Welding Wire Liner Biasing Ring Eliminates Mechanical Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wire guiding liners for welding wires suffer from mechanical play between pivotable guiding bodies, leading to accordion effects that impair guiding precision and increase friction, making it difficult to maintain consistent wire length and facilitate smooth wire insertion.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of an elastomeric or rubber biasing ring between adjacent guiding bodies to eliminate mechanical play, straighten the liner, and provide a larger radius for smooth wire insertion, while maintaining sealing and reducing friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pivotable guiding bodies are used to create a flexible wire guiding liner, then the liner can bend to follow movements of welding torch, but mechanical play between guiding bodies causes accordion effect and impairs guiding precision
Solution Approach 1:
A biasing means (elastomeric or rubber ring) is introduced as an intermediary element between adjacent guiding bodies. This biasing means continuously pushes the guiding bodies apart to eliminate mechanical play and maintain constant distance between them, preventing the accordion effect while preserving the ability to bend. The biasing means acts as a mediator that resolves the conflict between flexibility and precision by maintaining proper spacing during articulation.
2Length of moving object
If guiding bodies are pushed together to reduce liner length, then space is saved, but wire insertion becomes difficult and friction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing means applies a preliminary pushing force between adjacent guiding bodies to maintain them in a spaced-apart configuration. This preliminary action prevents the guiding bodies from being pushed together during wire insertion, thereby maintaining a larger effective radius and reducing friction before the wire even encounters the problem area. The biasing effect counteracts the tendency of guiding bodies to collapse together under wire insertion forces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mechanical play exists between guiding bodies, then the liner can compress to fit tight spaces, but the accordion effect increases friction and impairs wire guiding
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing means serves as an intermediary that maintains constant spacing between guiding bodies, preventing the accordion effect that would otherwise occur during compression. By continuously pushing guiding bodies apart, the biasing means eliminates the mechanical play that causes increased friction during wire passage, while still allowing the liner to bend and adapt to tight spaces through the articulated joint design.
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 biasing ring ensures consistent wire length, reduces friction, and facilitates easy wire insertion by eliminating mechanical play and promoting a straight shape, enhancing guiding precision and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing means is provided which acts between adjacent guiding bodies so as to push them apart... The biasing means being an elastomeric ring or a rubber ring... the elasticity of the biasing means helps to maintain the biasing effect over a long life time and a high number of bending cycles
Data Source
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AI summary
The present application relates to a wire guiding liner, in particular a welding wire liner, having a plurality of guiding bodies (10) which are pivotable with respect to each other around a defined pivot axis (16), wherein at least one biasing means (30) is provided which acts between adjacent guiding bodies (10) so as to push them apart while still allowing the liner to bend under pressure.