1105results about "Welding electric supply" patented technology

Envelope tracking (ET) methods and systems for controlling the delivery of power to radio frequency power amplifiers (RFPAs). An exemplary ET system includes an RFPA and a wide bandwidth capable and power efficient envelope modulator that includes a first power supplying apparatus and a second power supplying apparatus. The first power supplying apparatus includes a switch-mode converter and a regulator. The first mode converter is operable to dynamically step down a fixed power supply voltage according to amplitude variations in an envelope signal received by the regulator, and use the resulting dynamic power supply signal to power the regulator. The second power supplying apparatus is connected in parallel with the first power supplying apparatus. Depending on a power of an output signal to be generated at an output of the power amplifier, power is supplied to the power amplifier from either or both of the first and second power supplying apparatuses.

A distributed power system including multiple DC power sources and multiple power modules. The power modules include inputs coupled respectively to the DC power sources and outputs coupled in series to form a serial string. An inverter is coupled to the serial string. The inverter converts power input from the serial string to output power. A signaling mechanism between the inverter and the power module is adapted for controlling operation of the power modules.

A simulator facilitating virtual welding activity. The simulator may include a logic processor based subsystem operable to generate an interactive welding environment in virtual reality space that emulates welding activity by simulating a virtual weld puddle having dynamic, real time molten metal fluidity and heat dissipation characteristics, responsive to performing a simulated welding activity in real time. The simulator may include a foot pedal device in operative communication with the logic processor based subsystem and configured to affect a characteristic of the virtual weld puddle in real time, responsive to user control of the foot pedal device. The simulator may be configured to track the movements of a mock welding tool and a mock filler wire and determine interaction between the virtual weld puddle, a corresponding virtual welding tool, and a corresponding filler wire in virtual reality space that would result in the welding tool becoming contaminated.

A novel and advantageous power supply is disclosed for lighting systems employing semiconductor light sources where the semiconductor light sources are connected in series. The power supply includes a constant current source to supply current to the semiconductor light sources and a bypass switch is provided around each semiconductor light source, or each sub-string of series connected semiconductor light sources. By opening or closing respective bypass switches, individual semiconductor light sources or sub-strings of semiconductor light sources can be illuminated or extinguished as desired. If the bypass switches are electrically controllable, such as semiconductor switches or relays, failures of one or more semiconductor light sources can be determined by the power supply and failed light sources can be bypassed and / or redundant semiconductor elements illuminated to replace failed light sources. Further, if the bypass switches are semiconductor switches, the power supply can employ pulse width modulation techniques to dim one or more semiconductor light sources as desired.

A system to monitor the health of a structure, sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. The health monitoring sensor nodes include sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node data collector. The sensor nodes can each include an energy harvester to harvest energy to power the sensor node. The system also includes an energy distributing node positioned to provide energy to the sensor nodes, through the structure being monitored, to be harvested by energy harvester of the sensor nodes.

A system and method for managing welding procedures is provided. The invention includes a welding system, a local server and / or a remote system. The invention further provides for searching of the welding system, local server and / or remote system for potentially suitable welding procedure(s). The invention further provides for dynamic creation of welding procedure(s) based upon user input, information stored on the welding system, a local area network and / or a remote system. The invention also includes filtering of the search results based at least in part upon commonality of consumables. The invention further includes calculation of weld costs for potentially suitable welding procedure(s). The invention further provides for communication with an inventory & distribution system and / or ordering system in order to facilitate further automation of the industrial environment.

A power pick-up for an Inductively Coupled Power Transfer (ICPT) system is provided having a resonant pick up circuit. The natural frequency of the pick-up circuit may be varied by controlling the conductance or capacitance of a variable reactive in the resonant circuit. The load being supplied by the pick-up circuit is sensed, and the effective capacitance or inductance of the variable reactive component is controlled to vary the natural resonant frequency of the pick-up circuit to thereby control the power flow into the pick-up to satisfy the power required by the load.

A system to monitor the health of a structure, sensor nodes, program product, and associated methods are provided. The system includes an array of health monitoring sensor nodes connected to or embedded within a structure to monitor the health of the structure. The health monitoring sensor nodes include sensor elements positioned to sense parameters of the structure and to provide data related to the parameters to a health monitoring sensor node data collector. The sensor nodes can each include an energy harvester to harvest energy to power the sensor node. The system also includes an energy distributing node positioned to provide energy to the sensor nodes, through the structure being monitored, to be harvested by energy harvester of the sensor nodes.

This is directed to a dome switch that includes a capacitive sensor. A dome switch can include a dome operative to deform to provide tactile feedback to a user. To provide an electrical instruction to the device, the region underneath the dome can define a free space separating conductive regions forming a capacitor. For example, a tip of the dome, a button placed between the dome and a circuit board, or a user's finger can form a first conductor of a capacitor, and a support structure for the dome can include a terminal forming a second conductor completing the capacitor. When the dome deflects, the distance between the conductors can change and provide a measurable capacitance variation, which the device can detect. To protect the dome switch from damage due to contaminants, the terminal can be integrated within a volume of the circuit board such that it is not exposed to the environment of the dome switch. In one implementation, the terminal may not be exposed to air.

