Filler wire supply device

Abstract

The present invention provides a filler wire supply device that can stably supply first and second filler wires. [Solution] The lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a grip the first filler wire 5a to be supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the first filler wire 5a by rotating in opposite directions. The lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b grip the second filler wire 5b to be supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the second filler wire 5b by rotating in opposite directions. The drive motor 55 rotates the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first and second feeders 60a and 60b, respectively. The lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a are arranged in a parallel offset relative to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a filler wire supply device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a wire drive system. The wire drive system includes a welding wire spool and first and second drive rollers. The first and second drive rollers have circumferential grooves. The wire drive system includes a first welding wire drawn from the welding wire spool and disposed in the circumferential groove between both drive rollers, and a second welding wire drawn from the welding wire spool and disposed in the circumferential groove between both drive rollers. The first welding wire contacts the second welding wire between the first drive roller and the second drive roller. The first welding wire further contacts a first side wall portion of the circumferential groove, and the second welding wire further contacts a second side wall portion of the circumferential groove. Both the first welding wire and the second welding wire are radially displaced from the central portion of the circumferential groove.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Due to the characteristics of the product, there may be variations in the diameter of the wire, and the variation in the diameter of the wire results in variations in the aspect ratio of the wire cross-section. In the method of Patent Document 1, the first and second welding wires are respectively inserted into one circumferential groove. Therefore, depending on the variation in the diameter of the wire, a state may occur in which one of the first and second welding wires does not contact the circumferential groove. In this case, there is a problem that the supply of the wire becomes unstable because one of the first and second welding wires is not fed out.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One embodiment of one or more of these embodiments is a filler wire supply device comprising: a pair of first rollers that grip a first filler wire to be supplied to a welding torch and feed the first filler wire by rotating in opposite directions to each other; a pair of second rollers that grip a second filler wire to be supplied to a welding torch and feed the second filler wire by rotating in opposite directions to each other; and drive motors that rotate the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers, respectively. Here, the pair of first rollers are arranged offset parallel to the pair of second rollers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, each filler wire is held between separate pairs of rollers, so that each filler wire can be reliably fed out one by one. This allows for a stable supply of the first and second filler wires. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the configuration of the laser welding machine according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a filler wire supply device according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a top view showing a filler wire supply device according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a front view showing a filler wire supply device according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a side view showing the filler wire supply device according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows the AA section of Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the supply of filler wire by a pair of first rollers and a pair of second rollers. [Figure 8]Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing modified examples of the first and second feeders. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is an explanatory diagram showing modified examples of the first and second feeders. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The laser welding machine including the filler wire supply device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of the laser welding machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The laser welding machine 1 comprises a welding torch 10, a welding machine body 20, first and second reel stands 30a and 30b, and a filler wire supply device 50. The laser welding machine 1 is a handheld laser welding machine in which an operator performs welding work while holding the welding torch 10 by hand. However, the laser welding machine 1 may also be a laser welding machine in which welding work is performed by a welding torch attached to the tip of a robot arm.

[0010] The welding torch 10 comprises a torch body 11, a nozzle 12, a wire guide 13, and an operating switch 14.

[0011] The torch body 11 is connected to the welding machine body 20 via an optical fiber 25. Although not shown in the diagram, the torch body 11 is also connected to the welding machine body 20 via a gas supply pipe that supplies shielding gas, and via a signal line.

[0012] The nozzle 12 is located at the tip of the torch body 11. The nozzle 12 ejects a laser beam and shielding gas. The wire guide 13 is located near the nozzle 12. The wire guide 13 guides the first and second filler wires supplied from the filler wire supply device 50 and leads the first and second filler wires to the tip of the nozzle 12.

[0013] The operation switch 14 is operated by the worker holding the torch body 11. By operating the operation switch 14, a predetermined control signal is supplied to the welding machine body 20 via the signal line.

