Welding wire feeder power application system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11007597-B2
Application number	US-201715486942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2017
Priority date	Jun 8, 2012
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A method of operating a welding wire feeder includes receiving an input power from a welding power source, actuating a power relay to close and open a first current carrying path for application of the input power, and actuating bypass circuitry coupled in parallel to the power relay to close and open a second current carrying path in coordination with actuating the power relay. The method of operating the welding wire feeder also includes providing a welding wire to a welding torch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A welding wire feeder comprising:
a welding wire feed drive configured to drive welding wire towards a welding application;
wire feed control circuitry coupled to the welding wire feed drive and configured to control the drive of welding wire towards the welding application;
an input power voltage sensor connected to sense the voltage of the input power;
a power relay configured to receive input power from a welding power source and to close to convey the input power to an operational component of the welding wire feeder, wherein the operational component comprises the welding wire feed drive, the wire feed control circuitry, or any combination thereof;
bypass circuitry coupled in parallel to the power relay, wherein the bypass circuitry is configured to carry the input power during closing and opening of the power relay;
a power storage circuit configured to store power; and
control circuitry coupled to the power relay and to the power storage circuit, wherein the control circuitry is configured to close and to open a first current carrying path of the input power to the operational component through the power relay, and to control the power storage circuit to provide power to the power relay.

2. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , comprising a bus voltage sensor connected to a bus downstream of the power relay and configured to sense the voltage of the bus.

3. The welding wire feeder of claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor the voltages sensed by the input power voltage sensor and the bus voltage sensor and to open the power relay based at least in part on a decline of the input power voltage or the bus voltage.

4. The welding wire feeder of claim 2 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor the voltages sensed by the input power voltage sensor and the bus voltage sensor and to initiate a signal to the welding power source to increase current from an initial level to a greater level based at least in part upon a comparison between the input power voltage and the bus voltage.

5. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the bypass circuitry is configured to close and open a second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry in coordination with closing and opening of the power relay, wherein signals for closing the first current carrying path through the power relay and for closing the second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry are applied substantially simultaneously.

6. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the operational component comprises power conversion circuitry configured to receive the input power from the welding power source and to convert the input power to welding output.

7. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the power relay comprises a latching relay.

8. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the bypass circuitry comprises a drive circuit and a solid state switch responsive to drive signals from the drive circuit for closing and opening the second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry.

9. The welding wire feeder of claim 8 , wherein the bypass circuitry comprises a plurality of solid state switches electrically coupled in parallel to provide a desired current carrying capacity.

10. The welding wire feeder of claim 1 , wherein the bypass circuitry comprises a voltage clamping device configured to clamp the voltage responsive to a voltage spike across the bypass circuitry and power relay.

11. A welding wire feeder comprising:
a power relay configured to receive input power from a welding power source and to close to convey the input power to an operational component of the welding wire feeder, wherein the operational component comprises a welding wire feed drive, a wire feed control circuitry, or any combination thereof;
a power storage circuit configured to store power;
control circuitry coupled to the power relay and to the power storage circuit, wherein the control circuitry is configured to close and to open a first current carrying path of the input power to the operational component through the power relay, and to control the power storage circuit to provide power to the power relay; and
bypass circuitry coupled in parallel to the power relay, wherein the bypass circuitry is configured to carry the input power during closing and opening of the power relay.

12. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , wherein the welding wire feed drive is configured to drive welding wire towards a welding application, and wherein the wire feed control circuitry is coupled to the welding wire feed drive and configured to control the drive of welding wire towards the welding application.

13. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , comprising one or more of an input power voltage sensor connected to sense the voltage of the input power or a bus voltage sensor connected to a bus downstream of the power relay and configured to sense the voltage of the bus.

14. The welding wire feeder of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor the voltages sensed by the input power voltage sensor and the bus voltage sensor and to open the power relay based at least in part on a decline of the input power voltage or the bus voltage.

15. The welding wire feeder of claim 13 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor the voltages sensed by the input power voltage sensor and the bus voltage sensor and to initiate a signal to the welding power source to increase current from an initial level to a greater level based at least in part upon a comparison between the input power voltage and the bus voltage.

16. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , wherein the bypass circuitry is configured to close and open a second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry in coordination with closing and opening of the power relay, wherein signals for closing the first current carrying path through the power relay and for closing the second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry are applied substantially simultaneously.

17. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , wherein the operational component comprises power conversion circuitry configured to receive the input power from the welding power source and to convert the input power to welding output.

18. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , wherein the power relay comprises a latching relay.

19. The welding wire feeder of claim 11 , wherein the bypass circuitry comprises a drive circuit and a solid state switch responsive to drive signals from the drive circuit for closing and opening the second current carrying path through the bypass circuitry.

20. The welding wire feeder of claim 19 , wherein the bypass circuitry comprises one or more of a plurality of solid state switches electrically coupled in parallel to provide a desired current carrying capacity or a voltage clamping device configured to clamp the voltage responsive to a voltage spike across the bypass circuitry and power relay.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Salsich Anthony Van Bergen
• Ott Brian Lee
• Beistle Edward G

Classifications

• B23K9/124 Primary

  Circuits or methods for feeding welding wire · CPC title

• B23K9/1043 Primary

  characterised by the electric circuit (B23K9/1012 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/1336 Primary

  Driving means · CPC title

• B23K9/1006

  Power supply · CPC title