Spot Welding Cap Changer With Rotatable Grippers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spot welding cap changers are limited to stationary use near mobile welding robots due to gravity-induced cap sliding and are not compatible with short or curved pincer spot welding heads, making cap exchange difficult and restricted to specific setups.
Innovation Solution
A cap extractor with two rotatable grippers and a spring-driven cap magazine system, allowing for compact design and operation in various orientations, enabling cap exchange at both mobile and stationary welding installations with shorter clamp and spin travels, and adaptable to non-standard pincers or short, curved shafts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a two-part cap extractor with three large jaws is used, then caps can be extracted, but the device is too big to be positioned for extraction at short or curved shafts
Solution Approach 1:
The cap extractor is divided into two separate grippers (first and second grippers) that can operate independently. Each gripper has its own jaws that can be positioned separately, allowing the system to extract caps from difficult-to-reach locations while keeping each individual gripper compact in size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces rotational movement around the shaft axis as an additional degree of freedom. The grippers can rotate around the shaft to access caps at different angular positions, enabling extraction from curved or short shafts without requiring a large linear footprint.
2Ease of operation
If gravity causes caps to slide against a cap stop, then caps can be fed, but the device can only be operated stationary near a mobile welding robot
Solution Approach 1:
Spring-loaded mechanisms are used to counteract gravity's effect on cap positioning. The springs provide a consistent force that pushes caps into the correct position regardless of the device's orientation, eliminating the restriction to stationary operation near welding robots.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap feeding mechanism is made dynamic through spring-loaded components that can adapt to different gravitational orientations. This allows the device to operate reliably in various positions (horizontal, vertical, angled) by dynamically adjusting the cap feeding force to counteract gravity in any direction.
3Reliability
If the cap extractor is equipped with three large jaws, then caps can be clamped, but the clamp and spin travels are long, resulting in long cap changing intervals
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping function is segmented into two separate grippers with their own jaws, allowing simultaneous or sequential operation. This division enables shorter individual jaw travels while maintaining reliable cap clamping, reducing the overall cap changing interval.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gripper is designed to perform the essential clamping function with minimal travel distance. The jaws are positioned and sized to grasp the cap effectively without requiring excessive movement, thereby reducing the time needed for each clamping and extraction cycle.
4Productivity
If the pincer spot welding head has short or curved shafts, then compact welding is possible, but the cap extractor cannot be positioned for extraction
Solution Approach 1:
The grippers are designed to rotate around the shaft axis, adding rotational freedom to the extraction mechanism. This allows the grippers to access caps on short or curved shafts by approaching from different angular positions, making cap extraction possible even when linear access is limited.
Solution Approach 2:
The cap extractor system incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities with movable and rotatable grippers that can adapt their position and orientation. This dynamic adjustment allows the extractors to reach caps on various shaft configurations (short, curved, angled) while maintaining ease of operation.
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
Facilitates faster, safer, and more versatile cap exchange with reduced changing times and wider applicability, including use with mobile welding robots and non-standard equipment, ensuring reliable cap presence before water cooling activation.
Implementation Method 1
the magazine and the cap extractor are mounted on a support which preferably is spring-mounted
Implementation Method 2
The initial pressing force of the jaws is caused by a bracing spring
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).