Position sensing a location pin in a welding electrode

• US 10,639,738 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NBN Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: NBN Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: Granger, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Milton
• Application Number:
  US15/886,047
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/0046 the extremity of a small piece being welded to a base, e.g. cooling studs or fins to tubes or plates
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/14 Projection welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/253 the measured parameter being a displacement or a position
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/255 the measured parameter being a force B23K11/253 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/3027 Slide or drag electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/31 Electrode holders and actuating devices therefornot restricted to resistance welding or severing by resistance heating B23K37/02
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/311 the actuating device comprising an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/315 with one electrode moving on a linear path
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/317 Equalizing; Balancing devices for electrode holders
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/36 Auxiliary equipment B23K11/31 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism and a sensor. The housing may be configured to receive a weld head. The mechanism may be attached to the housing and configured to convert a position of a location pin relative to the housing into an angular rotation. The sensor may be coupled to the mechanism and configured to generate a value representative of the position of the location pin based on the angular rotation.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to receive a weld head;

a mechanism attached to said housing and configured to convert a position of a location pin relative to said housing into an angular rotation;

a sensor coupled to said mechanism and configured to generate a value representative of said position of said location pin based on said angular rotation, wherein said value representative of said position of said location pin indicates that a part to be welded is selectively one of (i) in a proper orientation and (ii) in an improper orientation; and

a plurality of gears connected between said mechanism and said sensor and configured to increase said angular rotation prior to said sensor.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism comprises (i) a lever in contact with said location pin and (ii) a shaft coupled to said sensor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of gears are configured to provide a gear ratio of at least 1.4 to 1.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said value representative of said position of said location pin indicates that said part to be welded is missing.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is one of (i) a mechanical angle sensor, (ii) an optical angle sensor and (iii) a pneumatic angle sensor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor is further configured to generate an electrical signal that conveys said value.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a visual indicator configured to show that the part, an object and said weld head are properly positioned for a welding process to begin.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mechanism and said sensor are immune to an electromagnetic field generated by said weld head.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus forms part of a welding electrode.

10. A method for position sensing in a welding electrode, comprising the steps of:

converting a position of a location pin relative to a housing into an angular rotation, wherein said housing is configured to receive a weld head;

sensing a value representative of said position of said location pin based on said angular rotation, wherein said value representative of said position of said location pin indicates that a part to be welded is selectively one of (i) in a proper orientation and (ii) in an improper orientation; and

increasing said angular rotation prior to said sense of said value.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said conversion is performed by (i) a lever in contact with said location pin and (ii) a shaft coupled to a sensor.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said increase in said angular rotation is by a factor of at least 1.4.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein said value representative of said position of said location pin indicates that said part to be welded is missing.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein said sense is one of (i) a mechanical angle sensing, (ii) an optical angle sensing and (iii) a pneumatic angle sensing.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said sense comprises generating an electrical signal that conveys said value.

16. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of:

generating a visual indicator configured to show that the part, an object and said weld head are properly positioned for a welding process to begin.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein a determination of said position is immune to an electromagnetic field generated by said weld head.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein said method is performed in said welding electrode.