Automatic power adjustments based on tubing state detection for tube welding devices
Inventors
Janzen, Jesse • KOLENBRANDER, Jeremy • Ladtkow, James
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12576259-B2
Publication Date
2026-03-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A tube welding device for joining tubes includes a first tube-holding assembly configured to receive a first portion of a first tube and a first portion of a second tube, and a second tube-holding assembly configured to receive a second portion of the first tube and a second portion of the second tube. The first tube-holding assembly includes a first detector, and the second tube-holding assembly includes a second detector. The first and second detectors are configured to detect the presence or absence of fluid in the respective tubes and to generate signals indicative of the same. The tube welding device includes a controller configured to receive the signals, to select an appropriate tube-joining temperature in response to the presence or absence of fluid in the first and second tubes, and to cause an appropriate power level to be sent to a wafer to generate the tube-joining temperature.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a tube welding device for joining two tubes. A first tube-holding assembly receives a first portion of a first tube and a first portion of a second tube, and includes a first detector to detect the presence or absence of fluid in the first tube and generate a first signal indicative of the same. A second tube-holding assembly receives a second portion of the first tube and a second portion of the second tube, and includes a second detector to detect the presence or absence of fluid in the second tube and generate a second signal indicative of the same.
A wafer is disposed between at least a portion of the first tube-holding assembly and at least a portion of the second tube-holding assembly. The tube welding device heats the wafer to a tube-joining temperature and brings the heated wafer into contact with the first and second tubes. A controller receives the first and second signals, selects the tube-joining temperature in response to the presence or absence of fluid in the first and second tubes, and causes an appropriate power level to be sent to the wafer to generate the tube-joining temperature.
The controller uses different tube-joining temperatures or preselected power levels corresponding to fluid states across the first and second tubes, including fluid absent in both, fluid present in one and absent in the other, and fluid present in both. The described arrangement further includes clamp/cavity arrangements and movement so the wafer and clamps transition through positions to form molten tube ends and align and join the molten ends into a continuous tube. The overall purpose stated in the provided material is to avoid burning when fluid is absent and to address weak welds when fluid is present by selecting appropriate tube-joining conditions based on detector signals.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims. Each independent claim centers on detecting fluid presence/absence in first and second tubes using first and second detectors or sensors, and then selecting one of multiple tube-joining temperatures or preselected power levels to control wafer heating and welding outcomes under different fluid state combinations.
Fluid-detected tube-joining temperature selection for wafer heating
A tube welding device for joining two tubes includes a first tube-holding assembly with a first detector to detect the presence or absence of fluid in the first tube and generate a first signal, a second tube-holding assembly with a second detector to detect the presence or absence of fluid in the second tube and generate a second signal, a wafer heated to a tube-joining temperature and brought into contact with the tubes, and a controller configured to receive the first and second signals, select the tube-joining temperature in response to the presence or absence of fluid in the first and second tubes, and cause an appropriate power level to be sent to the wafer to generate the tube-joining temperature.
Supplying preselected power levels based on fluid presence combinations
A method for using a tube welding device includes receiving input from a first sensor aligned with a first clamp to detect a presence or absence of fluid in a first tube, receiving input from a second sensor aligned with a second clamp to detect a presence or absence of fluid in a second tube, and supplying power to a wafer disposed between the first clamp and the second clamp so the supplied power is at a first preselected power level when fluid is absent in both tubes, a second preselected power level greater than the first when fluid is present in one tube and absent in the other, and a third preselected power level greater than the second when fluid is present in both tubes.
Preparing a continuous tube by sensor-based temperature selection plus wafer and clamp repositioning
A method for preparing a continuous tube from a first tube and a second tube includes heating a wafer disposed between a first clamp configured to receive a portion of the first tube and including a first sensor, and a second clamp configured to receive a portion of the second tube and including a second sensor, where the first sensor detects the presence or absence of fluid in the first tube and the second sensor detects the presence or absence of fluid in the second tube, heating the wafer to a first preselected temperature when fluid is absent in both tubes, a second preselected temperature when fluid is present in one tube and absent in the other, and a third preselected temperature when fluid is present in both tubes, moving the wafer from a first wafer position to a second wafer position to form a first molten tube end and a second molten tube end, and moving at least a portion of the first clamp position or of the second clamp position from a first clamp position to a second clamp position to align and join the molten tube ends to form the continuous tube.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage is detecting fluid presence/absence in first and second tube portions using first and second detectors or sensors, and then selecting among multiple tube-joining conditions (tube-joining temperature or preselected power levels) for wafer heating. The claims further cover forming molten tube ends and joining them into a continuous tube via wafer and/or clamp repositioning, with condition selection driven by detected fluid state combinations.
Stated Advantages
Avoid burning when fluid is absent.
Avoid weak welds when fluid is present.
Documented Applications
Preparing a continuous tube from a first tube and a second tube by joining the molten tube ends formed using a wafer and clamps, with heating conditions selected based on fluid presence/absence detection.
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