Feedback from a welding torch of a welding system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11676509-B2
Application number	US-202117177618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 17, 2021
Priority date	Jan 7, 2014
Publication date	Jun 13, 2023
Grant date	Jun 13, 2023

Abstract

A welding system includes a welding torch. The welding torch includes a sensor configured to detect a motion associated with the welding torch, a temperature associated with the welding torch, or some combination thereof. A display of the welding torch is activated, a determination is made that the welding torch has been involved in a high impact event, live welding using the welding torch is disabled, a software selection is made, or some combination thereof, based on the motion, the temperature, or some combination thereof.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A welding torch comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a motion associated with the welding torch; and
control circuitry configured to:
receive the motion associated with the welding torch, and
make a software selection in response to the motion matching a predetermined pattern.

2. The welding torch of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

3. The welding torch of claim 1 , further comprising a display, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer and the display of the welding torch is activated after the accelerometer detects a linear acceleration of the welding torch.

4. The welding torch of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive the detection of the motion associated with the welding torch and to determine whether the welding torch has been involved in a high impact event based on the motion.

5. The welding torch of claim 4 , further comprising a memory storage wherein the memory storage is configured to store information corresponding to the high impact event in response to the control circuitry determining that the welding torch has been involved in the high impact event.

6. The welding torch of claim 5 , wherein the information comprises a date, time, acceleration, user identifier, or welding torch identifier.

7. The welding torch of claim 1 , wherein the software selection is made within a graphical user interface shown on a display of the welding torch.

8. A method, comprising:
detecting a motion of a welding torch via a sensor of the welding torch; and
making, via control circuitry, a software selection in response to the motion matching a predetermined pattern.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a display of the welding torch is activated in response to detecting the motion of the welding torch.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining, via control circuitry of the welding torch, whether the welding torch has been involved in a high impact event based on the motion.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising storing, via memory circuitry of the welding torch, information corresponding to the high impact event in response to determining that the welding torch has been involved in the high impact event.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the information comprises a date, time, acceleration, user identifier, or welding torch identifier.

14. A welding torch comprising:
a sensor configured to detect a motion associated with the welding torch; and
control circuitry configured to:
receive the detection of the motion associated with the welding torch, and
determine whether the welding torch has been involved in a high impact event based on the motion.

15. The welding torch of claim 14 , further comprising a memory storage wherein the memory storage is configured to store information corresponding to the high impact event in response to the control circuitry determining that the welding torch has been involved in the high impact event.

16. The welding torch of claim 15 , wherein the information comprises a date, time, acceleration, user identifier, or welding torch identifier.

17. The welding torch of claim 14 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a magnetometer.

18. The welding torch of claim 14 , further comprising a display, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to activate the display in response to the sensor detecting the motion.

19. The welding torch of claim 18 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to activate the display by waking the display from a sleep mode or a screen saver mode.

20. The welding torch of claim 14 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the motion associated with the welding torch, and make a software selection in response to the motion matching a predetermined pattern.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Becker William Joshua
• Walker James M
• Erdmann Jeremy J

Classifications

• B23K9/0956 Primary

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

• B23K37/006

  Safety devices for welding or cutting · CPC title

• B23K9/30

  Vibrating holders for electrodes (B23K9/022 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/10

  Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls · CPC title

• B23K9/32

  Accessories · CPC title