[0014] The welding machine body 20 consists of a laser oscillator, a shielding gas supply device, and a control device. The laser oscillator is any laser oscillator such as a fiber laser oscillator, a YAG laser oscillator, a CO2 laser oscillator, or a semiconductor laser oscillator. The laser oscillator supplies a laser beam to the welding torch 10 under the control of the control device. The shielding gas supply device supplies shielding gas to the welding torch 10 under the control of the control device. The control device can consist of one or more computers. The control device may also consist of an NC (Numerical Control) device. The control device has a memory for storing processing programs and the like, and a central processing unit (CPU) for executing the processing programs. The control device controls the laser oscillator and the shielding gas supply device based on the welding conditions set in the processing program. The control device also controls the filler wire supply device 50.

[0015] The first and second reel stands 30a and 30b are on which the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b are wound. The first and second reel stands 30a and 30b feed the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b to the filler wire supply device 50 in accordance with the operation of the filler wire supply device 50.

[0016] The first reel stand 30a feeds out the first filler wire 5a to the filler wire supply device 50. The first reel stand 30a includes a wire reel 31 and a wire delivery section 32. The first filler wire 5a is wound around the wire reel 31. The wire reel 31 is configured to be rotatable, and when the first filler wire 5a is pulled in response to the supply operation of the filler wire supply device 50, an amount of the first filler wire 5a corresponding to the supply amount of the filler wire supply device 50 is drawn out from the wire reel 31. The wire delivery section 32 straightens the first filler wire 5a drawn out from the wire reel 31 and feeds it out to the filler wire supply device 50.

[0017] The second reel stand 30b feeds out the second filler wire 5b to the filler wire supply device 50. The second reel stand 30b includes a wire reel 31 and a wire delivery section 32, which has the same configuration as that of the first reel stand 30a.

[0018] The filler wire supply device 50 draws out the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b from the first and second reel stands 30a and 30b and supplies them to the welding torch 10. Although omitted in FIG. 1, between the first reel stand 30a and the filler wire supply device 50, and between the filler wire supply device 50 and the welding torch 10, there is provided a tubular first cable housing 6a (see FIG. 2 described later) that guides the movement of the first filler wire 5a. Also, between the second reel stand 30b and the filler wire supply device 50, and between the filler wire supply device 50 and the welding torch 10, there is provided a tubular second cable housing 6b (see FIG. 2 described later) that guides the movement of the second filler wire 5b. The first and second filler wires 5a and 5b are inserted inside the first and second cable housings 6a and 6b.

[0019] Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 2 to 6, the filler wire supply device 50 will be described. In this specification, as definitions of directions, the left - right direction, the front - rear direction, and the up - down direction are used. The left - right direction and the front - rear direction correspond to two orthogonal directions in the horizontal direction, and the up - down direction corresponds to the vertical direction. These directions are merely used for convenience in explaining the filler wire supply device 50 according to the present embodiment. In addition, for the purpose of clarifying the structure described in the drawings, some of the reference numerals are omitted in some of the drawings.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the filler wire supply device 50 includes a housing 51, a drive motor 55 (see FIGS. 3 and 6), a first feeder 60a, a second feeder 60b, a first pressing mechanism 80a, and a second pressing mechanism 80b. In the present embodiment, the filler wire supply device 50 is configured to supply the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b from the right side to the left side.

[0021] The housing 51 has a rectangular shape and is composed of a rear wall 51a, a right wall 51b, a left wall 51c, and a front wall 51d. A pair of through - holes for inserting the first and second cable housings 6a and 6b are provided in the right wall 51b and the left wall 51c. Further, brackets 53 for holding the first and second cable housings 6a and 6b are provided on the rear wall 51a, the right wall 51b, and the left wall 51c, respectively.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, the drive motor 55 is attached to the rear - surface side of the rear wall 51a. The drive shaft of the drive motor 55 is inserted into the interior of the housing 51 through a through - hole formed in the rear wall 51a. A cylindrical insulating shaft 56 is externally fitted to the front - end side (tip - end side) of the drive shaft for the purpose of electrical insulation. The insulating shaft 56 is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 55 and rotates together with the drive shaft of the drive motor 55. A drive gear 57 is attached to the drive shaft of the drive motor 55 via this insulating shaft 56. The drive gear 57 is a disk - shaped spur gear and rotates with the rotation of the drive shaft about the drive shaft of the drive motor 55.

[0023] A cylindrical support shaft 58 is positioned in front of the drive gear 57. The rear end of the support shaft 58 protrudes in a flange-like manner and is attached to the drive gear 57 by fastening members such as bolts. The front end (tip) of the support shaft 58 is rotatably supported by a rod bearing 59 fixed to the back surface of the front wall 51d. In this way, the tip of the drive shaft of the drive motor 55 is rotatably supported by the housing 51.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2, the first feeder 60a feeds the first filler wire 5a toward the welding torch 10. The first feeder 60a is positioned offset to the upper left of the drive shaft of the drive motor 55. The first feeder 60a comprises a lower roller 61, a transmission gear 62, an upper roller 65, and a driven gear 66. The lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a correspond to a pair of first rollers that grip the first filler wire 5a to be supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the first filler wire 5a by rotating in opposite directions.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the transmission gear 62 is a disc-shaped spur gear. The transmission gear 62 is rotatably mounted on the rear wall 51a and rotates around the roller rotation axis A1. The transmission gear 62 meshes with the drive gear 57 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive gear 57 (first transmission gear).

[0026] A boss portion 620 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the center of the transmission gear 62. The lower roller 61 is mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the boss portion 620 so as to be reversible. That is, the lower roller 61 can be mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the boss portion 620 with the front surface of the lower roller 61 facing forward, or with the back surface of the lower roller 61 facing forward. The lower roller 61 is fixed to the transmission gear 62 by bolts 63. The lower roller 61 is arranged coaxially with the transmission gear 62 and rotates integrally with the transmission gear 62 around the roller rotation axis A1. Therefore, when the transmission gear 62 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the drive gear 57, the lower roller 61 also rotates in sync.

[0027] The driven gear 66 is a disc-shaped spur gear. The driven gear 66 is rotatably mounted on a bracket 70 (described later) and rotates around the roller rotation axis A2. The driven gear 66 meshes with the transmission gear 62 and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the transmission gear 62 (first driven gear). The roller rotation axis A2 of the upper roller 65 is parallel to the roller rotation axis A1 of the lower roller 61 and is located above the roller rotation axis A1 of the lower roller 61.

[0028] A boss portion 660 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at the center of the driven gear 66. The upper roller 65, like the lower roller 61, is mounted on the outer surface of the boss portion 660 so that it can be reversed. The upper roller 65 is fixed to the driven gear 66 by bolts 67. The upper roller 65 is arranged coaxially with the driven gear 66 and rotates integrally with the driven gear 66 around the roller rotation axis A2. Therefore, when the driven gear 66 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the transmission gear 62, the upper roller 65 also rotates in sync. The upper roller 65 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of the lower roller 61. The number of teeth and diameter of the transmission gear 62 and the driven gear 66 are set so that the rotation speed of the upper roller 65 is the same as the rotation speed of the lower roller 61.

[0029] As shown in Figure 7, the outer circumferential surface 610 of the lower roller 61 has deep grooves 611 and shallow grooves 612 that extend along the circumferential direction. Each groove 611 and 612 is formed to grip the first filler wire 5a. The deep grooves 611 and shallow grooves 612 are arranged in parallel, and the shallow grooves 612 are shallower than the deep grooves 611. Similarly, the outer circumferential surface 650 of the upper roller 65 has deep grooves 651 and shallow grooves 652 that extend along the circumferential direction. Each groove 651 and 652 is formed to grip the first filler wire 5a. The deep grooves 651 and shallow grooves 652 are arranged in parallel, and the shallow grooves 652 are shallower than the deep grooves 651. The depth of the deep groove 651 of the upper roller 65 corresponds to the depth of the deep groove 611 of the lower roller 61, and the depth of the shallow groove 652 of the upper roller 65 corresponds to the depth of the shallow groove 612 of the lower roller 61.

