Responsive To Arc Current Only Patents (Class 219/130.32)
  • Patent number: 11666982
    Abstract: A method for providing a referenced distance signal which corresponds to the distance between a contact tip of a welding torch and a workpiece to be machined, includes adjusting an operating point on a predetermined welding characteristic, which is defined at least by a wire feed rate, a welding voltage and/or a welding current, and a CTWD distance between the contact tip and the workpiece; determining a target parameter value of at least one parameter dependent on the CTWD distance for the operating point; determining an actual parameter value of the at least one parameter by measuring at least one of the present wire feed rate, welding voltage and/or welding current; modifying the determined actual parameter value as a function of a calculated difference between the target parameter value and a predetermined reference value; and outputting the referenced distance signal corresponding to the modified actual parameter value to a position control system of a robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Söllinger, Andreas Hummelbrunner, Wilhelm Ortbauer
  • Patent number: 11033977
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing welding type power includes a phase shifted double forward converter having a first and second converter with a controller and an output rectifier. The output rectifier has at least one cathode current path that creates a cathode magnetic field when current flows in the cathode current path. The output rectifier also has at least one anode current path that creates an anode magnetic field when current flows in the anode current path. The cathode current path is disposed and oriented and the anode current path is disposed and oriented such that the cathode magnetic field acts to at least partially cancel the anode magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard J. Vogel, Adam E. Anders, Dennis R Sigl
  • Patent number: 11027357
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide welding power are disclosed. An example welding-type power supply includes: a transformer having first and second secondary windings; switching elements configured to control current flow from the first and second secondary windings to an output; and a control circuit configured to control the switching elements to selectively output a positive output voltage or a negative output voltage without a separate rectifier stage by selecting, based on an output voltage polarity, a first subset of the switching elements to perform rectification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Joseph Henry
  • Patent number: 10821536
    Abstract: A sensor module for connection between a fabrication tool and the head of the fabrication tool. The sensor module has an interface connectable to the fabrication tool, having: a power port for receiving power transmitted by the fabrication tool to the head, a gas port for receiving gas delivered by the fabrication tool to the head, and another interface connectable to the head which has another power port for delivering power to the head, another gas port for delivering gas, from the first gas port, to the head. The module also has a sensor module having a memory, a sensor for measuring power transmitted to the head, another sensor for measuring the gas delivered to the head, a device for transmitting information between the sensor module and a remote location, and a processor electronically connected to the memory, transmission device, and sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Derrick Ernest Hilton, Christopher Rand
  • Patent number: 10789507
    Abstract: Examples provide a system for detecting anomalies in a dataset. The system includes one or more processors and a memory storing the dataset. The one or more processors are programmed to identify a first set of data points in a cluster, identify a second set of data points outside of the cluster as noisy data points, and determine whether each of the noisy data points is an anomaly by: determining a distance between the noisy data point and other data points in the dataset, ranking the distances between the noisy data point and the other data points, and applying a weight to each of the ranked distances to determine an outlier value for the noisy data point. When the outlier value for the noisy data point exceeds a threshold, the noisy data point is identified as an anomaly, and result is displayed in a user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC
    Inventors: Diptarka Saha, Debanjana Banerjee, Bodhisattwa Prasad Majumder
  • Patent number: 10449614
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a welding system having a welding power supply configured to provide welding power is provided. The welding system additionally includes a weld cable coupled to the power supply and configured to transmit the welding power, and a welding torch coupled to the weld cable and configured to apply the welding power to produce a welding arc. The welding system also includes a magnetic field sensor disposed on the weld cable proximate to the welding torch, wherein the welding power supply comprises control circuitry configured to adjust the welding power based at least in part on a signal received from the magnetic field sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Marc Lee Denis
  • Patent number: 10406621
