Hybrid welder with detachable energy storage device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302339-B2
Application number	US-201314032703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2013
Priority date	Sep 20, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

A hybrid welder having a cabinet, an energy storage device supported by the cabinet and means for removably attaching the cabinet to the welder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A hybrid welder comprising:
a controller:
an engine, the engine being electrically connected to the controller to provide electrical power thereto;
a housing supporting the engine;
an energy storage device adapted to provide alternative or supplemental electrical power to the controller;
a cabinet supporting the energy storage device, wherein the cabinet is attached to the housing by a releasable attachment assembly, and wherein the releasable attachment assembly is used to selectively detach the cabinet from the housing;
a power connector including a conductor electrically connected to the controller and the energy storage device, wherein the conductor includes at least one post associated with the energy storage device and wherein at least one of the energy storage device and the controller are electrically connected to the conductor by a connector that is selectively detachable from the post to disconnect the energy storage device from the controller when the cabinet is detached from the housing; and
a sensor lead connected to the energy storage device and the controller, the sensor lead placing the controller in sensing communication with the energy storage device, wherein the controller is adapted to monitor performance of the energy storage device through the sensor lead and regulate the power generated by the engine and the energy storage device, wherein the sensor lead is connected to the controller by a modular connector that is detachable when the cabinet is detached from the housing to break the connection between the sensor lead and the controller; wherein the conductor includes a bus bar housed within the cabinet, the bus bar being in electrical communication with the energy storage device, and wherein the power connector includes a power cable connected to the controller and selectively attachable to the bus bar at the post; and wherein the power cable is detachable from the post to disconnect the energy storage device from the controller, and wherein the energy storage device includes a plurality of batteries, wherein each of the plurality of batteries is electrically connected to the bus bar to supply electrical power to the controller by attachment of the power cable to the post.

2. The hybrid welder of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of batteries are housed within the cabinet and wherein the cabinet includes a plurality of access panels corresponding to each of the plurality of batteries, each access panel being removable from the cabinet to expose the corresponding one of the plurality of batteries.

3. The hybrid welder of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of batteries is mounted within a corresponding one of a plurality of drawers and wherein each of the plurality of access panels forms a faceplate of the corresponding drawer, wherein each battery of the plurality of batteries is independently accessible externally of the cabinet by pulling the corresponding drawer outward of the cabinet.

4. The hybrid welder of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of drawers is mounted on a slider assembly including an extendable rail supported within the cabinet and extendable externally of the cabinet when the drawer is pulled outward.

5. The hybrid welder of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of drawers includes a lock assembly adapted to secure the drawer to the cabinet in a closed position.

6. The hybrid welder of claim 5 , wherein the lock assembly includes a bolt driven through the corresponding faceplate into a portion of the welder to lock the corresponding faceplate to the welder.

7. The hybrid welder of claim 1 wherein the controller selectively operates the engine to provide power while the energy storage device is disconnected.

8. The hybrid welder of claim 1 wherein the controller is in electrical communication with the energy storage device via the sensor lead, the controller being adapted to monitor the performance of the electronic storage device and wherein the controller is adapted to communicate at least one of a visual cue, an audible cue, and a tactile cue as to the performance of the energy storage device.

9. The hybrid welder of claim 8 , wherein the controller includes a display adapted to visually display a performance value detected by the controller.

10. A hybrid welder comprising:
a controller;
an engine, the engine being electrically connected to the controller to provide electrical power thereto;
a housing supporting the engine;
an energy storage device including a plurality of batteries adapted to provide power to the controller;
a cabinet supporting the energy storage device, wherein the cabinet is attached to the housing by a releasable attachment assembly, and wherein the releasable attachment assembly is used to selectively detach the cabinet from the housing, the cabinet including a plurality of drawers each adapted to provide selective access to a corresponding one or more of the plurality of batteries;
a power connector including a conductor electrically connected to the controller and the energy storage device, wherein the conductor includes at least one post associated with the energy storage device and wherein at least one of the energy storage device and the controller are electrically connected to the conductor by a connector that is selectively detachable from the post to disconnect the energy storage device from the controller when the cabinet is detached from the housing; and
a sensor lead connected to the energy storage device and the controller, the sensor lead placing the controller in sensing communication with the energy storage device, wherein the controller is adapted to monitor performance of the energy storage device through the sensor lead and regulate the power generated by the engine and the energy storage device, wherein the sensor lead is connected to the controller by a sensor connection that is detachable when the cabinet is detached from the housing to break the connection between the sensor lead and the controller; and
a torch connected to the controller, the torch receiving electrical power from the controller to perform at least one of a welding operation, a cutting operation, and a heating operation wherein the controller is connected to the post by a power cable that is detachable from the post to disconnect the energy storage device from the controller; and wherein each of the plurality of batteries is electrically connected to the bus bar to supply electrical power to the controller by attachment of the power cable to the post.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Burkhart Bryan Scott
• Hruska Adam

Classifications

• B23K9/1006

  Power supply · CPC title

• B23K9/1081 Primary

  Arc welding by means of accumulated energy · CPC title