Welder with intelligent battery charger

• US 8,969,762 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): JENNISON, BRIAN W
• Application Number:
  US11/825,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,797 Days
• Field of Search: 219/121.39, 219/130.1, 219/130.21, 219/130.32, 219/130.33, 219/130.4, 219/130.5, 219/133, 320/137, 320/149
• US Class Current: 219/130.1
• 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;

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, wherein the charging circuit comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode; and

an automatic switch between the welding output and the charging output, wherein the automatic switch is configured to selectively activate the welding output in response to a first feedback indicative of welding demand, and the automatic switch is configured to selectively activate the charging output in response to a second feedback indicative of a charging demand.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding output and the charging output share a single electrical connector pair of a positive connector and a negative connector.

3. 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, and a 48 volt mode.

4. 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.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises a battery voltage reading, a battery current reading, and a battery temperature reading.

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

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

17. The system of claim 1, comprising a microprocessor shared by the charging circuit and the welding circuit, the first feedback is responsive to an on-demand trigger on a welding gun coupled to the welding output, and the second feedback is responsive to a presence of the battery coupled to the charging output.

18. The system of claim 1, comprising a microprocessor shared by the charging circuit and the welding circuit, wherein the microprocessor is configured to automatically control welding power to the welding output in response to the first feedback, the microprocessor is configured to automatically control charging power to the charging output in response to the second feedback, and the charging circuit comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, a boost mode, and a battery recondition or desulfate mode.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding output and the charging output share at least one common electrical connector.

8. 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;

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

a microprocessor shared by the smart charging circuit and the welding circuit to control charging and welding operations.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the smart charging circuit comprises battery check logic, battery reconditioning logic, and alternator check logic.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the charging power output comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the smart charging circuit comprises battery detection logic and battery type identification logic.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the welding output and the charging output share a single electrical connector pair of a positive connector and a negative connector.

20. The system of claim 8, comprising an automatic switch between the welding output and the charging output, wherein the automatic switch is configured to selectively activate the welding power to the welding output in response to a first feedback indicative of welding demand, and the automatic switch is configured to selectively activate the charging power to the charging output in response to a second feedback indicative of a charging demand.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the smart charging circuit comprises a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, a boost mode, and a battery recondition or desulfate mode;

wherein the smart charging circuit comprises battery detection logic and battery type identification logic; and

wherein the first feedback is responsive to an on-demand trigger on a welding gun coupled to the welding output, and the second feedback is responsive to a presence of the battery coupled to the charging output.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the welding output and the charging output share at least one common electrical connector.

13. A method, comprising:

controlling operations of a charging circuit and a welding circuit via a shared microprocessor;

selectively outputting a charging power and a welding power from a welding/charging power unit, wherein selectively outputting comprises automatically switching to welding power in response to a first feedback indicative of welding demand, and selectively outputting comprises automatically switching to charging power in response to a second feedback indicative of a charging demand; and

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

14. The method of claim 13, wherein automatically adjusting comprises processing the feedback and executing logic on the shared microprocessor to make intelligent adjustments to the charging power.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein automatically adjusting comprises continuously regulating a current level of the charging power as the battery is progressively charged.

16. The method of claim 13, comprising outputting the charging power as a battery charge mode, a jump start mode, and a boost mode.