Welding module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9636765-B2
Application number	US-201414513637-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2014
Priority date	Oct 5, 2006
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Welding systems are presented, in which a single power source provides a first DC output to a plurality of digital waveform controlled chopper modules. Welding modules are also disclosed for converting an input DC signal to a welding signal, which are comprised of a down-chopper for providing a welding signal waveform according to a pulse width modulated switching signal, along with a digital waveform controller providing the switching signal according to a desired waveform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding chopper module for converting an input DC signal to a welding signal for performing a welding process, said welding chopper module comprising:
a portable enclosure separate from an external power source that distributes an unregulated DC signal over a DC bus to one or more independent welding chopper modules, the portable enclosure houses:
a transformerless down-chopper comprising:
an input for receiving the unregulated DC signal from the external power source, and
a switching circuit for converting the unregulated DC signal to a welding signal waveform for an independent welding process, the welding signal waveform having a succession of individual pulses according to a pulse width modulated switching signal; and

a digital waveform controller, coupled to the transformerless down-chopper, that outputs the pulse width modulated switching signal according to a desired waveform,
wherein the welding chopper module receives only unregulated power from the external power source and outputs a current suitable for the independent welding process.

2. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , wherein said digital waveform controller is communicatively coupled with a synchronizing controller to coordinate operation with a second digital waveform controller of a second welding module.

3. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , wherein said transformerless down-chopper has a maximum rated output current of about 300 amps or more.

4. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , wherein said welding module weighs about 100 pounds or less.

5. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a polarity switching system coupled to receive said welding signal waveform from said switching circuit, said polarity switching system comprising:
switching means operative in a first state to provide current of a first polarity from said welding signal waveform to said welding process and operative in a second state to provide current of a second opposite polarity from said welding signal waveform to said welding process; and
a polarity controller providing a polarity signal to said switching means to selectively place said switching means in one of said first or second states.

6. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
a short circuit welding control module coupled to receive said welding signal waveform from said switching circuit, said short circuit welding control module comprising:
means for sensing an anticipated metal breaking fuse condition in said welding process; and
means for selectively reducing current to said welding process according to said anticipated fuse condition.

7. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , wherein said digital waveform controller is programmable.

8. A welding module as defined in claim 1 , wherein the input receives the unregulated DC signal from the same DC bus as the one or more independent welding chopper modules, each of the one or more independent welding chopper modules comprises a respective transformerless down-chopper and a respective digital waveform controller.

9. A welding module as defined in claim 2 , wherein digital waveform controller modifies the pulse modulated switching signal according to the synchronizing controller to reduce adverse arc interaction.

10. A welding module as defined in claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more independent welding chopper modules outputs an independent welding waveform.

11. A welding module as defined in claim 2 , wherein the synchronizing controller is integrated with the digital waveform controller.

12. A welding module as defined in claim 2 , wherein the portable enclosure further houses the synchronizing controller.

13. A welding chopper module for converting an input DC signal to a welding signal for performing a welding process, said welding chopper module comprising:
a portable enclosure separate from an external power source that distributes an unregulated DC signal over a DC bus to one or more independent welding chopper modules, the portable enclosure houses:
a transformerless down-chopper having an input for receiving the unregulated DC signal from the external power source, and a switching circuit for converting the unregulated DC signal to a welding signal waveform for an independent welding process; and
a digital waveform controller coupled to the transformerless down-chopper, that communicates a switching signal to the transformerless down-chopper,

wherein the welding chopper module receives only unregulated power from the external power source and outputs a current suitable for the independent welding process.

14. A welding module as defined in claim 13 , wherein said digital waveform controller is communicatively coupled with a synchronizing controller to coordinate operation with a second digital waveform controller of a second welding module.

15. A welding module as defined in claim 13 , wherein said digital waveform controller receives one or more status or control signals from a premonition circuit that is part of a short circuit welding control module, the one or more status or control signals indicate at least one of an impending fuse condition or a beginning of a short circuit condition.

16. A welding module as defined in claim 14 , wherein the synchronizing controller further coordinates operation of the digital waveform controller with a bug controller.

17. A welding module as defined in claim 15 , wherein the premonition circuit controls operation of a switch to selectively provide a low impedance current path for the welding signal waveform from the transformerless down-chopper to a weld process arc with the switch in a conductive state, or a higher impedance path with the switch in a non-conductive state when the premonition circuit detects an impending metal breaking fuse condition.

18. A welding module as defined in claim 15 , wherein the short circuit control module is configured to be enabled during short circuit welding applications or disabled for other types of welding processes.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Peters Steven R

Classifications

• B23K9/091 Primary

  characterised by the circuits · CPC title

• B23K9/0953

  using computing means · CPC title

• B23K9/1068 Primary

  Electric circuits for the supply of power to two or more arcs from a single source · CPC title

• B23K9/1062

  with computing means · CPC title