ENERGY STORAGE CADDY FOR A WELDING SYSTEM

• US 20110114608A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Albrecht, Bruce Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 10,421,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/112
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1056 by using digital means B23K9/1068 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/0525 Rocking-chair batteries, i.e. batteries with lithium insertion or intercalation in both electrodes; Lithium-ion batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/30 Nickel accumulators H01M10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/345 Gastight metal hydride accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0063 with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007 Regulation of charging or discharging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

Embodiments of energy storage caddies adapted to couple to a welding power supply are provided. The energy storage caddies may include an energy storage device, a charger, control circuitry, and power conversion circuitry. Certain control circuitry may be adapted to control the energy storage device to discharge to provide a direct current (DC) voltage output to the welding power supply when a weld load demand is detected, to monitor a charge level of the energy storage device, and to alert a user to an error when the charge level of the energy storage device falls below a predetermined limit.

Claims

1. A welding system, comprising:

a welding power supply configured to provide a power output for a welding operation; and

an energy storage caddy comprising at least one energy storage device, the caddy being separate from the welding power supply and adapted to couple to the welding power supply, and being configured to provide a voltage output to the welding power supply, wherein the welding power supply is configured to receive the voltage output and to convert the voltage output to the power output for the welding operation.

2. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the voltage output is a DC voltage output between approximately 80V and approximately 500V.

3. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage caddy further comprises a charger configured to receive primary power and to utilize the primary power to charge the at least one energy storage device.

4. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the energy storage caddy further comprises control circuitry coupled to the at least one energy storage device and configured to regulate the voltage output based on at least one of a charge level of the at least one energy storage device, a load demand at the welding power supply, and a temperature of the at least one energy storage device.

5. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the at least one energy storage device comprises a battery.

6. The welding system of claim 1, wherein the welding power supply is further configured to be coupled to a primary power source.

7. The welding power supply of claim 6, wherein the primary power source is a generator and the voltage output is configured to be coupled with a primary power output from the generator to provide the power output for the welding operation.

8. The welding power supply of claim 6, further comprising a charger configured to charge the at least one energy storage device with the primary power from the primary power source.

9. A retrofit kit for a welding system, comprising:

an energy storage caddy configured to generate a power output and to provide the generated power output to a welding power supply, the energy storage caddy comprising;

an energy storage device configured to discharge to produce the power output; and

control circuitry coupled to the energy storage device and configured to control the power output based on at least one of a charge level of the energy storage device, a load demand at the welding power supply, and a temperature of the energy storage device.

10. The retrofit kit of claim 9, wherein the energy storage caddy further comprises a charger configured to charge the energy storage device when the control circuitry detects a low charge level of the energy storage device.

11. The retrofit kit of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to alert a user to the presence of an error when the temperature of the energy storage device is not within a predetermined range and the charge level of the battery is not within a predetermined range.

12. The retrofit kit of claim 9, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to command a generator via a wired or wireless communication link to turn ON to provide alternating current (AC) power to charge the energy storage device.

13. The retrofit kit of claim 10, wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the charger to charge the energy storage device when a welding operation is not occurring.

14. The retrofit kit of claim 9, wherein the energy storage devices comprises at least one of a Li ion battery, a Ni-Mh battery, a Ni—

Cd battery, and a fuel cell.

15. The retrofit kit of claim 9, wherein the power output is a direct current (DC) power output, and the energy storage caddy further comprises power conversion circuitry configured to convert the DC power output to an AC power output.

16. The retrofit kit of claim 15, wherein the energy storage caddy is further configured to provide the AC power output to one or more auxiliary devices.

17. An energy storage caddy for a welding system, comprising:

an energy storage device; and

control circuitry configured to control the energy storage device to discharge to provide a direct current (DC) voltage output to a welding power supply, to monitor a charge level of the energy storage device, and to alert a user to an error when the charge level of the energy storage device falls below a predetermined limit.

18. The energy storage caddy of claim 17, wherein the DC voltage output is between approximately 80V and approximately 500V.

19. The energy storage caddy of claim 17, wherein the energy storage device is configured to be removed from the energy storage caddy.

20. The energy storage caddy of claim 17, configured to be coupled to a charger adapted to restore charge to the energy storage device when the energy storage device is not fully charged.

21. The energy storage caddy of claim 17, further comprising power conversion circuitry configured to convert the DC voltage output to an AC power output to power one or more auxiliary devices.