Abstract:
A modular portable welding wire feeder housed in a easily removable and interchangeable housing. The wire feeder includes a wire feeding module conveniently mounted inside of the housing. The housing is configured so that it may easily be removed from the wire feeing module, thereby allowing the housing to be easily replaced or exchanged as needed by the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention is generally related to a welding wire feeder. More specifically, the present invention relates to a welding wire feeder having a changeable housing. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Welding wire feeder systems are commonly integrated with or used in conjunction with an arc welder to feed a wire electrode to a workpiece. Typically, the wire feeder is used in conjunction with a GMAW or FCAW arc welding process. The normal welding environment is a severe test for welding equipment, especially portable wire feeders. Wire feeders are often dropped, bombarded with sparks from grinding, placed on hot welds and used as step stools and props. Over time, this harsh treatment degrades both the appearance and integrity of a wire feeder&#39;s exterior housing or case. It would be highly desirable to replace the case of a wire feeder once it degrades, particularly if the wire feeder is owned by a rental agency. 
         [0003]    To date, it has generally been difficult to replace a degraded wire feeder case without disassembling the feeder&#39;s functional or electrical components. 
         [0004]    The described invention allows for a wire feeder capable of accepting more than one housing (also known as a case or a skin). The wire feeder is designed in a manner such that the entire internal wire feeder assembly may be easily removed from one housing and placed into another. The housings may be made of plastic, carbon fiber, sheet metal or a combination thereof, as well as other known materials. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    As stated above, the present invention relates to a wire feeder comprising a wire feeding module, a housing configured to enclose the wire feeding module, and one or more attachment means for attaching the housing to the wire feeding module, wherein the wire feeding module is configured to feed wire independent of the housing, and wherein the housing can be removed from the wire feeder without breaking any electrical connections. 
         [0006]    Various embodiments of the present invention will be discussed below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The advantages, nature and various additional features of the invention will appear more fully upon consideration of the illustrative embodiments of the invention, which are schematically set forth in the figures, in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatical representation of a welding wire feeder according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the housing is attached to the wire feeding module. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatical representation of a welding wire feeder wherein according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the wire feeding module is being removed from the housing. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatical representation of a welding wire feeder wherein according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein the wire feeding module has been removed from the housing. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0011]    The welding wire feeder of the present invention allows a user to easily switch between housings on a welding wire feeder. The welding wire feeder has a wire feeding module that operates independently of a welding wire feeder housing. This allows for easy removal of the welding wire feeding module from the housing without breaking any electrical connections and without disassembling functional components of the welding wire feeding module. Accordingly, welding wire feeders made in accordance with the invention disclosed herein allow for the housings of welding wire feeders to be quickly and easily removed and replaced. 
         [0012]    Various embodiments of the present invention will be discussed below with reference to  FIGS. 1-3  wherein similar elements are given the same reference numbers. 
         [0013]    In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a wire feeder  100  includes a wire feeder housing  110 , a wire feeding module  120 , one or more attachment members  130  for securely attaching wire feeder housing  110  to wire feeding module  120 . Wire feeder  100  can also include a carrying handle  150 . In this embodiment, housing  110  includes an access panel  110   a.  Access panel  110   a  is connected to housing  110  by hinges or other known means to allow access panel  110   a  to be easily moved, rotated and/or slid to provide access to the functional components of wire feeding module  120  without removing housing  110  in its entirety. While such an access panel may be included, it is not required. 
         [0014]    In this embodiment, wire feeding module  120  is a fully functional wire feeder that can be operated without housing  110  being attached thereto. No electrical connections are required to be broken when housing  110  is removed from wire feeding module  120 . While it may still be necessary to disconnect a control cable and/or electrode cable when removing the housing, no internal electrical connections inside wire feeding module  120  are required to be broken. Wire feeder  100  is thus able to continue to function even in the absence of wire feeder housing  110 . Because housing  110  serves as a protective housing, and not a functional, integral component of wire feeding module  120 , housing  110  can be easily removed and replaced without affecting the operation of wire feeding module  120 . 
         [0015]    When assembled as shown in  FIG. 1 , housing  110  function as a protective skin covering wire feeding module  120 , prevents deleterious materials, e.g., dirt, sparks, water, from coming in contact with wire feeding module  120 . Unlike in conventional wire feeders, here, housing  110  is not a functional component of the wire feeder  100 , but is instead a protective skin cover the wire feeding module  120 . 
         [0016]    One or more attachment members  130  attach housing  110  to wire feeding module  120 . Attachment members  130  be any type of attachment mechanism that allows secure attachment, e.g., screws, bolts, and pins such as clevis, cotter, or detent ring pins. Other types of attachment mechanisms may, of course, be used. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIGS. 2-3 , a wire feeder  100  can also include a carrying handle  150  and access panel handles  140 . Carrying handle  150  allows a user to transport wire feeder  100  from location to location as needed. Access panel handles  140  provide a means to open access panel  110   a  to gain access to wire feeding module  120  while housing  110  is attached to wire feeding module  120 . 
         [0018]    Wire feeing module  120  may also include an assembly guide  160   a,  and housing  110  may also include an assembly guide  160   b.  Here, assembly guide  160   b  is a raised notch on the interior surface of housing  110  that aligns with an assembly guide  160   a,  shown in  FIGS. 2-3  as a notch on wire feeding module  120 . Other known means can be employed to ensure proper alignment and/or orientation of the wire feeding module  120  with the housing  110 . 
         [0019]    Of course, it is contemplated wire feeder  100  can be configured in any way such that the spirit of the invention is maintained, and the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment discussed above. 
         [0020]    The present invention has been described with certain embodiments and applications. These can be combined and interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Namely, the present invention can be used in any application in which an easily removable housing is desirable, such as a welding or cutting power source. The invention as defined in these appended claims is incorporated by reference herein as if part of the description of the novel features of the present invention.