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US 4,631,385 AGranted
Automated position detectors and welding system utilizing same
AssigneeDimetrics, Inc.
InventorRonald R. Rothermel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for detecting the position of the welding torch with respect to the workpiece by varying the electrical power to the arc, measuring the effect of such variation on the arc current and/or arc voltage and processing the detected effect to produce welding torch position related information. Also, a welding system and method which comprises utilizing this detection system and method to control the position of the welding torch means with respect to the workpiece.
Claims39
A welding torch means position detection system comprising:
- means for directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and workpiece;
- means for varying the electrical power supplied to the arc;
- and
- means for detecting impedance related information due to the effect of the electrical power variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current to obtain contact means to workpiece distance related information.
2 more elements
A welding torch means position detection system comprising:
- means for directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece, the electrical power providing means including means for producing a predetermined current variation;
- means for detecting the effect of the predetermined current variation on the arc voltage;
- and
- means for processing the detected effect on the arc voltage so as to obtain impedance related information which is representative of the contact means to workpiece distance
2 more elements
A welding torch means position detection system comprising:
- means for directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece, the electrical power providing means including means for producing a predetermined voltage variation;
- means for detecting the effect of the predetermined voltage variation on the arc current;
- and
- means for processing the detected effect on the arc current so as to obtain impedance related information which is representative of the contact means to workpiece distance related information.
2 more elements
A welding system comprising:
- a supply of consumable electrode metal;
- means for directing said consumable electrode metal from said supply through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and workpiece;
- means for varying the electrical power supplied to the arc;
- means for detecting impedance related information due to the effect of the electrical power variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- means for processing the detected impedance related information so as to produce contact means to workpiece distance related information;
- and
- means operatively associated with the processing means for controlling the relative distance between the contact means and workpiece.
5 more elements
A welding system comprising:
- a supply of consumable electrode metal;
- means for directing said consumable electrode metal from said supply through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and workpiece, the electrical power providing means including means for producing a predetermined current variation;
- means for detecting the effect of the predetermined current variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- means for processing the detected effect on the arc voltage or arc current so as to produce impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance;
- means for adjusting the position of at least one of the contact means or workpiece;
- means for commanding a desired positional relationship of the contact means and workpiece;
- means for comparing the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship;
- and
- means operatively associated with the comparison means for controlling the position adjusting means to correspond the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship.
7 more elements
A welding system comprising:
- a supply of consumable electrode metal;
- means for directing said consumable electrode metal from said supply through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- means for providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and workpiece, the electrical power providing means including means for producing a predetermined voltage variation;
- means for detecting the effect of the predetermined voltage variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- means for processing the detected effect on the arc voltage or arc current so as to produce impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance;
- means for adjusting the position of at least one of the contact means or workpiece;
- means for commanding a desired positional relationship of the contact means and workpiece;
- means for comparing the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship;
- and
- means operatively associated with the comparison means for controlling the position adjusting means to correspond the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship.
7 more elements
A method for detecting the distance between welding torch contact means and a workpiece which comprises:
- directing consumable electrode metal through welding torch contact means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- varying the electrical power supplied to the arc;
- detecting the effect of the electrical power variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- and
- processing the detected effect to obtain impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance.
3 more elements
A method for detecting the distance between welding torch contact means and a workpiece which comprises:
- directing consumable electrode metal through welding torch contact means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- producing a predetermined current variation of said electrical power;
- detecting the effect of the predetermined current variation on the arc voltage;
- and
- processing the detected effect on the arc voltage so as to obtain impedance related information representative of the welding torch contact means to workpiece distance.
3 more elements
A method for detecting the distance between welding torch contact means and a workpiece which comprises:
- directing consumable electrode metal through welding torch contact means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- producing a predetermined voltage variation of said electrical power;
- detecting the effect of the predetermined voltage variation on the arc current;
- and
- processing the detected effect on the arc current so as to obtain impedance related information representative of the welding torch contact means to workpiece distance.
3 more elements
A welding method comprising:
- directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and workpiece;
- producing detectable impedance related information between said contact means and workpiece by varying the electrical power supplied to the arc, perturbing the feed rate of the consumable electrode metal or perturbing the contact means to workpiece distance;
- detecting the impedance related information by measuring the variation of at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- processing the detected impedance related information so as to produce welding torch contact means to workpiece distance related information;
- and
- controlling the welding torch contact means workpiece distance to a predetermined value.
4 more elements
A welding method comprising:
- directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- providing variable electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- detecting the effect of the variable electrical power on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- processing the detected effect on the arc voltage or arc current so as to produce impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance;
- adjusting the position of at least one of the contact means or workpiece;
- commanding a desired positional relationship of the contact means and workpiece;
- comparing the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship;
- and
- controlling the adjusted position to correspond the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship.
6 more elements
A welding method comprising:
- directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- producing a predetermined current variation in said electrical power;
- detecting the effect of the predetermined current variation on at least one of arc voltage or arc current;
- processing the detected effect on the arc voltage or arc current so as to produce impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance;
- adjusting the position of at least one of the contact means or workpiece;
- commanding a desired positional relationship of the contact means and workpiece;
- comparing the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship;
- and
- controlling the adjusted position to correspond the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship.
7 more elements
A welding method comprising:
- directing consumable electrode metal through contact means in a welding torch means to a workpiece;
- providing electrical power to establish an arc between the consumable electrode metal and the workpiece;
- producing a predetermined voltage variation in said electrical power;
- detecting the effect of the predetermined voltage variation on at least one of arc current or arc voltage;
- processing the detected effect on the arc current or arc voltage so as to produce impedance related information representative of the contact means to workpiece distance;
- adjusting the position of at least one of the contact means or workpiece;
- commanding a desired positional relationship of the contact means and workpiece;
- comparing the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship;
- and
- controlling the adjusted position to correspond the detected impedance related information with the desired positional relationship.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.