Helical Welding Torch Liner for Wear Debris Ejection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional welding torches experience clogging due to wear debris accumulation in the inner tube, requiring frequent disassembly cleaning, especially because the shielding gas supplied can flow back and contribute to debris accumulation.
Innovation Solution
A welding torch design featuring a helically wound inner tube with gaps between adjacent wires to allow shielding gas to flow and eject wear debris, including a sealing mechanism to prevent gas reverse flow, and a narrower gap in the curved portion to manage friction and debris ejection effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the inner tube is made with helically wound wires to reduce contact friction, then the welding wire can slide more smoothly, but wear debris is generated and accumulates in the inner tube causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tube is constructed with helically wound wires that create intentional gaps between adjacent wires, forming a porous structure. This allows the shielding gas to flow through the inner tube wall and carry wear debris out through the nozzle, preventing clogging while maintaining smooth welding wire passage.
Solution Approach 2:
The shielding gas flow is utilized as a pneumatic cleaning mechanism. The gas flows through the gaps in the helically wound inner tube, creating a气流 that transports wear debris from the curved portion through the nozzle, eliminating the need for mechanical cleaning.
2Reliability
If the shield gas flow rate is increased to eject wear debris, then debris removal is improved, but gas consumption increases and reverse flow to the feed unit worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The inner tube structure segments the gas flow path into multiple channels through the gaps between helically wound wires. This distributes the gas flow efficiently, allowing effective debris removal with lower overall gas consumption compared to a single high-flow path.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas flow is directed through the radial dimension (through the tube wall gaps) rather than only along the axial dimension. This three-dimensional flow pattern enhances debris ejection efficiency while reducing the total gas volume required.
3Loss of substance
If a sealing mechanism is added to prevent reverse flow of shield gas, then gas loss to the feed unit is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged with the existing structural components of the torch. The sealing mechanism is integrated into the connection between the inner tube and the nozzle/conduit assembly, rather than being a separate additional component, thus minimizing complexity increase.
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
Prevents clogging of wear debris within the inner tube, allowing for extended operation without frequent disassembly cleaning by effectively ejecting debris with the shielding gas through the nozzle.
Implementation Method 1
a gap is defined between the adjacent wires of the inner tube allowing the shield gas to flow therethrough
Implementation Method 2
wear debris generated by abrasion of the welding wire sliding in the inner tube
Implementation Method 3
the inner tube (referred to as a 'conduit liner' therein) includes an inner surface which may have a substantial contact friction with the welding wire therein at the curved portion of the torch body
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A welding torch is provided, which comprises an inner tube of a helically wound wire to define a passage for a welding wire, a conduit in which the inner tube is inserted, the conduit having a curved portion, a torch body including a tip portion and a nozzle, a torch holder having a gas supplying member that supplies a shield gas into a space between the inner tube and the conduit, a feed unit provided upstream the torch holder to feed the welding wire forward to or backward from the inner tube, and a sealing mechanism to prevent a reverse flow of the shield gas to the feed unit. A gap is defined between the adjacent wires of the inner tube allowing the shield gas to flow therethrough, and wear debris generated by abrasion of the welding wire sliding in the inner tube is ejected out from the nozzle.