Patent Publication Number: US-2009230118-A1

Title: Water-cooler compatible cylinder tray for welding machine

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Non-provisional Patent Application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/036,665, entitled “Water-Cooler Compatible Cylinder Tray on MIG Welding Machine”, filed Mar. 14, 2008, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates generally to welding machines, and more particularly to systems for securing accessory equipment, such as water coolers and gas cylinders, to welding machines. 
     Welding guns are a key component of any welding system and can reach extreme temperatures during operations due to their close proximity to the welding arc. Accordingly, some welding guns are provided with convection cooling systems, such as air-cooled systems and water-cooled systems for proper gun maintenance. Water-cooled guns dissipate heat at faster rates than do air-cooled guns, minimizing heat buildup and operating temperatures. However, water-cooled systems necessitate somewhat bulky water coolers that, if the welder is to be moved, require their own cart, thereby reducing their practicality, or at least their convenience in industrial applications. Since welding systems must be transported to the welding site, air-cooled systems are often chosen for their portability. 
     Choosing between a water-cooled and an air-cooled system becomes a tradeoff between productivity and portability, giving rise to an engineering problem. Incorporation of the water cooler on the self-contained welding power source unit that sits on wheels would allow the portability of an air-cooled system to be combined with the productivity of a water-cooled system. Therefore, there exists a need for improved welding systems that incorporate the additional components of a water-cooled system on the single mobile unit. Such a system would allow for the cooling capabilities of water-cooled systems to be fully recognized in industrial practice. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides a novel system for securing accessory equipment to a welding machine designed to respond to such needs. The invention allows for the incorporation of a water cooler onto a welding power source or along with a gas cylinder where desired. In particular, the invention provides a tray secured to the lower portion of a welding machine and a holder secured to the upper portion of the welding machine for stabilization and support of a water cooler and/or a gas cylinder in recesses formed for this purpose. Risers or lifting tabs may be provided on the tray, which form a recess for placement of the water cooler and/or gas cylinder and that may also facilitate unloading the gas cylinder. The tray may be designed to support axles for receiving wheels to enable portability of the system. Certain embodiments provide a restraining member, such as a chain, bracket, and so forth, which fits into apertures in the holder and surrounds the water cooler and/or gas cylinder. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an exemplary welding system illustrating a bracket and a tray that secure a gas cylinder in accordance with aspects of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of the exemplary welding system of  FIG. 1  securing a water cooler on a tray with a bracket; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded top perspective view of the exemplary welding system of  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of an exemplary bracket for securement of a single gas cylinder or water cooler on a tray; 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of an exemplary tray for securement of a single gas cylinder or water cooler; 
         FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of an exemplary welding system securing both a gas cylinder and a water cooler on a tray with a bracket; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded top perspective view of the exemplary welding system of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of an exemplary bracket for securement of both a gas cylinder and a water cooler on a tray; and 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view of an exemplary tray for securement of both a gas cylinder and a water cooler. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary welding system  10 , which powers, controls, and provides supplies to a welding operation. The side of a welding machine  12  that faces the welder contains a control panel  14  through which the welder may control the supply of welding materials, such as gas flow, wire feed, and so forth, to the welding gun  16 . The portability of the welding system  10  depends on a set of smaller front wheels  18  and a set of larger back wheels  20 , which enable the welder to move the welding system  10  to the location of the weld. 
     A tray  22  with a set of risers or lifting tabs  24  is used in combination with a bracket  26  containing apertures  28  and a securement apparatus  30  to secure a gas cylinder  32  on the rear portion of the welding machine  12 . The bracket  26  is secured to the upper portion of the back side of the welding machine  12  and, in the illustrated embodiment, forms a square recess in which the top portion of the cylinder  32  is positioned. It should be appreciated, however, that the particular form and shape of such recesses may differ, particularly upon the anticipated shape or configuration of the items to be received and supported on the tray. A securement apparatus  30  fits in the apertures  28  and extends around the top portion of the gas cylinder  32  to secure it within the bracket  26 . The securement apparatus  30  may be but is not limited to a chain, rope, a metal bracket, and so forth. The tray  22  is positioned on the lower portion of the back side of the welding machine  12 . The set of risers or lifting tabs  24  creates a recess in the tray  22  in which the bottom portion of the gas cylinder  32  is placed for stabilization. The corners of the risers or lifting tabs  24  may be different shapes, such as square, circular, and so forth. In certain embodiments, the risers or lifting tabs  24  may be secured to the tray  22  permanently. In other embodiments, the risers or lifting tabs  24  may be removably secured for ease of loading and unloading of the gas cylinder  32 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a further embodiment of the welding system  10  of  FIG. 1  in which the gas cylinder is replaced by a water cooler  36 . In this embodiment, the lower portion of the water cooler  36  is secured against the back panel  38  of the welding machine by a tray  