System and method for preventing high voltage on a low voltage output in a welding-type system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12325094-B2
Application number	US-202017114687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2020
Priority date	Dec 6, 2017
Publication date	Jun 10, 2025
Grant date	Jun 10, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods for a welding-type power supply to provide both a welding output voltage and a battery charging output voltage. The power supply includes a first contactor associated with a first circuit to provide the welding output voltage, and a second contactor associated with a second circuit to provide the battery charging output voltage. An auxiliary switch is operatively coupled to the second contactor, to prevent the first circuit from closing when the second contactor is closed to prevent transmission of the welding output voltage to the second circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding-type power supply configured to supply a first voltage and a second voltage, the power supply comprising:
a first contactor associated with a first circuit to provide the first voltage;
a second contactor associated with a second circuit to provide the second voltage; and
an auxiliary switch operatively coupled to the first contactor, the auxiliary switch configured to prevent the second circuit from closing when the first contactor is closed to complete the first circuit, thereby preventing transmission of the first voltage to the second circuit through the first contactor.

2. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a selector configured to select between the first voltage and the second voltage.

3. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 2 , further comprising a control circuit to control one or more of the first contactor, the second contactor or the auxiliary switch, wherein, in response to selection of the second voltage, the control circuit is configured to control the second contactor to close and the auxiliary switch to open the first contactor thereby opening the first circuit.

4. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 2 , wherein the selector is mechanically connected to a portion of the second circuit, the portion of the second circuit to open the first circuit when the second voltage is selected.

5. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first circuit is configured to open when the second contactor closes in response to a fault condition to prevent first voltage being applied from the first circuit to the second circuit.

6. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a direct current (DC) output receptacle to provide the second voltage; and
a first output receptacle to provide the first voltage.

7. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 6 , wherein the second voltage and the first voltage provide power to respective receptacles via a common connection at an output rectifier.

8. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
an engine; and
a generator configured to be driven by the engine, the generator comprising a first coil and a second coil, the first voltage being generated via the first coil and the second voltage being generated via the second coil.

9. A welding-type power supply configured to supply a first voltage and a second voltage, the power supply comprising:
a first circuit to provide the first voltage;
a second circuit to provide the second voltage;
a first and second contactor associated with the second circuit to provide the second voltage; and
a selector switch operatively coupled to a portion of the first circuit, the selector switch to command the first or second contactor to a first position to close the second circuit, thereby preventing the first circuit from closing when the second circuit is closed to prevent transmission of the first voltage to the second circuit through the first or second contactor in the first position.

10. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 9 , further comprising a switched mode power supply configured to condition an output from a generator to provide the first voltage or the second voltage based on the selection.

11. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 9 , further comprising a selector switch configured to transmit commands to the first and second contactors to close the second circuit to provide second voltage.

12. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 11 , further comprising a first battery coil and a second battery coil, wherein the first and second coils are connected to the second circuit, such that selection of the first voltage prevents the first battery coil or the second battery coil from closing.

13. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 9 , further comprising a control circuit configured to:
receive a signal corresponding to a selection from the selector switch; and
control an output from the switched mode power supply based on the selection.

14. The welding-type power supply as defined in claim 9 , wherein the first voltage is higher than the second output voltage.

15. A method of operating a welding-type power supply comprising:
closing a first and second contactor operatively coupled to a selector switch; and
opening a portion of a first circuit by releasing the first or second contactor in response to opening of the selector switch to prevent a second output voltage from being applied to the first circuit.

16. The method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising:
selecting, via the selector switch, between the second output voltage and a first output voltage; and
opening at least one of the first and second contactors in response to selection of the second output voltage.

17. The method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising opening at least one of the first and second contactors in response to a fault condition in either the first or second contactor when the second output voltage is selected.

18. The method as defined in claim 15 , further comprising:
providing the second output voltage via a second output receptacle; and
providing the first output voltage via a direct current (DC) output receptacle.

19. The method as defined in claim 16 , further comprising:
selecting, via the selector switch, to output the second output voltage or the first output voltage; and
controlling, by a control circuit, a switched mode power supply to output the second output voltage or the first output voltage based on the selection.

20. The method as defined in claim 19 , further comprising controlling at least one coil of the switched mode power supply to open in response to the control circuit controlling the switched mode power supply to output the second voltage.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Renner Ross

Classifications

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/1006 Primary

  Power supply · CPC title

• H02J7/1415

  with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle · CPC title

• B23K9/1043

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

• H02J7/1438

  in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries · CPC title