Method and apparatus for advance warning and controlled shutdown in an arc processing system

• US 20060207979A1
• Filed: 03/15/2005
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Lincoln Global Incorporated (Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Daniel, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,705,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/130.10
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• 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

Abstract

Warning and shutdown systems and methods are presented for providing advance warnings of pending fault conditions to an operator of an arc processing system. The warning system comprises an input, a logic system, and a signaling system, where the input receives a sensor signal indicative of an operational condition of the arc processing system, the logic system detects a pending fault condition based on the sensor signal, and the signaling system provides a warning signal to the operator, wherein the warning signal is indicative of the pending fault condition. Shutdown apparatus is provided which has a sensor input, a logic system to detect a fault condition, and a shutdown system that selectively shuts the arc processing system down a predetermined time period after fault detection.

Claims

1. A warning system for providing advance warnings to an operator of an arc processing system, said warning system comprising an input operatively coupled with a sensor associated with said arc processing system to receive a sensor signal indicative of an operational condition of said arc processing system, a logic system operatively coupled with said input, said logic system being operable to detect a pending fault condition according to said sensor signal, and a pending fault signaling system operatively coupled with said logic system to selectively provide a warning signal to an operator of said arc processing system, said warning signal being indicative of said pending fault condition.

2. A warning system as defined in claim 1, wherein said input is operatively coupled with a plurality of sensors associated with said arc processing system to receive a corresponding plurality of sensor signals indicative of a plurality of operational conditions of said arc processing system, and wherein said logic system is operable to detect said pending fault condition according to at least one of said sensor signals.

3. A warning system as defined in claim 2, wherein said input is operatively coupled with said pending fault signaling system, wherein said input provides a sensor identifier to said pending fault signaling system indicating a particular one of said sensors associated with said pending fault condition, and wherein said pending fault signaling system provides one of a plurality of warning signals to said operator according to said sensor identifier to indicate a particular pending fault condition corresponding to said particular one of said sensors.

4. A warning system as defined in claim 3, wherein said warning signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

5. A warning system as defined in claim 2, wherein said warning signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

6. A warning system as defined in claim 1, wherein said warning signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

7. A warning system as defined in claim 3, wherein said logic system is further operable to detect an actual fault condition according to at least one of said sensor signals, said warning system further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said logic system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition.

8. A warning system as defined in claim 2, wherein said logic system is further operable to detect an actual fault condition according to at least one of said sensor signals, said warning system further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said logic system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition.

9. A warning system as defined in claim 1, wherein said logic system is further operable to detect an actual fault condition according to said sensor signal, said warning system further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said logic system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition.

10. A warning system as defined in claim 7, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator, said shutdown signal being indicative of said actual fault condition.

11. A warning system as defined in claim 8, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator, said shutdown signal being indicative of said actual fault condition.

12. A warning system as defined in claim 9, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator, said shutdown signal being indicative of said actual fault condition.

13. A warning system as defined in claim 7, wherein said input is operatively coupled with said shutdown system, wherein said input provides a sensor identifier to said shutdown system indicating a particular one of said sensors associated with said actual fault condition, and wherein said shutdown system provides one of a plurality of shutdown signals to said operator according to said sensor identifier to indicate a particular actual fault condition corresponding to said particular one of said sensors.

14. A warning system as defined in claim 8, wherein said input is operatively coupled with said shutdown system, wherein said input provides a sensor identifier to said shutdown system indicating a particular one of said sensors associated with said actual fault condition, and wherein said shutdown system provides one of a plurality of shutdown signals to said operator according to said sensor identifier to indicate a particular actual fault condition corresponding to said particular one of said sensors.

15. A warning system as defined in claim 10, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

16. A warning system as defined in claim 11, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

17. A warning system as defined in claim 7, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

18. A warning system as defined in claim 8, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

19. A warning system as defined in claim 7, wherein said logic system compares said sensor signal to a first reference to detect a pending fault condition and compares said sensor signal to a second reference to detect an actual fault condition.

20. A warning system as defined in claim 8, wherein said logic system compares said sensor signal to a first reference to detect a pending fault condition and compares said sensor signal to a second reference to detect an actual fault condition.

21. A warning system as defined in claim 13, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence corresponding to a particular actual fault condition according to said sensor identifier.

22. A warning system as defined in claim 10, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

23. A warning system as defined in claim 7, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

24. A warning system as defined in claim 8, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

25. A warning system as defined in claim 9, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

26. A warning system as defined in claim 3, further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said pending fault signaling system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said pending fault condition.

27. A warning system as defined in claim 2, further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said pending fault signaling system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said pending fault condition.

28. A warning system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a shutdown system operatively coupled to said pending fault signaling system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system according to said pending fault condition.

29. A warning system as defined in claim 26, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator.

30. A warning system as defined in claim 27, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator.

31. A warning system as defined in claim 28, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator.

32. A warning system as defined in claim 29, wherein said predetermined time period is dependent on said particular pending fault condition corresponding to said particular one of said sensors.

