Cable hose with conductive electromagnetic interference shield

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10964451-B2
Application number	US-201816181832-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 6, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A cable hose suitable for welding or cutting systems includes tubing, one or more conductors, and an annular electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield. The EMI shield is disposed radially interiorly of at least a portion of the tubing and radially exteriorly of the one or more conductors. Thus, the EMI shield: (1) prevents EMI emanating from the one or more conductors from exiting the cable hose radially; and (2) conducts current between components of a welding or cutting system.

First claim

We claim:

1. A cable hose suitable for welding or cutting systems, comprising:
tubing;
a plurality of conductors comprising:
a high frequency conductor; and
a second conductor dedicated to conducting operating signals; and

a conductive, annular electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield that is disposed radially interiorly of at least a portion of the tubing and radially exteriorly of the plurality of conductors, the EMI shield being configured to: (1) prevent EMI emanating from the plurality of conductors from exiting the cable hose radially during arc initiation; and (2) complete a circuit between a power source and an electrode of a welding or cutting system after arc initiation and conduct working current to the electrode.

2. The cable hose of claim 1 , wherein the EMI shield is embedded within the tubing.

3. The cable hose of claim 2 , wherein the tubing comprises an insulator and the EMI shield is embedded within the tubing by molding the insulator over the EMI shield.

4. The cable hose of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of conductors are embedded within the tubing.

5. The cable hose of claim 4 , wherein the tubing comprises:
monolithic tubing that is disposed radially exteriorly and radially interiorly of the EMI shield and that extends around and between the plurality of conductors to define: (1) a discrete passageway for the EMI shield that provides a closed path from a first end of the cable hose to a second end of the cable hose for the EMI shield; (2) one or more discrete passageways for the plurality of conductors that provide a closed path from the first end of the cable hose to the second end of the cable hose for each of the plurality of conductors; and (3) an inner conduit configured to allow a gas to flow from the first end to the second end.

6. The cable hose of claim 5 , wherein the monolithic tubing comprises a molded insulator disposed around and between the EMI shield and the plurality of conductors.

7. The cable hose of claim 2 , wherein the tubing comprises:
an outer tube; and
an inner tube, wherein the EMI shield is embedded in the outer tube and the plurality of conductors are disposed in an annular compartment disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube.

8. The cable hose of claim 1 , wherein the tubing comprises:
an outer tube; and
an inner tube, wherein the EMI shield is coupled to an inner surface of the outer tube and the plurality of conductors are disposed in an annular compartment disposed between the outer tube and the inner tube.

9. The cable hose of claim 1 , wherein the EMI shield is fixed in place within the tubing from a first end of the cable hose to a second end of the cable hose.

10. The cable hose of claim 1 , wherein the tubing defines an inner conduit and an outer surface of the cable hose, and both the plurality of conductors and the EMI shield are disposed between the inner conduit and the outer surface.

11. The cable hose of claim 1 , wherein the cable hose connects the power source to a plasma arc torch assembly, and the EMI shield is configured to prevent EMI generated by a high frequency pulse traveling along the high frequency conductor from exiting the cable hose radially.

12. The cable hose of claim 11 , wherein the EMI shield is configured to conduct the working current between the plasma arc torch assembly and the power source after the high frequency pulse travels along the high frequency conductor.

13. The cable hose of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of conductors are not configured to transfer the working current to the plasma arc torch assembly.

14. A welding or cutting system comprising:
a power source;
a torch assembly; and
a cable hose extending between the power source and the torch assembly, the cable hose including tubing, a plurality of conductors, and a conductive, annular electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield that is disposed radially interiorly of at least a portion of the tubing and radially exteriorly of the plurality of conductors;
the plurality of conductors comprising:
a high frequency conductor; and
a second conductor dedicated to conducting operating signals,

wherein, the EMI shield is configured to: (1) prevent EMI emanating from the plurality of conductors from exiting the cable hose radially during arc initiation; and (2) complete a circuit between the power source and an electrode after arc initiation to conduct working current to the electrode of the torch assembly.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the EMI shield is embedded within the tubing.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the tubing of the cable hose comprises:
monolithic tubing that is disposed radially exteriorly and radially interiorly of the EMI shield and that extends around and between the plurality of conductors to define: (1) a discrete passageway for the EMI shield that provides a closed path from a first end of the cable hose to a second end of the cable hose for the EMI shield; (2) one or more discrete passageways for the plurality of conductors that provide a closed path from the first end of the cable hose to the second end of the cable hose for each of the plurality of conductors; and (3) an inner conduit configured to allow a gas to flow from the first end to the second end.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the torch assembly comprises a plasma arc torch assembly, and the EMI shield is configured to prevent EMI generated by a high frequency pulse traveling along the high frequency conductor from exiting the cable hose radially.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the EMI shield conducts working current between the plasma arc torch assembly and the power source after the high frequency pulse travels along the high frequency conductor.

19. A method of forming a cable hose, comprising:
providing a conductive, annular electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield for the cable hose, the annular EMI shield comprising braided conductors configured to conduct a working current for a plasma arc torch;
arranging a plurality of conductors in a specific configuration radially interiorly of the annular EMI shield so that the annular EMI shield prevents EMI emanating from the one or more plurality of conductors from exiting the cable hose radially, the plurality of conductors comprising a high frequency start conductor and a second conductor dedicated to conducting operating signals; and
arranging tubing radially exterior of the annular EMI shield so the annular EMI shield can complete a circuit and conduct current between a power source and an electrode of a welding or cutting system.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the arranging comprises:
overmolding an insulator onto at least the annular EMI shield to secure the annular EMI shield in a specific configuration from a first end of the cable hose to a second end of the cable hose.

Assignees

• Esab Group Inc

Inventors

• Tantillo James
• Nadler Michael
• Raymond Andrew

Classifications

• H01B9/001 Primary

  Power supply cables for the electrodes of electric-welding apparatus or electric-arc furnaces · CPC title

• B23K9/32

  Accessories · CPC title

• H01B7/0072

  Electrical cables comprising fluid supply conductors · CPC title

• H01B7/425

  the construction being bendable · CPC title

• H01B13/221

  filling-up interstices · CPC title