Welding filtration system

• US 6,391,093 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Patel, Bimal B., French, Scott Howard, McManus, John E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Duane
• Assistant Examiner(s): Greene, Jason M.
• Application Number:
  US09/490,375
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 962/45, 962/47, 962/49, 962/50, 962/52, 962/55, 962/57, 962/58, 962/59, 963/29, 963/51, 963/52, 963/53, 963/54, 963/61, 963/63, 963/64, 962/64, 951/49, 952/14, 952/26, 952/30, 952/34, 95/1, 95/23, 95/24, 553/851, 553/852, 552/67
• US Class Current: 95/226
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/021 by bubbling the gas through a liquid bath
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/142 for the removal of by-products
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1435 involving specially adapted flow control means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1462 Nozzles; Features related to nozzles

Abstract

A weld chamber has an air intake and an exhaust or evacuating ductwork for evacuating gases and other particles from the welding chamber. The evacuating ductwork is connected to a vacuum source to remove gases and by products from the weld chamber during welding. A throttle plate is provided in the evacuating ductwork adjacent the weld chamber to adjust or regulate the air velocity evacuating from the weld chamber. The evacuating duct then leads to a sealed water filtering tank. All of the exhausted/evacuated gases and by products are led beneath the water line and bubble through the water before emerging from the sealed water. The soot and iron particles are immediately cooled and trapped in the water tank. Moreover, particles become wet and are less likely to become airborne thus leading to a substantial portion of the particles being trapped in the sealed water tank. Thee remaining gases are then evacuated to the vacuum source and further filtered by a mechanical filtration device.

Claims

1. A welding filtration system comprising:

a welding chamber having an air vent and an evacuation vent;

a sealed filter tank having liquid contained therein;

a first evacuating duct connecting said evacuation vent of said welding chamber to said sealed liquid filter tank, said first evacuating duct having an outlet submersed in said liquid and substantially below a liquid line of said filter tank;

a second evacuating duct connecting said sealed tank to a vacuum source, said second evacuating duct having an inlet connected to said sealed filter tank and positioned above said liquid line, said vacuum source being provided to draw evacuants from said welding chamber through said first and second connecting ducts and through said liquid, said liquid being provided to cool said evacuants and trap at least a portion thereof within said sealed filter tank; and

,

a throttle plate disposed between said filter tank and said welding chamber, said throttle plate being provided to regulate a velocity of said evacuants emerging from said welding chamber.

2. The welding filtration system according to claim 1, said system further comprising an air source connected to said throttle plate for pneumatically operating said throttle plate.

3. The welding filtration system according to claim 1, wherein said throttle plate is connected to a programmable logic controller adapted to control and regulate said throttle plate.

4. The welding filtration system according to claim 2, wherein said throttle plate is connected to a programmable logic controller adapted to control and regulate said throttle plate.

5. A method of filtering by-products in a laser welding process, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a welding chamber surrounding the vicinity of said laser process, said welding chamber having an air vent;

providing a vacuum source to said welding chamber and drawing off evacuants from with said welding chamber;

directing said evacuants emerging from said welding chamber to a filter tank and forcing said evacuants through a liquid contained therein; and

inhibiting a draw of air into said air vent to thereby regulate a velocity of said evacuants emerging from said welding chamber during said laser welding process thereby preventing disturbance of cover gasses immediately adjacent a weld area.

6. The method of filtering by products in a laser welding process according to claim 5, said method further comprising the step of:

automatically maintaining said liquid within said filter tank at a predetermined level.

7. The method of filtering by products in a welding process according to claim 5, wherein said liquid is water.