AUXILIARY SHIELDING GAS FILTER FOR A WELDING APPARATUS

• US 20130186866A1
• Filed: 01/25/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Lahti, Thomas Don, Ihde, Jeffery Ray, Rappl, James Francis
• Granted Patent: US 9,505,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/75
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/325 Devices for supplying or evacuating shielding gas

Abstract

A shielding gas filter assembly for a welding apparatus. The filter assembly includes a filter housing having a filter disposed therein. The filter assembly also includes a filter guard coupled to the filter housing and configured to receive shielding gas. The filter guard includes a tamper resistant portion configured to inhibit an object from contacting the filter when the object is inserted into the filter guard.

Claims

1. A shielding gas filter assembly for a welding apparatus comprising:

a filter housing having a filter disposed therein; and

a filter guard coupled to the filter housing and configured to receive shielding gas, the filter guard comprising a tamper resistant portion configured to inhibit an object from contacting the filter when the object is inserted into the filter guard.

2. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter housing comprises an output port configured to be fluidly coupled to a gas hose and to direct the shielding gas into the gas hose.

3. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter guard comprises an inlet port configured to be fluidly coupled to a gas hose and to receive the shielding gas from the gas hose.

4. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the tamper resistant portion of the filter guard comprises an axial gas entry portion configured to receive shielding gas into the tamper resistant portion and radial gas exit portions configured to direct shielding gas out of the tamper resistant portion.

5. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, comprising a mounting bracket disposed around the filter housing and configured to secure the filter housing to the welding apparatus.

6. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 5, comprising a locking device secured to the filter housing for holding the filter housing within the mounting bracket.

7. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the filter housing.

8. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter is disposed within the filter housing adjacent to a filter wall.

9. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 1, wherein the filter comprises a concave shape when installed within the filter housing.

10. A welding apparatus comprising:

a gas valve configured to selectively allow welding gas to flow to a welding application; and

a shielding gas filter assembly fluidly coupled to the gas valve and configured to prevent particles from entering the gas valve, the shielding gas filter assembly comprising a tamper resistant portion configured to inhibit objects inserted into the shielding gas filter assembly from touching a filter screen within the shielding gas filter assembly.

11. The welding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the shielding gas filter assembly is fluidly coupled to the gas valve via a gas hose.

12. The welding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the tamper resistant portion comprises an inlet with an opening configured to receive a gas hose and an outlet configured to direct shielding gas radially out of the tamper resistant portion.

13. The welding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the shielding gas filter assembly is externally coupled to the welding apparatus.

14. The welding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the shielding gas filter assembly is mounted inside the welding apparatus.

15. The welding apparatus of claim 10, wherein the filter screen comprises a concave shape when installed within the shielding gas filter assembly.

16. A shielding gas filter assembly for a welding apparatus comprising:

a housing having an inlet configured to receive shielding gas from a shielding gas source and an outlet configured to direct the shielding gas to a welding apparatus;

a shielding gas passageway extending through the housing between the inlet and the outlet;

a filter screen disposed within the shielding gas passageway and configured to inhibit particles from passing through the filter screen; and

a tamper resistant device disposed within the shielding gas passageway between the inlet and the filter screen, the tamper resistant device configured to receive shielding gas into the tamper resistant device axially and to direct shielding gas out of the tamper resistant device radially and the tamper resistant device is configured to inhibit objects inserted into the inlet of the housing from touching the filter screen.

17. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 16, comprising a mounting bracket disposed around the housing and configured to secure the housing to the welding apparatus.

18. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 17, comprising a locking device secured to the housing for holding the housing within the mounting bracket.

19. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 16, wherein the filter screen comprises an outer diameter greater than an inner diameter of the shielding gas passageway.

20. The shielding gas filter assembly of claim 16, wherein the filter is disposed within the shielding gas passageway adjacent to a filter wall.