Patents by Inventor Bruce Patrick Albrecht

Bruce Patrick Albrecht has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20180207743
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source that includes a power source housing and an engine arranged in the power source housing to supply electrical power. An energy storage device is included that is in rechargeable association with the internal combustion engine and arranged to provide welding-type power for at least a given period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20180117702
    Abstract: Methods and devices for control for an automated welding system are provided. Disclosed control methods may include receiving a data set including one or more features of a joint to be welded and receiving a weld procedure for the joint to be welded. The weld procedure for the joint is determined based on a sample virtual weld performed by an operator, a stored procedure developed for a substantially similar weld joint, or a combination thereof. The method may further include determining one or more desired changes to the weld procedure based on the received features of the joint to be welded and generating an updated weld procedure by altering one or more parameters of the received weld procedure in accordance with the one or more desired changes, wherein the one or more parameters are included within a predetermined allowable data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Todd Gerald Batzler, Michael Leo Weller
  • Patent number: 9925614
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source that includes a power source housing and an engine arranged in the power source housing to supply electrical power. An energy storage device is included that is in rechargeable association with the internal combustion engine and arranged to provide welding-type power for at least a given period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Patent number: 9862051
    Abstract: A welding system or an enterprise using welding systems can communicate with cloud-based resources for the provision of services and products to facilitate the welding operations. The communications may be via wired or wireless media, and may be direct, or through other components, such as enterprise networks, peripheral devices, and so forth. The cloud-based resources may provide for storage of data, particularly welding data, processing of data, welding protocols, specifications and processes, financial transactions for the purchase, licensing or use of welding-related products and services, welding training, and so forth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Quinn William Schartner, Edward J. Panelli
  • Patent number: 9855622
    Abstract: Methods and devices for control for an automated welding system are provided. Disclosed control methods may include receiving a data set including one or more features of a joint to be welded and receiving a weld procedure for the joint to be welded. The weld procedure for the joint is determined based on a sample virtual weld performed by an operator, a stored procedure developed for a substantially similar weld joint, or a combination thereof. The method may further include determining one or more desired changes to the weld procedure based on the received features of the joint to be welded and generating an updated weld procedure by altering one or more parameters of the received weld procedure in accordance with the one or more desired changes, wherein the one or more parameters are included within a predetermined allowable data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Todd Gerald Batzler, Michael Leo Weller
  • Publication number: 20170200384
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for weld training are provided. An example weld training system includes a display device, an input device, a processor, and a machine readable storage device comprising machine readable instructions. The instructions may be executed by the processor to: enable the user to design a weld procedure by selecting weld parameters; enabling the user to simulate setting up a simulated physical welding environment; simulating a welding operation on a simulated workpiece using the selected weld parameters in a welding model and a setup of the simulated physical welding environment to determine a modeled result of the welding operation; displaying a simulation animation of the welding operation on the display device according to the simulation; and displaying the modeled result on the display device using at least one of an image of a surface of a weld bead or a cross-section of the weld bead and the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20170200395
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for weld training are provided. An example weld training system includes a computing device comprising a display device on a first side and a camera on a second side, the computing device configured to: capture images with the camera; process the captured images to identify a first simulation device as a simulation weld torch and a second simulation device as a simulation workpiece; and display images of a simulated welding operation on the display device of the computing device based on analyzing the captured images to detect indicia of weld performance, the images of the simulated welding operation reflecting the indicia of weld performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Joseph C. Schneider
  • Patent number: 9676050
    Abstract: Embodiments of a welding system including a controller adapted to implement a lockout mechanism are provided. The controller may be adapted to selectively activate a learn mode and a use mode of a component of the welding system. When the learn mode is activated, the controller receives an allowable data set and stores the allowable data set to memory. When the use mode is activated, the controller receives an operational data set, references the allowable data set to check if the operational data set is allowable, logs the operational data set and enables the component of the welding system to operate when the operational data set is allowable, and disables the component of the welding system when the operational data set is not allowable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20170157693
    Abstract: An automated welding system includes a welding robot and control circuitry. The welding bug robot includes a welding torch. The welding bug robot is configured to move on a track disposed around a circumference of a first pipe and perform a root pass welding operation at a joint between the first pipe and a second pipe. The control circuitry is configured to control movement of the welding bug robot around the circumference of the first pipe, apply a high energy welding phase via the welding torch to establish a first root condition, and apply a low energy welding phase via the welding torch to establish a second root condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Steven Edward Barhorst
