Hypertherm, Inc.

Michael F Kornprobst

Yu Zhang

Zheng Duan

Junsong Mao

E Michael Shipulski

Jon W Lindsay

Peter J Twarog

Jesse A Roberts

David Jonathan Cook

Zhipeng Lu

Brett Andrew Hansen

Stephen Theodore Eickhoff

Garrett K Quillia

Sung Je Kim

Dennis M Borowy

Mahyar Esmaili

Shreyansh Patel

David Agan

Ronald E Morris

Jeffrey Cornish

Richard R Gray, Jr

Josh Murray

Lisa Nadeau

Nick Pecor

Jeffery Cornish

An electrode for a plasma arc torch includes a generally cylindrical elongated body formed of an electrically conductive material. The elongated body includes a proximal end that connects to a power supply and a distal end that receives an emissive element. The electrode can include a flange that is disposed about a surface relative to the distal end of the elongated body, extends radially from the surface of the elongated body, and is utilized to establish a uniform gas flow distribution of a plasma gas flow about the distal end of the elongated body. The electrode can include a contact element that is in electrical communication with the proximal end of the electrode. The contact element includes seating portion that has an outer width that is greater than the outermost diameter of the electrode body and is configured to position the contact element within the plasma arc torch.

Apparatus and method for securing a plasma torch electrode

A plasma arc cutting system includes a power supply and a plasma torch attachable to the power supply. The plasma torch generates a plasma arc for cutting a workpiece. A reader is associated with the plasma torch. The reader is capable of reading stored data from an identification device located on a cartridge or a consumable component of the plasma arc cutting system. A controller is within the plasma arc cutting system and in communication with the power supply. The controller is capable of automatically establishing operating parameters of the plasma arc cutting system based upon the data stored on the identification device. An override feature allows a user of the plasma arc cutting system to override the automatically established operating parameters of the torch and to input user selected operating parameters.

Plasma torch with LCD display with settings adjustment and fault diagnosis

A portable plasma cutting system includes a power supply and a torch attachable to the power supply. The torch generates a plasma arc for cutting a workpiece. A gas valve is disposed in the system or the torch. The gas valve establishes a gas flow rate or a gas pressure in the torch. A controller is within the system and in communication with the power supply. The controller is capable of automatically manipulating the gas valve to establish the gas flow rate or pressure based upon a predetermined operating condition. A user activated switch is in communication with the controller. The switch has a first setting which causes the controller to automatically establish the gas flow rate or pressure based upon the predetermined operating condition, and a second setting which causes the controller to establish one of a user-determined gas flow rate or a user-determined gas pressure.

In some aspects, nozzles for plasma torches can include a nozzle body having a proximal end and a distal end that define a nozzle body length and a longitudinal axis. The body can include an exit orifice defined by the distal end; a plenum extending from the proximal end to a plenum floor, a distance from the plenum floor to the distal end defining a plenum floor thickness, and a distance from the plenum floor to the proximal end defining a proximal end height; and a bore extending from the plenum floor to the exit orifice that has a bore length and a bore width. The nozzle body has a nozzle width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. The nozzle body length is greater than the width and a ratio of the proximal end height to the plenum floor thickness is less than 2.0.

Devices for gas cooling plasma arc torches and related systems and methods

Apparatus and methods for thermally processing a workpiece include directing a plasma arc to the workpiece and using a dielectric shield or dielectric coating to protect a forward portion (e.g., a torch head) of a plasma arc torch. The dielectric shield or dielectric coating covers a nozzle disposed within the torch head and protects the nozzle from the effects of slag and double arcing. The shield also improves operator visibility due to the spatial relationship between the dielectric shield and the nozzle.

Dielectric devices for a plasma arc torch

An improved system for cooling a power supply of a welding or plasma cutting system, and an improved configuration of a power supply. The system cools achieves the improvement in configuration and cooling by mounting electrical components to a circuit board and then to a heat sink. Electrical components are also mounted to a common panel that improves the circulation of air. A central panel supporting the power supply heat sink and components allows a smaller and more compact design while maintaining proper temperatures. Electromagnet cooling is improved by modifying electromagnetic cores to conduct heat to the heat sink, and by the use of thermally conducting polymers.

Power supply cooling apparatus and configuration

A translatable nozzle is supported in a contact start plasma arc torch at an aft end by a swirl ring and at a longitudinally spaced forward end by an insulative bearing member of a nozzle retainer. The nozzle is biased into contact with an electrode by a compliant spring element. A pilot arc is formed by first passing current through the electrode and nozzle. Upon pressurization of a plasma chamber formed therebetween, the nozzle is translated forward, compressing the spring element and initiating the pilot arc. The spring element may be maintained integrally with the nozzle to facilitate removal and replacement of the spring element with the consumable nozzle.

Blow forward contact start plasma arc torch with distributed nozzle

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Lebanon, NH, United States of America

Michael F Kornprobst