The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 19, 2006
Filed:
May. 27, 2003
Applicants:
Tim A. Matus, San Antonio, TX (US);
Lin Zhang, Appleton, WI (US);
Inventors:
Tim A. Matus, San Antonio, TX (US);
Lin Zhang, Appleton, WI (US);
Assignee:
Illinois Tool Works, Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B23K 35/38 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for initiating an arc (e.g., a welding arc) by placing liquid droplets containing ions in the gap between an electrode and a workpiece. This is done while a potential difference is applied between the electrode and the workpiece. The presence of the ions renders the gap between the electrode and the workpiece more conductive, thereby reducing the voltage threshold needed to initiate an arc between the electrode and the workpiece. When the voltage threshold reaches the level of the applied potential difference, the arc will be initiated.