Automatic welding machine

• US 6,330,966 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 12/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roman Eissfeller GmbH
• Original Assignee: Roman Eissfeller GmbH
• Inventors: Eissfeller, Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, Tom
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOHNSON, JONATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US09/508,593
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 228/8, 228/47.1, 228/102, 700/190, 700/191, 700/192, 219/125.1, 219/125.11, 219/125.12, 219/126, 901/42
• US Class Current: 228/8
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0235 the guide member forming part of a portal

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic welding machine comprising an X-Y-Z moving mechanism (100) with three linear motion devices each driven by a motor (101, 102, 103) with a self-locking drive. The X-Y-Z moving mechanism (100) has a handle (41) with integrated sensors (a . . . f) which is to be held by an operator. The sensors (a . . . f) are coupled to a control unit (300) and the motors (101, 102, 103) of the X-Y-Z moving mechanism (100) can be moved exclusively in accordance with the output signals of said sensors (a . . . f).

Claims

1. An automatic welding machine comprising a baseplate for placing workpieces that are to be welded, and with a welding head that can move in an A-B-C direction and that is part of a welding apparatus, the welding head being coupled to an X-Y-Z motion mechanism for the automatic motion of the welding head along the workpieces according to the norm of a control routine that has been prescribed by a preceding teach-in-process and that has been stored in a control device,

characterized in that the X-Y-Z motion mechanism includes at least three linear motion devices, each driven by a motor with a self-locking gear mechanism, and in that a handle with integrated sensors for an operator is present on the X-Y-Z motion mechanism, and in that these sensors are coupled to the control device, and in that the motors of the X-Y-Z motion mechanism can be moved exclusively according to the measure of the output signals from the sensors.

2. The automatic welding machine of claim 1, wherein the speed of the motors can be adjusted, through the control device, in accordance with the amplitude of the output signals from the sensors.

3. The automatic welding machine of claim 1, wherein the handle is shaped at least approximately rectangularly, and has a separate sensor at each of its walls.

4. The automatic welding machine of claim 3, wherein the sensors include pressure sensors.

5. The automatic welding machine claim 4, wherein the welding head comprises a welding torch tip, which is seated on an A-B-C motion mechanism, and the A-B-C motion mechanism is coupled to the X-Y-Z motion mechanism, and the two motion mechanisms can move independently of one another.

6. The automatic welding machine of claim 5, wherein the X-Y-Z motion mechanism comprises two motion sleds seated above the baseplate, to move the welding head in the X and Y direction.

7. The automatic welding machine of claim 6, comprising a holding tube pointing in the Z direction, with a welding head coupled to its end, that is arranged from the two sleds of the X-Y-Z motion direction in the direction of the baseplate.

8. The automatic welding machine of claim 7, wherein the handle is disposed at the front end of the holding tube for the Z axis.

9. The automatic welding machine of claim 8, wherein the baseplate comprises a workbench which stands on the legs.

10. The automatic welding machine of claim 9, comprising a cable boom disposed at the upper end of a work cabinet of the automatic welding machine, such that the feed cables are conducted over said cable boom to a holding plate, and in that this holding plate is seated on that end of the holding tube, which faces away from the welding head, and in that the feed lines are conducted through the holding tube in the direction of the welding head of the automatic welding machine.

11. The automatic welding machine of claim 10, wherein the automatic welding machine provides two-hand operation for the teach-in process of the control routine, such that the handle can be gripped by one hand of the operator and the welding head of the automatic welding machine can be gripped by his other hand.

12. The automatic welding machine of claim 11, wherein the X-Y-Z motion device cannot be moved manually.