System for TIG shielding gas preflow, postflow, and arc starting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12343825-B2
Application number	US-201916671944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2019
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A welding-type system for gas tungsten arc welding including control circuitry to control the initiation of a welding arc and the preflow and postflow of inert shielding gas based on sensed voltages.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding-type system comprising:
a welding-type torch holding an electrode;
a welding-type power supply configured to output welding-type power to the welding-type torch to create a welding-type arc between the electrode and a workpiece, wherein the welding-type power supply comprises:
control circuitry; and
a sensor in communication with the control circuitry and the welding-type torch, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the welding-type power supply to disable output of the welding-type power based on an absence of a welding-type arc;
detect a first electrical short circuit between the electrode and the workpiece;
in response to the detection of the first electrical short circuit, control a shielding gas valve to enable a flow of shielding gas to the welding-type torch, the welding-type torch holding the electrode;
detect a second electrical short circuit between the electrode and the workpiece; and
control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power in response to the detection of the second electrical short circuit.

2. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
monitor a first time period of the first electrical short circuit and a second time period of the second electrical short circuit;
control the shielding gas valve to enable the flow of the shielding gas when the first time period satisfies a first threshold time period; and
control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power when the second time period satisfies a second threshold time period.

3. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
monitor a first time period between the first electrical short circuit and the second electrical short circuit; and
control the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas if the first time period satisfies a threshold time period.

4. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
detect termination of a welding arc after initiation of the welding arc generated using the welding-type power; and
control the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas in response to detecting the termination of the welding arc.

5. The welding-type system of claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry controls the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas after a delay following detecting the termination of the welding arc.

6. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the welding-type power supply comprises the control circuitry.

7. A welding-type system comprising:
a welding-type torch holding an electrode; and
a welding-type power supply comprising:
a power circuit configured to output welding-type power to the welding-type torch to create a welding-type arc between the electrode and a workpiece;
an arc initiation circuit configured to output an arc initiation output to the welding-type torch;
control circuitry; and
a sensor in communication with the control circuitry and the torch holding an electrode, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the power circuit of the welding-type power supply to disable output of the welding-type power based on an absence of a welding-type arc;
detect an electrical short circuit between an electrode and the workpiece in an absence of the welding-type power, the welding-type torch holding the electrode; and
based on the detection of the electrical short circuit, control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power and control the arc initiation circuit to output the arc initiation output.

8. The welding-type system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power and control the arc initiation circuit to output the arc initiation output after a delay following the detection of the electrical short circuit.

9. The welding-type system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
monitor a time period of the electrical short circuit, and
control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power and control the arc initiation circuit to output the arc initiation output when the time period satisfies a threshold time period.

10. The welding-type system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power and control the arc initiation circuit to output the arc initiation output after a delay after detecting termination of the electrical short circuit.

11. The welding-type system of claim 10 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to monitor a time period of the electrical short circuit, and wherein a duration of the delay is based on the monitored time period of the electrical short circuit.

12. The welding-type system of claim 7 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
in response to the detection of the electrical short circuit, control a shielding gas valve to enable a flow of shielding gas to the welding-type torch;
detect termination of a welding arc after initiation of the welding arc generated using the welding-type power; and
control the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas in response to detecting the termination of the welding arc.

13. The welding-type system of claim 4 , wherein the control circuitry controls the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas after a delay following detecting the termination of the welding arc.

14. The welding-type system of claim 7 , wherein the welding-type power supply comprises the arc initiation circuit and the control circuitry.

15. A welding-type system comprising:
a welding-type torch holding an electrode; and
a welding-type power supply comprising:
a power circuit configured to output welding-type power to the welding-type torch to create a welding-type arc between the electrode and a workpiece;
an arc initiation circuit configured to output an arc initiation output to the welding-type torch
control circuitry; and
a voltage or current sensor in communication with the control circuitry and the torch holding an electrode, wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
control the power circuit of the welding-type power supply to disable output of the welding-type power based on an absence of a welding-type arc;
monitor a voltage or a current between the welding-type torch and the workpiece in an absence of the welding-type power;
detect an electrical short circuit between an electrode and the workpiece in the absence of the welding-type power, the welding-type torch holding the electrode;
detect termination of the electrical short circuit; and
in response to the detection of the termination of the electrical short circuit, control the power circuit of the welding-type power supply to output the welding-type power and control the arc initiation circuit to output the arc initiation output.

16. The welding-type system of claim 15 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to, in response to the detection of the electrical short circuit, control a shielding gas valve to enable a flow of shielding gas to the welding-type torch.

17. The welding-type system of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
detect termination of a welding arc after initiation of the welding arc generated using the welding-type power; and
control the shielding gas valve to terminate the flow of shielding gas in response to detecting the terminat

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Erndt Zachary Joseph
• Decoster Al J

Classifications

• B23K9/1062

  with computing means · CPC title

• B23K9/1087

  Arc welding using remote control · CPC title

• B23K9/173

  and of a consumable electrode · CPC title

• B23K9/133

  Means for feeding electrodes, e.g. drums, rolls, motors · CPC title

• B23K9/092

  characterised by the shape of the pulses produced · CPC title