JP6169472B2 - Welding machine and relay device for welding machine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a welding machine capable of using a plurality of welding torches and a relay device used therefor.

  There is known a welding machine that can use two or more welding torches for one welding power source device that generates welding power. For example, in the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, two sets of output terminals (cable connection ports) are provided in the welding power source device, and cables extending from the welding torch are connected to the respective output terminals, and the welding power source device generates the welding power source device. By supplying electric power from each output terminal to the welding torch through a cable, welding work can be performed with each individual welding torch.

JP 2001-321939 A

  However, the welding power supply apparatus having two sets of output terminals is usually different from the general-purpose welding power supply apparatus having one set of output terminals. That is, it is necessary to manufacture separately on the manufacturer side, and it is necessary to purchase separately on the user side.

  Therefore, it is considered that a plurality of welding torches can be used by using a general-purpose welding power supply device having a set of output terminals. However, as another problem when a plurality of welding torches can be used, If the output voltage is applied to the welding torch at the same time and the welding torch on the unused side may come into contact with the worker or the surroundings, there is a concern about safety, and therefore sufficient consideration is required.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a welding machine capable of improving versatility and safety while using a plurality of welding torches. It is to provide a relay device to be used.

  A welding machine that solves the above problems is a welding machine that includes a welding power source device that generates welding power, and a welding torch that receives the generated welding power and welds a welding target. A relay device that is arranged on an electrical path between a welding power source device and the welding torch or its peripheral device, and is configured such that a plurality of the welding torch or its peripheral device can be connected to one welding power source device. The relay device uses one welding torch on the side to be used and detects that another welding torch on the side not to be used is housed in an insulating torch holder. A welding permission determination unit is provided that allows welding by the welding torch on the side and prohibits welding by the welding torch in other situations.

  According to this configuration, a relay device that can connect the welding power supply device and the welding torch (or its surrounding device) in a one-to-many manner is used, and by integrating the functions in this relay device, the welding power supply device and the welding torch are used. A general-purpose product can be used for (or a peripheral device thereof). In addition, this relay device has a function for judging whether or not welding is permitted, and it is detected that one welding torch is used on the side to be used and another welding torch on the side not to be used is housed in an insulating torch holder. Then, welding with the use side welding torch is permitted. In other situations, welding with a welding torch is not possible. In other words, since the welding torch on the unused side is housed in the insulating torch holder and cannot be easily touched by workers and surroundings, welding with the welding torch on the used side is permitted. Can also be expected.

  In the welding machine, the welding torch holds a wire electrode that is consumed during welding, and includes a feeding device that feeds the wire electrode as a peripheral device of the welding torch. The torch holder that stores the welding torch is preferably provided in the feeding device.

  According to this configuration, the torch holder that stores the welding torch is provided in the feeding device that feeds the wire electrode to the welding torch. That is, it is reasonable to provide the torch holder in the feeding device installed around the welding torch.

  In the above welding machine, the relay device may not output an operation signal from the operation switch of the welding torch to the welding power supply device side when the welding permission determination unit determines that welding is not possible. It is preferable to disable welding with a torch.

  According to this configuration, when the welding permission determination unit determines that welding is not possible, the relay device does not output an operation signal from the operation switch of the welding torch to the welding power supply device side, so that welding by the welding torch is disabled. Therefore, it can be easily handled.

  Further, a relay device for a welding machine that solves the above-described problem is a connection between a welding power supply device that generates welding power and a welding torch that receives the generated welding power and welds a welding target or a peripheral device thereof. The welding power relay device is configured to be connected to a plurality of the welding torches or their peripheral devices for one welding power supply device, and the welding torch on the side to be used is 1 On the other hand, based on the detection that the other welding torch on the unused side is housed in the insulating torch holder, welding by the welding torch on the used side is permitted. In other situations, the welding torch is used. A welding permission determination unit that disables welding is provided.

  By using the relay device of this configuration for a welding machine, it is possible to use general-purpose products for the welding power source device and the welding torch (or its peripheral device), and the relay device has a function of performing welding permission determination. Therefore, improvement in safety can be expected.

  According to the welding machine and the welding relay device of the present invention, it is possible to improve versatility and safety while using a plurality of welding torches.

It is a lineblock diagram of a welding machine in one embodiment. It is a table for demonstrating welding conditions.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a welding machine using a relay device will be described.
A welding machine 10 of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is a consumable electrode type arc welding machine, and includes a relay device 14 in addition to a welding power source device 11, welding torches 12A and 12B, and feeding devices 13A and 13B.

  The welding power supply device 11 is configured by, for example, a general-purpose (general) power supply device having a set of output terminals 11a and 11b and a control terminal 11c. The welding power supply device 11 can output the generated welding power from a set of output terminals 11a and 11b to the outside. Further, the welding power source device 11 is provided with a control terminal 11c that exchanges signals such as control signals with the feeding devices 13A and 13B and the welding torches 12A and 12B. And the plus side power line 15a is connected to the plus side output terminal 11a of the welding power source device 11, the minus side power line 16 is connected to the minus side output terminal 11b, and the control line 17a is connected to the control terminal 11c. The plus side power line 15a and the control line 17a are connected to the relay device 14, and the minus side power line 16 is connected to the base material M to be welded.