    Abstract: A welding wire feeder includes a welding wire feed drive configured to drive welding wire towards a welding application, wire feed control circuitry coupled to and configured to control the welding wire feed drive. The welding wire feeder includes power conversion circuitry configured to receive polarized input power from a welding power source via input connections with defined polarities and to convert the polarized input power to welding output, sensing circuitry configured to detect the polarity of the polarized input power when connected to the input connections, and welding process control circuitry. The welding process control circuitry is coupled to the power conversion circuitry and the sensing circuitry. The welding process control circuitry is configured to provide the polarized input power to the power conversion circuitry only if the polarity of the polarized input power corresponds to the defined polarities of the input connections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Van Bergen Salsich, Edward G. Beistle
  • Patent number: 10328516
    Abstract: A system for providing a dynamically controlled plasma cutting system. The plasma cutting system includes a proportional valve and a sensing device arrangement and a controller connected to this arrangement. The system is configured to dynamically control gas flow in a plasma torch. The system measures gas pressure at a proportional valve and makes necessary gas pressure adjustments in the system by way of controlling a drive signal sent to the proportional valve to control gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony V. Salsich, Joseph C. Schneider, James F. Ulrich
  • Patent number: 10155276
    Abstract: A method of welding surface-treated members together using a welding wire includes a step of transferring a droplet detached from the wire to the members; and a step of pushing the melt pool in the direction opposite to the direction of welding in such a manner that the gas generated from the members during welding is released from the site of generation. The melt pool is pushed to expose the overlapped region of these members. The gas generated from the members is released to the exposed portion, preventing generation of pores such as blowholes, and also generation of spatters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Yasushi Mukai, Junji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10086463
    Abstract: An arc welding apparatus includes: a switching device connected to both terminals of a secondary winding of a transformer whose opposite primary winding serves as a smoothing reactor on an inverter's secondary side; an output voltage detector detecting an output voltage between a welding wire and a workpiece; and a control circuit controlling the switching device and a circuit on the inverter's primary side. The control circuit includes: a first control portion that turns off the circuit on the inverter's primary side and turns on the switching device when the output voltage detected by the output voltage detector rises to a first predetermined voltage; and a second control portion that turns on the circuit on the inverter's primary side and turns off the switching device after a lapse of a predetermined time after the switching device is turned on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SANSHA ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Ikejiri, Takeshi Morimoto
  • 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: 9885294
    Abstract: According to the present disclosure, there is provided a method for controlling an RPM of an engine of construction machinery, including and converting and setting the received load factor to a load variation rate; receiving a current load factor of the engine and converting the received current load factor of the engine to a load variation rate; controlling driving of the engine with a corrected RPM, which is obtained by decreasing the RPM of the engine by a predetermined rate from a preset RPM when the current load factor of the engine and the load variation rate according to the current load factor are equal to or smaller than a predetermined rate of the predetermined load factor of the engine and a predetermined rate of the load variation rate for a first time, respectively; and controlling continuously decreasing the corrected RPM to a predetermined rate or smaller, when the current load factor of the engine and the load variation rate according to the current load factor are equal to or smaller than the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Hong Park
  • Patent number: 9627994
    Abstract: Cascade H-Bridge inverters and carrier-based level shift pulse width modulation techniques are presented for generating inverter stage switching control signals, in which carrier waveform levels are selectively shifted to control THD and to mitigate power distribution imbalances within multilevel inverter elements using either complementary carrier or complementary reference modulation techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Nondahl, Jingbo Liu, Zhongyuan Cheng, Navid Zargari
  • Patent number: 9572949
    Abstract: A PAP system for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a flow generator to generate a supply of breathable gas to be delivered to the patient; a humidifier including a heating plate to vaporize water and deliver water vapor to humidify the supply of breathable gas; a heated tube configured to heat and deliver the humidified supply of breathable gas to the patient; a power supply configured to supply power to the heating plate and the heated tube; and a controller configured to control the power supply to prevent overheating of the heating plate and the heated tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: ResMed Limited
    Inventors: Adrian Ashley Vos, Ronald James Huby, Zhuo Ran Tang
