Welding gun with controller and method for using same
First Claim
1. A welding gun assembly comprising:
- a housing that defines a first chamber and a second chamber;
a first piston moveably disposed in said first chamber so as to divide said first chamber into a first pressure chamber and a first return chamber;
a second piston moveably disposed in said second chamber;
an intensifying rod movable at least partially into said first chamber due to movement of said second piston;
a pressure sensor in fluid communication with only one of the first pressure chamber and the first return chamber to thereby detect pressure therein; and
a controller operable to change pressure within the first and second chambers based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor such that the controller increases pressure within said first chamber up to approximately a predetermined extension pressure while said intensifying rod is disposed outside of said first chamber, and such that the controller increases pressure within said second chamber to thereby move said intensifying rod at least partially into said first chamber to thereby increase pressure within said first chamber above the predetermined extension pressure.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A welding gun assembly including a housing that defines a first chamber and a second chamber. The assembly also includes a first piston moveably disposed in the first chamber and a second piston moveably disposed in the second chamber. The assembly includes an intensifying rod that can move at least partially into the first chamber due to movement of the second piston within the second chamber. The assembly includes a controller with a pressure sensor operable to detect pressure within the first chamber. The controller is operable to increase pressure within the first chamber up to a predetermined extension pressure while the intensifying rod is disposed outside of the first chamber. The controller is further operable to increase pressure within the second chamber to thereby move the intensifying rod into the first chamber to thereby increase pressure within the first chamber above the predetermined extension pressure.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A welding gun assembly comprising:
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a housing that defines a first chamber and a second chamber; a first piston moveably disposed in said first chamber so as to divide said first chamber into a first pressure chamber and a first return chamber; a second piston moveably disposed in said second chamber; an intensifying rod movable at least partially into said first chamber due to movement of said second piston; a pressure sensor in fluid communication with only one of the first pressure chamber and the first return chamber to thereby detect pressure therein; and a controller operable to change pressure within the first and second chambers based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor such that the controller increases pressure within said first chamber up to approximately a predetermined extension pressure while said intensifying rod is disposed outside of said first chamber, and such that the controller increases pressure within said second chamber to thereby move said intensifying rod at least partially into said first chamber to thereby increase pressure within said first chamber above the predetermined extension pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of welding a part with a welding gun assembly comprising a housing that defines a first chamber and a second chamber, a first piston moveably disposed in the first chamber so as to divide the first chamber into a first pressure chamber and a first return chamber, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with only one of the first pressure chamber and the first return chamber to thereby detect pressure therein, a second piston moveably disposed in the second chamber, and an intensifying rod that is moved at least partially into said first chamber due to movement of said second piston within said second chamber, said method comprising the steps of:
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increasing pressure in the first chamber up to approximately a predetermined extension pressure while the intensifying rod is disposed outside the first chamber; monitoring pressure within the first chamber with the pressure sensor and detecting when pressure within the first chamber reaches approximately the predetermined extension pressure; increasing pressure in the first chamber above approximately the predetermined extension pressure by moving the intensifying rod at least partially into the first chamber; monitoring pressure within the first chamber with the pressure sensor and detecting when pressure within the first chamber reaches approximately a weld pressure; and welding the part when the pressure sensor detects that pressure within the first chamber reaches approximately the weld pressure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A welding device comprising:
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a plurality of welding gun assemblies, each comprising a housing that defines a first chamber and a second chamber, a first piston moveably disposed in said first chamber so as to divide said first chamber into a first pressure chamber and a first return chamber, a second piston moveably disposed in said second chamber, and an intensifying rod movable at least partially into said first chamber due to movement of said second piston; a pressure sensor that is in fluid communication with only one of the first pressure chamber and the first return chamber of each of the plurality of welding gun assemblies so as to detect pressure therein; and a controller operable to change pressure within the first and second chamber of each of the plurality of welding gun assemblies based on the pressures detected by the pressure sensor such that the controller increases pressure within each of said first chambers up to approximately a predetermined extension pressure while each of said intensifying rods are disposed outside of the respective one of said first chambers, and such that the controller increases pressure within each of said second chambers to thereby move the respective one of said intensifying rods at least partially into the respective one of said first chambers to thereby increase pressure within said first chambers above the predetermined extension pressure.
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Specification