Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Richard Charles Joyce

Alan Frederic Smith

Cody J Bowman

Paul Verhagen

Kevin John Mlnarik

Paul David Verhagen

Ross Neal Renner

Michael David Madsen

Logan Thomas Baerenwald

An example welding power supply includes: power conversion circuitry configured to convert supply power to welding current and to output the welding current to at least one of a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) electrode, a gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) electrode, or a gouging torch; a voltage sense circuit configured to measure an output voltage of the power conversion circuitry; and control circuitry configured to: determine a droop slope based on an arc control parameter; determine a reference voltage corresponding to an amperage parameter; set a target current by adjusting the amperage parameter based on the droop slope and based on a difference between the output voltage and the reference voltage; and control the power conversion circuitry using a current-controlled control loop based on the target current.

Welding power supplies having dynamic current responses

An example welding power supply includes: power conversion circuitry configured to convert supply power to welding current and to output the welding current to at least one of a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) electrode or a gouging torch; a voltage sense circuit configured to measure an output voltage of the power conversion circuitry; and control circuitry configured to: control the power conversion circuitry using a current-controlled control loop based on a target current; while the output voltage is above a lower voltage limit, control the target current based on a difference between a reference voltage and the output voltage; and in response to detecting that the output voltage has decreased below the lower voltage limit, control a welding current output by the power conversion circuitry based on a first exponential relationship.

An example engine-driven power system includes: an engine; a generator configured to convert mechanical engine power to electrical power; first and second power subsystems configured to convert the mechanical or electrical power to first and second power outputs, wherein the first and second power subsystems are configurable to output the first and second power outputs simultaneously; an input device configured to control a load management priority, wherein the load management priority comprises at least one of an adjustable ranking, an adjustable balance, or bus voltage thresholds; and control circuitry configured to: control the first and second power subsystems to output the first and second power outputs based on first and second demands; and, in response to determining that a total demand exceeds a capacity, control the first or second power subsystems to reduce the power outputs or the demands based on the load management priority.

Engine-driven power systems having load management prioritization

Methods and apparatus to control engine speed of a power system are disclosed. An example power system includes: an engine; an air compressor configured to generate and store air pressure in an air storage tank based on mechanical power provided by the engine; and control circuitry configured to: monitor the air pressure in the air storage tank; determine a rate of air pressure change based on the monitoring of the air pressure; in response to the rate of air pressure change satisfying a threshold rate, incrementally increasing a speed of the engine; detecting a load on an AC auxiliary output; and in response to detecting the load on the AC auxiliary output, overriding an engine speed based on the air compressor, and controlling the speed of the engine to be the predetermined speed to output the predetermined frequency.

Methods and apparatus to control engine speed of a power system

Welding power supplies having dynamic current responses are disclosed. Example welding power supplies include: power conversion circuitry configured to convert supply power to welding current; a voltage sense circuit configured to measure an output voltage of the power conversion circuitry; and control circuitry configured to: in response to detecting that the output voltage has decreased below a lower voltage limit: control an increasing ramp rate of the welding current output by the power conversion circuitry; and in response to detecting that the output voltage has increased above the lower voltage limit, control a decreasing ramp rate of the welding current output by the power conversion circuitry.

A device providing a temperature control and/or monitoring and a method for use of the device are disclosed. In the disclosed method and device, a controller receives a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value of a temperature range to be measured. The controller correlates a known output signal range of a temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured. Further, the controller receives an output signal from the temperature sensor, and generates a measured temperature value based on the output signal of the temperature sensor.

Method and apparatus for measuring temperature within a given temperature range using a selected temperature sensor

Methods and apparatus to control engine speed of a power system are disclosed. An example power system includes: an engine; a generator configured to generate electrical power from mechanical power delivered by the engine; a switched-mode power supply configured to convert the electrical power from the generator to output power; and control circuitry configured to: monitor an input current to the switched-mode power supply; and in response to the input current exceeding a threshold current, incrementally increasing a speed of the engine.

Engine driven power supplies with output reduction are disclosed. An example engine-driven welding power supply for providing a welding-type output includes an engine, a generator mechanically linked to the engine, power conditioning circuitry, and a controller. The generator generates output power based on mechanical input from the engine. The power conditioning circuitry converts the output power from the generator to welding-type power based on a commanded output. The controller reduce an output of the power conditioning circuitry from the commanded output by an amount proportional to a difference between a speed of the engine and a commanded engine speed while monitoring the difference, decreases the output in response to determining that the reduction in the output does not result in an acceleration in the engine speed, and increases the welding-type output as the difference between the speed of the engine and the commanded engine speed decreases.

Engine driven power supplies with output reduction

Methods and apparatus to control an output of a switched-mode power supply in a service pack are disclosed. An example power system includes: an engine; a generator configured to generate electrical power from mechanical power delivered by the engine; a switched-mode power supply, comprising an inverter, configured to convert the electrical power from the generator to output power, the output power comprising at least one of welding-type power or battery charging power; a user input device configured to receive an input selecting at least one of a first mode representative of a first welding-type process or a second mode representative of a first battery charging mode; and control circuitry configured to: when the first mode is selected, control the switched-mode power supply to output welding-type power; and when the second mode is selected, control the switched-mode power supply to output battery charging power.

Methods and apparatus to control an output of a switched mode power supply in a service pack

A device provides a temperature control and/or monitoring, including a controller to receive a minimum temperature value and a maximum temperature value of a temperature range to be measured. The controller correlates a known output signal range of a temperature sensor to the temperature range to be measured. Further, the controller receives an output signal from the temperature sensor, and generates a measured temperature value based on the output signal of the temperature sensor. A method to control and/or monitor a temperature is also provided.

Engine driven power supplies with output reduction are disclosed. An example engine-driven welding power supply for providing a welding-type output includes an engine, a generator mechanically linked to the engine, power conditioning circuitry, and a controller. The generator generates output power based on mechanical input from the engine. The power conditioning circuitry converts the output power from the generator to welding-type power based on a commanded welding-type output. The controller reduces a welding-type output of the power conditioning circuitry from the commanded welding-type output by an amount proportional to a difference between a speed of the engine and a commanded engine speed while monitoring the difference between the speed of the engine and the commanded engine speed, decreases the welding-type output until the difference between the speed of the engine and the commanded engine speed decreases, and increases the welding-type output as the difference between the speed of the engine and the commanded engine speed decreases until the welding-type output equals the commanded welding-type output.

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Sherwood, WI, United States of America

Richard Charles Joyce