US 12,109,643 B2
Electrode re-conditioning tool and method of using the same
Eric Gindlesberger, St. Paris, OH (US)
Assigned to KTH PARTS INDUSTRIES, INC., St. Paris, OH (US)
Appl. No. 16/980,216
Filed by KTH PARTS INDUSTRIES, INC., St. Paris, OH (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 20, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/052094
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 11, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/068575, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/735,565, filed on Sep. 24, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0213559 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. B23K 11/36 (2006.01); B23K 11/11 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 11/36 (2013.01) [B23K 11/11 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of conditioning at least one electrode tip surface from: an upper electrode tip surface of an upper electrode, a lower electrode tip surface of a lower electrode, or a combination thereof, the method comprising:
removing material from the at least one electrode tip surface to produce at least one new electrode tip surface from: a new upper electrode tip surface of the upper electrode, a new lower electrode tip surface of the lower electrode, or a combination thereof;
placing a tool in proximity to the at least one new electrode tip surface, the tool having at least one surface from: an upper surface, a lower surface, or a combination thereof, wherein the at least one surface of the tool includes a textured surface, wherein the textured surface is harder than the at least one new electrode tip surface, the tool has a substantially uniform thickness;
squeezing the at least one new electrode tip surface against the tool such that the at least one new electrode tip surface is squeezed against the textured surface, thereby imprinting the texture of the textured surface into the at least one new electrode tip surface; and
reversing the squeezing action and removing the tool from contacting the at least one new electrode tip surface,
wherein the new upper electrode tip surface and the new lower electrode tip surface are flat weld surfaces, and the tool is a plate, with the textured surface thereof being provided at portions of the at least one surface having geometries corresponding with the flat weld surfaces.