Feedback from a welding torch of a welding system

• US 10,170,019 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Becker, William J., Walker, James M., Erdmann, Jeremy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US14/149,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20150194072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 434234
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/006 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/10 Other electric circuits therefor; Protective circuits; Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/30 Vibrating holders for electrodes B23K9/022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A welding system includes a welding torch. The welding torch includes a sensor configured to detect a motion associated with the welding torch, a temperature associated with the welding torch, or some combination thereof. A display of the welding torch is activated, a determination is made that the welding torch has been involved in a high impact event, live welding using the welding torch is disabled, a software selection is made, or some combination thereof, based on the motion, the temperature, or some combination thereof.

Claims

1. A welding system comprising:

a welding torch comprising a sensor configured to detect a temperature associated with the welding torch, wherein live welding using the welding torch is disabled based on the detected temperature, wherein the detected temperature comprises a temperature of a display of the welding torch, a temperature of a light-emitting device of the welding torch, or a temperature of a vibration device of the welding torch.

2. The welding system of claim 1, comprising control circuitry configured to receive the detected temperature associated with the welding torch and to disable the live welding while the detected temperature is greater than a first predetermined threshold.

3. The welding system of claim 2 wherein the control circuitry is configured to present a feedback while the detected temperature is greater than the first predetermined threshold.

4. The welding system of claim 2, wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable heat producing devices of the welding torch of the welding system while the detected temperature is greater than a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is greater than the first predetermined threshold.

5. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a thermocouple or thermistor temperature sensor.

6. The welding system of claim 4, wherein the heat producing devices comprise one or more of the vibration device and the light-emitting device.

7. The welding system of claim 1, comprising control circuitry configured to receive the detected temperature associated with the welding torch and to disable components or features of the welding system while the detected temperature is greater than a first predetermined threshold.

8. The welding system of claim 7, wherein the control circuitry is configured to disable additional components or features of the welding system while the detected temperature is greater than a second predetermined threshold, wherein the second predetermined threshold is greater than the first predetermined threshold.