Systems, methods, and apparatus for pre-regulator control in welding-type power supplies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11839939-B2
Application number	US-201816143893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 27, 2018
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Dec 12, 2023
Grant date	Dec 12, 2023

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and/or methods are disclosed relating to a welding-type power supply with a pre-regulator circuit configured to provide a pre-regulated direct current (DC) bus at two or more voltage levels, responsive to various operating conditions. In some examples, the pre-regulator circuit may be configured to provide a pre-regulated DC bus voltage at one voltage level for certain input line voltages, weld processes, and/or target weld output levels, and at another voltage level for other input line voltages, weld processes, and/or target weld output levels. In some examples, the pre-regulator circuit may be configured to provide a pre-regulated DC bus voltage for certain input line voltages, weld processes, and/or target weld output levels and an unregulated DC bus voltage at other input line voltages, weld processes, and/or target weld output levels. In some examples, the pre-regulator circuit may be configured to provide a pre-regulated DC bus at a service voltage in response to detecting a service mode of operation, and/or at an idle voltage in response to detecting an idle mode of operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding-type power supply, comprising:
power conversion circuitry configured to convert an input power to a welding-type output power, the power conversion circuitry comprising: a pre-regulator circuit configured to produce a pre-regulator output voltage; and
control circuitry configured to
control the pre-regulator circuit to provide the pre-regulator output voltage at a first voltage level when a parameter is within a first parameter range, and
control the pre-regulator circuit to provide the pre-regulator output voltage at a second voltage level that is different than the first voltage level when the parameter is within a second parameter range,
the parameter comprising an input voltage of the input power or a rectified input voltage of a rectified input power, the first parameter range being between a first value and a second value higher than the first value, and the second parameter range being between a third value and a fourth value higher than the third value, the fourth value being at least twenty percent above the second value.

2. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the input power comprises a three phase input power, the input voltage comprises a first voltage of the three phase input power, and the rectified input voltage comprises a second voltage of the three phase input power after rectification.

3. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the pre-regulator circuit to provide a service mode level of the pre-regulator output voltage at a service level that is less than the first voltage level and the second voltage level in response to selection of a service mode received via an operator interface, a connection of a service tool with the welding-type power supply, or the input voltage, or the rectified input voltage, being in a service mode range that is less than both the first parameter range and the second parameter range.

4. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the pre-regulator circuit to provide the pre-regulator output voltage at an idle level that is less than the first voltage level and the second voltage level when the welding-type output power drawn from the power conversion circuitry is less than a power threshold, or a torch activation signal has not been received, for a threshold period of time.

5. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the pre-regulator circuit includes one or more controllable circuit elements, the control circuitry configured to control the one or more controllable circuit elements via one or more first control signals when the parameter is within the first parameter range, and control the one or more controllable circuit elements via one or more second control signals when the parameter is within the second parameter range.

6. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the first parameter range is nominally between 208 volts and 460 volts, and the second parameter range is nominally between 460 volts and 600 volts.

7. The power supply of claim 6 , wherein the first voltage level is between 750 volts and 800 volts.

8. The power supply of claim 7 , wherein the second voltage level is between 920 volts and 940 volts.

9. The power supply of claim 6 , wherein the first voltage level is a first percentage amount above the input voltage or the rectified input voltage, and the second voltage level is a second percentage amount above the input voltage or the rectified input voltage.

10. A welding-type power supply, comprising:
power conversion circuitry configured to convert an input power to a welding-type output power, the power conversion circuitry comprising: a pre-regulator circuit configured to produce a pre-regulator output voltage; and
control circuitry configured to
determine whether the welding-type power supply is operating in an idle mode,
in response to determining the welding-type power supply is operating in an idle mode:
control the pre-regulator circuit to provide the pre-regulator output voltage at a first voltage level when a parameter is within a first parameter range and
control the pre-regulator circuit to provide the pre-regulator output voltage at a second voltage level when the parameter is above a second parameter value.

11. The power supply of claim 10 , wherein the parameter comprises an input voltage of the input power, or a rectified input voltage of a rectified input power.

12. The power supply of claim 11 , wherein the second parameter value is 460 volts.

13. The power supply of claim 12 , wherein the first voltage level comprises 400 volts.

14. The power supply of claim 12 , wherein the second voltage level comprises 700 volts.

15. The power supply of claim 14 , wherein the input power comprises an AC input power, the pre-regulator circuit comprises one or more of a boost converter, a stacked boost converter, a buck converter, or a boost-buck converter, and the power conversion circuitry further comprises:
an input circuit configured to receive the AC input power, convert the AC input power to a DC input power, and provide the DC input power to the pre-regulator circuit; and
an output circuit configured to receive the pre-regulator output voltage and convert the pre-regulator output voltage to the welding-type output power.

16. The power supply of claim 15 , wherein the input circuit comprises a rectifier circuit, the DC input power comprises the rectified input power, and the output circuit comprises an inverter circuit.

17. The power supply of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to determine the welding-type power supply is operating in an idle mode when the welding-type output power drawn from the power conversion circuitry is less than a power threshold, or a torch activation signal has not been received, for a threshold period of time.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Vogel Bernard J
• Anders Adam E

Classifications

• B23K9/1062 Primary

  with computing means · CPC title

• H02M3/156

  with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators · CPC title

• H02M7/12

  using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode · CPC title

• H02M7/44

  by static converters · CPC title

• B23K9/1043 Primary

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