  • Publication number: 20170057012
    Abstract: Laser hybrid welding systems adapted to identify and/or fix a weld defect occurring during a laser hybrid welding process are provided. Embodiments of the laser hybrid welding system may include one or more devices that provide feedback to a controller regarding one or more weld parameters. One embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes sensors that are adapted to measure the weld voltage and/or amperage during the welding process and transmit the acquired data to the controller for processing. Another embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes a lead camera and a lag camera that film an area directly in front of the weld location and directly behind the weld location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20170036288
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting weld parameters are disclosed. An example machine readable storage medium includes machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to: present a user interface; identify, for a weld based on input received via the interface, user-defined weld information including at least one of a material to be welded, an expected result of the weld, an on-hand material, or weld equipment available to be used for the weld; transmit the user-defined weld information to a welding knowledge provider; present one or more welding plans via the interface based on a response from the welding knowledge provider, the one or more welding plans including at least one of a welding device configuration, welding supplies information, or welding operator instructions; and automatically configure a welding power supply using one of the welding plans based on a selection of the one of the welding plans via the interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Christopher Hsu
  • Publication number: 20160358503
    Abstract: A welding training system includes one or more welding operator device which provides positional feedback relevant to a quality weld. The positional feedback is analyzed and, when the positional feedback is outside of a predetermined range, a signal is provided to the welding operator. In one embodiment, tactile feedback is provided in a welding gun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Todd Gerald Batzler, Bruce Patrick Albrecht, William J. Becker
  • Patent number: 9498852
    Abstract: Laser hybrid welding systems adapted to identify and/or fix a weld defect occurring during a laser hybrid welding process are provided. Embodiments of the laser hybrid welding system may include one or more devices that provide feedback to a controller regarding one or more weld parameters. One embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes sensors that are adapted to measure the weld voltage and/or amperage during the welding process and transmit the acquired data to the controller for processing. Another embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes a lead camera and a lag camera that film an area directly in front of the weld location and directly behind the weld location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20160243640
    Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting weld parameters are disclosed. An example welder interface device includes a user interface device, a processor, and a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing machine readable instructions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20160184917
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source that includes a power source housing and an engine arranged in the power source housing to supply electrical power. An energy storage device is included that is in rechargeable association with the internal combustion engine and arranged to provide welding-type power for at least a given period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20160175966
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward an energy storage caddy configured to be coupled to a secondary side of a welder. The energy storage caddy is configured to combine a first power output of the welder with a second power output of the energy storage caddy to produce a total power output for a welding system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, Thomas Allen Bunker
  • Patent number: 9278403
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a welding-type power source that includes a power source housing and an engine arranged in the power source housing to supply electrical power. An energy storage device is included that is in rechargeable association with the internal combustion engine and arranged to provide welding-type power for at least a given period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20150352653
    Abstract: A welding system includes an orientation sensing system associated with a welding torch and is configured to sense a welding torch orientation relative to a direction of gravity. The welding system also includes a processing system communicatively couple to the orientation sensing system and configured to determine an angular position of the welding torch relative to a pipe based at least in part on the sense welding torch orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Bruce Patrick Albrecht, William Todd Watson
  • Publication number: 20150321292
    Abstract: Laser hybrid welding systems adapted to identify and/or fix a weld defect occurring during a laser hybrid welding process are provided. Embodiments of the laser hybrid welding system may include one or more devices that provide feedback to a controller regarding one or more weld parameters. One embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes sensors that are adapted to measure the weld voltage and/or amperage during the welding process and transmit the acquired data to the controller for processing. Another embodiment of the laser hybrid welding system includes a lead camera and a lag camera that film an area directly in front of the weld location and directly behind the weld location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht
  • Publication number: 20150325153
    Abstract: A system and device for welding training. In one example, a welding training system includes a display configured to show welding features related to a training welding operation. The system also includes a training workpiece having a substantially transparent weld joint configured to be placed adjacent to the display during the training welding operation. The system includes a processing device coupled to the display and configured to provide welding data relating to the training welding operation to the display. The system also includes a training torch comprising an optical sensor. The training torch is coupled to the processing device and configured to provide the processing device with data from the optical sensor corresponding to a position of the training torch relative to the training workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventor: Bruce Patrick Albrecht