Compact Welding Wire Transport Device with Pivotable Pressure Roller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding wire transport devices are large, cumbersome, and difficult to handle, with fixed roller positions leading to potential wire deformation and complex threading issues, and require time-consuming maintenance and adaptation for different welding torches.
Innovation Solution
A compact wire transport device with a pivotable pressure roller and adjustable tensioning system, allowing for easy integration into welding torches, featuring a self-centering mechanism and a rotary encoder for precise speed detection, enabling automatic orientation and pressure adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a fixed roller pair configuration is used, then the structure is simple, but the device dimensions are large and handling is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure roller is made pivotable around a pivot axis instead of being fixed, allowing the roller pair to dynamically adjust its configuration. This enables compact storage position for easy handling while maintaining proper wire guidance position during operation, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and handling ease
2Stability of the object's composition
If the roller pair is fixed in axial position, then the structure is stable, but manufacturing tolerances cause tilts and shifts complicating wire transport
Solution Approach 1:
A groove-shaped indentation is provided in the pressure roller that is asymmetric relative to the roller's rotation axis. This groove guides the welding wire to a specific position, compensating for manufacturing tolerances and preventing tilts and shifts, thus maintaining both stability and precision
3Strength
If rollers are fixed in position, then the structure is rigid, but threading the welding wire requires turning or pushing rollers away
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure roller's pivotability allows it to be dynamically moved away from the drive roller during threading to create space for wire insertion, then returned to position for normal operation. This maintains structural rigidity during welding while enabling easy threading
4Measurement precision
If a rotary encoder is added for speed detection, then speed measurement is accurate, but the device dimensions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary encoder is integrated with the existing pressure roller assembly, sharing the same housing and mounting structure. This merging approach enables accurate speed detection while minimizing additional space requirements, as the encoder utilizes the rotational motion already present in the wire transport mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device for transporting a welding wire (13), comprising at least one pair of rollers (55) consisting of drive roller (32) and a pressure roller (31) and a device (28) which is used to clamp a welding wire (13), in addition to a roller, in particular a drive roller (32), an intermediate piece (49), a threading device (74), a automatically centering device (80) and a device (85) which is used to detect the transportation speed of the welding wire (13). The pressure roller (31) is mounted in a pivotable pressure lever (29) in order to produce the most smallest, compact and easy to handle wire transporting device (27) possible and the clamping device (28) comprises a clamping bar (37) which can be connected to the pressure lever (29) in order to fix and pressurize.