Welding power supply transformer apparatus and method

• US 6,046,664 A
• Filed: 03/05/1998
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lincoln Electric Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Century Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Weller, William P., Chandler, Thomas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, Michael L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, ANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/035,621
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 336/212, 336/195, 336/131, 336/178, 336/182, 336/214
• US Class Current: 336/212
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply

Abstract

A welder power supply configuration wherein the power supply includes a combined transformer and inductor assembly wherein the combined transformer and inductor assembly is comprised of a four-legged core, primary windings, secondary windings and inductor windings. The four-legged core includes isolation slits in the leg of the four-legged core shared by the inductor and transformer in order to isolate the magnetic flux of the inductor from the remaining lens in the four-legged core assembly.

Claims

1. In a welder having a single phase power transformer for supplying power to a welding electrode, the improvement comprising a combined transformer and inductor assembly comprising:

a core having a first, second, third and fourth legs;

a primary winding for receiving alternating current from a source, said primary winding being wound around said second leg of said core to comprise a transformer center leg;

at least one secondary winding wound around said second leg of said core; and

an inductor winding wound around said fourth leg of said core;

said second leg of said core comprising a first outer leg of the transformer;

said third leg of said core having at least one slit down the center of said third leg, wherein said slit creates two legs within said third leg comprising a second outer leg of the transformer and an inductor outer leg.

2. A welding power supply for supplying power to a welding electrode comprising:

a transformer including a primary winding for receiving a single phase A.C. current from a single phase A.C. power source and at least one secondary winding; and

an inductor including a winding wound around a fourth leg of a four legged core for receiving D.C. current;

said primary winding being wound around a second leg of said four legged core to comprise the transformer center leg;

said at least one secondary winding wound around said second leg of said four legged core;

a second leg of said core comprising a first outer leg of the transformer;

a third leg of said core comprising a second outer leg of the transformer and an outer leg of the inductor, said third leg including at least one slit in the center of said third leg so as to isolate the magnetic flux traveling through said second outer leg of the transformer and said outer leg of the inductor.