A method and a device for joining a remotely controlled switching and current sensing AC device structured for attachment to standard and popular three way SPDT AC switches or cross DPDT AC switches and / or power outlets, such that the front wall plate of a single gang electrical box will cover the joined AC device with the manual switch or the AC outlet. The AC device is operated and communicates via lightguide or fiber optic cable using two way optical signals and via IR in air in line of sight and / or via RF in air. The lightguide is cascaded in series from one AC device to another and / or from a joint switch device to a joined AC outlet and to an optoport in front of an outlet socket for communicating the current drain and / or operation controls with the appliance, powered by the AC socket, via a lightguide included in the power cable with plug assembly of the appliance.

A power conversion circuit operates in a discontinuous switching mode over a wide range of loading conditions and varies a coil peak current to maintain efficiency over the wide range of loading conditions. The coil peak current is adjustable based at least in part on a feedback signal generated in response to a load condition.

A method and corresponding apparatus provide a determination of available power capacity of a phase of a power supply in a data center rack. The method includes metering the power of a power supply and calculating an average peak power draw per phase of the power supply. Using average peak power draw per phase of the power supply and the expected power draw data corresponding to data center equipment coupled to the power supply, the available power capacity can be calculated on a per phase of the power supply. A method and corresponding apparatus for managing data center equipment may use the phase based available power capacity calculations to determine the optimal placement of new data center equipment within a data center configuration.

Aspects of the invention are directed to power distribution systems and methods for distributing power from a primary power source and a backup power source to a load. In one particular aspect, a power distribution system includes a first input to receive input power from the primary power source, a second input to receive input power from the backup power source, an output that provides output power from at least one of the primary power source and the backup power source, a first switch operatively coupled to the first input and the output and operative to selectively couple the first input to the output, a second switch operatively coupled to the second input and the output and operative to selectively couple the second input to the output, and a controller operatively coupled to the first switch and to the second switch and configured to control the first switch and the second switch to provide an electrical interlock.

A welding power supply including power conversion circuitry adapted to receive a primary source of power, to utilize one or more power semiconductor switches to chop the primary source of power, and to convert the chopped power to a welding output is provided. The provided welding power supply includes a pulse width modulated (PWM) digital controller including gate drive circuitry that generates a PWM output signal that controls the switching of the one or more power semiconductor switches. The PWM output signal includes a duty cycle term corrected for one or more sources of error in the welding system.

A butt-welding control system for bars, blooms, or billets controls the welding operation by acting on an actuator (U) for opening the valve for controlling positioning of the clamps of the welding machine and on the partializer, on the basis of the operation of an observer (A) of dynamic state that observes state variables (X) of the welding process; a dynamic path generator (B) for performance variables (Z), which defines pre-determined optimal paths (Zset) for the performance variables (Z) to follow; a dynamic control law (C), based upon values of performance variables (Z) and of the optimal paths (Zset), designed to control the valve for positioning the clams (U) and the partializer on the basis of the value of the performance variables (Z) and of the desired paths; and a generator (E) of sync signals designed to generate sync signals (Sync) for the observer (A), the dynamic path generator (B) and the dynamic control law (C).

The present invention provides a welding system and methodology to facilitate communications and control. The system includes a cell controller to control one or more welders over a control network. An interface module associated with the cell controller and the control network communicates with the welders and employs a communications protocol adapted to the interface module to facilitate communications and control between the cell controller and the one or more welders over the control network.

Methods, systems, and devices are described for sensing a phase-cut dimming signal and outputting a control signal compatible with a switching power circuit. Embodiments of the invention generate at least one of a low-frequency pulse-wave-modulated control signal, an analog output control signal, or a digital (e.g., higher-frequency pulse-wave-modulated) output control signal. Some embodiments further provide preloading and / or startup control functionality to allow proper functioning of the circuitry under small-conduction-angle (i.e., highly dimmed) conditions.

Aspects of the invention are directed to power distribution systems and methods for distributing power from a primary power source and a backup power source to a load. In one particular aspect, a power distribution system includes a first input to receive input power from the primary power source, a second input to receive input power from the backup power source, an output that provides output power from at least one of the primary power source and the backup power source, a first switch operatively coupled to the first input and the output and operative to selectively couple the first input to the output, a second switch operatively coupled to the second input and the output and operative to selectively couple the second input to the output, and a controller operatively coupled to the first switch and to the second switch and configured to control the first switch and the second switch to provide an electrical interlock.

An active load management system (ALMS) controllably restarts electrical service to service points in a utility service area after a power outage. The ALMS includes client devices installed at the service points and a central controller. In one embodiment, the controller associates numbers with the service points and stores the associations. Each service point may be associated with a unique number or a group of service points may share a number. After receiving notification that power is available, the controller determines a number and communicates the number to one or more of the client devices. Where the number was determined randomly, the client devices associated with the number may restart electrical service upon receipt of the number. Where the number was determined sequentially, a client device may determine its own random number and compare it to the received number. If a match occurs, electrical service can be restarted.

