Engine driven welder with field current boost
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsTom Bunker, John Leisner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for a generator driven CV welding power supply includes a generator driven by an engine, and a CV electronic field controller. The generator includes a field winding and a welding output winding. The electronic field controller is connected to the field winding and has an engine feedback input. The controller also has a voltage boost circuit responsive to the engine RPM (or engine speed command signal). A wire feeder includes a motor powered by the generator output, and the boosted field current helps start the wire feeder when the engine is idling. The speed of the engine is reduced when there is no welding arc.
Claims40
A generator driven welding power supply for providing a welding output comprising:
- a generator driven by an engine, the generator including a field winding and a welding output winding;
- and
- an electronic field controller connected to the field winding, and having an engine feedback input, and further having a voltage boost circuit responsive to the engine feedback input;
- wherein the engine feedback input is disposed to receive a signal representative of the engine speed.
A generator driven welding power supply for providing a welding output to an arc comprising:
- a generator means for providing electrical power, wherein the generator means is driven by an engine, and wherein the generator means includes a field winding and a welding output winding, wherein the welding output winding is disposed to provide a welding output voltage to the arc;
- and
- an electronic field controller means for controlling a field current in the field winding, and having a voltage boost means for controlling a magnitude of the welding output voltage provided in response to engine speed;
- engine feedback means for providing a signal representative of the engine speed to the voltage boost means.
A method of providing a welding power output, comprising:
- running an engine;
- driving a generator with the engine, to produce an electrical output;
- electronically controlling a field current in a generator field winding, thereby controlling the electrical output;
- sensing the engine speed;
- boosting the field current when the engine speed drops below a threshold.
A generator driven welding power supply for providing a welding output comprising:
- an engine, having a speed input;
- a generator connected to and driven by the engine, the generator including a welding output winding disposed to provide power to a welding arc;
- a CV controller connected to the welding output and the generator;
- and
- a welding output feedback circuit disposed to provide an output feedback signal indicative of the presence or absence of a welding arc, wherein the output feedback signal is provided to the engine speed input, wherein the engine idles in response to a feedback signal indicative of the absence of an arc.
A generator driven welding power supply for providing a welding output comprising:
- an engine, having a speed input;
- a generator means for providing an electrical output to a welding arc, and connected to and driven by the engine;
- CV controller means for controlling the generator to provide a CV output, connected to the welding output and the generator;
- and
- a welding output feedback means for providing an output feedback signal indicative of the presence or absence of a welding arc to the engine speed input, 13 wherein the engine idles in response to a feedback signal indicative of the absence of an arc.
A method of providing a welding power, comprising:
- driving a generator with an engine and producing a welding output;
- controlling the generator to provide a CV output;
- sensing the presence or absence of a welding arc;
- and
- causing the engine to idle in the event the absence of the arc is sensed.
A generator driven arc welding power supply for providing a welding output comprising:
- a generator driven by an engine, the generator including a field winding and a welding output winding;
- and
- an electronic field controller connected to the field winding, and having an arc feedback input, and further having a voltage boost circuit responsive to the arc feedback input;
- wherein the arc feedback input is disposed to receive a signal representative of a parameter of the arc.
A generator driven welding power supply for providing a welding output to an arc comprising:
- a generator means for providing electrical power, wherein the generator means is driven by an engine, and wherein the generator means includes a field winding and a welding output winding, wherein the welding output winding is disposed to provide a welding output voltage to the arc;
- and
- an electronic field controller means for controlling a field current in the field winding, and having a voltage boost means for controlling a magnitude of the welding output voltage provided in response to arc feedback;
- arc feedback means for providing a signal representative of an arc parameter to the voltage boost means.
A method of providing a welding power output, comprising:
- running an engine;
- driving a generator with the engine, to produce an electrical output;
- electronically controlling a field current in a generator field winding, thereby controlling the electrical output;
- boosting the field current in response to a selected arc parameter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.