Welder with intelligent battery charger

• US 20090008368A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Beeson, Rick, Fosbinder, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,969,762 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.390
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1062 with computing means
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00714 in response to battery charging or discharging current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007182 in response to battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage

Abstract

A system, in one embodiment, may include a portable welder having a welding output, a charging output, a welding circuit coupled to the welding output; and a charging circuit coupled to the charging output. The charging circuit may be configured to automatically adjust power to the charging output based on a feedback associated with charging a battery.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a portable welder, comprising;

a welding output;

a charging output;

a welding circuit coupled to the welding output; and

a charging circuit coupled to the charging output, wherein the charging circuit is configured to automatically adjust power to the charging output based on a feedback associated with charging a battery.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding circuit is configured to provide power to the welding output configured for metal inert gas (MIG) welding, tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, or shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), plasma cutting or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding output is independent from the charging output.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding circuit is configured to output a direct current (DC) power to the welding output.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging output comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit comprises a 6 volt mode, a 12 volt mode, a 24 volt mode, a 36 volt mode, a 48 volt mode, or a combination thereof.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to charge deep cycle batteries, low maintenance batteries, gel cell batteries, lithium ion batteries, nickel metal hydride batteries, and nickel cadmium batteries.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises a battery voltage reading, a battery current reading, a battery temperature reading, or a combination thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit is configured to provide an automatic regulation of power to the charging outputs during the course of charging the battery.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging circuit comprises logic configured to provide for reconditioning or desulfating the battery.

11. A system, comprising:

a welding unit configured to receive power from a source and output a power suitable for welding and output a power suitable for charging a battery, comprising;

a control circuit comprising;

a welding circuit configured to control welding power to a welding output; and

a smart charging circuit configured to control charging power to a charging output based on a feedback of a battery condition.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the smart charging circuit comprises battery check logic, battery reconditioning logic, alternator check logic, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the logic and variable output logic is configured to increase or decrease voltage, current, or both, based on the feedback.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the smart charging circuit is configured to control charging power to the charging output based on a selected charging mode.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the charging power output comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuit comprises a processor shared by the smart charging circuit and the welding circuit.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the smart charging circuit comprises battery detection logic, battery type identification logic, or both.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the welding output and the charging output are separate from one another.

19. A method, comprising:

selectively outputting a charging power and a welding power from a welding/charging power unit; and

automatically adjusting the charging power based on feedback relating to a battery to be charged.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically adjusting comprises processing the feedback and executing logic to make intelligent adjustments to the charging power.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically adjusting comprises regulating a current level of the charging power as the battery is progressively charged.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein automatically adjusting comprises logically increasing or decreasing a voltage level, a current level, or both, for a particular battery type.

23. The method of claim 19, comprising outputting the charging power as a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode.