Orbital Welding Head Rotating Joint for Uniform Current Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional orbital welding heads experience poor reliability and uniformity due to the arched shape of flexible blades in the rotating joint, leading to inconsistent contact and mechanical stress, resulting in electric shocks and rapid deterioration, especially during high-voltage welding arcs.
Innovation Solution
The orbital welding head features a rotating joint with flexible blades forming a frusto-conical crown, each blade having one end protruding and the other free to clamp the rotating shaft, ensuring continuous and uniform contact, using a bronze-aluminium alloy for reduced wear and improved current transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If arched flexible blades are used in the rotating joint, then the structure can accommodate rotation, but contact uniformity and reliability deteriorate due to inconsistent electrical contact and mechanical stress
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible blade is segmented into multiple independent elastic elements (blades) arranged radially around the rotating shaft. Each blade independently contacts the shaft surface, distributing the electrical current and mechanical load across multiple contact points rather than relying on a single arched contact surface. This segmentation ensures uniform contact pressure and reliable electrical connection during rotation.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using an arched blade shape that narrows the central hole and concentrates contact in the middle, the invention inverts the approach by using straight radial blades that extend from the outer periphery toward the center. The blades are elastically deformable and contact the rotating shaft along their entire length, inverting the contact distribution from concentrated to distributed, thereby ensuring uniform contact pressure and reliable electrical connection throughout the rotation cycle.
2Device complexity
If arched flexible blades with thin sliding surfaces are used, then the structure is compact, but mechanical strength and durability worsen under high-voltage welding arc stresses
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible blade is designed with non-uniform thickness, featuring a thicker root section at the fixed end and a progressively thinner free end. This local quality variation optimizes the structure by providing maximum strength and rigidity where the blade is clamped and experiences highest stress, while maintaining flexibility and conformability at the thinner sections that contact the rotating shaft. This gradient thickness design ensures both mechanical strength and electrical conductivity without excessive material usage.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional elastic grids are used for current transmission, then assembly is simple, but contact reliability deteriorates during rotation due to poor adaptability to rotating shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible blade is designed as a dynamically adaptable component that can elastically deform to conform to the rotating shaft's surface irregularities and maintain continuous contact during rotation. The blade's elasticity allows it to dynamically adjust its contact pressure and position, ensuring stable electrical connection despite the rotational motion and potential misalignments. This dynamic adaptability transforms the static elastic grid into an active, self-adjusting contact system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable operation with minimal wear and loss, supporting up to 100,000 cycles with high amperage currents without significant load or electric resistance, enhancing welding efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of flexible blades adapted to deform elastically to ensure the contact and transmission of the welding current from said fixed distributor body to said rotating shaft
Implementation Method 2
using a bronze-aluminium alloy for reduced wear and improved current transmission
Implementation Method 3
using a bronze-aluminium alloy for reduced wear and improved current transmission
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed at the mechanical engineering industry field. More in detail, the invention concerns an orbital welding head (1) for welding tubes (2) to tube plates (3) of heat-exchangers comprising, operationally connected to each other: an electrode holder welding torch (4), supply lines for a welding current and technical gases; a rotating joint (6) comprising a hollow fixed distributor body, a bush comprising an external thread adapted to cooperate with a corresponding internal thread of said fixed distributor body and adapted to be fitted on a rotating shaft, and a plurality of flexible blades adapted to deform elastically to ensure the contact and transmission of the welding current from said fixed distributor body a said rotating shaft. Said flexible blades each comprise a first and second end, where each first end protrudes axially from said bush and each second end is free, so as to be cantilevered with respect to said bush to elastically clamp said rotating shaft.