US 12,325,093 B2
Orbital welding device with simplified handling
Markus Tamm, Uberlingen (DE); and Marcel Foh, Markdorf (DE)
Assigned to Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US)
Appl. No. 17/291,063
Filed by ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC., Glenview, IL (US)
PCT Filed Nov. 1, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/059298
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 4, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/096873, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18205528 (EP), filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0402499 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B23K 9/028 (2006.01); B23K 9/095 (2006.01); B23K 37/02 (2006.01); B23K 101/06 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 9/0286 (2013.01) [B23K 9/0953 (2013.01); B23K 9/0956 (2013.01); B23K 37/027 (2013.01); B23K 2101/06 (2018.08)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orbital welding device, the orbital welding device having a welding current source in a welding current source housing and a base controller therein or thereon and having an orbital welding head, which is separate from the welding current source housing and is connected to the welding current source by means of a cable, the orbital welding head having a pipe mount and a welding electrode holder, which is mounted rotatably with respect to the pipe mount and is intended for holding a welding electrode, the orbital welding device having a motor, which is configured to drive the welding electrode holder and thus turn it with respect to the pipe mount, the orbital welding head having a chamber for shielding gas, which is configured to surround a welding electrode of the orbital welding head and substantially seal it off from the outside during a welding process, the orbital welding head having an electrical circuit,
wherein the electrical circuit is connected to a position sensor, the position sensor being configured to generate a position value, the position sensor being arranged in a fixed relative position with respect to the pipe mount and in a movable relative position with respect to the welding electrode holder, and the position value representing an orientation of the pipe mount with respect to gravitational force.