Welding power supply with laminated bus

• US 20060110987A1
• Filed: 11/19/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Schwartz, Brian A., Krieck, Daniel G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,307,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/752
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R

Abstract

A method and apparatus for welding with a bus is disclosed. The bus preferably is laminated, with two conductive plates separated by an insulator plate. The bus preferably is disposed in a housing without airflow.

Claims

1. A bus for a welding type power supply, comprising:

a first conductive plate having a first surface;

an insulator plate, having a first insulator surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the first bus surface, and further having a second surface;

and a second conductive plate having a second bus surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the second insulator surface.

2. The bus of claim 1, wherein the first conductive plate is electrically connected to a first terminal of a capacitor, and the second conductive plate is electrically connected to a second terminal of the capacitor.

3. The bus of claim 2, wherein the first conductive plate is further electrically connected to a first terminal of a switch, and the second conductive plate is electrically connected to a second switch terminal of the switch.

4. The bus of claim 3, wherein the first conductive plate is electrically connected to a first terminal of a rectifier, and the second conductive plate is electrically connected to a second terminal of the rectifier.

5. The bus of claim 1, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

6. The bus of claim 5, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

7. The bus of claim 6, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

8. The bus of claim 1, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

9. The bus of claim 8, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

10. The bus of claim 9, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

11. The bus of claim 1, wherein the bus is disposed in a housing having no forced fluid flow therethrough.

13. The welding-type power supply bus of claim 1, wherein the first conductive plate is electrically connected to a first terminal of a capacitor, and the second conductive plate is electrically connected to a second terminal of the capacitor.

14. The welding-type power supply of claim 13, wherein the input circuit includes a rectifier.

15. The welding-type power supply of claim 14, wherein the switched circuit includes a converter.

22. The welding-type power supply of claim 1, wherein the bus is disposed in a housing having no forced fluid flow therethrough.

12. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

an input circuit for receiving input power;

a bus, connected to the input circuit and across at least one capacitor, wherein the bus is comprised of a first conductive plate having a first surface, an insulator plate, having a first insulator surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the first bus surface, and further having a second surface, and a second conductive plate having a second bus surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the second insulator surface;

a switched circuit, connected to the bus; and

an output circuit connected to the switched circuit.

16. The welding-type power supply of claim 12, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

17. The welding-type power supply of claim 16, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

18. The welding-type power supply of claim 17, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

19. The welding-type power supply of claim 17, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

20. The welding-type power supply of claim 19, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

21. The welding-type power supply of claim 19, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

23. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

an input circuit for receiving input power;

a laminated bus, including two conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, connected to the input circuit and across at least one capacitor;

a switched circuit, connected to the bus; and

an output circuit connected to the switched circuit.

24. The welding-type power supply of claim 23, wherein the input circuit includes a rectifier, and the switched circuit includes a converter.

25. The welding-type power supply of claim 24, wherein the bus is disposed in a housing having no forced fluid flow therethrough.

26. The welding-type power supply of claim 25, wherein the switched circuit includes at least one switch is disposed in the housing, and wherein the switch is thermally connected to a heat sink outside the housing, and wherein the at least one capacitor is disposed outside the housing.

27. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

an input circuit, including a rectifier, for receiving input power;

a bus, including two conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, connected to the input circuit and across at least one capacitor, wherein the bus is disposed in a housing having no forced fluid flow therethrough, and the at least one capacitor is disposed outside the housing;

a switched circuit, including at least one switch is disposed in the housing, connected to the bus, and wherein the switch is thermally connected to a heat sink outside the housing; and

an output circuit connected to the switched circuit.

28. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

input means for receiving input power;

a bus, connected to the input means and across at least one capacitor, wherein the bus is comprised of a first conductive plate having a first surface, an insulator plate, having a first insulator surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the first bus surface, and further having a second surface, and a second conductive plate having a second bus surface disposed in an abutting relationship with the second insulator surface;

switching means for switching across the bus; and

output means for receiving power from the switching means and providing output power.

29. The welding-type power supply bus of claim 28, wherein the first conductive plate is electrically connected to a first terminal of a capacitor, and the second conductive plate is electrically connected to a second terminal of the capacitor.

30. The welding-type power supply of claim 28, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

31. The welding-type power supply of claim 29, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

32. The welding-type power supply of claim 31, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 200:

1.

33. The welding-type power supply of claim 32, wherein the first conductive plate has a first conductive thickness extending perpendicular to the first surface, and the first surface has a first conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the first conductive surface area in inches to the first conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

34. The welding-type power supply of claim 31, wherein the insulator plate has a thickness extending between the first insulator surface and the second insulator surface, and further wherein the first insulator surface has a surface area, wherein the ratio of the surface area in inches to the thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

35. The welding-type power supply of claim 34, wherein the second conductive plate has a second conductive thickness extending perpendicular to second surface, and the second surface has a second conductive surface area, wherein the ratio of the second conductive surface area in inches to the second conductive thickness in inches is at least 400:

1.

36. The welding-type power supply of claim 32, wherein the bus is disposed in a housing having no forced fluid flow therethrough.

37. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

input means for receiving input power;

laminated bus means for receiving power from the input means and maintaining a voltage across at least one capacitor, connected to the input circuit;

switch means for switching power from the laminated bus means, connected to the laminated bus means; and

output means for receiving power from the switch means and providing output power.

38. The welding-type power supply of claim 37, further comprising a housing means for housing the laminated bus means and for preventing fluid flow across the laminated bus means, and wherein the at least one capacitor is disposed outside the housing means.

39. A welding-type power supply, comprising:

input means for rectifying input power;

bus means, including two conductive layers separated by an insulating layer, connected to the input means and across at least one capacitor, for maintaining a voltage across the capacitor;

housing means for housing the bus means and for preventing forced fluid flow across the bus means, wherein the at least one capacitor is disposed outside the housing means;

switch means for switching power from the bus means, wherein the switch means is disposed in the housing means and connected to the bus means, and wherein the switch means is thermally connected to a heat sink outside the housing means; and

output means for receiving power from the switch means and providing output power.