  • Patent number: 9488109
    Abstract: A series battery start controller for starting an aircraft turbine engine and method thereof is provided, wherein the battery series start controller connects two batteries in series when an aircraft engine starter is engaged to provide a higher voltage to start the aircraft engine and to provide adequate operational voltage to aircraft engine instruments and other aircraft electrical systems, and wherein the battery series start controller reconnects the batteries in parallel when the electrical load drawn by the starting aircraft engine decreases and the supplied voltage to the aircraft rises to a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Chandler Sowden
  • Patent number: 9463521
    Abstract: A TIG welder and methodologies for providing an output welding current in a welding circuit. The welder has main and background power supplies. The main supply has an SCR network which selectively connects a transformer secondary winding to the welding circuit according to SCR control signals. The background supply is connected to the SCR network, which selectively connects the second power supply to the welding circuit according to the SCR control signals. The SCR network may have first and second SCRs operating according to first and second SCR control signals from a control circuit, where the control circuit is connected to the SCR network and the second power supply and selectively connects the SCR control signals to the SCR network according to the setpoint current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Ralph Samodell
  • Patent number: 9421630
    Abstract: A TIG welder and methodologies for providing an output welding current in a welding circuit. The welder has main and background power supplies. The main supply has an SCR network which selectively connects a transformer secondary winding to the welding circuit according to SCR control signals. The background supply is connected to the SCR network, which selectively connects the second power supply to the welding circuit according to the SCR control signals. The SCR network may have first and second SCRs operating according to first and second SCR control signals from a control circuit, where the control circuit is connected to the SCR network and the second power supply and selectively connects the SCR control signals to the SCR network according to the setpoint current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: LINCOLN GLOBAL, INC.
    Inventor: Ralph Samodell
  • Patent number: 9333584
    Abstract: A modified phase shift scheme that provides the minimum on-time and regulation benefits of the conventional phase shift method with the reduced circulating current benefits of the traditional PWM control. A welding machine comprises an inverter operatively connected to a controller, wherein the controller controls a welding process of the welding machine using modified phase shifted switching of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert L. Dodge, Lifeng Luo, Todd Kooken
  • 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
  • Patent number: 9065326
    Abstract: A switching module, intended to be used in a medium or high voltage DC breaker or a DC current limiter, includes at least one power semiconductor switching element, a gate unit arranged to turn the at least one power semiconductor switching element on and off, respectively, according to a switching control signal, and an energy storage capacitor arranged to provide power to a power supply input of the gate unit. The switching module further includes a power transformation device arranged to receive an optical power signal, to transform the optical power signal into an electrical power signal and to provide the electrical power signal to the energy storage capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: ABB TECHNOLOGY LTD
    Inventors: Jürgen Häfner, Peter Lundberg, Ulrich Schlapbach, Bo Biljenga, Erika Siljeström
  • Patent number: 9035218
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for disconnecting a short circuit (30) during short-arc welding, wherein when a short circuit (30) occurs, a time frame (32) is started, in which a defined current profile is performed to disconnect the short circuit within the time frame (32), and the current is increased if the time frame (32) is exceeded, and a corresponding welding device (1). In order to improve the welding quality, after the specifiable time frame (32) expires during a short circuit (30), said current profile for disconnecting the short circuit (30) is detected and at least one value or parameter in the disconnection of the short circuit (30) is stored or saved, wherein at least one value or parameter in the time frame (32) of the following short circuit (30) is adapted according to the stored value or parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Artelsmair
  • Patent number: 8993927
    Abstract: A method and a system to increase heat input to a weld during an arc welding process. A series of electric arc pulses are generated between an advancing welding electrode and a metal workpiece using an electric arc welding system capable of generating an electric welding waveform to produce the electric arc pulses. A cycle of the electric welding waveform includes a pinch current phase providing an increasing pinch current level, a peak current phase providing a peak current level, a tail-out current phase providing a decreasing tail-out current level, and a background current phase providing a background current level. At least one heat-increasing current pulse of the cycle is generated, providing a heat-increasing current level, during the background current phase, where the heat-increasing current level is above the background current level. The cycle of the electric welding waveform with the at least one heat-increasing current pulse may be repeated until the arc welding process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R Peters
