Welding Lens Vacuum Assembly for Spark and Fume Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Welding processes pose health and safety risks due to exposure to ultraviolet light, hazardous gases, and particulate matter, with existing protective equipment often causing discomfort and limiting visibility, and current helmets do not provide adequate protection or vision during welding.
Innovation Solution
A welding accessory apparatus featuring a welding lens that filters ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light, combined with a vacuum assembly and flexible curtain for debris and spark protection, mounted on an articulated arm assembly, which also includes a magnifying lens for improved vision and reduced eye strain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional welding helmets are used to protect against UV light and sparks, then safety protection is improved, but visibility and comfort deteriorate due to limited field of view and neck strain
Solution Approach 1:
The welding protection system is segmented into separate functional components: a welding lens for UV/light filtration, a vacuum assembly for spark/debris removal, and a flexible curtain for additional protection. This allows each component to be optimized independently and positioned strategically without requiring a full helmet, thereby improving visibility and comfort while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the essential protection functions from the traditional helmet and separates them into standalone components. The welding lens is positioned close to the work area, the vacuum assembly handles debris removal, and the flexible curtain provides peripheral protection. This extraction eliminates the need for heavy helmet coverage, improving field of view and reducing neck strain.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If welding lens filters UV, infrared, and visible light to shade number 2 or higher, then eye protection is improved, but light transmission and visibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The welding lens provides localized protection exactly where the welder's eyes are positioned, with the lens optically coupled to the magnifying lens. This allows the filter to be placed precisely in the optical path of harmful radiation while the magnifying lens enhances the useful light from the weld pool. The combination creates a localized zone of protected vision without unnecessarily filtering useful light across the entire field of view.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system uses asymmetric lens configurations where the welding lens (with filtration) and magnifying lens (for vision enhancement) are positioned at different locations and orientations. The welding lens is closer to the work area while the magnifying lens is positioned for optimal viewing by the welder. This asymmetric arrangement allows the filter to block harmful radiation from specific directions while preserving useful light transmission from the weld area.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If vacuum assembly with intake apertures is added for debris and smoke removal, then health safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum assembly is merged with the existing welding lens housing and articulated arm structure. The intake apertures are integrated into the lens housing, and the vacuum system shares mounting infrastructure with other components. This merging approach adds fume and particulate protection functionality while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity through shared structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum assembly serves multiple functions: it removes welding fumes and particulate matter, draws sparks away from the work area, and can be positioned to protect both the welder and surrounding areas. By integrating this multi-functional vacuum system into the welding accessory apparatus, the patent adds comprehensive respiratory and fire safety protection without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function.
4Adaptability or versatility
If articulated arm assembly is used for flexible positioning, then adaptability is improved, but device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The articulated arm assembly uses a nested structure where multiple segments are telescoped or jointed within each other. The welding lens, vacuum assembly, and flexible curtain are mounted on nested segments that can extend and retract. This nesting approach provides flexible positioning capability while minimizing the weight of the moving components by only adding mass where structural support is actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulated arm assembly provides dynamic positioning capability, allowing the welding lens and vacuum assembly to be moved to optimal positions during the welding process. The arm can be adjusted to follow the work piece or repositioned as needed, providing adaptability without requiring a heavy fixed mounting structure. The dynamic nature of the arm allows lightweight construction since the components only need to support their own weight during movement, not resist fixed mounting forces.
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
The apparatus effectively reduces exposure to harmful welding byproducts, enhances vision, and minimizes eye and neck strain, allowing welders to maintain focus and safety during the welding process without the need for traditional helmets.
Implementation Method 1
The welding lens can be configured to filter at least one of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light to a shade number of at least two
Implementation Method 2
The vacuum assembly can have at least one intake aperture positioned proximate to the welding lens
Data Source
AI summary
Various welding accessory apparatus are disclosed herein. A welding accessory apparatus can include a welding lens and a vacuum assembly. The welding lens can be configured to filter at least one of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light to a shade number of at least two. The vacuum assembly can have at least one intake aperture positioned proximate to the welding lens. A welding accessory apparatus can include a welding lens and a flexible curtain. The welding lens can be configured to filter at least one of ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light to a shade number of at least two. The flexible curtain can be positioned proximate to the welding lens and can be configured to provide protection from sparks and spatter generated during welding. A welding accessory apparatus can include a shielding strip and a fastening member. The shielding strip can be one of fabric and flexible film. The shielding strip can be configured to provide protection from sparks and spatter generated during welding. The fastening member can be affixed to the shielding strip.