22  with risers or lifting tabs  24 . The top portion of the water cooler  36  is secured with a square bracket  26 . The geometry of the present invention allows for the addition of water cooling capabilities without sacrificing the portability of the welding system since the water cooler  36  is still placed on a unit with two sets of wheels  18 ,  20 . Many water coolers will include refrigeration systems that are powered by external power sources, and the welding machine  12  may provide such a power source (e.g, an auxiliary power receptacle) into which a water cooler power cable can plug, eliminating the need for extension cords, reducing wire clutter, and making the entire system transportable as a collective unit. The versatility of the tray  22  and bracket  26  securement system of the present invention allows for easy conversion of the welding system  10  between water and air cooled operation modes. Similarly, the tray and bracket may be sold and installed as an option or retrofitted kit, making existing systems convertible to accommodate water coolers and/or such coolers with gas cylinder. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded top perspective view of the exemplary welding system  10  of  FIG. 2 . The back panel  38  of the welding machine  12  may contain apertures for system exhaust, power plugs, gas lines, and so forth (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the tray  22  is secured to the bottom portion of the welding machine  12  and supports two axles  40  extending laterally from the tray  22  for receiving wheels  20 . The bracket  26  secures to the upper portion of the back wall  38  of the welding machine  12 . In other configurations, the axle and wheels may be separately supported, such as directly on the welding machine enclosure or frame. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the bracket  26  used to secure the upper portion of the water cooler  36  or gas cylinder  32 , which fit into the square recess  34 . Apertures  28  on the two extensions from the base of the bracket  26  may be outfitted with a securement apparatus. Large apertures  42  provide additional means for securing the water cooler  36  to the bracket. Small apertures  44  allow for securement of the bracket  26  to the back panel  38  of the welding machine  12 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the tray  22  used to support and secure the lower portion of the water cooler  36  or the gas cylinder  32 . A recess is formed between the risers or lifting tabs  24  and the lower bracket  46  in which the bottom portion of the water cooler  36  or the gas cylinder  32  is positioned. Axles  40  extend outward from both sides of the tray  22  to support wheels  20  for portability. Loopholes  48  and apertures  50  on either side of the tray  22  allow it to be removably secured to the welding machine  12 , enabling easy replacement and transfer between machines. 
       FIG. 6  is a further embodiment of the exemplary welding system  10  of  FIG. 1 , securing both a gas cylinder  32  and a water cooler  36  on the rear portion of the welding machine  12 . In this embodiment, the lower portion of the water cooler  36  and the lower portion of the gas cylinder  32  are secured against the back panel  38  of the welding machine (see  FIG. 7 ) by a double tray  54 . A double bracket  52  is secured to the upper portion of the back side of the welding machine  12 . The double bracket  52  contains a first recess against which the top portion of the water cooler  36  is positioned and a second recess in which the top portion of the gas cylinder  32  is positioned. Here again, the particular form and shape of these recesses may differ, with presently contemplated configurations including rectangular and round recesses, although other configurations may be used. Securement apparatuses  30  fit in the apertures  28  (see  FIG. 8 ) and extend around the top portion of the gas cylinder  32  and the water cooler  36  to secure them within the double bracket  52 . The securement apparatuses  30  may be but are not limited to chains, ropes, metal brackets, and so forth. In this embodiment, the traditionally supported gas cylinder  32  need not be removed from the welding system for the incorporation of the water cooler  36 . Furthermore, a set of small wheels  18  and a set of large wheels  20  still connect to the welding system  10  to avoid a loss of portability. Moreover, as in the case of the first embodiment, the double tray and bracket may be provided as an option and may be retrofitted to existing welding machines where a water cooler and/or gas cylinder were previously separately supported. 
       FIG. 7  is an exploded top perspective view of the exemplary welding system of  FIG. 6 . The back panel  38  of the welding machine  12  may contain apertures for system exhaust, electrical power plugs (e.g., for powering the water cooler), gas lines, and so forth (not shown). The double tray  54  is secured to the bottom portion of the welding machine  12  and supports two axles  40  extending laterally from the tray  54  for receiving wheels  20 . 
     The double bracket  52  illustrated in  FIG. 8  secures to the upper portion of the back wall  38  of the welding machine  12 . In one embodiment, an L-shaped abutment bracket  56  removably secures to the top of one round recess to create a flat surface against which the water cooler  36  may be secured. The abutment bracket  56  contains small apertures  58  for securement to the double bracket  52  and the water cooler  36 . Small apertures  60  on the double bracket  52  provide means for securement to the back of the welding machine  12 . Additional apertures  62  provide means for an additional abutment bracket to be added to the second round recess of the double bracket  52 . In this embodiment, the addition or removal of abutment brackets  56  outfits the double bracket  52  for use with various combinations of gas cylinders  32  and/or water coolers  36 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates the double tray  54  that is used to support the water cooler  36  and the gas cylinder  32  in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6 . The double tray  54  supports axles  40  extending laterally outward for receiving wheels to maintain portability of the welding system  10 . A bracket  64  with a back panel  66  attaches to the double tray  54  and provides a recess in which the water cooler  36  and gas cylinder  32  are secured. Additional apertures  68  on the top of the bracket  64  provide additional securement means. 
     While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.