Wire feeder with non-linear speed control
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsAlbert M. Nowak, Thomas G. Yunk, Warren E. Herwig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A welding machine with a wire feeder and a controller is disclosed. The wire feeder includes a wire feed motor with a motor speed input. The controller is coupled to the motor speed control input. A user selectable wire feed speed input is also connected to the controller. The controller has an input circuit coupled with a non-linear stage such that the relationship between the user selectable wire feed speed input and the actual wire feed speed is not linear. The selectable input may be a potentiometer mounted on a front panel as the user selectable wire feed speed input. The non-linearity may be continuous or two discrete gains.
Claims26
An apparatus for feeding wire at a controllable wire feed speed to a weld comprising:
- a wire feed motor, having a wire feed speed;
- a controller, coupled to the wire feed motor;
- and
- a selectable wire feed speed input;
- wherein the controller includes an input circuit coupled to the selectable wire feed speed input, and wherein the input circuit includes a non-linear stage such that the relationship between the selectable wire feed speed input and the wire feed speed is not linear.
An apparatus for feeding wire at a controllable wire feed speed to a weld comprising:
- a wire feed motor, having a wire feed speed;
- a controller means for controlling the motor speed;
- wherein the controller means is coupled to the motor;
- and
- an input means for allowing a user to select a wire feed speed;
- wherein the controller means includes an input circuit coupled to the input means, and wherein the input circuit includes non-linear means for creating a non-linear relationship between a setting of the input means and the wire feed speed.
A method of controlling wire feeder comprising the steps of:
- providing the wire at a controlled speed;
- providing a user input;
- and
- creating a non-linear relationship between the user input and the wire feed speed.
An apparatus for controlling the rate at which wire is fed to a weld, comprising:
- a wire feed motor output;
- a selectable wire feed speed input;
- and
- an input circuit coupled to the selectable wire feed speed input, and wherein the input circuit includes a non-linear stage such that the relationship between the selectable wire feed speed input and the wire feed output is not linear.
An apparatus for controlling the rate at which wire is fed to a weld comprising:
- a wire feed motor output, corresponding to a wired feed speed;
- controller means for controlling the motor speed, wherein the controller means is coupled to the motor output;
- and
- an input means for allowing a user to select a wire feed speed;
- wherein the controller means includes an input circuit coupled to the input means, and wherein the input circuit includes non-linear means for creating a non-linear relationship between a setting of the input means and the motor output.
An apparatus for arc welding comprising:
- a welding power supply connected to provide welding power to the arc;
- a wire feed motor, disposed to provide wire to the arc and having a wire feed speed;
- a controller, coupled to the wire feed motor;
- and
- a selectable wire feed speed input;
- wherein the controller includes an input circuit coupled to the selectable wire feed speed input, and wherein the input circuit includes a non-linear stage such that the relationship between the selectable wire feed speed input and the wire feed speed is not linear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.