In certain embodiments, a wireless sensor module includes a motion or position sensor configured to detect a defined motion or position of a welding operator. The wireless sensor module also includes memory circuitry configured to store the defined motion or position and an adjustment of an operating parameter of a welding system which corresponds to the defined motion or position. A processor of the wireless sensor module is coupled to the motion or position sensor and the memory circuitry, where the processor is configured to retrieve the adjustment of the operating parameter from the memory circuitry upon detection of the defined motion or position by the motion or position sensor. The wireless senor module further includes a wireless communication device coupled to the processor and configured to transmit the adjustment of the operating parameter to the welding system.

An LED driver circuit operating from the AC power line providing high efficiency, good line and load regulation, high power factor, low line current harmonics, low conducted EMI, high LED utilization, and lamp dimming compatibility, while consisting of a minimal number of components. No inductors, nor capacitors (including electrolytics), nor high current switching transistors are employed. The top of a string of series connected LED segments is connected to the output of a rectifier, which in turn is connected to an AC sine wave power source. The string is tapped at various locations, including the bottom of the string. Each segment can consists of any number of serial or parallel connected LEDs. Current control elements or regulators sink current at each tap and are sequentially turned on and off one at a time, tracking the rectified sine wave voltage. Voltage across each regulator and current when conducting is individually controllable. Power loss in the regulators is minimized by keeping regulator voltage to a minimum. The regulators may control current in a multitude of ways, including a constant current, or a current dependent on voltage across the regulators including a resistor, or a combination. The driver is self-commutating, with the sequencing of the current control elements an inherent feature closely integrated with the current control elements and providing optimal performance over variable operating conditions. Given the large number of design variables, the driver circuit can be optimized for various performance criteria including input voltage range, line / load regulation, output power / current, efficiency, power factor, line current harmonics, dimmer compatibility, and LED utilization.

A power switching device which is used to receive plenty of input voltage and output a switch voltage is provided. The device comprises a first switching unit, a second switching unit, and a self-bias unit. The power switching device outputs a switch voltage according to the outputs of the first switching unit and the second switching unit. The self-bias unit outputs a reference voltage to the second switching unit. The first switching unit outputs a first input voltage as the switch voltage according to a first enable signal. The second switching unit outputs a second input voltage as the switch voltage according to the reference voltage and a second enable signal.

A digital current-mode controller for a DC-DC converter is disclosed. The controller comprises a digital current reference; and a current loop compensator adapted to receive a digital current error signal derived from a digital current sample sensed from the DC-DC converter and the digital current reference and to generate a duty-cycle command, wherein the current loop compensator comprises a low-pass filter that is used in generating the duty-cycle command. A DC-DC regulator comprising a digital current-mode controller and a method of controlling a DC-DC converter are also disclosed.

Circuitry, which includes a direct current (DC)-DC converter having a first switching power supply is disclosed. The first switching power supply includes a first switching converter, an energy storage element, a first inductive element, which is coupled between the first switching converter and the energy storage element, and a first snubber circuit, which is coupled across the first inductive element. The first switching power supply receives and converts a DC power supply signal to provide a first switching power supply output signal based on a setpoint.

A modular direct current power source is provided. One welding power supply system includes a plurality of hysteretic buck converters coupled in parallel. The hysteretic buck converters are configured to receive a common input and to provide combined output power to a common load based upon the common input.

A welding system includes a protective cover selectively movable between a first position and a second position. While in the first position the protective cover is configured to block environmental elements from contacting a display, and while in the second position the protective cover is not configured to block environmental elements from contacting the display. The welding system also includes control circuitry configured to detect whether the protective cover is in the first position or the second position.

An electronic endoscope is detachably connected to a processor via a first control connector and a second control connector. Contacts provided at side ends of the flat-shaped second control connector are connected to a CPU. The CPU detects start of removal of the first control connector in response to a change in voltage of one of ports, to which the contacts are connected, from low to high. When the CPU detects the start of the removal, drive signals from a CCD driver to a CCD is stopped. Then, power supply from a power supply section to the CCD is stopped.

A power control system includes a base having a housing configured for releasably receiving a control unit and a cavity within the housing for receiving a solid state relay having a hockey puck configuration. The base includes an input power terminal for coupling to an input power source, an output power terminal for coupling to a power receiving load, and coupling fixtures for fixedly and electrically coupling to input and output power terminals and control terminals of the received solid state relay. A control unit is configured to control the solid state relay for selectively providing, at least a portion of, the power received at the input power terminal to the output power terminal. The control unit has a housing adapted to be releasably coupled to the base housing. The control unit and base each configured to electrically couple the control unit to the control terminals of the received solid state relay as a function of the control unit being coupled to the base.