US 11,904,414 B2
Welding of can bodies
Joao Fernando Fanico Martins, Oxfordshire (GB); Mark David Sollis, Oxfordshire (GB); and Stephen Robert Arnell, Wiltshire (GB)
Assigned to Crown Packaging Technology, Inc., Alsip, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/276,528
Filed by CROWN PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY, INC., Alsip, IL (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/GB2019/052595
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/058683, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 26, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 1815121 (GB), filed on Sep. 17, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0032405 A1, Feb. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B23K 37/00 (2006.01); B23K 31/12 (2006.01); B23K 37/04 (2006.01); B23K 37/053 (2006.01); B23K 11/06 (2006.01); B23K 101/12 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 31/125 (2013.01) [B23K 37/0443 (2013.01); B23K 37/0535 (2013.01); B23K 11/066 (2013.01); B23K 2101/125 (2018.08)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Apparatus for controlling a welding station used for welding seams extending along cylindrical can bodies, the welding station comprising a pair of welding rolls and a calibration unit for causing a desired cylinder overlap during welding, said calibration unit being adjustable along at least three different adjustment axes, and the apparatus comprising:
a weld monitor configured to monitor welded seams and provide an electrical signal indicative of weld thickness at a series of predetermined points along the seam length;
a controller configured to receive said electrical signal and to be responsive to the signal to generate one or more control electrical signals;
a plurality of adjustment mechanisms for coupling to the calibration unit, or forming part of the calibration unit, said adjustment mechanisms configured to receive the one or more control electrical signals and to be responsive thereto to adjust the calibration unit relative to one or more of said three adjustment axes, to provide the desired cylinder overlap and/or a desired weld quality.