Methods and apparatus to switch a weld power output

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10406624-B2
Application number	US-201615062775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2016
Priority date	Mar 7, 2016
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to communicate via a weld cable are disclosed. An example welding accessory includes a first port to receive input power via a first weld cable, a power converter to convert the input power to output power, a second port to output the input power via a second weld cable, and one or more output switches to selectively divert the input power from the power converter to the second port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding accessory, comprising:
a first port to receive input power via a first weld cable;
a power converter to convert the input power to output power;
a second port to output the input power via a second weld cable; and
one or more output switches to selectively divert the input power from the power converter to the second port.

2. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a controller communicatively coupled with the second weld cable, the controller configured to, in response to identifying a communication occurring on the second weld cable, cause the one or more output switches to divert the input power to the second port in response to the communication.

3. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to, in response to identifying that the second weld cable has not conducted welding current for at least a threshold time period, cause the one or more output switches to direct the input power to the power converter.

4. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a third port to receive a temperature signal, a controller configured to convert the temperature signal to temperature information, and a transceiver to transmit a communication including temperature information.

5. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a third port to receive a temperature signal and a controller configured to convert the temperature signal to a temperature of a workpiece, the controller configured to:
cause the one or more output switches to direct the input power to the power converter in response to a temperature condition; or
cause the one or more output switches to divert the input power to the second port in response to the temperature condition.

6. The welding accessory as defined in claim 5 , further comprising a first weld cable transceiver to receive a temperature condition definition from a power supply via the first weld cable, the controller configured to identify the temperature condition based on the received temperature condition definition.

7. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a user interface to, in response to receiving an input via the user interface, cause the one or more output switches to direct the input power to the power converter.

8. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a secondary power converter to convert the input power to secondary power, and to output the secondary power to the second port.

9. The welding accessory as defined in claim 8 , wherein the one or more output switches are to bypass the secondary power converter when the one or more output switches divert the input power to the second port.

10. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a weld cable transceiver to send or receive communications via at least one of the first weld cable or the second weld cable.

11. The welding accessory as defined in claim 10 , wherein the communications include destination information identifying corresponding destinations of the communications.

12. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , wherein the power converter is to, when the one or more output switches direct the input power to the power converter, convert the input power to heating power and output the heating power to a heating device.

13. A method, comprising:
receiving, at a first port of a first weld power consuming device, input power via a first weld cable;
converting the input power to output power with a power converter, the output power having at least one characteristic different than the input power;
supplying the output power to an output device via a second port of the first weld power consuming device; and
in response to an indication that the input power is to be consumed by a second weld power consuming device, diverting the input power from the power converter to a third port of the first weld power consuming device using one or more switching devices.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising identifying the indication that the input power is to be consumed by the second weld power consuming device based on receiving a communication via the third port and the first weld cable while the input power is being received via the first port.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 , wherein the communication corresponds to an input at least one of a welding torch or a user interface of the second weld power consuming device.

16. The method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
detecting a communication received on a conductor in communication with the first port;
decoding the communication to identify a destination of the communication; and
when the destination does not correspond to the first weld power consuming device, discarding the communication; or
when the destination corresponds to the first weld power consuming device, executing an instruction based on a payload of the communication.

17. The method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
identifying, via a current sensor, that a current from the first port to the third port is less than a threshold current for a time duration that satisfies a threshold time; and
diverting the input power from the third port to the power converter using the one or more switching devices in response to the identifying.

18. The method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
identifying an input command via a user interface of the first weld power consuming device; and
diverting the input power from the third port to the power converter using the one or more switching devices in response to the input command.

19. The method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:
receiving a communication via the first port and the first weld cable while the input power is being received via the first port; and
diverting the input power from the third port to the power converter using the one or more switching devices in response to the communication.

20. The welding accessory as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first port comprises two or more first terminals configured to conduct the input power, and the second port comprises two or more second terminals configured to conduct the input power.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ryan Joseph Robert
• Byrne James Andrew
• Achtner Richard Mark
• Salsich Anthony Van Bergen

Classifications

• B23K9/1056

  by using digital means (B23K9/1068 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/1006

  Power supply · CPC title

• B23K9/0956 Primary

  using sensing means, e.g. optical · CPC title

• B23K9/32

  Accessories · CPC title

• H04B3/54

  Systems for transmission via power distribution lines · CPC title