Patents by Inventor Gregg Donald Prochnow

Gregg Donald Prochnow 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).

  • Patent number: 11685004
    Abstract: An example welding-type system includes: processing circuitry; and a machine readable storage medium comprising a machine readable instruction, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to: control a first switch to disconnect a motor circuit from a motor power source, the motor circuit comprising a wire feed motor and a second switch; control the second switch to permit current to flow while the first switch disconnects the motor circuit from the motor power source during a test period; and in response to feedback indicative of a current through the motor circuit while the first switch is open and the second switch is closed, detecting a fault condition associated with the motor circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Gregg Donald Prochnow, Maxwell Bode Brock
  • Patent number: 11478883
    Abstract: A welding system monitors the changes in the power output provided from a power supply to a device to determine the inductance of power cables between the power supply and the device. The device may determine the inductance of the power cables based at least in part on a delay in a threshold change in voltage to the device after a change in the current demand of the device, a delay in the initialization of the change in the current demand of the device after an initialization signal, a rate of change of the current drawn by the device, or a relative comparison of the voltage to the device and the current drawn by the device, or any combination thereof. If the inductance of the power cables is greater than a threshold inductance, the device may signal the user, disable operation of the device, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Andrew Pfeifer, Anthony Van Bergen Salsich, Gregg Donald Prochnow, Jeremy Daniel Overesch
  • Publication number: 20210283729
    Abstract: An example welding-type system includes: processing circuitry; and a machine readable storage medium comprising a machine readable instruction, when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to: control a first switch to disconnect a motor circuit from a motor power source, the motor circuit comprising a wire feed motor and a second switch; control the second switch to permit current to flow while the first switch disconnects the motor circuit from the motor power source during a test period; and in response to feedback indicative of a current through the motor circuit while the first switch is open and the second switch is closed, detecting a fault condition associated with the motor circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Gregg Donald Prochnow, Maxwell Bode Brock
  • Publication number: 20200094356
    Abstract: A welding system monitors the changes in the power output provided from a power supply to a device to determine the inductance of power cables between the power supply and the device. The device may determine the inductance of the power cables based at least in part on a delay in a threshold change in voltage to the device after a change in the current demand of the device, a delay in the initialization of the change in the current demand of the device after an initialization signal, a rate of change of the current drawn by the device, or a relative comparison of the voltage to the device and the current drawn by the device, or any combination thereof. If the inductance of the power cables is greater than a threshold inductance, the device may signal the user, disable operation of the device, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Kyle Andrew Pfeifer, Anthony Van Bergen Salsich, Gregg Donald Prochnow, Jeremy Daniel Overesch
  • Patent number: 10486270
    Abstract: A welding system monitors the changes in the power output provided from a power supply to a device to determine the inductance of power cables between the power supply and the device. The device may determine the inductance of the power cables based at least in part on a delay in a threshold change in voltage to the device after a change in the current demand of the device, a delay in the initialization of the change in the current demand of the device after an initialization signal, a rate of change of the current drawn by the device, or a relative comparison of the voltage to the device and the current drawn by the device, or any combination thereof. If the inductance of the power cables is greater than a threshold inductance, the device may signal the user, disable operation of the device, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Kyle Andrew Pfeifer, Anthony Van Bergen Salsich, Gregg Donald Prochnow, Jeremy Daniel Overesch
  • Publication number: 20150283652
    Abstract: A welding system monitors the changes in the power output provided from a power supply to a device to determine the inductance of power cables between the power supply and the device. The device may determine the inductance of the power cables based at least in part on a delay in a threshold change in voltage to the device after a change in the current demand of the device, a delay in the initialization of the change in the current demand of the device after an initialization signal, a rate of change of the current drawn by the device, or a relative comparison of the voltage to the device and the current drawn by the device, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Kyle Andrew Pfeifer, Anthony Van Bergen Salsich, Gregg Donald Prochnow, Jeremy Daniel Overesch