  The relay device 14 can be connected to one set of the plus power line 15a and the control line 17a in connection with the welding power source device 11 side, and is connected to the feeding devices 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B) side. In connection, two sets of positive power lines 15b and 15c and control lines 17b and 17c can be connected. The plus side power line 15b and the control line 17b are connected to the first feeding device 13A, and the plus side power line 15c and the control line 17c are connected to the second feeding device 13B.

  The first and second feeding devices 13A and 13B supply power to the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B connected to the first and second feeding devices 13A and 13B, respectively. To pay. Incidentally, the plus side power line 15b and the control line 17b connected to the first feeding device 13A and the plus side power line 15c and the control line 17c connected to the second feeding device 13B are the same as those of the welding power source device 11. Each of the positive side output terminal 11a and the control terminal 11c can be connected. That is, normal use in which the welding power supply device 11 and the welding torches 12A and 12B (feeding devices 13A and 13B) are connected one-to-one without using the relay device 14 is also possible.

  Each of the feeding devices 13A and 13B is provided with insulating torch holders 18A and 18B that can accommodate the welding torches 12A and 12B, respectively, and at least when the welding torches 12A and 12B are accommodated in the holders 18A and 18B. The electrode portion can be stored so as not to be exposed to the outside. The torch holders 18A and 18B are provided with detection switches SW1 and SW2 such as microswitches, respectively. The detection switches SW1 and SW2 are switches that are turned on when the welding torches 12A and 12B are normally stored in the torch holders 18A and 18B.

  The welding torches 12A and 12B supply welding power to the wire electrodes and hold the wire electrodes so that they can be fed. The welding torches 12A and 12B are configured so that a welding operator or the like can grip them, and an arc is generated between the wire electrode (not shown) and the base material M based on the supply of welding power, and the operator's The base material M is welded based on the operation of the welding torches 12A and 12B. Each welding torch 12A, 12B is provided with an operation switch (not shown), and an operation signal output from each operation switch is transmitted to the relay device 14 via the control lines 17b, 17c, and from the relay device 14, respectively. It is output to the welding power source device 11 through the control line 17a.

Next, the operation (action) of the welding machine 10 including the relay device 14 will be described.
The relay device 14 includes a welding permission determination unit 14a that performs a welding permission determination in accordance with the storage status of the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B. As specifically shown in FIG. 2, the welding permission determination unit 14 a classifies the welding permission determination in four situations.

  First, in a situation where the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B are normally housed in the torch holders 18A and 18B and welding is not performed, that is, in a situation where both the detection switches SW1 and SW2 are on, the welding permission determination unit. 14a sets the welding permission determination to “impossible”. Therefore, the relay device 14 does not output the operation signal to the welding power source device 11 in order to invalidate the operation by the operation switch of each welding torch 12A, 12B.

  Next, the first welding torch 12A is normally stored in the torch holder 18A, and the second welding torch 12B is taken out from the torch holder 18B and welding is performed (see FIG. 1), that is, the detection switch SW1 is turned on, the detection switch In a situation where SW2 is off, the welding permission determination unit 14a sets the welding permission determination to “permitted”. Therefore, the relay device 14 outputs an operation signal from the welding torch 12B to the welding power source device 11 side in order to validate the operation switch of the second welding torch 12B. In response, the welding power source device 11 generates welding power based on the operation of the second welding torch 12B, and supplies the welding power to the second welding torch 12B through the power line 15a, the relay device 14, and the power line 15c. Thus, welding by the welding torch 12B becomes possible.

  In this case, welding power from the welding power source device 11 is also supplied from the relay device 14 to the first welding torch 12A through the power line 15b. However, the welding torch 12A is normally stored in the insulating torch holder 18A. Therefore, it is in a situation in which the worker and the surroundings cannot easily touch the electrode portion of the welding torch 12A.

  Next, the second welding torch 12B is normally stored in the torch holder 18B, the first welding torch 12A is taken out from the torch holder 18A, and welding is performed, that is, the relationship between the above and the welding torches 12A and 12B is reversed. Even in the situation, the welding permission determination unit 14a sets the welding permission determination to “permitted”, and the first welding torch 12A can be welded as described above. Also in this case, since the second welding torch 12B is normally stored in the insulating torch holder 18B, the electrode portion of the welding torch 12B to which the welding power is supplied can be easily touched by an operator or a surrounding person. The situation is impossible.

  Finally, in a situation where the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B are taken out from the respective torch holders 18A and 18B, that is, in a situation where the detection switches SW1 and SW2 are both turned off, the welding permission determination unit 14a determines the welding permission. Is “impossible”. Therefore, the relay device 14 does not output the operation signal to the welding power source device 11 side in order to invalidate the operations by the operation switches of the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B. That is, in this situation, the welding power source 11 does not generate welding power, and each welding is taken out from the torch holders 18A and 18B and can be touched by the worker and the surrounding person. Electric power is not supplied to the torches 12A and 12B. Incidentally, the welding power source apparatus 11 may display an error message indicating that welding is not possible even though the operation switches of the welding torches 12A and 12B are operated.