33. A warning system as defined in claim 26, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator upon shutting down said arc processing system, said shutdown signal being indicative of said pending fault condition.

34. A warning system as defined in claim 27, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator upon shutting down said arc processing system, said shutdown signal being indicative of said pending fault condition.

35. A warning system as defined in claim 28, wherein said shutdown system provides a shutdown signal to said operator upon shutting down said arc processing system, said shutdown signal being indicative of said pending fault condition.

36. A warning system as defined in claim 33, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

37. A warning system as defined in claim 34, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

38. A warning system as defined in claim 35, wherein said shutdown signal is one of an audio signal, a visual signal, a tactile signal, and a digital communication signal.

39. A warning system as defined in claim 26, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator unless said operator manually shuts down said arc processing system.

40. A warning system as defined in claim 27, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator unless said operator manually shuts down said arc processing system.

41. A warning system as defined in claim 28, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after said pending fault signaling system provides said warning signal to said operator unless said operator manually shuts down said arc processing system.

42. A warning system as defined in claim 26, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence corresponding to a particular actual fault condition according to said sensor identifier.

43. A warning system as defined in claim 27, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence corresponding to a particular actual fault condition according to said sensor identifier.

44. A warning system as defined in claim 26, wherein said shutdown system selectively shuts down said arc processing system according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

45. A method of indicating a pending fault condition to an operator of an arc processing system, said method comprising:

monitoring a sensor signal indicative of an operational condition of said arc processing system;

detecting a pending fault condition according to said sensor signal; and

providing a warning signal to said operator, said warning signal being indicative of said pending fault condition.

46. A method as defined in claim 45, wherein said warning signal is indicative of a particular pending fault condition.

47. A method as defined in claim 46, further comprising detecting an actual fault condition according to said sensor signal, and shutting down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition.

48. A method as defined in claim 47, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

49. A method as defined in claim 47, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down a predetermined time period after said warning signal is provided to said operator.

50. A method as defined in claim 45, further comprising detecting an actual fault condition according to said sensor signal, and shutting down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition.

51. A method as defined in claim 50, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down according to a controlled shutdown sequence.

52. A method as defined in claim 50, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down a predetermined time period after said warning signal is provided to said operator.

53. A method as defined in claim 51, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down after completion of a current welding cycle.

54. A method as defined in claim 52, wherein said arc processing system is selectively shut down after completion of a current welding cycle.

55. A method as defined in claim 52, wherein shutting down said arc processing system according to said actual fault condition comprises selectively allowing a new welding cycle to start after detection of said pending fault condition if said new welding cycle will complete before said predetermined time period will expire, and selectively preventing said new welding cycle from starting if said predetermined time period will expire before said new welding cycle will complete.

56. An apparatus for shutting down an arc processing system, said apparatus comprising an input operatively coupled with a sensor associated with said arc processing system to receive a sensor signal indicative of an operational condition of said arc processing system, a logic system operatively coupled with said input, said logic system being operable to detect a fault condition according to said sensor signal, and a shutdown system operatively coupled to said logic system and to said arc processing system, said shutdown system being operable to selectively shut down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after detection of said fault condition.

57. An apparatus as defined in claim 56, wherein said fault condition is one of a pending fault condition and an actual fault condition.

58. An apparatus as defined in claim 57, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively allow a new welding cycle to start after detection of said fault condition if said new welding cycle will complete before said predetermined time period will expire, and to selectively prevent said new welding cycle from starting if said predetermined time period will expire before said new welding cycle will complete.

59. An apparatus as defined in claim 56, wherein said shutdown system is operable to selectively allow a new welding cycle to start after detection of said fault condition if said new welding cycle will complete before said predetermined time period will expire, and to selectively prevent said new welding cycle from starting if said predetermined time period will expire before said new welding cycle will complete.

60. A method for shutting down an arc processing system, said method comprising:

monitoring a sensor signal indicative of an operational condition of said arc processing system;

detecting a fault condition according to said sensor signal; and

selectively shutting down said arc processing system a predetermined time period after detecting said fault condition.

61. A method as defined in claim 60, wherein said fault condition is one of a pending fault condition and an actual fault condition.

62. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising determining whether a said predetermined time period will expire before a new welding cycle would complete, and selectively preventing said new welding cycle from starting if said predetermined time period will expire before said new welding cycle would complete.

63. A method as defined in claim 62, further comprising selectively allowing said new welding cycle to start after detection of said fault condition if said new welding cycle will complete before said predetermined time period will expire.

64. A method as defined in claim 60, further comprising determining whether a said predetermined time period will expire before a new welding cycle would complete, and selectively preventing said new welding cycle from starting if said predetermined time period will expire before said new welding cycle would complete.

65. A method as defined in claim 64, further comprising selectively allowing said new welding cycle to start after detection of said fault condition if said new welding cycle will complete before said predetermined time period will expire.