[0030] The lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 are mounted so that they can be reversed. Reversing the front and back of the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 swaps the positions of the deep grooves 611 and 651 and the shallow grooves 612 and 652. By reversing the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65, it is possible to switch between supplying the first filler wire 5a using the deep grooves 611 and 651 and supplying the first filler wire 5a using the shallow grooves 612 and 652. The deep grooves 611 and 651 and the shallow grooves 612 and 652 can be used interchangeably depending on the diameter of the first filler wire 5a.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4, in the first feeder 60a with this configuration, the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 face each other in the vertical direction. The lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 can feed out the first filler wire 5a by rotating in opposite directions while sandwiching the first filler wire 5a between them. Since the roller rotation axes A1 and A2 of the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 are arranged along the front-rear direction, the first filler wire 5a is fed out in the left-right direction.

[0032] The second feeder 60b feeds the second filler wire 5b toward the welding torch 10. The second feeder 60b is positioned offset to the upper right of the drive shaft of the drive motor 55. The second feeder 60b comprises a lower roller 61, a transmission gear (second transmission gear) 62, an upper roller 65, and a driven gear (second driven gear) 66. The lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 are a pair of second rollers that grip the second filler wire 5b supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the second filler wire 5b by rotating in opposite directions. The configuration of the second feeder 60b is basically the same as that of the first feeder 60a, but reversed left and right.

[0033] Here, referring to Figures 3 and 6, the differences between the first feeder 60a and the second feeder 60b will be explained. In this embodiment, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a are positioned to the left and forward of the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b. The configuration of the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a will be explained below with reference to Figure 3, but the configuration of the lower roller 61 of the first feeder 60a is similar.

[0034] Specifically, a spacer 68 is positioned between the upper roller 65 and the driven gear 66. The front-to-back position of the driven gear 66 of the first feeder 60a and the position of the driven gear 66 of the second feeder 60b are the same, but because of the spacer 68, the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a is located in front of the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b. In this way, the positions of the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a and the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b are offset, so that the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b can be arranged parallel to each other on the same horizontal plane without interfering with each other.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4, the first pressing mechanism 80a is a mechanism for pressing the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a toward the lower roller 61. The first pressing mechanism 80a comprises a bracket 70, a support shaft 81, a spring guide 82, an operating knob 83, and a spring 84.

[0036] The bracket 70 is a strip-shaped flat plate bent into a roughly L-shape. The base end of the bracket 70 (the right end in the first pressing mechanism 80a) is rotatably fixed to the rear wall 51a. The bracket 70 rotates around a bracket rotation axis A3 located on the base end side of the bracket 70. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a torsion spring 75 is attached to the bracket rotation axis A3. The torsion spring 75 applies a force to the bracket 70 in an upward rotational direction.

[0037] As shown in Figure 4, an upper roller 65 and a driven gear 66 are rotatably mounted on the middle portion of the bracket 70. When the bracket 70 rotates, the upper roller 65 and the driven gear 66 also rotate around the bracket's rotation axis A3. Through the rotation of the bracket 70, the upper roller 65 can move in a direction toward or away from the lower roller 61. When the upper roller 65 is in contact with the lower roller 61, the upper roller 65 is positioned above the lower roller 61.

[0038] A seating surface 72 that receives force from the spring 84 is formed at the tip of the bracket 70 (the left end in the first pressing mechanism 80a). The front end of the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 is branched in a bifurcated manner, so as to avoid interference with the support shaft 81 even when the support shaft 81 is in an upright position.

