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US 12,365,052 B2Granted
Smart manifolds for welding-type systems
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsNicholas James Dessart, Alan Adam Manthe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and apparatus are disclosed relating to smart regulators and smart manifolds for welding-type systems. A smart regulator may be coupled to a fluid tank and provide information regarding the current pressure(s) and/or flow rate to a remote device and/or operator. The remote device may also determine and/or output additional information, such as, for example, remaining fluid and/or remaining time before the fluid runs out or becomes dangerously low. A smart manifold may be configured to work with several different fluid supplies. In this way, an operator may easily mix fluid types, switch between different fluid types, and/or switch between different fluid tanks.
Claims20
A smart manifold, comprising:
- a first inlet configured for fluid communication with a first fluid supply;
- a second inlet configured for fluid communication with a second fluid supply;
- an outlet configured for fluid communication with a welding power supply, a wire feeder, or a welding-type tool;
- a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the outlet, the first inlet, and the second inlet;
- a first valve positioned in a first fluid flow path between the first inlet and the mixing chamber;
- a second valve positioned in a second fluid flow path between the second inlet and the mixing chamber;
- a valve actuator configured to adjust a first fluid flow restriction of the first valve based on a valve control signal, or adjust a second fluid flow restriction of the second valve based on the valve control signal;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- monitor a composition of a fluid mixture in the mixing chamber,
- determine the valve control signal based on the composition of the fluid mixture in the mixing chamber and a target fluid mixture, and
- provide the valve control signal to the first valve, the second valve, or the valve actuator.
9 more elements
A smart manifold, comprising:
- a first inlet configured for fluid communication with a first fluid supply;
- a second inlet configured for fluid communication with a second fluid supply;
- an outlet configured for fluid communication with a welding power supply, a wire feeder, or a welding-type tool;
- a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the outlet, the first inlet, and the second inlet;
- a first valve comprising a first valve actuator configured to adjustably restrict fluid flow between the first inlet and the mixing chamber based on a first valve control signal;
- a second valve comprising a second valve actuator configured to adjustably restrict fluid flow between the second inlet and the mixing chamber based on the first valve control signal or a second valve control signal;
- and
- control circuitry configured to:
- monitor a composition of a fluid mixture in the mixing chamber,
- determine the first valve control signal or the second valve control signal based on the composition of the fluid mixture in the mixing chamber and a target fluid mixture, and
- provide the first valve control signal or the second valve control signal to the first valve or the second valve.
8 more elements
A welding-type system, comprising:
- a smart manifold, comprising:
- a first inlet configured for fluid communication with a first fluid supply,
- a second inlet configured for fluid communication with a second fluid supply,
- an outlet configured for fluid communication with a welding power supply, a wire feeder, or a welding-type tool,
- a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the outlet, the first inlet, and the second inlet,
- a first valve positioned in a first fluid flow path between the first inlet and the mixing chamber,
- a second valve positioned in a second fluid flow path between the second inlet and the mixing chamber,
- a valve actuator configured to adjust a first fluid flow restriction of the first valve based on a valve control signal, or adjust a second fluid flow restriction of the second valve based on the valve control signal, and
- control circuitry configured to:
- monitor a composition of a fluid mixture in the mixing chamber,
- determine the valve control signal based on the composition of the fluid mixture in the mixing chamber and a target fluid mixture, and
- provide the valve control signal to the first valve, the second valve, or the valve actuator;
- and
- a remote device in communication with the smart manifold, the remote device configured to send one or more device control signals representative of the target fluid mixture to the smart manifold.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.