Welding diffuser insert

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10092972-B2
Application number	US-201514885747-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A diffuser insert is provided for use with a welding diffuser and contact tip assembly comprising a diffuser with an interior chamber configured to receive a wire conduit that supplies electrode wire and a shielding gas used during a welding operation and a contact tip coupled to the diffuser and configured to receive electrode wire. The diffuser insert comprises a diffuser insert body configured to be disposed within the interior chamber of the diffuser, and further comprises an insert bore extending therethrough configured to receive electrode wire. An outer periphery of the diffuser insert has at least one surface feature configured to manipulate a flow of said shielding gas from within said interior chamber of the diffuser and out of exit passages to thereby direct said flow of shielding gas about a molten welding puddle formed during a welding operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end and where said interior chamber is defined by a wall portion of said diffuser body;
a plurality of openings in said wall portion of said interior chamber where said plurality of openings pass through said wall portion to permit said flow of said gas to exit said interior chamber through said plurality of openings; and
a diffuser insert positioned within said interior chamber, where said diffuser insert seats within said interior chamber and where said diffuser insert is exposed to an outside of said diffuser body through said plurality of openings;
wherein said diffuser insert has an upstream cavity portion and a downstream bore portion, each of which are co-axial with said longitudinal axis, where said upstream cavity portion has a larger diameter than said downstream bore portion and said diffuser insert is oriented such that said upstream cavity portion is open to said first end of said diffuser body, and where said downstream bore portion extends from said upstream cavity portion to a downstream end face of said diffuser insert;
wherein said diffuser insert has at least one flow feature on a sidewall of said diffuser insert which manipulates said flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas from said interior chamber to said plurality of said openings; and
wherein at least a portion of said diffuser insert along a longitudinal position of said diffuser insert overlaps with said openings along an entire longitudinal length of said openings, when viewed from a radial direction with respect to said diffuser body.

2. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said diffuser insert is removable from said diffuser body.

3. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said downstream bore portion has a chamfered opening on an upstream end of said downstream bore portion.

4. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of said openings are evenly distributed radially on said wall portion.

5. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said diffuser insert has a plurality of said features on said sidewall manipulate said flow of said gas.

6. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one feature is positioned along a longitudinal length of said diffuser insert to coincide with a longitudinal position of said openings.

7. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one feature is a protrusion from said sidewall.

8. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said diffuser insert has a contact tip contact surface on a downstream end of said diffuser insert, where said diffuser insert is positioned within said diffuser body such that said contact tip contact surface contacts with a contact tip when assembled into a welding torch.

9. The diffuser assembly of claim 1 , wherein said diffuser insert comprises an axially extending feature which contacts an inner surface of said interior chamber, where said axially extending feature further affects a flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas to said plurality of said openings.

10. The diffuser assembly of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of features are arranged symmetrically around a periphery of said sidewall of said diffuser insert.

11. A diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end, where said interior chamber is open at said second end to permit insert of a contact tip, and where said diffuser body has a wall portion between said first and second ends;
a plurality of openings in said wall portion which are symmetrically distributed, where said plurality of openings pass through said wall portion to permit said flow of said gas to exit said diffuser body through said plurality of openings; and
a diffuser insert positioned within said interior chamber, where said diffuser insert seats within said interior chamber and where said diffuser insert is exposed to an outside of said diffuser body through said plurality of openings, where said diffuser insert along a longitudinal position of said diffuser insert overlaps with said openings along an entire longitudinal length of said openings, when viewed from a radial direction with respect to said diffuser body;
wherein said diffuser insert has an upstream cavity portion and a downstream bore portion, each of which are co-axial with said longitudinal axis, where said upstream cavity portion has a larger diameter than said downstream bore portion and said diffuser insert is oriented such that said upstream cavity portion is open to said first end of said diffuser body, and where said downstream bore portion extends from said upstream cavity portion to a downstream end face of said diffuser insert;
wherein said diffuser insert has a plurality of flow features on a sidewall of said diffuser insert which manipulate said flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas from said interior chamber to said plurality of said openings, and
wherein said diffuser insert is removable and secured in a press-fit relationship with said diffuser body.

12. The diffuser assembly of claim 11 , wherein said downstream bore portion has a chamfered opening on an upstream end of said downstream bore portion.

13. The diffuser assembly of claim 11 , wherein said plurality of features are positioned along a longitudinal length of said diffuser insert to coincide with a longitudinal position of said openings.

14. The diffuser assembly of claim 11 , wherein at least one of said plurality of features are protrusions from said sidewall.

15. The diffuser assembly of claim 11 , wherein said diffuser insert has a contact tip contact surface on a downstream end of said diffuser insert, where said diffuser insert is positioned within said diffuser body such that said contact tip contact surface contacts with a contact tip when assembled into a welding torch.

16. The diffuser assembly of claim 11 , wherein said diffuser insert comprises an axially extending feature which contacts an inner surface of said interior chamber, where said axially extending feature further affects a flow of said gas to direct said flow of said gas to said plurality of said openings.

17. A diffuser assembly for a welding torch; said diffuser assembly comprising:
a diffuser body having a first end and a second end positioned opposite said first end, said diffuser body having a longitudinal axis extending from said first end to said second end;
an interior chamber positioned between said first end and said second end, where said interior chamber is open at said first end to permit a flow of a gas into said interior chamber from said first end, where said interior chamber is open at said second end to permit insert of a contact tip, and where said diffuser body has a wall portion between said first and second ends;
a plurality

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Meess Brian
• Kachline Jeffrey

Classifications

• B23K9/295 Primary

  using consumable wire electrodes · CPC title

• B23K9/26 Primary

  Accessories for electrodes, e.g. ignition tips · CPC title