System and Method for Battery-Assisted, Engine-Driven Welding-Type Process

• US 20080314885A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Hutchison, Richard
• Application Number:
  US11/766,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20080314885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/133
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1043 characterised by the electric circuit B23K9/1012 takes precedence

Abstract

A welding-type system and method for providing supplemental output power in an engine-driven, welding-type system. The welding-type system includes a battery, an engine, and a generator coupled to the engine to be driven to generate a power. The system also includes a power conditioning circuit configured to convert the power generated by the generator to a primary welding-type power and an output configured to deliver the welding-type power to drive a welding-type process during a first state and a second state of the welding-type process. The system further includes a controller configured to monitor the welding-type process and selectively couple the battery to the output during the second state of the welding-type process to provide a supplemental welding-type power to drive the welding-type process during the second state of the welding-type process.

Claims

1. A welding-type system comprising:

a battery;

an engine;

a generator coupled to the engine to be driven to generate a power;

a power conditioning circuit configured to convert the power generated by the generator to a primary welding-type power;

an output configured to deliver the welding-type power to drive a welding-type process during a first state and a second state of the welding-type process; and

a controller configured to monitor the welding-type process and selectively couple the battery to the output during the second state of the welding-type process to provide a supplemental welding-type power to drive the welding-type process during the second state of the welding-type process.

2. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the primary welding-type power is delivered to the output to drive the welding-type process during both the first state and the second state and the supplemental welding-type power is only delivered to the output during the second state to supplement the primary welding-type power.

3. The welding-type system of claim 1 further comprising an ignition unit configured to drive the engine during a start-up process and wherein the battery is connected to the ignition unit to provide operational power to the ignition unit to drive the start-up process.

4. The welding-type system of claim 1 further comprising:

a contactor connected at a first end between the generator and the output and connected at a second end to the battery;

an output stabilizer connected between the first end of the contactor and the output; and

a user interface configured to control the contactor to act as an override to selectively decouple the battery from the output.

5. The welding-type system of claim 4 wherein the controller includes a diode arranged between the battery and the contactor to only allow current flow from the battery to the output.

6. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to electrically isolate the battery from the output during the first state of the welding-type process.

7. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the supplemental welding-type power provides a current flow greater than a current flow provided by the primary welding-type power.

8. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the generator is further connected to the battery to provide a charging power to the battery.

9. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the welding-type process includes a metal inert gas (MIG) welding process.

10. The welding-type system of claim 1 wherein the second state is a short-circuit state and the first state is a non-short-circuit state.

11. A welding-type power supply comprising:

a battery;

an engine;

a generator coupled to the engine to be driven to generate a power;

a power conditioning circuit configured to convert the power generated by the generator to a welding-type power to drive a welding-type process; and

a controller configured to selectively couple the battery to the power conditioning circuit to provide a supplemental power to be delivered with the welding-type power during at least a portion of the welding-type process.

12. The welding-type power supply of claim 11 wherein the portion of the welding-type process includes a short-circuit period of the welding-type process.

13. The welding-type power supply of claim 11 further comprising a starter circuit configured to start operation of the engine to drive the generator and wherein the battery is connected to provide operational power to the starter circuit.

14. The welding-type power supply of claim 11 wherein the generator is further configured to provide a charging power to the battery.

15. A method of driving a welding-type process comprising:

operating an engine coupled to a generator to provide a welding-type power to a welding output to drive the welding-type process; and

selectively coupling a battery to the welding output during at least a portion of the welding-type process to provide a supplemental power in addition to the welding-type power to drive the welding-type process.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising simultaneously operating the engine and generator to provide the welding-type power and a charging power to charge the battery.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising closing and opening a switch to selectively couple the battery to the welding output.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein a current flow associated with the supplemental power is greater than a current flow associated with the welding-type power.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

monitoring at least one operational characteristic of the welding-type power to identify a portion of the welding-type process when the engine and generator are unable to provide welding-type power having characteristics desired to drive the welding-type process; and

selectively coupling the battery to the welding output during the portion of the welding-type process when the engine and generator are unable to provide welding-type power having characteristics desired to drive the welding-type process to supplement the welding-type power to provide the characteristics desired to drive the welding-type process.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the welding-type process is a MIG welding-type process and wherein the portion of the welding-type process includes a short-circuit period.