[0039] The support shaft 81 is a member for supporting the first pressing mechanism 80a. The base end (lower end) of the support shaft 81 is attached to the outer surface of the left wall 51c by a bolt. The support shaft 81 rotates around a shaft rotation axis A4 located on the base end side of the support shaft 81. A male thread is formed on the tip (upper end) 850 of the support shaft 81.

[0040] The spring guide 82 is a cylindrical member and is positioned to surround the support shaft 81. The lower surface of the spring guide 82 faces the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70. The operating knob 83 is a cylindrical member and is positioned to surround the upper end of the spring guide 82. The center of the operating knob 83 is provided with a cylindrical portion 830 on its inner circumference. The female thread of the cylindrical portion 830 engages with the male thread of the tip portion 850 of the support shaft 81.

[0041] The spring 84 is a spirally wound compression coil spring, arranged to surround the support shaft 81. The lower end of the spring 84 is connected to the lower surface of the spring guide 82 via the seating surface 72.

[0042] In the first pressing mechanism 80a with this configuration, when the operating knob 83 is rotated in one direction, the operating knob 83 moves downward due to the thrust of the screw generated by this rotation. When the operating knob 83 moves downward, the spring 84 is pressed downward. When the spring 84 is pressed downward, the spring guide 82 is pressed downward by the elastic force of the compressed spring 84. As a result, the lower surface of the spring guide 82 presses downward against the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70. When the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 is pressed downward, the bracket 70 rotates around the bracket rotation axis A3, and the upper roller 65 is pushed downward. As a result, the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 grip the first filler wire 5a with a predetermined force. In this way, a roller pressing force is generated by the elastic force of the spring 84 that presses the upper roller 65 toward the lower roller 61. The force that clamps the first filler wire 5a between the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 can be adjusted according to the amount of rotation of the operating knob 83. As shown in Figure 2, a scale is marked on the outer surface of the spring guide 82, allowing the relationship between the amount of rotation of the operating knob 83 and the force that clamps the first filler wire 5a between the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 to be understood.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, when the operating knob 83 is rotated in the reverse direction, the operating knob 83 moves upward due to the thrust force of the screw generated by the rotation. When the operating knob 83 moves upward, the pressure on the spring 84 is released, and the pressure on the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 by the lower surface of the spring guide 82 is also released. The force from the torsion spring 75 causes the bracket 70 to rotate upward, thereby separating the upper roller 65 from the lower roller 61. Note that when the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 abuts against the lower surface of the spring guide 82, the rotation of the bracket 70 is restricted.

[0044] When the operator pushes down the seat surface 72 of the bracket 70, a gap is created between the lower surface of the spring guide 82 and the seat surface 72 of the bracket 70. At this time, when the operator pulls the operating knob 83 forward, the first pressing mechanism 80a rotates around the shaft rotation axis A4, and as shown in Figure 5, the first pressing mechanism 80a tilts forward.

[0045] When the first pressing mechanism 80a is tilted forward, the seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 does not interfere with the lower surface of the spring guide 82, so the bracket 70 rotates upward under the force of the torsion spring 75. As a result, the upper roller 65 can move to a position sufficiently far from the lower roller 61, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 4.

[0046] The second pressing mechanism 80b is a mechanism for pressing the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b against the lower roller 61. As shown in Figure 4, the second pressing mechanism 80b comprises a bracket 70, a support shaft 81, a spring guide 82, an operating knob 83, and a spring (not shown). Note that the configuration of the second pressing mechanism 80b is a left-right inversion of the first pressing mechanism 80a, so its detailed configuration is omitted.

[0047] The operation of the filler wire supply device 50 will be described below. First, the operator sets the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b into the filler wire supply device 50. This procedure is the same for both the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b, so the first filler wire 5a will be used as an example in the following explanation.