  • Publication number: 20150053661
    Abstract: A welding power supply including power conversion circuitry adapted to receive a primary source of power, to utilize one or more power semiconductor switches to chop the primary source of power, and to convert the chopped power to a welding output is provided. The provided welding power supply includes a pulse width modulated (PWM) digital controller including gate drive circuitry that generates a PWM output signal that controls the switching of the one or more power semiconductor switches. The PWM output signal includes a duty cycle term corrected for one or more sources of error in the welding system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Bernard J. Vogel
  • Publication number: 20150028009
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a neck detection for a welding power supply. The neck detection can be suitably performed even if the welding power supply is combined with another power supply for performing a simultaneous arc welding operation at a plurality of locations of a workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventor: Akihiro IDE
  • Patent number: 8937267
    Abstract: A method and a system to control heat input to a weld during an arc welding process. A series of electric arc pulses are generated between an advancing welding electrode and a metal workpiece using an electric arc welding system capable of generating an electric welding waveform to produce the electric arc pulses. The welding waveform has droplet transfer pulses and at least one heat input pulse which is generated during a background portion of the waveform. The at least one heat-increasing current pulse is above the background current level and has a polarity opposite of that of the droplet transfer pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R Peters
  • Patent number: 8927901
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to a system for buried-arc welding with thru-the-arc seam tracking. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for buried-arc welding with thru-the-arc seam tracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Alcoa Inc.
    Inventors: Israel Stol, Floyd Thompson, Richard S. Dulski
  • Patent number: 8796585
    Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a welding power source based on a primary supply voltage level are provided. One method may include sensing activation of the welding power source and sensing a primary supply voltage established on a control transformer of the welding power source. The method may also include establishing a substantial current draw from a primary power supply that exceeds a predefined current threshold when the sensed primary supply voltage exceeds a predefined voltage threshold. The substantial current draw may be adapted to trip a circuit breaker of the welding power source to disallow current through the welding power source when the sensed primary supply voltage exceeds the predefined voltage threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Steven Knoener
  • Patent number: 8742280
    Abstract: A welding system including a welding power source including power conversion circuitry adapted to receive primary power and to convert the primary power to a weld power output for use in a welding operation and a controller communicatively coupled to the welding power source are provided. The controller is adapted to determine a statistical signature of at least one parameter of a welding process and to utilize the statistical signature to determine at least one of an electrode type, an electrode diameter, and a shielding gas type during the welding operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Bernard J. Vogel
  • Patent number: 8704130
    Abstract: A electric welding machine having an auxiliary power output, and a method for controlling the auxiliary power output on a welding machine is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a main transformer having a first secondary winding in circuit communication with a welder power output and a second secondary winding in circuit communication with an auxiliary power supply having an auxiliary power output. The auxiliary power supply includes an input for monitoring the welder power output to determine if the welder power output is on; circuitry for determining whether a surge or spike in demand is present at the auxiliary power output; and circuitry for limiting the available power to the auxiliary power output if certain conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Lifeng Larry Luo
  • Patent number: 8680431
    Abstract: Apparatus, devices, and methods for providing a voltage reduction capability in a welding power source for safety purposes. The resistive load and the output voltage of the welding power source output are monitored and compared to predefined or preselected threshold values to generate a load condition signal and an output voltage condition signal (e.g., logic signals). The load condition signal and the output voltage condition signal serve as inputs to a voltage reduction device control logic which generates control signals to enable and disable the input and output of the welding power source according to the defined control logic. As a result, an extra measure of safety in preventing electrical shock is provided to users of the welding power source during hazardous operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Elliott K. Stava, Keith L. Clark
