diffuser then effectively restores the pressure, thereby significantly improving the uniformity of gas flow mixing, maintaining a high-speed and stable flow state, reducing pressure loss, and ultimately ensuring the stability and precision of welding quality. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of this utility model or the technical solutions in 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 utility model. 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 an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram from another angle of an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram of an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle structure from another angle in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the nozzle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] In the diagram: 1. Base; 101. Internal thread; 102. Bellows; 2. Insulating sleeve; 3. Gun caliber; 301, external thread; 4. Nozzle; 401. Main flow channel; 402. Secondary flow channel; 403. Mixing chamber; 404. Diffuser; 405. Diverging nozzle; 406. Annular groove. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solution of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0021] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0022] 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 indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified. Furthermore, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0023] Example 1 like Figures 1-6 As shown, a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator is installed at the end of an industrial robot. The welding torch actuator has a hollow internal design and includes a base 1, an insulating sleeve 2, a torch diameter 3, and a nozzle 4. The base 1 has an internal thread 101 at its end for rotational connection with the end arm of the industrial robot. One end of the insulating sleeve 2 is connected to the base 1, and the other end is connected to the torch diameter 3. The torch diameter 3 adopts a curved hollow tubular structure, and the nozzle 4 is provided at the outlet of the main flow channel of the torch diameter 3.

[0024] Specifically, the outer surface of the base 1 is provided with a multi-segment arc-shaped elastic corrugated tube 102. The corrugated tube 102 is made of temperature-resistant and flame-retardant rubber, which is used to achieve vibration buffering and internal structural protection.

[0025] The insulating sleeve 2 is made of high-strength ceramic or special engineering plastic.

[0026] The end of the gun diameter 3 is provided with an external thread 301, and the nozzle 4 is detachably connected to the gun diameter 3 through the external thread 301.

[0027] The nozzle 4 has a main flow channel 401, a secondary flow channel 402, a mixing chamber 403 and a diffuser 404 arranged sequentially along the airflow direction inside. The outlet end of the main flow channel 401 is provided with an integrally formed zoom nozzle 405, which includes a converging section, a throat and a diffuser section.

[0028] The secondary flow channel 402 is arranged around the main flow channel 401, and the inlet of the secondary flow channel 402 is a convex cylindrical structure.

[0029] The mixing chamber 403 is a pipe with a constant cross-section. The inlet of the mixing chamber 403 is connected to the outlet of the scaling nozzle 405 and the outlet of the secondary flow channel 402, respectively.

[0030] The inlet of diffuser 404 is connected to the outlet of mixing chamber 403. The inner wall of diffuser 404 has a gradually flared structure to achieve efficient recovery of airflow pressure. Specifically, the inner wall of diffuser 404 is a conical flare or a curved flare.

[0031] Example 2 like Figures 1-6 As shown in the figure, this embodiment discloses a dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end of an industrial robot. It mainly includes a base 1, an insulating sleeve 2, a torch diameter 3, and a nozzle 4. The base 1 has an internal thread 101 machined inside its end for rotatable connection with the corresponding interface of the industrial robot's end arm (not shown in the figure). In this embodiment, the internal thread 101 of the base 1 is a fine-pitch thread.

[0032] The outer surface of the base 1 is fitted with a multi-segment arc-shaped elastic corrugated tube 102, which is made of heat-resistant and flame-retardant rubber. It can effectively absorb mechanical vibration during operation and protect the internal connection structure.

[0033] The insulating sleeve 2 is made of high-strength ceramic or special engineering plastic. One end of it is connected to the base 1 and the other end is connected to the gun diameter 3. Its main function is to effectively isolate the high temperature of the welding area and the radiant heat generated by the electric arc, and protect the rear-end components and the robot arm.

[0034] Gun diameter 3 is a hollow tubular structure with a curved design to accommodate the robot's flexible movement and guide gas. In this embodiment, the curved design of gun diameter 3 has a bending angle between 90 degrees and 135 degrees.

[0035] The end of the gun diameter 3 is machined with an external thread 301. The nozzle 4 is connected to the external thread 301 at the end of the gun diameter 3 through the internal thread (not marked in the figure) at its base, so as to achieve a detachable fixed connection, which facilitates the quick replacement of nozzles of different specifications according to the welding process requirements.

[0036] like Figure 6 As shown, the nozzle 4 has a main flow channel 401, a secondary flow channel 402, a mixing chamber 403 and a diffuser 404 integrated in sequence along the airflow direction. These channels and chambers are preferably made of stainless steel and are integrally formed by precision machining to ensure structural strength and the smoothness of the airflow surface.

[0037] The outlet end of the main channel 401 is provided with an integrally formed zoomable nozzle 405, which consists of a converging section, a throat, and a diffuser section. When the high-pressure main channel gas passes through, it reaches the speed of sound or supersonic speed at the throat and is further accelerated in the diffuser section to form a high-speed jet.

[0038] The secondary flow channel 402 surrounds the outside of the main flow channel 401. Its inlet is designed as a convex cylindrical shape to facilitate the access of secondary airflow. The outlet of the secondary flow channel 402 is connected to the inlet of the mixing chamber 403.

