Method and apparatus for providing welding type power

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9381592-B2
Application number	US-201313837075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2013
Priority date	Jul 23, 2012
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power includes receiving an input that may be either a single or a three phase input voltage. Three power modules, each having a single phase boost power circuit, and an output circuit process the input power. A weld output circuit receives and combines the outputs of the three power modules. An input power distribution module connects the three power modules such that each receives a unique single phase power signal. A controller controls the three power modules and the input power distribution module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A welding-type system, for receiving at least one three phase input voltage on a first power input, a second power input and a third power input, comprising:
a first power module comprising a first pair of input connections, a first single phase boost power circuit, and a first output circuit receiving an output of the first single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the first output circuit provides a first output;
a second power module comprising a second pair of input connections, a second single phase boost power circuit, and a second output circuit receiving an output of the second single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the second output circuit provides a second output;
a third power module comprising a third pair of input connections, a third single phase boost power circuit, and a third output circuit receiving an output of the third single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the third output circuit provides a third output;
a weld output circuit, disposed to receive and combine the first, second and third outputs;
a controller, connected to control the first, second and third power modules; and
an input power distribution module, configurable to connect the first, second and third pair of input connections to the first, second and third power inputs such that the first, second and third pair of input connections each receive a unique single phase power signal, wherein the controller includes an input control module connected to control the input power distribution module; and
wherein the input power distribution module comprises:
a first power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the first power input and a one of the first pair of input connections;
a connection between the second power input and another of the first pair of input connections;
a second power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the second power input and a one of the second pair of input connections;
a third power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the first power input and a one of the third pair of input connections;
a first relay disposed to selectively connect one of the second and third power inputs to another of the third pair of input connection; and
a second relay disposed to selectively connect one of the first and third power inputs to another of the second pair of input connection;
wherein the controller includes an input control module connected to control the first and second relays.

2. The welding-type system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first precharge relay disposed between the first power switch and either of the first pair of input connections;
a second precharge relay disposed between the first relay and either of the second pair of input connections; and
a third precharge relay disposed between the second relay and either of the third pair of input connections;
wherein the controller includes a precharge control module connected to control the first, second and third precharge relays.

3. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes:
a first boost control module having a control output that is connected to control the first single phase boost power circuit;
a second boost control module having a control output that is connected to control the second single phase boost power circuit; and
a third boost control module having a control output that is connected to control the third single phase boost power circuit.

4. The welding-type system of claim 3 , wherein the controller includes a welding system control module that receives a user input and provides a control signal in response to the user input to each of the first, second and third boost control modules.

5. The welding-type system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is distributed such that the first boost control module is located with the first power module, the second boost control module is located with the second power module, and the third boost control module is located with the third power module.

6. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third output circuits each include a dc bus filter and an isolated dc-dc converter, and a boosted bus between the dc bus filter and the isolated dc-dc converter.

7. The welding-type system of claim 6 , further comprising a control power circuit connected to receive power from each of the boosted busses in the first second and third power modules.

8. The welding-type system of claim 1 , wherein the first, second and third single phase boost power circuits each are a single phase, power factor corrected, boost power circuit.

9. A welding-type system, for receiving at least one three phase input voltage on a first power input, a second power input and a third power input, comprising:
a first power module comprising a first pair of input connections, a first single phase boost power circuit, and a first output circuit receiving an output of the first single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the first output circuit provides a first output;
a second power module comprising a second pair of input connections, a second single phase boost power circuit, and a second output circuit receiving an output of the second single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the second output circuit provides a second output;
a third power module comprising a third pair of input connections, a third single phase boost power circuit, and a third output circuit receiving an output of the third single phase boost power circuit, and wherein the third output circuit provides a third output;
a weld output circuit, disposed to receive and combine the first, second and third outputs; and
a controller, connected to control the first, second and third power modules;
wherein the weld output circuit includes a dc bus filter and an isolated dc-dc converter connected to the dc bus filter.

10. The welding-type system of claim 9 , further comprising an input power distribution module, configurable to connect the first, second and third pair of input connections to the first, second and third power inputs such that the first, second and third pair of input connections each receive a unique single phase power signal.

11. The welding-type system of claim 10 , wherein the controller includes an input control module connected to control the input power distribution module.

12. The welding-type system of claim 11 , wherein the input power distribution module comprises:
a first power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the first power input and a one of the first pair of input connections;
a connection between the second power input and another of the first pair of input connections;
a second power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the second power input and a one of the second pair of input connections;
a third power switch disposed to connect and disconnect the first power input and a one of the third pair of input connections;
a first relay disposed to selectively connect one of the second and third power inputs to another of the third pair of input connection; and
a second relay disposed to selectively connect one of the first and third power inputs to another of the second pair of input connection;
wherein the controller includes an input control module connected to control the first and second relays.

13. The welding-type system of claim 11 , wherein the input power distribution module comprises:
a first power switch connected to the first power input;
a second power switch connected to the second power input;
a third power switch connected to third power input;
a first, second and third relay, each disposed to uniquely conne

Assignees

• Schartner Quinn W
• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Schartner Quinn W

Classifications

• B23K9/1075 Primary

  Parallel power supply, i.e. multiple power supplies or multiple inverters supplying a single arc or welding current · CPC title

• H02M1/4216

  operating from a three-phase input voltage (H02M1/4233 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K9/1006 Primary

  Power supply · CPC title

• A01K1/0047

  Air-conditioning, e.g. ventilation, of animal housings (Laboratory cage ventilation A01K1/0313; Cat or dog houses with climate control means A01K1/0335) · CPC title

• A01K1/0356

  Feeding or drinking devices associated with cages (for poultry A01K31/005, A01K31/17, A01K39/00; for birds A01K31/06) · CPC title