Method and system for a remote wire feeder where standby power and system control are provided via weld cables

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101482-A1
Application number	US-201514880039-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2004
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a remotely controlled welding machine that uses serializing and modulating circuits to transfer modulated data packets to a welding power source across a weld cable. A transmitter transmits the data packets of desired welding operational parameters to a receiver disposed in the power source across a weld cable also designed to carry welding power from the power source to the wire feeder. The transmitter and other electronics of the wire feeder are constructed to use only a small amount of power which, preferably, is supplied by a DC power supply external to the wire feeder. The DC power supply is designed to provide power to the electronics of the wire feeder when the wire feeder is in a standby mode of operation.

First claim

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A welding power source comprising:
power conditioning circuitry configured to condition input power into output power suitable for use in a welding operation performed by a welding torch operationally connected to a welding wire feeder, wherein the welding power source is configured to deliver the output power to the welding wire feeder via a weld cable operationally connecting the welding power source to the welding wire feeder; and control circuitry configured to receive command signals from the welding wire feeder via the weld cable, and to regulate operation of the power conditioning circuitry based at least in part on the received command signals.

22 . The welding power source of claim 21 , wherein the command signals received from the welding wire feeder are indicative of a desired welding operation.

23 . The welding power source of claim 21 , wherein the command signals relate to a detected activation of a trigger of a welding torch operationally connected to the welding wire feeder.

24 . The welding power source of claim 21 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a receiver configured to receive the command signals, and to regulate the operation of the power conditioning circuitry according to data embodied in the command signals.

25 . The welding power source of claim 24 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a demodulator configured to demodulate and decipher data packets encoded onto the command signals.

26 . The welding power source of claim 25 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a decoder configured to decode operational parameters from the data packets.

27 . The welding power source of claim 26 , wherein the operational parameters include at least one of a magnitude of the output power, a welding mode, a purging function, and a jogging function.

28 . The welding power source of claim 21 , comprising a low voltage power source disposed configured to supply low voltage power source to the welding wire feeder when the welding wire feeder is in a standby mode of operation.

29 . The welding power source of claim 28 , wherein the low voltage power source comprises a DC battery.

30 . The welding power source of claim 21 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive the command signals from the welding wire feeder when the welding power source is delivering the output power to the welding wire feeder.

31 . A welding wire feeder comprising:
control circuitry configured to transmit command signals to a welding power source via a weld cable configured to deliver welding power from the welding power source, wherein the welding power is suitable for use in a welding operation performed by a welding torch operationally connected to the welding wire feeder.

32 . The welding wire feeder of claim 31 , wherein the command signals transmitted to the welding power source are indicative of a desired welding operation.

33 . The welding wire feeder of claim 31 , wherein the command signals transmitted to the welding power source relate to a detected activation of a trigger of the welding torch.

34 . The welding wire feeder of claim 31 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a transceiver configured to transmit the command signals to the welding power source.

35 . The welding wire feeder of claim 34 , wherein the control circuitry comprises serializing circuitry configured to serialize data packets onto the command signals.

36 . The welding wire feeder of claim 35 , wherein the control circuitry comprises an encoder configured to encode the serialized data packets with operational parameters of the welding power source.

37 . The welding wire feeder of claim 35 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a modulator configured to modulate a power characteristic of a power signal on the weld cable to encode the data packets onto the power signal.

38 . The welding wire feeder of claim 37 , wherein the modulation comprises at least one of spread-spectrum transmission, pseudo-random sequencing, phase-reversal-keying, and amplitude-shift-keying.

39 . The welding wire feeder of claim 31 , wherein the welding wire feeder is a contactorless welding wire feeder.

40 . The welding wire feeder of claim 31 , wherein the control circuitry is configured to transmit the command signals when the welding power source is delivering the welding power to the welding wire feeder.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ott Brian Lee

Classifications

• B23K9/124

  Circuits or methods for feeding welding wire · CPC title

• B23K9/10

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

• B23K9/1087 Primary

  Arc welding using remote control · CPC title