  • Patent number: 8653417
    Abstract: A method and system to start and use a combination wire feed and energy source system for any of brazing, cladding, building up, filling, and hard-facing overlaying applications. High intensity energy is applied onto a workpiece to heat the workpiece. One or more resistive filler wires are fed toward the workpiece at or just in front of the applied high intensity energy. Sensing of when a distal end of the one or more resistive filler wires makes contact with the workpiece at or near the applied high intensity energy is accomplished. Electric heating current to the one or more resistive filler wires is controlled based on whether or not the distal end of the one or more resistive filler wires is in contact with the workpiece. The applied high intensity energy and the one or more resistive filler wires are moved in a same direction along the workpiece in a fixed relation to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R. Peters
  • Patent number: 8604387
    Abstract: A control method for an arc welding apparatus having a function of prohibiting detection of neck based on a change amount of welding voltage and an arc welding apparatus using the method. Thus, since neck determination can be carried out accurately by preventing wrong detection of neck, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of spatter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Aimi, Hidetoshi Oyama, Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Masaru Kowa
  • Patent number: 8563896
    Abstract: A welding system and method includes a main torch including a main electrode configured to form a first arc with a base metal; a first bypass torch including a first bypass electrode configured to form a second arc with the main electrode; and a second bypass torch including a second bypass electrode configured to form a third arc with the main electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventors: Yu Ming Zhang, Jinsong Chen
  • Patent number: 8530778
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling blanket gas flow in an electrical welding facility, wherein welding is performed using a welding electrode in electrical connection with a welding machine unit. The apparatus includes an electric measuring device having a current sensor for determining the magnitude of an electrical welding current carried in a circuit incorporating the welding electrode and having a current sensor output adapted to provide a I signal indicating the current magnitude, and a voltage sensor for determining the magnitude of electrical voltage applied to the welding electrode and having a voltage sensor output for providing a U signal indicating the voltage magnitude, and a control device having inputs connected to the current sensor output and the voltage sensor output, respectively, and a control signal output for providing a control signal to a blanket gas flow controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Alexander Binzel Schweisstechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Arild Halvorsen
  • Patent number: 8502114
    Abstract: An AC pulse arc welding method of the present invention sets an appropriate AC frequency based on a wire feed rate and a polarity ratio when the polarity ratio is changed without changing the wire feed rate to control a heat input to a base material, and sets an appropriate straight polarity current value necessary for one drop per pulse from the polarity ratio and the AC frequency in AC pulse welding. The method makes it possible to achieve appropriate AC pulse welding by setting the polarity ratio, and to easily set the welding conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukinori Hirota, Hiroki Yuzawa, Masaru Kowa, Hideki Ihara
  • Patent number: 8492678
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for short circuit welding includes providing welding power suitable for short circuit welding, sensing the stick out length, and adjusting the welding speed, such as wire feed speed or travel speed, adjusting a welding parameter, or adjusting the gas mixture in response thereto. Stick out is preferably determined by measuring a welding parameter, and performing an FFT on the parameter, and then calculating stick out, in one embodiment. Stick out can be either CTTWD or CPTPD. The system can determine when a short is about to clear by calculating a value Vc defined by Vc=d/dt(k1*dp/dt), and comparing Vc to a Vthreshold, which varies in response to welding cycle history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Richard M. Hutchison
  • Patent number: 8476554
    Abstract: A TIG welder and methodologies for providing an output welding current in a welding circuit. The welder has main and background power supplies. The main supply has an SCR network which selectively connects a transformer secondary winding to the welding circuit according to SCR control signals. The background supply is connected to the SCR network, which selectively connects the second power supply to the welding circuit according to the SCR control signals. The SCR network may have first and second SCRs operating according to first and second SCR control signals from a control circuit, where the control circuit is connected to the SCR network and the second power supply and selectively connects the SCR control signals to the SCR network according to the setpoint current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Ralph Samodell
  • Publication number: 20130161302
