This invention relates to an arc welding cable for supplying a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed gas from a wiring feeding device to a welding torch.
A welding robot is now being widely used for performing arc welding with a welding torch for arc welding that is attached to the tip of a vertical articulated robot.
Meanwhile, in such a conventional welding robot, the wire feeding device 61 is fixed to the upper arm 52. The welding torch 64 attached to the wrist 53, which performs the operation with three degrees of freedom, moves freely. The welding cable 65, therefore, repeats bending or twisting. This presented a problem that the welding cable 65 might be broken owing to stress.
Particularly, if the welding cable 65 is located near the upper arm 52 and wrist 53 (as shown by dotted line in
This invention intends to provide an arc welding cable that is resistant to bending and twisting and can give a long life.
In order to solve the above problem, according to the present invention of claim 1, there is provides an arc welding cable for supplying a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed gas from a wire feeding device to a welding torch, having a passage for the welding wire and the sealed gas is located at a center of the arc welding cable, wherein a plurality of conductors are provided so as to be apart from one another on a circumference around the passage.
Further, according to the present invention of claim 2, spaces defined among the plurality of conductors are filled with a cushion material.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 3, the cushion material is cotton.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 4, the cushion material is an elastic synthetic resin.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 5, the conductors are covered wires that are covered with an insulator.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 6, a code made of a fiber with a high tensile strength is located at a center of the conductor.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 7, the arc welding cable further has a shaft that is provided on an end portion thereof and engages with a socket of the wire feeding device or the welding torch so as to pass the welding current and sealed gas, a first caulking portion that caulks with the conductors to electrically connect the shaft with the arc welding cable and a second caulking portion which collectively caulks a hose for the sealed gas, the conductors and a sheath of an outer layer of the arc welding cable onto the shaft to mechanically connect the shaft with the arc welding cable.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 8, the each conductor is a twisted pair wire having of a pair of a right-twisted strand of wires twisted clockwise and a left-twisted strand of wires twisted counterclockwise.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 9, a part of the conductors is a signal line.
Further more, according to the present invention of claim 10, the arc welding cables further has a cooling water hose, wherein a part of the conductors is replaced with the cooling water hose.
Now referring to the drawings, an explanation will be given of embodiments of this invention.
Reference numeral 23 denotes a caulking pipe that is formed of a copper cylinder. In
At portion B in
Reference numeral 24 denotes an insulating cover. The insulating cover 24 is formed of a rubber cylinder, The insulating cover 24 covers the connecting portion between the arc welding cable 1 and the shaft 21 so that they are electrically insulated. Incidentally, the welding wire 2, conduit liner 3 and holding tape 6 are not shown in
As shown in
The cotton 11 may be replaced by other material or substance as long as cushion that serves as a buffer. For example, various kinds of elastic synthetic resins may fill the space between the conductors 5.
In the embodiments described above, the conductor 5 does not have a cover, but it may be a covered wire. Further, the conductor 5 may be a twisted pair wire that is a set of two strands twisted in different directions (one twisted clockwise and the other twisted counterclockwise). In the case of the twisted pair wire, when the conductor 5 suffers from twisting, the one strand is tightened whereas the other strand is loosened. This increases the strength of the conductor against the twisting.
Further, a part of the six conductors 5 may be replaced by a signal wire, e.g. a signal wire for a shock sensor for detecting that the welding torch 64 has collided with a workpiece. In this way, since the signal wire that has been wired separately from the arc welding cable 1 is integrated to the arc welding cable 1, possibility of breaking the signal wire due to its snagging on the workpiece is reduced, and the appearance of the arc welding cable 1 is made neat.
Further, a part of the conductor 5 may be replaced by a hose for cooling water for cooling the welding torch 64. Integration of the cooling water hose to the arc welding cable 1 reduces the possibility of breaking the cooling water hose.
As understood from the description hitherto made, in the invention described in claim 1, a plurality of conductors are arranged apart from one another on a circumference around the sealed gas passage. For this reason, when the arc welding cable suffers from bending or twisting, the conductors move in a direction of escaping from the deformation due to the bending or twisting, thereby reducing the stress due to the bending or twisting. This presents an effect of increasing the life of the welding cable.
In the inventions described in claims 2 to 4, the space between the respective conductors is filled with cotton or resin serving as a cushion material. This alleviates concentration of the deformation of the conductors to a specific point, thereby presenting an effect of further increasing the life of the welding cable.
In the invention described in claim 5, the conductors are defined as covered wires. This presents an effect of preventing a danger of electrical leak even when the sheath is broken.
In the invention described in claim 6, a code made of a fiber with a high tensile strength is located at the center of the conductor. This presents an effect of providing the arc welding cable having both mechanical strength and flexibility.
In the invention described in claim 7 includes a first caulking portion which electrically connects the shaft to the arc welding cable and a second caulking portion which mechanically couples them so that external force is applied to the first caulking portion. This presents an effect of increasing the reliability of the electrical coupling portion.
In the invention described in claim 8, the conductor is defined as a twisted pair wire. This presents an effect of making the conductor more resistant to twisting, thereby lengthening the life of the welding cable.
In the inventions described in claims 9 and 10, the signal wire or cooling water hose is integrated to the welding cable. This presents an effect of reducing danger of breaking the signal wire or cooling water hose.
[Industrial Applicability]
This invention is useful as an arc welding cable for supplying a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed gas from a wire feeding device to a welding torch.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2002-032184 | Feb 2002 | JP | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/JP03/01087 | 2/3/2003 | WO |