Integrated mobile tool and welder power supply system

• US 6,747,246 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 06/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John O. Crandell III
• Original Assignee: John O. Crandell III
• Inventors: Crandell, John O. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US10/352,970
• Publication Number:
  US 20030164645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 219/130.1, 219/130.21, 219/133, 307/150
• US Class Current: 219/130.1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1006 Power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/327 Means for transporting supplies carriages in general B23K37/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/005 using a power saving mode for copiers G03G15/5004

Abstract

An integrated mobile tool and welder power supply system includes a primary DC power source coupled to a power supply chassis for supplying DC power to DC-operated power equipment such as welders and AC power to AC-powered equipment such as standard AC power tools. The power supply chassis houses a power inverter for transforming DC power from the primary DC power source into AC power and one or more power converters for supplying a recharging current to the primary DC power source from one or both of an external AC power source or an external DC power source. The power supply system can be configured such that if an external AC power source is available, that AC power source is electrically coupled to an AC output terminal for supplying AC-powered tools. In one embodiment, the switching of AC output power from the power inverter to the external AC power source may be overridden by means of an AC output mode selection switch. In another embodiment, the system is equipped with a DC transfer switch, a motor drive output and a motor demand indicator input so that a DC motor (e.g., the welding wire spool feed motor DC welder) may be driven from a regulated DC power source as opposed to the unregulated primary DC power source.

Claims

1. A integrated mobile tool and welder power supply comprising:

a primary DC power source;

a DC output terminal coupled to said primary DC power source;

a DC input terminal for receiving an external DC power signal;

an AC input terminal for receiving an external AC power signal;

an AC output terminal;

a power inverter for converting a DC power signal to an inverted AC power signal, said power inverter being coupled to said primary DC power source;

an AC power detector coupled to said power inverter for detecting said external AC power signal and providing an indication thereof upon detecting said external AC power signal;

an AC transfer switch coupled to said power inverter and said AC input terminal for selectively coupling said AC output terminal to said power inverter or said AC input terminal, said selective coupling being determined by said indication of detecting said external AC power signal; and

at least one power converter for converting an AC power signal or a DC power signal to a DC power signal for replenishing said primary DC power source to maintain a predetermined power level.

2. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 1, wherein said primary DC power source includes a plurality of storage batteries connected in series.

3. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 2, wherein each of said at least one power converter includes a regulated battery charging circuit for replenishing said plurality of storage batteries to maintain said predetermined power level.

4. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 1, wherein one of said at least one power converter is an AC-DC converter coupled to said AC input terminal.

5. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 1, wherein one of said at least one power converter is a DC-DC converter coupled to said DC input terminal.

6. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 1, wherein said power inverter, said AC power detector and said AC transfer switch are assembled on and interconnected by a single printed circuit board.

7. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 1, wherein said power inverter, said AC power detector, said AC transfer switch and said at least one power converter are contained in a housing.

8. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 7, wherein said DC output terminal, said DC input terminal, said AC output terminal and said AC input terminal are coupled to a plurality of electrical connectors disposed on an exterior surface of said housing.

9. An integrated mobile tool and welder power supply comprising:

a primary DC power source;

a DC output terminal coupled to said primary DC power source;

a DC input terminal for receiving an external DC power signal;

an AC input terminal for receiving an external AC power signal;

an AC output terminal;

a power inverter for converting a DC power signal to an inverted AC power signal, said power inverter being coupled to said primary DC power source;

an AC power detector coupled to said power inverter for detecting said external AC power signal and providing an indication upon detecting said external AC power signal;

an AC transfer switch coupled to said power inverter and said AC input terminal for selectively coupling said AC output terminal to said power inverter or said AC input terminal, said selective coupling being determined by said indication of detecting said external AC power signal;

at least one power converter for converting an AC power signal or a DC power signal to a DC power signal for replenishing said primary DC power source to maintain a predetermined power level.

10. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9 further comprising an AC output mode selection switch electrically interposed between said power inverter and said AC power detector, said AC output mode selection switch for selectively enabling or prohibiting reception of said standby signal at said power inverter from said AC power detector.

11. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 10 wherein said AC output mode selection switch is a user-activated manual switch.

12. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply as recited in claim 9, wherein said primary DC power source includes a plurality of storage batteries connected in series.

13. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 12, wherein each of said at least one power converter includes a regulated battery charging circuit for replenishing said plurality of storage batteries to maintain said predetermined power level.

14. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9, wherein said status signal received at said AC transfer switch controls said selective coupling of said AC output terminal to said power inverter or said AC input terminal.

15. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9, wherein receiving said standby signal at said power inverter precipitates transmission of said status signal to said AC transfer switch.

16. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9, wherein one of said at least one power converter is an AC-DC converter coupled to said AC input terminal.

17. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply as recited in claim 16, wherein said AC power detector is an input circuit component of said AC-DC converter.

18. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9, wherein one of said at least one power converter is a DC-DC converter coupled to said DC input terminal.

19. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 18, further comprising:

a motor drive output terminal for coupling to a DC motor and supplying DC motor power thereto;

a motor demand indicator for selectively transmitting a motor on signal or a motor off signal;

a DC transfer switch electrically interposed between said DC-DC converter and said DC input terminal and coupled to said motor demand indicator, said DC transfer switch configured to selectively couple said DC-DC converter to said motor drive output terminal or to said primary DC power source.

20. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 19, wherein said motor demand indicator is a user-activated manual switch.

21. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 19, wherein said DC transfer switch selectively couples said DC input terminal or said primary DC power source to said DC-DC converter.

22. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply as recited in claim 21, wherein said DC-DC converter is coupled to said DC input terminal and said primary DC power source when said DC transfer switch receives said motor off signal from said motor demand indicator.

23. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 21, wherein said DC-DC converter is coupled to said primary DC power source and said motor drive output terminal when said DC transfer switch receives said motor on signal from said motor demand indicator.

24. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 9, wherein said power inverter, said AC power detector, said AC transfer switch and said at least one power converter are contained in a housing.

25. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 24, wherein said DC output terminal, said DC input terminal, said AC output terminal and said AC input terminal are coupled to a plurality of electrical connectors disposed on an exterior surface of said housing.

26. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 24, wherein said housing is formed from extruded aluminum.

27. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 26, wherein said housing includes a plurality of cooling fins formed on the exterior thereof.

28. The integrated mobile tool and welder power supply recited in claim 24, wherein said housing and said primary DC power source are installed on a wheeled cart.