Device for welding

• US 6,875,946 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 04/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha S M K
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha S M K
• Inventors: Hidaka, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoner, Kiley S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Len
• Application Number:
  US10/456,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 219/86.41, 219/93, 219/119
• US Class Current: 219/93
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/14 Projection welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/3018 Cooled pressure electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 11/3081 Electrodes with a seam contacting part shaped so as to correspond to the shape of the bond area, e.g. for making an annular bond without relative movement in the longitudinal direction of the seam between the electrode holder and the work

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nut positioning pin disposed on a lower electrode for the projection welding of a nut. The present invention increases cooling and positioning accuracy, prevents entrance of sputtering particles, and increases the detecting accuracy. The present invention comprises an electrode holder (2) of a double-tube structure having a cooling water passage, a guide ring (13) for guiding a coupling rod (7) for vertical movement, an air passage (m) for preventing the entrance of sputtering particles, a coupling block (28) and a magnetic shield, which comprises a magnetic member for preventing a magnetic detecting element from being affected by an external magnetic field. The present invention accurately guides cooling water and the coupling rod in the electrode holder and prevents sputtering particles from entering the electrode holder, and prevents a detector from being adversely influenced by an external magnetic field for increased detecting accuracy.

Claims

1. A device for welding, comprising:

a tubular electrode holder,

a lower electrode coupled to an upper end of the electrode holder and having a though hole defined centrally therein,

an air cylinder coupled to a lower end of said electrode holder by a coupling block,

a coupling rod disposed in a tube of said electrode holder and vertically movable when said air cylinder is operated,

a positioning pin disposed on an upper portion of the coupling rod and having a tip end movable into and out of the through hole in said lower electrode when the coupling rod is vertically moved,

an air blowing mechanism adapted to deliver air into an upper portion of the tube from a lower portion of said electrode holder,

wherein said coupling block comprises a magnetic member, an insulation is provided between the electrode holder and the air cylinder,

wherein said air cylinder has a cylinder rod with magnetic graduations, and said air cylinder has a magnetic detecting element adapted to detect said magnetic graduations and an amplifier adapted to amplify a signal from said magnetic detecting elements,

wherein a magnetic shielding member covers and magnetically shields the cylinder rod with the magnetic graduations, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier, and

wherein said magnetic member and said coupling block, or said coupling shaft is disposed such that the magnetic flux density in the vicinity of the magnetic graduations on the cylinder rod, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier is suppressed to 500 gauss or less.

3. The device for welding according to claim 1, wherein said coupling rod is coupled to the tip end of the cylinder rod of said air cylinder by an insulating member.

4. The device for welding according to claim 1, wherein entrance of foreign material preventing means for preventing the entrance of foreign matter from outside the device is disposed around the cylinder rod with the magnetic graduations formed thereon, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier.

5. The device for welding according to claim 1, wherein an in-block air blowing mechanism is provided in said coupling block for removing foreign matter, which have entered into the coupling block with an air blow.

6. The device for welding according to claim 1, wherein an insulator couples said coupling rod to the tip end of the cylinder rod of said air cylinder.

11. The device for welding according to claim 1, wherein a pin coupling having a variable coupling structure is disposed on an upper end of said coupling rod for coupling different positioning pins of different coupling types.

13. The device for welding of claim 1, wherein said cylinder rod has a stroke that is detected in an accuracy range from 0.5 to 0.01 +/−

about 0.02 mm.

14. The device for welding of claim 1, wherein said cylinder rod has a stroke that is detected in an accuracy range from 0.5 to 0.01 +/−

about 0.02 mm.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrode holder includes an inner tube and an outer tube which are fitted together with a cooling water passage defined in a gap therebetween, and wherein the electrode holder further includes a guide ring adapted to guide the coupling rod for vertical movement, the guide ring being positioned on an upper portion of the inner tube.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the coupling rod includes an air passage operatively connected to the air blowing mechanism.

2. A device for welding, comprising:

a tubular electrode holder,

a lower electrode coupled to an upper end of the electrode holder and having a through hole defined centrally therein,

an air cylinder coupled to a lower end of said electrode holder by a coupling shaft,

a coupling rod disposed in a tube of said electrode holder and vertically movable when said air cylinder is operated,

a positioning pin disposed on an upper portion of the coupling rod and having a tip end movable into and out of the through hole in said lower electrode when the coupling rod is vertically moved,

an air blowing mechanism adapted to deliver air into an upper portion of the tube from a lower portion of said electrode holder,

an insulation is provided between the electrode holder and the air cylinder,

wherein said air cylinder has a cylinder rod with magnetic graduations, and said air cylinder has a magnetic detecting element adapted to detect said magnetic graduations and an amplifier adapted to amplify a signal from said magnetic detecting elements,

wherein a magnetic shield covers the cylinder rod with the magnetic graduations, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier, and wherein said magnetic shield is adapted to hold magnetic flux density in the vicinity of the magnetic graduations on the cylinder rod, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier to about 500 gauss or less.

7. The device for welding according to claim 2, wherein an insulator couples said coupling rod to the tip end of the cylinder rod of said air cylinder.

8. The device for welding according to claim 2, wherein a seal is disposed around the cylinder rod with the magnetic graduations formed thereon, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier, the seal being adapted to prevent entrance of foreign material.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the seal is a liquid seal.

10. The device for welding according to claim 2, wherein an in-block air blowing mechanism is provided in said coupling block for removing foreign matter.

12. The device for welding according to claim 2, wherein a pin coupling having a variable coupling structure is disposed on an upper end of said coupling rod for coupling different positioning pins of different coupling types.

17. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrode holder includes an inner tube and an outer tube which are fitted together with a cooling water passage defined in a gap therebetween;

and wherein the electrode holder further includes a guide ring adapted to guide the coupling rod for vertical movement, the guide ring being positioned on an upper portion of the inner tube.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the coupling rod includes an air passage operatively connected to the air blowing mechanism.

19. A device for welding, comprising:

a tubular electrode holder,

a lower electrode coupled to an upper end of the electrode holder and having a through hole defined centrally therein,

an air cylinder coupled to a lower end of said electrode holder by a coupling block,

a coupling rod disposed in a tube of said electrode holder and vertically movable when said air cylinder is operated,

a positioning pin disposed on an upper portion of the coupling rod and having a tip end movable into and out of the through hole in said lower electrode when the coupling rod is vertically moved,

an air blowing mechanism adapted to deliver air into an upper portion of the tube from a lower portion of said electrode holder,

wherein said air cylinder has a cylinder rod with magnetic graduations, and said air cylinder has a magnetic detecting element adapted to detect said magnetic graduations and an amplifier adapted to amplify a signal from said magnetic detecting element; and

means for suppressing magnetic flux density to about 500 gauss or less in the vicinity of the magnetic graduations on the cylinder rod, the magnetic detecting element, and the amplifier.

20. The device for welding of claim 19, wherein the stroke of said cylinder rod is detected in an accuracy range from 0.5 to 0.01+/−

0.02 mm.

21. The device for welding according to claim 19, wherein a pin coupling having a variable coupling structure is disposed on an upper end of said coupling rod for coupling different positioning pins of different coupling types.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the electrode holder includes a seal adapted to prevent entrance of foreign material from the magnetic detecting element.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the electrode holder includes a seal adapted to prevent entrance of foreign material from the magnetic graduations of the cylinder rod.