    Abstract: A method of automatically setting a welding parameter for MIG/MAG welding including the following steps:—initiating (S1) a parameter setting welding operation;—measuring (S12) a welding voltage and retrieving (S13) a parameter representing a wire feed speed during said parameter setting welding operation; and—identifying (S14) a second function mapping said welding current to said welding voltage from said measured welding voltage and said retrieved parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ESAB AB
    Inventor: Per Aberg
  • Patent number: 8440936
    Abstract: A welding power supply (1) for supply of current to a welding electrode (2), and a method and a computer program for controlling such a welding power supply is described. The welding power supply (1) comprises an output (3) for output of current from the welding power supply (1), and a control unit (9) for controlling the welding power supply (1). The control unit (9) is arranged to control the welding power supply (1) to supply current to the output (3) in the form of a series of alternating positive current pulses (11), having a positive top value (Imax+), and negative current pulses (12), having a negative top value (Imax), and to lower the current in the current pulses from the negative top value (Imax) and the positive top value (Imax+) to a negative switch value (Ix?) and a positive switch value (Ix+), respectively, before switch between a positive current pulse (11) and a negative current pulse (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: ESAB AB
    Inventors: Per Åberg, Thomas Carlsson, Hannes Löfgren, Per Tingö
  • Patent number: 8426772
    Abstract: A electric welding machine having an auxiliary power output, and a method for controlling the auxiliary power output on a welding machine is provided. In one embodiment, the system includes a main transformer having a first secondary winding in circuit communication with a welder power output and a second secondary winding in circuit communication with an auxiliary power supply having an auxiliary power output. The auxiliary power supply includes an input for monitoring the welder power output to determine if the welder power output is on; circuitry for determining whether a surge or spike in demand is present at the auxiliary power output; and circuitry for limiting the available power to the auxiliary power output if certain conditions are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Lifeng Larry Luo
  • Patent number: 8389898
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating a welding current source with a current transformer, which has a series resonant circuit on the primary side and a parallel resonant circuit on the secondary side, the series resonant circuit being supplied with a variable alternating voltage by a bridge circuit and the parallel resonant circuit providing energy to a welding process by way of a rectifier, and a control unit controlling the bridge circuit in dependence on at least one state variable of the welding current source. In order to develop the method in such a way as to make regulation possible at low cost and with as little power loss as possible, it is proposed according to the invention that only the primary current or a state variable on the primary side corresponding to the primary current is recorded as the electrical-current state variable of the welding current source and a control signal dependent on the primary current or on the state variable corresponding thereto is fed to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Lorch Schweisstechnik GmbH
    Inventor: Hubert Aigner
  • Patent number: 8373093
    Abstract: A method and a system to increase heat input to a weld during an arc welding process. A series of electric arc pulses are generated between an advancing welding electrode and a metal workpiece using an electric arc welding system capable of generating an electric welding waveform to produce the electric arc pulses. A cycle of the electric welding waveform includes a pinch current phase providing an increasing pinch current level, a peak current phase providing a peak current level, a tail-out current phase providing a decreasing tail-out current level, and a background current phase providing a background current level. At least one heat-increasing current pulse of the cycle is generated, providing a heat-increasing current level, during the background current phase, where the heat-increasing current level is above the background current level. The cycle of the electric welding waveform with the at least one heat-increasing current pulse may be repeated until the arc welding process is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lincoln Global, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven R Peters
  • Patent number: 8304685
    Abstract: The present invention includes a plasma cutter having an input configured to receive welding power and a converter arranged according to a ?uk topology and configured to automatically convert the welding power to plasma-cutting power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Bunker, Joseph C. Schneider, James F. Ulrich
  • Patent number: 8124913
