Automatically sensing consumable components in thermal processing systems

• US 9,737,954 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hypertherm Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoffa, Michael, Sanders, Nicholas A., Shipulski, E. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US15/056,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20160221108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 540 Days
• Field of Search: 3405721, 340584, 340680, 3406863, 3406864, 2191215, 21912154, 21912148
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/006 Control circuits therefor circuits for plasma torches H05H1/36
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 10/02 Plasma welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/18 Sheet panels
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 1/045 for cutting energy dissipating devices therefor B26F3/008
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/004 by means of a fluid jet methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45041 Laser cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49001 Machine tool problems
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/34 Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3436 Hollow cathodes with internal coolant flow
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3457 Nozzle protection devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3473 Safety means
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3484 Convergent-divergent nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3494 Means for controlling discharge parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/38 Guiding or centering of electrodes

Abstract

A plasma arc torch is provided for use in a plasma cutting system. The plasma arc torch includes a torch body for conducting electrical current. The torch body includes a torch tip configured to pass the electrical current to at least one consumable component connected to the tip. The plasma arc torch also includes at least one antenna positioned relative to the torch tip. The antenna is used to wirelessly detect the presence of the at least one consumable component. The plasma arc torch further includes a detection circuit configured to permit passing of the electrical current from the torch tip to the at least one consumable component based on at least the wireless detection.

Claims

1. A plasma arc torch for use in a plasma cutting system, the plasma arc torch comprising:

a torch body for conducting electrical current, the torch body including a torch tip configured to pass the electrical current to at least one consumable component connected to the tip;

at least one antenna positioned relative to the torch tip, the antenna used to wirelessly detect a presence of the at least one consumable component; and

a detection circuit configured to permit passing of the electrical current from the torch tip to the at least one consumable component based on at least the wireless detection.

2. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, further comprising:

a signal-based identification device associated with the at least one consumable component,

wherein the at least one antenna includes a reader antenna configured to communicate with the identification device for detecting the presence of the at least one consumable component.

3. The plasma arc torch of claim 2, wherein the signal-based identification device comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag.

4. The plasma arc torch of claim 3, wherein the reader antenna is configured to communicate with the RFID tag at a frequency of about 13.56 MHz.

5. The plasma arc torch of claim 3, wherein the reader antenna is adapted to read information stored in the RFID tag.

6. The plasma arc torch of claim 5, wherein the information identifies a type of the at least one consumable component.

7. The plasma arc torch of claim 2, wherein the at least one antenna further includes a proximity antenna used to detect the presence of the at least one consumable component by receiving a signal from a metal portion of the consumable component.

8. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna comprises a proximity antenna used to detect the presence of the at least one consumable component by receiving a signal from a metal portion of the consumable component.

9. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the at least one consumable component comprises a nozzle.

10. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the at least one consumable component comprises a cartridge.

11. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch positioned relative to the torch tip, the switch configured to physically detect the presence of the at least one consumable component when the consumable component physically activates the switch,

wherein the detection circuit is configured to permit passing of the electrical current from the torch tip to the at least one consumable component based on at least one of the wireless detection using the antenna or the physical detection using the switch.

12. The plasma arc torch of claim 11, further comprising:

a trigger disposed in the body for initiating a cutting operation,

wherein the detection circuit is adapted to control activation of the trigger based on at least one of the wireless detection using the antenna or the physical detection using the switch.

13. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the plasma cutting system is an air-cooled cutting system.

14. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the plasma cutting system is a liquid-cooled cutting system.

15. The plasma arc torch of claim 1, wherein the antenna is used to detect the presence of the at least one consumable component by receiving at least one of (i) a signal transmitted by an identification device attached to the consumable component or (ii) a signal reflected by a metal portion of the consumable component.

16. A method for detecting installation of at least one consumable component on a tip of a plasma arc torch, the method comprising:

generating a radio frequency signal by an antenna in the torch tip;

broadcasting the radio frequency signal by the antenna;

impinging the broadcasted radio frequency signal against at least a metal portion of the at least one consumable component;

generating a return signal based on the impingement, wherein the return signal is adapted to be altered from the broadcasted radio frequency signal;

scanning, by the antenna, an area proximate the torch tip for the return signal in response to the broadcasted radio frequency signal; and

analyzing the return signal to detect installation of the at least one consumable component on the torch tip.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching the antenna to a surface of the torch tip.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

activating a radio frequency identifier by the broadcasted radio frequency signal, the radio-frequency identifier associated with the at least one consumable component; and

transmitting the return signal by the radio-frequency identifier.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the return signal includes information about the at least one consumable component.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one consumable component comprises a nozzle and the information comprises a type of the nozzle.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein analyzing the return signal comprise determining a difference between the broadcasted signal and the return signal to detect installation of the at least one consumable component.

22. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling operation of the plasma arc torch in response to detection of installation of the at least one consumable component based on the return signal.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising broadcasting the radio frequency signal by the antenna at about 13.56 MHz.

24. The method of claim 16, further comprising permitting current flow to the plasma arc torch upon detection of the installation.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

contacting, by the at least one consumable component, a switch;

physically activating the switch based on the contacting; and

detecting installation of the at least one consumable component based on at least one of the return signal or the physical activation.

26. A plasma arc torch for use in a plasma cutting system, the plasma arc torch comprising:

a torch body for conducting electrical current, the torch body including a torch tip configured to pass the electrical current to at least one consumable component connected to the tip;

an antenna positioned relative to the torch tip, the antenna configured to broadcast a radio frequency (RF) signal and scan an area proximate the torch tip for a return signal in response to the broadcasted RF signal;

a reader connected to the antenna, the reader comprises (i) a drive circuit configured to drive the antenna, (ii) an RF generator configured to generate the RF signal and supply the RF signal to the drive circuit, and (iii) a microcontroller configured to detect a presence of the at least one consumable component based on the return signal.

27. The plasma arc torch of claim 26, wherein the microcontroller detects the presence of the at least one consumable component by comparing at least one of a voltage or current across the antenna with a baseline value to determine at least one of a voltage change or current change.

28. The plasma arc torch of claim 27, wherein a proximity of at least one of (i) a metal portion of the consumable component or (ii) an RFID tag attached to the consumable component causes the at least one of a voltage change or current change.

29. The plasma arc torch of claim 28, wherein the return signal comprises impingement of the broadcasted RF signal against the metal portion or the RFID tag of the consumable component and the microcontroller is adapted to detect the presence of the at least one consumable component after receiving the return signal.

30. The plasma arc torch of claim 27, wherein at least one of the drive circuit, the RF generator or the microcontroller is configured to measure the voltage or current across the antenna.

31. The plasma arc torch of claim 27, wherein the baseline value corresponds to a current or voltage across the antenna in an absence of the consumable component.

32. The plasma arc torch of claim 26, wherein the return signal is generated by an RFID tag associated with the consumable component in response to communication between the RFID tag and the antenna.

33. The plasma arc torch of claim 32, wherein the microcontroller is adapted to extract data carried in the return signal to detect the presence of the consumable component.

34. The plasma arc torch of claim 26, further comprising a trigger switch configured to send a signal to the plasma arc torch to permit passing of the electrical current from the torch tip to the consumable component.

35. The plasma arc torch of claim 34, wherein the trigger switch is interlocked to a sense switch connected to the reader such that completion of the trigger switch depends on detection of the consumable component that completes the sense switch.