Detachable Switch Guard for Welding Torch Holders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding torches require separate torch holders for different specifications, leading to increased costs for users and manufacturers due to the need for multiple designs, and skilled operators may prefer the conventional specification without a guard member, necessitating whole holder replacement.
Innovation Solution
A guard member is designed to be attachable and removable near the operation switch, with a projection length equal to or longer than the operation switch's stroke, preventing inadvertent operation and allowing a single torch holder to accommodate both specifications, reducing the need for multiple holders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a guard member is integrated into the torch holder to prevent inadvertent operation, then safety is improved, but the torch holder cannot be used with conventional specifications without a guard member
Solution Approach 1:
The guard member is designed as a separate, detachable component that can be attached to or removed from the torch holder independently. This segmentation allows the torch holder to be used in both configurations - with the guard member for safety-critical applications and without it for conventional applications - thereby resolving the contradiction between safety improvement and specification adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The guard member is designed to be dynamically attachable and detachable rather than permanently fixed. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adapt between different operational modes and specifications, enabling the same torch holder to serve both safety-enhanced and conventional welding applications
2Reliability
If a guard member is permanently integrated into the torch holder, then inadvertent operation is prevented, but users and manufacturers incur increased costs due to needing multiple torch holder specifications
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the guard member from the torch holder into independent components, the system allows manufacturers to produce a single standardized torch holder design that can be used across all applications. The guard member is produced as a separate component only when needed, eliminating the cost of manufacturing and inventorying multiple torch holder specifications while still providing safety enhancement where required
Solution Approach 2:
The torch holder is designed with universal compatibility to work with or without the guard member attached. This multi-functionality allows a single torch holder design to serve multiple purposes and specifications, reducing manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the option to enhance safety through the optional guard member
Data Source
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AI summary
A welding torch (100) includes a torch main body (110), a torch holder (130), an operation switch (140), and a guard member (200, 200A). In the torch holder (130), a part of the torch main body (110) is accommodated, and the torch holder (130) is held by an operator. The operation switch (140) is arranged in the torch holder (130) and it is to be operated by the operator when the operator starts welding. The guard member (200, 200A) is configured to be attachable and removable in the vicinity of the operation switch (140) in the torch holder (130). While the guard member (200, 200A) is attached to the torch holder (130), in a direction of operation of the operation switch (140), a distance from a reference plane (135) of the torch holder (130) to a projection end (230) of the guard member (200, 200A) is equal to or longer than a distance from the reference plane (135) to a projection end (141) of the operation switch (140).