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US 9,539,661 B2Granted
Welding power supply extended range system and method
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorAlan A. Manthe
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A power supply for welding, cutting and similar operations includes one or more power converters that are controlled by PWM signals applied by control circuitry. The signals may be applied for a period greater than 50% duty cycle. The duty cycle may be determined by monitoring power or current draw by a welding or cutting operation load. Where more than one converters is used, each may have the same or different duty cycles, and each may be extended beyond a 50% maximum.
Claims21
A welding or cutting power supply system, comprising:
- a single ended converter circuit comprising a solid state switching circuit having power electronic switches for producing output power at a controllable level suitable for a welding or cutting operation, the solid state switching circuit further comprising an output transformer that transforms output of the solid state switching circuit;
- an output inductance coupled to the output transformer of the solid state switching circuit;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the solid state switching circuit and configured to provide PWM control signals for controlling states of the power electronic switches of the solid state switching circuit to maintain desired loading of the solid state switching circuit, wherein during a series of cycles of the solid state switching circuit the control circuitry is configured to apply PWM control signals to the solid state switching circuit to produce output from the solid state switching circuit that is not limited to a maximum 50% duty cycle for multiple consecutive cycles of the series of cycles of the solid state switching circuit.
1 more element
A welding or cutting system, comprising:
- a power supply comprising at least first and second solid state switching circuits each having two power electronic switches for producing output power at a controllable level suitable for a welding or cutting operation, the first and second solid state switching circuits being electrically coupled to provide combined output, each solid state switching circuit further comprising an output transformer that transforms output of the respective solid state switches;
- an output inductance coupled to outputs of both the first and second solid state switching circuits;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the first and second solid state switching circuits and configured to provide PWM control signals for controlling states of the power electronic switches of the solid state switching circuits, wherein a switching period of the second solid state switching circuit is based upon the switching period of the first solid state switching circuit, and wherein control signals applied to the first solid state switching circuit begin at a beginning of the switching period, and control signals applied to the second solid state switching circuit begin at a midpoint of a switching period, and wherein during a cycle of the solid state switching circuits the control circuitry is configured to apply PWM control signals to both of the solid state switching circuits to produce output from each solid state switching circuit that is not limited to a maximum 50% duty cycle for multiple consecutive cycles of the first and second solid state switching circuits.
1 more element
A welding or cutting method, comprising:
- applying PWM control signals to at least one switching circuit of a single ended power converter comprising the at least one switching circuit operated in a desired switching pattern to provide a combined output, the control signals of the switching circuit being based upon a desired duty cycle that is not limited to a maximum 50% for multiple consecutive cycles of the at least one switching circuit;
- transforming output of the switching circuit;
- and
- applying the output to a welding or cutting operation through an output inductance.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.