    Abstract: A method for controlling and/or adjusting a welding process, uses a melting electrode, wherein after ignition of an electric arc, a welding process, which is adjusted on the basis of several different welding parameters, is carried out using a welding current source, the process being controlled or adjusted by a control device. Also a corresponding welding device is used to carry out the process. In order to create the method, wherein the thermal heat economy is adjusted and/or regulated and/or controlled in order to introduce heat into the workpiece, at least two different process phases are cyclically combined, the process phases having different inputs of energy via different material transitions and/or arc types, such as a pulse current phase and a cold metal transfer phase in order to influence or control thermal heat economy, particularly the introduction of heat into the workpiece to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Fronius International GmbH
    Inventor: Josef Artelsmair
  • Publication number: 20120000895
    Abstract: A welding control method for a welding device having an output characteristic with a predetermined gradient showing a relation between a welding output voltage and a welding output current. By setting a set target welding voltage that is higher than the set initial welding voltage according to a difference between the set initial welding voltage and the welding output voltage, the welding output voltage is controlled to be the set target welding voltage. Thus, a proper arc length can be achieved early by correcting the change of the arc length due to, for example, motion of the hands of a welding operator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kimiya Sato, Yasushi Mukai, Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Akira Nakagawa, Masaru Kowa
  • Publication number: 20110278273
    Abstract: An AC pulse arc welding method of the present invention sets an appropriate AC frequency based on a wire feed rate and a polarity ratio when the polarity ratio is changed without changing the wire feed rate to control a heat input to a base material, and sets an appropriate straight polarity current value necessary for one drop per pulse from the polarity ratio and the AC frequency in AC pulse welding. The method makes it possible to achieve appropriate AC pulse welding by setting the polarity ratio, and to easily set the welding conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yukinori Hirota, Hiroki Yuzawa, Masaru Kowa, Hideki Ihara
  • Patent number: 8049140
    Abstract: Disclosed here is a pulse welding control method and a pulse arc welding device capable of improving arc stability, and decreasing the amount of spatters. The structure contains arc short-circuit judging section (13) for judging a welding state; setting section (21) for defining parameters used for a short-circuit period and an arc period; secondary control section (25); and driving section (18). Secondary control section (25) sharply decreases welding current on detecting a moment when the tip of a wire has a neck just before recovery from the short circuit, according to at least any one of outputs from a welding current value detector, a welding voltage value detector, and the setting section. Driving section (18) selects from outputs of a pulse-waveform circuit section and a dip-waveform circuit section according to the signal from the setting section and the output from the arc short-circuit section, and outputs the selected data to a switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Yasushi Mukai, Masaru Kowa
  • Publication number: 20110198331
    Abstract: A tip-base metal distance control method includes an actual-welding-current acquisition step of measuring actual welding currents by current measuring means under a predetermined actual welding condition and calculating an average actual welding current under the actual welding condition by average-value calculation means, a reference-current acquisition step of extracting, from a reference-current storage table, an average actual welding current corresponding to the actual welding condition and setting the average actual welding current as a reference current by reference-current acquisition means, a current comparison step of comparing the average actual welding current under the actual welding condition with the reference current by current comparison means, and a welding-torch-position correction step of correcting the position of a welding torch in an upward or downward direction by welding-torch-position correction means on the basis of a comparison result in the current comparison step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventor: Masayuki SHIGEYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20110198330
    Abstract: Methods and devices for controlling a welding power source based on a primary supply voltage level are provided. One method may include sensing activation of the welding power source and sensing a primary supply voltage established on a control transformer of the welding power source. The method may also include establishing a substantial current draw from a primary power supply that exceeds a predefined current threshold when the sensed primary supply voltage exceeds a predefined voltage threshold. The substantial current draw may be adapted to trip a circuit breaker of the welding power source to disallow current through the welding power source when the sensed primary supply voltage exceeds the predefined voltage threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Steven Knoener
  • Patent number: 7928340
    Abstract: A control method for an arc welding apparatus having a function of prohibiting detection of neck based on a change amount of welding voltage and an arc welding apparatus using the method. Thus, since neck determination can be carried out accurately by preventing wrong detection of neck, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of spatter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kei Aimi, Hidetoshi Oyama, Atsuhiro Kawamoto, Masaru Kowa