Cartridge for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017042012-A1
Application number	US-201615228758-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 4, 2016
Priority date	Aug 4, 2015
Publication date	Feb 9, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A consumable cartridge for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch is provided. The consumable cartridge comprises a cartridge frame including a proximal end having an end surface, a distal end and a body having a central longitudinal axis extending therethrough. The cartridge configured to form a radio-frequency identification (RFID) interface with a torch head. The consumable cartridge also comprises an arc emitter and an arc constrictor affixed to the cartridge frame at the distal end and an RFID mounting feature formed on or in the cartridge frame adjacent to the end face. The RFID mounting feature is non-concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the body. The consumable cartridge further comprises an RFID tag disposed in or on the RFID mounting feature for transmitting information about the cartridge to a reader device in the torch head when the cartridge is connected to the torch head.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A consumable cartridge for a liquid-cooled plasma arc torch, the consumable cartridge comprising:
a cartridge frame including a proximal end having an end surface, a distal end and a body having a central longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the cartridge configured to form a radio-frequency identification (RFID) interface with a torch head; an arc emitter and an arc constrictor affixed to the cartridge frame at the distal end; an RFID mounting feature formed on or in the cartridge frame adjacent to the end face, the RFID mounting feature being non-concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the body; an RFID tag disposed in or on the RFID mounting feature for transmitting information about the cartridge to a reader device in the torch head when the cartridge is connected to the torch head; and a clocking feature configured to rotationally align the RFID tag to the reader device in the torch head upon connection of the cartridge to the torch head.

2 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the RFID mounting feature comprises a cavity disposed in the body of the cartridge frame.

3 . The consumable cartridge of claim 2 , wherein the RFID tag is embedded in the cavity of the body of the cartridge frame and surrounded by an insulator material of the body.

4 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the body of the cartridge frame is constructed from an insulator material.

5 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the body of the cartridge frame comprises at least one channel for conducting a liquid coolant therethrough.

6 . The consumable cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the at least one channel is configured to substantially align with a corresponding channel of the torch head upon the rotational alignment by the clocking feature to conduct the liquid coolant between the torch head and the cartridge.

7 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the end surface is substantially planar to allow an RFID reader to interrogate the RFID tag from outside of the plasma arc torch.

8 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein, upon the rotational alignment, the RFID tag in the cartridge frame and the reader device in the torch head are oriented such that a central axis extends through a centerline of the RFID tag and a centerline of the reader device.

9 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein, upon the rotational alignment, a first distance between the RFID tag and the reader device is less than a second distance between the RFID tag and adjacent metallic material disposed in the torch head or the cartridge.

10 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the RFID tag is readable from inside or outside of the plasma arc torch.

11 . The consumable cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the clocking feature comprises a cavity configured to receive a clocking pin extending from the torch head.

12 . A consumable cartridge for a liquid-cooled plasma arc cutting torch, the consumable cartridge comprising:
a cartridge tip located at a first portion of the cartridge, the cartridge tip having an electrode, a nozzle, and a shield; a plasma gas inlet opening at a second portion of the consumable cartridge; a shield gas inlet opening at the second portion; an electrode coolant inlet opening at the second portion; a nozzle coolant inlet opening and a nozzle coolant outlet opening at the second portion; and a shield coolant inlet opening and a shield coolant outlet opening at the second portion.

13 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the second portion comprises an end face of a proximal portion of the cartridge.

14 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the end face is substantially planar.

15 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the plasma gas inlet opening, the shield gas inlet opening, the nozzle coolant inlet opening, the nozzle coolant outlet opening, the shield coolant inlet opening and the shield coolant outlet opening are non-concentric relative to a central longitudinal axis of the cartridge.

16 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the nozzle coolant outlet opening is fluidly connected to the shield coolant inlet opening.

17 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , further comprising a clocking pin receptacle at the second portion, the clocking pin receptacle configured to receive a clocking pin of a torch head to radially secure the cartridge to the torch head in a predetermined orientation.

18 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , further comprising:
a cartridge frame having an insulator body, the cartridge frame coupled to the cartridge tip, wherein the plasma gas inlet opening, the shield gas inlet opening, the electrode coolant inlet opening, the nozzle coolant inlet opening, the nozzle coolant outlet opening, the shield coolant inlet opening and the shield coolant outlet opening are located at a proximal end of the insulator body.

19 . The consumable cartridge of claim 18 , further comprising:
a non-concentric cavity disposed in the insulator body of the cartridge frame; and a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag disposed in the cavity.

20 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the plasma gas inlet opening is configured to align with a corresponding opening of a torch head to direct a plasma gas flow from the torch head to the nozzle.

21 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the shield gas inlet opening is in fluid communication with the shield, the shield gas inlet opening configured to align with a corresponding opening of a torch head to direct a shield gas flow to the shield.

22 . The consumable cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the electrode coolant inlet opening maintains at least one of electrical or fluid communication with the electrode, the electrode coolant inlet opening configured to align with a corresponding opening of a torch head to direct at least one of a liquid coolant or a current to the electrode.

23 . The consumable cartridge of claim 22 , wherein the nozzle coolant inlet opening and the nozzle coolant outlet opening are in fluid communication with the nozzle, the nozzle coolant inlet opening and the nozzle coolant outlet opening configured to align with respective ones of corresponding openings on the torch head to direct the liquid coolant between the torch head and the nozzle.

24 . The consumable cartridge of claim 23 , wherein the shield coolant inlet opening and the shield coolant outlet opening are in fluid communication with the shield, the shield coolant inlet opening and the shield coolant outlet opening configured to align with respective ones of corresponding openings on the torch head to direct the liquid coolant between the torch head and the shield.

25 . A consumable cartridge for a liquid-cooled plasma arc cutting torch, the consumable cartridge comprising:
a cartridge tip located at a first portion of the cartridge, the cartridge tip having an electrode, a nozzle, and a shield; and a cartridge frame at a second portion of the cartridge, the cartridge frame comprising a distal end connected to the cartridge tip and a proximal end; the cartridge frame including:
a plasma gas inlet opening at the proximal end configured to maintain fluid communication with the nozzle to introduce a plasma gas flow to the nozzle;
a shield gas inlet opening at the proximal end configured to maintain fluid commun

Assignees

• Hypertherm Inc

Inventors

• Sanders Nicholas A
• Shipulski E Michael
• Hoffa Michael

Classifications

• B23K9/285

  Cooled electrode holders · CPC title

• H05H1/3405 Primary

  Arrangements for stabilising or constricting the arc, e.g. by an additional gas flow · CPC title

• H05H1/36

  Circuit arrangements (H05H1/38, H05H1/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• G06K19/07773

  Antenna details (antennas for wireless devices, e.g. RFID tags, in general H01Q1/22) · CPC title

• H05H1/28 Primary

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title