[0048] The operator adjusts the first pressing mechanism 80a and sets the first filler wire 5a into the filler wire supply device 50. Specifically, the operator tilts the first pressing mechanism 80a forward while pressing down the seat surface 72 of the bracket 70 (as shown by the dashed line in Figure 5). As shown in Figure 4, the bracket 70 rotates from the normal position (as shown by the solid line) to the upper position (as shown by the dashed line) under the force of the torsion spring 75. At this time, the upper roller 65 moves to a position sufficiently far from the lower roller 61. The operator pulls out the first filler wire 5a from the first reel stand 30a and inserts the first filler wire 5a into the first cable housing 6a. The operator then supplies the first filler wire 5a until the tip of the first filler wire 5a reaches the welding torch 10. As described above, since the upper roller 65 is located far enough away from the lower roller 61, the first filler wire 5a can be guided to the welding torch 10 without interfering with the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65.

[0049] Next, the worker returns the bracket 70 from the upper position to the normal position while resisting the force of the torsion spring 75, and also returns the first pressing mechanism 80a to the upright position (shown by the solid line in Figure 5). The seating surface 72 of the bracket 70 abuts against the lower surface of the spring guide 82, so the bracket 70 is held in the normal position.

[0050] Furthermore, the operator rotates the operating knob 83 in one direction, pressing the upper roller 65 against the lower roller 61. At this time, the operator can adjust the force (roller pressing force) that presses the upper roller 65 against the lower roller 61 according to the amount of rotation of the operating knob 83. As a result, the first filler wire 5a is gripped by the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65 with a predetermined force.

[0051] The setting procedure described above is also performed for the second filler wire 5b. In this embodiment, the first pressing mechanism 80a on the first feeder 60a side and the second pressing mechanism 80b on the second feeder 60b side are independent. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, the adjustment of the roller pressing force Fa on the first feeder 60a side and the adjustment of the roller pressing force Fb on the second feeder 60b side can be performed independently. In particular, the position of the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a is offset forward of the position of the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b. Since the distance from the bracket 70 to the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a is long, it is susceptible to the effects of deflection, etc. Therefore, even if the bracket 70 of the first pressing mechanism 80a and the bracket 70 of the second pressing mechanism 80b are pressed down by the same amount, the roller pressing force Fa on the first feeder 60a side and the roller pressing force Fb on the second feeder 60b side may not be the same. In this respect, according to this embodiment, the roller pressing force Fa of the first feeder 60a and the roller pressing force Fb of the second feeder 60b can be adjusted independently, so that the respective roller pressing forces Fa and Fb can be appropriately balanced. Furthermore, depending on the situation, the respective roller pressing forces Fa and Fb can be intentionally offset.

[0052] When the drive motor 55 is driven with the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b set in the filler wire supply device 50, the drive gear 57 rotates. As the drive gear 57 rotates, the transmission gear 62 and driven gear 66 of the first and second feeders 60a and 60b rotate, respectively. In addition, the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 rotate along with the rotation of the transmission gear 62 and driven gear 66. At this time, the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 rotate in opposite directions. Since the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b are sandwiched between the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65, the rotation of the lower roller 61 and upper roller 65 feeds the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b toward the welding torch 10, respectively. This allows for a stable supply of the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b to the welding torch 10.

[0053] As described above, in this embodiment, the filler wire supply device 50 comprises lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a, lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b, and a drive motor 55. The lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a are a pair of first rollers that grip the first filler wire 5a to be supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the first filler wire 5a by rotating in opposite directions. The lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b are a pair of second rollers that grip the second filler wire 5b to be supplied to the welding torch 10 and feed the second filler wire 5b by rotating in opposite directions. The drive motor 55 rotates the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first and second feeders 60a and 60b, respectively. In this case, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a are positioned parallel and offset to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b.

[0054] In particular, in this embodiment, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a are positioned offset to the front relative to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b. In addition, the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b are positioned parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0055] With this configuration, each filler wire 5a and 5b is held between separate pairs of rollers, allowing each filler wire 5a and 5b to be fed out one at a time. This ensures a stable supply of wire. In addition, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a and the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b are offset from each other. Furthermore, the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b can be offset in parallel, allowing the machine to be constructed in a space-saving manner without increasing the number of parts.