  As described above, the relay device 14 used in the welding machine 10 of the present embodiment uses only one of the first and second welding torches 12A and 12B, and the welding torch 12A and 12B on the unused side serves as the torch holder 18A. , 18B has a determination function so that it can be used only when it is normally stored, and sufficient consideration is given to safety.

Next, characteristic effects of the present embodiment will be described.
(1) A relay device 14 that can connect the welding power supply device 11 and the feeding devices 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B) in a one-to-many manner is used. General-purpose products can be used for the power supply device 11 and the feeding devices 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B). In addition, the relay device 14 is provided with a welding permission determination unit 14a, the use side has one welding torch 12A, 12B, and the other use side torch holders 12A, 12B have insulating torch holders 18A, 18B. When it is detected that it is housed inside, welding by the use side welding torches 12A and 12B is permitted. In other situations, welding with the welding torches 12A and 12B is disabled. In other words, the welding torches 12A and 12B on the use side are welded in a situation where the unused welding torches 12A and 12B are housed in the insulating torch holders 18A and 18B and cannot be easily touched by workers and surroundings. Since it is permitted, it can be expected to improve safety.

  (2) The torch holders 18A and 18B that house the welding torches 12A and 12B are provided in the feeding devices 13A and 13B that feed the wire electrodes to the welding torches 12A and 12B. That is, it is reasonable to provide the torch holders 18A and 18B in the feeding devices 13A and 13B installed around the welding torches 12A and 12B.

  (3) When the welding permission determination unit 14a determines that welding is not possible, the relay device 14 does not output an operation signal from the operation switch of the welding torch 12A, 12B to the welding power source 11 side, and the welding torch 12A, 12B. Since it was set as the structure which cannot weld, it can respond easily.

In addition, you may change the said embodiment as follows.
The relay device 14 is configured to connect the welding power source device 11 and the feeding devices 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B) in a one-to-two manner, but may be configured to be connectable in a one-to-three or more manner. .

  -Although it was the structure which uses one relay device 14 between welding power supply device 11 and feeding device 13A, 13B (welding torch 12A, 12B), two or more relay devices 14 are connected in series, and a feeding device The number of connections of 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B) may be increased.

  When it is determined that welding is not possible, the relay device 14 does not output the operation signal from the operation switch of the welding torch 12A, 12B to the welding power source device 11 side, so that welding by the welding torch 12A, 12B is disabled. Although the operation signal is temporarily output to the welding power source 11 and the power generation operation is performed by the welding power source 11, the relay device 14 outputs the power to the feeding devices 13A and 13B (welding torches 12A and 12B). It is good also as an aspect which is not made to do.

  Although applied to the consumable electrode type welding machine 10 that feeds the wire electrode to the welding torches 12A and 12B, it may be applied to a non-consumable electrode type welding machine, and in this case, the feeding devices 13A and 13B Is omitted, and the relay device 14 and the welding torches 12A and 12B are directly connected.

  -It is good also as a structure which installs torch holder 18A, 18B in surrounding members other than feeding apparatus 13A, 13B.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Welding machine 11 Welding power supply device 12A 1st welding torch 12B 2nd welding torch 13A 1st feeding apparatus (ambient apparatus)
13B Second feeding device (peripheral device)
14 relay device 14a welding permission determination unit 18A torch holder 18B torch holder M base material (welding target)

Claims (4)

A welding machine including a welding power source that generates power for welding and a welding torch that receives the generated power for welding and welds a welding target,
A relay that is arranged on an electric path between the welding power supply device and the welding torch or its peripheral device, and is configured such that a plurality of the welding torch or its peripheral device can be connected to one welding power supply device. With the device,
The relay device uses one welding torch on the side to be used and uses the welding torch on the side to be used based on the detection that the other welding torch on the side not to be used is housed in an insulating torch holder. A welding machine comprising a welding permission determination unit that permits welding by the above-described method and prohibits welding by a welding torch in other situations. The welding machine according to claim 1,
The welding torch is intended to hold a wire electrode that is consumed during welding, and includes a feeding device that feeds the wire electrode as a peripheral device of the welding torch,
The welding machine, wherein the torch holder that houses the welding torch is provided in the feeding device. The welding machine according to claim 1 or 2,
The relay device prohibits welding by the welding torch by not outputting an operation signal from the operation switch of the welding torch to the welding power source device side when the welding permission determining unit determines that welding is not possible. A welding machine characterized by that. A welding power supply device that generates welding power and a welding torch that receives the generated welding power and welds a welding target or a peripheral device thereof is disposed on the electric circuit. A plurality of welding torches or a peripheral device for the welding machine configured to be connectable to the welding torch,
Based on the detection that one welding torch on the use side and another welding torch on the non-use side are housed in an insulating torch holder, welding by the use welding torch is permitted. A relay device for a welding machine, comprising a welding permission determination unit that disables welding by a welding torch in other situations.