The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 2005
Filed:
May. 08, 2003
Andre Lanouette, Appleton, WI (US);
Leon Blank, Appleton, WI (US);
Warren Herwig, Oshkosh, WI (US);
Illinois Tool Works Inc., Glenview, IL (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for welding that includes a power source and a wire feeder is disclosed. One or more sensors sense one or more welding conditions before the weld is initiated. A set up circuit is coupled to sensor, the power source, and the wire feeder. The set up circuit automatically sets up the welding machine in response to what the sensor senses. The sensor may be a wire sensor, including a diameter sensor and a material sensor, a gas sensor (if a source of gas is included) such as a cyclic voltametry gas microsensor, a workpiece thickness sensor such as a strain gauge or displacement sensor. Alternatively the sensor includes a bar code reader that reads a code on, for example, the spool of wire, an analog proximity detector, a plurality of proximity detectors, and a displacement sensor.