[0039] The mixing chamber 403 is a straight circular pipe with a uniform cross-section, and its inlet is precisely connected to both the outlet of the expanding nozzle 405 and the outlet of the secondary flow channel 402. The high-speed mainstream gas from the expanding nozzle 405 generates a strong ejection effect in the mixing chamber 403, drawing in the secondary gas from the secondary flow channel 402 and mixing it vigorously and thoroughly.

[0040] In this embodiment, the main flow channel 401, the secondary flow channel 402, the mixing chamber 403, and the diffuser 404 are integrally formed from stainless steel to ensure structural strength and stability.

[0041] To further enhance the mixing effect, a turbulence-enhancing structure is formed on the inner wall of the mixing chamber 403. In this embodiment, the structure consists of multiple annular grooves 406 uniformly distributed along the axial direction of the mixing chamber 403. The depth of the annular grooves 406 is 0.5 mm to 1 mm, preferably 0.8 mm. These annular grooves can disrupt the laminar boundary layer of the airflow and induce local turbulence, thereby greatly promoting the micro-mixing of the two airflows without significantly increasing pressure loss.

[0042] The inlet of diffuser 404 is smoothly connected to the outlet of mixing chamber 403. The inner wall of diffuser 404 is a gradually expanding structure (conical or curved). Its function is to effectively convert the kinetic energy of the high-speed airflow after mixing into pressure energy, realize pressure recovery, and make the airflow finally ejected from the nozzle at a more stable and uniform speed and pressure to meet the requirements of high-precision welding.

[0043] The working principle of this utility model is as follows: High-pressure mainstream gas flows into the mainstream channel 401 of nozzle 4 through gun diameter 3. After being accelerated by the zoom nozzle 405, it is injected into the mixing chamber 403 at extremely high speed, forming a low-pressure zone. This low-pressure zone draws secondary gas flow from the secondary flow channel 402 into the mixing chamber 403. The two gas flows are fully and uniformly mixed in the mixing chamber 403 with equal cross-section and under the turbulence caused by the annular groove. The mixed gas flow enters the diffuser 404, where the speed decreases and the pressure is effectively restored. Finally, a stable and uniform high-speed mixed gas flow is ejected from the nozzle outlet, providing a high-quality protective or reactive gas environment for the welding area.

[0044] This invention accelerates the mainstream gas through a scaling nozzle and introduces secondary airflow through a surrounding secondary flow channel, achieving efficient entrainment and induced mixing in the mixing chamber, thus significantly improving the mixing uniformity of the airflow.

[0045] This invention features stable flow velocity and low pressure loss. The mixing chamber uses a pipe with a constant cross-section and an inner wall turbulence enhancement structure (annular groove), which promotes mixing while effectively reducing energy loss and maintaining a stable high-speed flow state.

[0046] This invention features high pressure recovery efficiency. The diffuser adopts a gradually expanding structure, which can smoothly convert airflow energy into pressure energy, achieving efficient pressure recovery, avoiding shock wave generation, and improving injection accuracy.

[0047] The key airflow components of this utility model are integrally formed from stainless steel, resulting in a robust and stable structure. The base is equipped with a buffer bellows, and the gun diameter and nozzle are connected by threads, giving the actuator the characteristics of high precision, high reliability, and easy maintenance. It is very suitable for high-speed and high-precision welding applications of industrial robot end effectors.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although the utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot, characterized in that, The device includes a base, an insulating sleeve, a gun bore, and a nozzle. The base has an internal thread at its end for connection to an industrial robot end effector. The insulating sleeve connects the base and the gun bore. The gun bore is a hollow, curved tubular structure, and its end connects to the nozzle. The nozzle contains, sequentially along the airflow direction, a main flow channel, a secondary flow channel, a mixing chamber, and a diffuser. The outlet of the main flow channel has a scaling nozzle. The secondary flow channel surrounds the main flow channel, and its outlet connects to the inlet of the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber is a pipe with a uniform cross-section, and its inlet connects to both the outlet of the scaling nozzle and the outlet of the secondary flow channel. The diffuser's inlet connects to the outlet of the mixing chamber.

2. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the base is provided with a multi-segment arc-shaped elastic corrugated tube, and the corrugated tube is made of temperature-resistant and flame-retardant rubber.

3. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the gun barrel is provided with an external thread, and the nozzle is detachably connected to the gun barrel through the external thread.

4. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bending angle of the gun caliber is between 90 and 135 degrees.

5. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The zoomable nozzle includes an integrally formed constriction section, throat, and diffuser section.

6. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet of the secondary flow channel is a convex cylindrical structure.

7. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the mixing chamber is provided with a turbulence enhancement structure.

8. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 7, characterized in that, The turbulence enhancement structure is an annular groove uniformly distributed along the axis of the mixing chamber.

9. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 8, characterized in that, The depth of the annular groove is 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

10. The dual-flow hybrid welding torch actuator installed at the end effector of an industrial robot according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the diffuser has a tapered or curved gradually flared structure.

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