[0056] In this embodiment, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first and second feeders 60a and 60b are mounted so that they can be reversed. The outer circumferential surfaces 610 and 650 of the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first and second feeders 60a and 60b are formed parallel to each other along the circumferential direction, with deep grooves 611 and 651 formed to a predetermined depth and shallow grooves 612 and 652 that are shallower than the deep grooves 611 and 651.

[0057] With this configuration, by switching the front and back sides of the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65, filler wires of different diameters can be used.

[0058] In this embodiment, the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a is configured to be movable in a direction toward or toward the lower roller 61 of the first feeder 60a, and is pressed toward the lower roller 61 by the first pressing mechanism 80a. Similarly, the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b is configured to be movable in a direction toward or toward the lower roller 61 of the second feeder 60b, and is pressed toward the lower roller 61 by the second pressing mechanism 80b.

[0059] With this configuration, as shown in Figure 7, the roller pressing force Fa of the first feeder 60a and the roller pressing force Fb of the second feeder 60b can be adjusted independently. This allows for proper balancing of the respective roller pressing forces Fa and Fb, and also allows for intentional offsetting of the respective roller pressing forces Fa and Fb depending on the situation. As a result, individual filler wires 5a and 5b can be reliably fed out, enabling a stable supply of the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b.

[0060] Furthermore, by separating the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a from the lower roller 61 of the first feeder 60a, the second filler wire 5b can be supplied by the second feeder 60b alone. Alternatively, by separating the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b from the lower roller 61 of the second feeder 60b, the first filler wire 5a can be supplied by the first feeder 60a alone. In this way, by separating the upper roller 65 of either the first or second feeder 60a or 60b from the lower roller 61, it is possible to selectively supply only one of the first or second filler wires 5a or 5b, even if the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b are set in place. This makes it possible to easily switch between a system that supplies both the first and second filler wires 5a and 5b and a system that supplies either the first or second filler wire 5a or 5b with a simple configuration.

[0061] In this embodiment, the first and second pressing mechanisms 80a and 80b each include a spring 84 that generates roller pressing forces Fa and Fb by elastic force, and an operating knob 83 that presses the spring 84 by the driving force of a screw generated by rotational operation.

[0062] With this configuration, the roller pressing forces Fa and Fb can be easily adjusted by operating the control knob 83.

[0063] In this embodiment, the filler wire supply device 50 includes a drive gear 57 attached to the drive shaft of a drive motor 55, a first driven gear 66 fixedly attached to the upper roller 65 of the first feeder 60a, a first transmission gear 62 fixedly attached to the lower roller 61 of the first feeder 60a and meshing with the first driven gear 66, and rotating in response to the rotation of the drive gear 57, a second driven gear 66 fixedly attached to the upper roller 65 of the second feeder 60b, and a second transmission gear 62 fixedly attached to the lower roller 61 of the second feeder 60b and meshing with the second driven gear 66, and rotating in response to the rotation of the drive gear 57.

[0064] With this configuration, the meshing of gears ensures that the power from the drive motor 55 is reliably transmitted to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of each feeder 60a and 60b. In this embodiment, the roller pressing forces Fa and Fb are adjusted by the first and second pressing mechanisms 80a and 80b, which changes the distance between the shafts of the lower roller 61 and the upper roller 65. However, because a gear meshing structure is employed, power transmission can be maintained even if the distance between the shafts changes as long as the gears are meshing. This suppresses the problem of unstable filler wire supply.

[0065] In this embodiment, the tip of the drive shaft of the drive motor 55 is rotatably supported by the housing 51 that surrounds the device.

[0066] Since the roller pressing forces Fa and Fb are received by the first and second pressing mechanisms 80a and 80b, a pressing force is also applied to the drive gear 57 attached to the drive shaft of the drive motor 55. Because the tip of the drive shaft of the drive motor 55 is supported, a double-support structure is formed, allowing the drive gear 57 to rotate stably. This suppresses the problem of unstable filler wire supply.

