Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Ihde

Thomas D. Ihde 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: 8330077
    Abstract: Embodiments of a pendant associated with a multi-process welding power supply that allows a user to switch processes and reverse an output polarity while located remotely from a power supply unit are provided. Certain embodiments include a pendant with a wire spool and wire feeder drive circuitry that is configured to activate spooling during MIG welding. Control circuitry that may include processing circuitry and memory is provided. The control system may disable redundant controls on the power supply unit user interface when the power supply unit is connected to the pendant via a supply cable. Additionally, the control system may set the process, set the polarity, enable or disable a wire feed, and enable or disable gas flow according to inputs received via a user interface on either the power supply unit or the pendant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: James Francis Rappl, Thomas D. Ihde, Jeffery R. Ihde, Joseph Edward Feldhausen