US 12,350,767 B2 · Welding power supply with half bridge

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing welding-type power is disclosed. It includes an input circuit, a dc bus, an output circuit, and a control module. The input circuit receives power and provides an intermediate signal to the bus. The output circuit receives the dc bus and provides an ac welding-type output. The output circuit includes a half-bridge output inverter with at least first and second switches. The output inverter further includes an output control circuit. The output control circuit provides freewheeling paths that includes control switches, the output, antiparallel diodes. The control module has a four quadrant control module that provides control signals to the half bridge output inverter and provides modulating control signals to the first and second output control switches. The modulating signals cause the output control switches to be turned on and off multiple times to control a rate of change of output current.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An output circuit for a welding-type power supply disposed to receive an input from a direct current (DC) bus and provide an arc welding-type output, the output circuit comprising:

a half-bridge inverter having at least a first switch and a second switch, wherein the half bridge inverter is connected to receive power from the DC bus and provide power to the arc welding-type output;
an output inductor;
a boost circuit that includes a boost inductor, an inverter DC bus, and a third switch, wherein:
the boost circuit boosts a voltage of the inverter DC bus to a desired magnitude when the third switch operates in a boosting mode of a first boosting event of the voltage of the inverter DC bus;
and
the third switch controls a rate of change of a current of the arc-welding type output when the third switch is operating in a commutating mode of a first commutation event of the current of the arc-welding type output.

3 more elements

A welding-type power supply comprising:

a direct current (DC) bus;
and
an output circuit disposed to receive an input from the DC bus and configured to provide an arc-welding type output, the output circuit comprising:
a half-bridge inverter having at least a first switch and a second switch, wherein the half bridge inverter is connected to receive power from the DC bus and provide power to the arc welding-type output;
an output inductor;
and
a boost circuit that includes a boost inductor, an inverter DC bus, and a third switch, wherein:
the boost circuit boosts a voltage of the inverter DC bus to a desired magnitude when the third switch operates in a boosting mode of a first boosting event of the voltage of the inverter DC bus;
and
the third switch controls a rate of change of a current of the arc-welding type output when the third switch operates in a commutating mode of a first commutation event of the current of the arc-welding type output.

7 more elements

A welding-type power supply comprising:

a direct current (DC) bus;
an output circuit disposed to receive an input from the DC bus and configured to provide an arc-welding type output, the output circuit comprising:
a half-bridge inverter having at least a first switch and a second switch, wherein the half bridge inverter is connected to receive power from the DC bus and provide power to the arc welding-type output;
an output inductor;
and
a boost circuit comprising a boost inductor, an inverter DC bus, and a third switch;
and
a control module configured to provide commands to the output circuit, the control module comprising:
a commutation control module configured to provide first modulating control signals to the third switch to control the third switch according to a commutating mode of a first commutation event of a current of the arc welding-type output to control a rate of change of the current;
and
a boost control module configured to provide second modulating control signals to the third switch to control the third switch according to a boosting mode of a first boosting event to boost a voltage of the inverter DC bus.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Welding power supply with half bridge

Life of this patent

Welding power supply with half bridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20