[0067] In the embodiments described above, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a were described as being offset to the left and forward compared to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b. However, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a only need to be offset parallel to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b, and are not limited to the above example. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a may be offset upward compared to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b. Also, as shown in Figure 9, the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the first feeder 60a may be offset to the left and upward compared to the lower and upper rollers 61 and 65 of the second feeder 60b. In the examples shown in Figures 8 and 9, the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b are supplied parallel to each other in an upward and downward direction. Also in the examples shown in Figures 8 and 9, a reversing gear 90 is added between the drive gear 57 and the transmission gear 62 of the second feeder 60b in order to align the supply direction of the first filler wire 5a and the second filler wire 5b.

[0068] As described above, embodiments of the present invention have been presented, but the statements and drawings that constitute part of this disclosure should not be understood as limiting the invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples, and operational techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1. Laser welding machine 5a First filler wire 5b Second filler wire 6a First Cable Housing 6b Second Cable Housing 10 Welding Torches 11 Torch body 12 nozzles 13 Wire guide 14. Operation switches 20 Welding machine body 25 Optical Fibers 30a First reel stand 30b Second reel stand 31 Wire Reels 32 Wire delivery section 50 Filler wire supply device 51 cabinets 51a Back wall 51b Right wall 51c left wall 51d front wall 55 Drive motor 56 Insulated shaft 57 Drive gear 58 Support Shaft 59 Rod bearings 60a First feeder 60b Second Feeder 61 Lower Roller 610 Roller outer circumference 611 deep groove 612 Shallow groove 62 Transmission gears 620 Boss Section 63 volts 65 Upper Roller 650 Roller outer circumference 651 deep groove 652 Shallow groove 66 Driven gear 660 Boss Section 67 volts 68 Spacers 70 bracket 72 seat 75 Torsion springs 80a First pressing mechanism 80b Second pressing mechanism 81 Support shaft 82 Spring Guide 83 Operating knob 830 Cylindrical section 84 Spring 90 Reversing gear

Claims

1. A pair of first rollers that grip the first filler wire supplied to the welding torch and feed out the first filler wire by rotating in opposite directions, A pair of second rollers that grip the second filler wire supplied to the welding torch and feed out the second filler wire by rotating in opposite directions, The system comprises a drive motor that rotates the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers, respectively. The pair of first rollers are arranged in an offset position parallel to the pair of second rollers. Filler wire supply device.

2. Each of the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers is mounted so that it can be reversed. On the outer circumferential surface of each of the pair of first rollers and the pair of second rollers, a deep groove formed to a predetermined depth and a shallow groove shallower than the deep groove are provided parallel to each other along the circumferential direction. The filler wire supply device according to claim 1.

3. One of the pair of first rollers is configured to be movable in a direction toward or away from the other first roller of the pair, and is pressed toward the other first roller by a first pressing mechanism. One of the pair of second rollers is configured to be movable in a direction toward or away from the other second roller of the pair, and is pressed toward the other second roller by a second pressing mechanism. The filler wire supply device according to claim 1.

4. Each of the first pressing mechanism and the second pressing mechanism is: A spring that generates roller pressing force through elastic force, It comprises an operating knob that presses the spring with the thrust force of the screw generated by the rotational operation, The filler wire supply device according to claim 3.

5. A drive gear attached to the drive shaft of the aforementioned drive motor, A first driven gear is fixedly attached to one of the pair of first rollers, A first transmission gear is fixedly attached to the other first roller of the pair of first rollers, meshes with the first driven gear, and rotates in response to the rotation of the drive gear, A second driven gear is fixedly attached to one of the pair of second rollers, The system further comprises a second transmission gear which is fixedly attached to the other second roller of the pair of second rollers, meshes with the second driven gear, and rotates in response to the rotation of the drive gear, The filler wire supply device according to claim 1.

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