Cost effective cartridge for a plasma arc torch
First Claim
1. A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the cartridge comprising:
- a swirl ring including;
a molded thermoplastic elongated body having a substantially hollow portion, the molded thermoplastic elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and configured to receive an electrode within the hollow portion, the elongated body defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end;
a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch; and
a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body; and
an electrically conductive cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring, the cap substantially covering the proximal end of the elongated body along a radial plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch is provided. The cartridge includes a swirl ring having a molded thermoplastic elongated body with a distal end, a proximal end, and a hollow portion configured to receive an electrode. The swirl ring also has a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch. The swirl ring further includes a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body. The cartridge further includes a cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring for substantially closing the proximal end of the elongated body.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the cartridge comprising:
-
a swirl ring including; a molded thermoplastic elongated body having a substantially hollow portion, the molded thermoplastic elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and configured to receive an electrode within the hollow portion, the elongated body defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end; a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch; and a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body; and an electrically conductive cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring, the cap substantially covering the proximal end of the elongated body along a radial plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the cartridge comprising:
-
a swirl ring including; a molded thermoplastic elongated body having a substantially hollow portion, the molded thermoplastic elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and configured to receive an electrode within the hollow portion; a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch; and a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body; and a cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring, the cap substantially enclosing the proximal end of the elongated body, wherein the ratio of an axial width (W) of each gas flow opening to an average radius (R) between the radius of the electrode and the radius of an inner wall of the swirl ring is less than about 0.5.
-
-
16. A cartridge for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the cartridge comprising:
-
a swirl ring including; a molded thermoplastic elongated body having a substantially hollow portion, the molded thermoplastic elongated body having a distal end and a proximal end and configured to receive an electrode within the hollow portion; a plurality of gas flow openings defined by the distal end of the elongated body and configured to impart a swirling motion to a plasma gas flow for the plasma arc torch; and a nozzle retention feature on a surface of the elongated body at the distal end for retaining a nozzle to the elongated body; and a cap affixed to the proximal end of the elongated body of the swirl ring, the cap substantially enclosing the proximal end of the elongated body, wherein the plurality of gas flow openings are disposed in a single layer about the distal end of the elongated body, each gas flow opening having an offset of about 0.040 inches between an opening in an inner wall of the swirl ring and an opening on an outer wall of the swirl ring.
-
-
17. An assembly for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the assembly comprising:
-
an electrode; a swirl ring molded from a thermoplastic material, the swirl ring comprising a nozzle retention surface at a distal end and a cap retention element at a proximal end, the swirl ring defining a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal end; a nozzle fixedly secured to the distal end of the swirl ring via the nozzle retention surface, wherein the nozzle includes an exit orifice at a distal end of the nozzle; and an electrically conductive cap fixedly secured to the proximal end of the swirl ring via the cap retention element, the cap configured to cover the swirl ring at the proximal end along a radial plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; wherein the securement of the swirl ring, the nozzle and the cap creates a chamber in which the electrode is permanently disposed and aligned relative to the nozzle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An assembly for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the assembly comprising:
-
an electrode; a swirl ring molded from a thermoplastic material, the swirl ring comprising a nozzle retention surface at a distal end and a cap retention element at a proximal end; a nozzle fixedly secured to the distal end of the swirl ring via the nozzle retention surface, wherein the nozzle includes an exit orifice at a distal end of the nozzle, the nozzle retention surface comprising a sloped surface and the nozzle is secured to the distal end of the swirl ring by crimping at least a portion of the nozzle against the sloped surface; and a cap fixedly secured to the proximal end of the swirl ring via the cap retention element, the cap configured to enclose the swirl ring at the proximal end; wherein the securement of the swirl ring, the nozzle and the cap creates a chamber in which the electrode is permanently disposed and aligned relative to the nozzle, and wherein crimping of the nozzle to the nozzle retention establishes (1) a radial centering of the nozzle exit orifice within the chamber with respect to a distal end of the electrode to within 0.005 inches, and (2) a longitudinal positioning of the electrode within the chamber between the distal end of the electrode and the nozzle exit orifice during a transferred arc operation of the assembly to within 0.03 to 0.06 inches. - View Dependent Claims (25)
-
-
26. An assembly for an air-cooled plasma arc torch, the assembly comprising:
-
an electrode; a swirl ring molded from a thermoplastic material, the swirl ring comprising a nozzle retention surface at a distal end and a cap retention element at a proximal end; a nozzle fixedly secured to the distal end of the swirl ring via the nozzle retention surface, wherein the nozzle includes an exit orifice at a distal end of the nozzle; a cap fixedly secured to the proximal end of the swirl ring via the cap retention element, the cap configured to enclose the swirl ring at the proximal end; and a resilient element between a biasing surface of the cap and the electrode, the resilient element physically contacting the electrode and imparting a separation force upon the electrode, wherein the securement of the swirl ring, the nozzle and the cap creates a chamber in which the electrode is permanently disposed and aligned relative to the nozzle, and wherein the resilient element passes substantially all of a pilot arc current to the electrode when the plasma arc torch is operated in a pilot arc mode.
-
Specification