Patents by Inventor Michael Hoeger

Michael Hoeger 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: 20250135571
    Abstract: An example welding torch includes a torch head, a torch handle including conductive tubing electrically and mechanically connected to the torch head at a first end of the conductive tubing, one or more welding power conductors, a gas conductor, and one or more coolant lines directly connected to a second end of the conductive tubing, and a casing configured to cover the one or more welding power conductors. An example welding torch includes a torch head configured to conduct welding-type power, a torch handle including conductive tubing coupled to the torch head, and a torch cable integrally coupled to the torch handle at a first end of the torch cable, the torch cable and the torch handle including an electrical path from a power supply connector to the torch head and a coolant path to cool the torch head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2024
    Publication date: May 1, 2025
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Publication number: 20250018493
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for utilizing gas lens interfacing collets. A welding-type system may include an electrode holder configured for use in conjunction with an arc welding based torch, a gas nozzle configured to engage a torch head of the welding-type torch, and a gas flow control component. The electrode holder may be configured to engage a non-consumable electrode. The gas flow control component may include a hole through which the electrode extends. The electrode holder may be secured via holder securing features configured to engage the electrode holder onto one or both of the torch head and a back cap at a back-end of the welding-type torch. The torch head may include a nozzle securing element configured to secure the gas nozzle onto the torch head. The gas flow control component may be secured in place by one or both of the gas nozzle and the electrode holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Publication number: 20230356317
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for obtaining a desirable shielding gas flow in a welding device. The system includes a user interface configured for a user to input the size of the nozzle, a processor that is configured to calculate a desirable flow rate of shielding gas based at least in part on the input nozzle size, and a flow regulator that is configured to control the flow of the shielding gas in order to obtain the desirable flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Patent number: 11724331
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for obtaining a desirable shielding gas flow in a welding device. The system includes a user interface configured for a user to input the size of the nozzle, a processor that is configured to calculate a desirable flow rate of shielding gas based at least in part on the input nozzle size, and a flow regulator that is configured to control the flow of the shielding gas in order to obtain the desirable flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Patent number: 10960484
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a component of a welding device that is configured to produce a shielding gas having a developed flow profile, which provides for a shielding gas column having a laminar profile over a greater length than has been achieved through conventional means. The component utilizes one or more flow restrictors, which are configured to provide higher resistance to the flow of shielding gas at increasing distances from the center of a shielding gas flow channel. By providing increasing resistance toward the periphery of the channel, a developed shielding gas flow profile may be achieved over a relatively short flow length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Patent number: 10932332
    Abstract: A system to provide induction heating includes a welding-type power supply to apply an electric current, a first electromagnetic array formed on a first substrate and a second electromagnetic array formed on a second substrate. Each array includes a plurality of conductors arranged in a varying configuration such that, upon application of the electric current, each conductor of the plurality of conductors generates a magnetic field in a polarity that is other than a polarity of a corresponding magnetic field of at least one adjacent conductor. A first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a strong magnetic field relative to a weak magnetic field associated with the second surface in response to the electric current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Patent number: 10932331
    Abstract: An electromagnetic array includes a substrate defined by a plurality of regions. Each region includes a plurality of conductors arranged in a varying configuration such that, upon application of an electric current, each conductor of the plurality of conductors generates a magnetic field in a polarity that is other than a polarity of a corresponding magnetic field of at least one adjacent conductor. Each region includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a strong magnetic field relative to a weak magnetic field associated with the second surface in response to the electric current. A first region is adjacent to another region, and configured such that a polarity of the strong magnetic field associated with the first region is in a polarity other than a polarity of the strong magnetic field associated with the at least one other region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Publication number: 20200156173
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for obtaining a desirable shielding gas flow in a welding device. The system includes a user interface configured for a user to input the size of the nozzle, a processor that is configured to calculate a desirable flow rate of shielding gas based at least in part on the input nozzle size, and a flow regulator that is configured to control the flow of the shielding gas in order to obtain the desirable flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Patent number: 10537958
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for obtaining a desirable shielding gas flow in a welding device. The system includes a user interface configured for a user to input the size of the nozzle, a processor that is configured to calculate a desirable flow rate of shielding gas based at least in part on the input nozzle size, and a flow regulator that is configured to control the flow of the shielding gas in order to obtain the desirable flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Publication number: 20190037651
    Abstract: Systems are disclosed to provide induction heating including a welding-type power supply to apply an electric current, a first electromagnetic array formed on a first substrate and a second electromagnetic array formed on a second substrate. Each array includes a plurality of conductors arranged in a varying configuration such that, upon application of the electric current, each conductor of the plurality of conductors generates a magnetic field in a polarity that is other than a polarity of a corresponding magnetic field of at least one adjacent conductor. A first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a strong magnetic field relative to a weak magnetic field associated with the second surface in response to the electric current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Publication number: 20190037650
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed of an electromagnetic array that includes a substrate defined by a plurality of regions. Each region includes a plurality of conductors arranged in a varying configuration such that, upon application of an electric current, each conductor of the plurality of conductors generates a magnetic field in a polarity that is other than a polarity of a corresponding magnetic field of at least one adjacent conductor. Each region further includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first surface having a strong magnetic field relative to a weak magnetic field associated with the second surface in response to the electric current. A first region of the plurality of regions is adjacent to at least one other region of the plurality of regions, and configured such that a polarity of the strong magnetic field associated with the first region is in a polarity other than a polarity of the strong magnetic field associated with the at least one other region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Publication date: January 31, 2019
    Inventor: Michael Hoeger
  • Publication number: 20180043457
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a component of a welding device that is configured to produce a shielding gas having a developed flow profile, which provides for a shielding gas column having a laminar profile over a greater length than has been achieved through conventional means. The component utilizes one or more flow restrictors, which are configured to provide higher resistance to the flow of shielding gas at increasing distances from the center of a shielding gas flow channel. By providing increasing resistance toward the periphery of the channel, a developed shielding gas flow profile may be achieved over a relatively short flow length.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt
  • Publication number: 20180043456
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for obtaining a desirable shielding gas flow in a welding device. The system includes a user interface configured for a user to input the size of the nozzle, a processor that is configured to calculate a desirable flow rate of shielding gas based at least in part on the input nozzle size, and a flow regulator that is configured to control the flow of the shielding gas in order to obtain the desirable flow rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Hoeger, Zachary Erndt