Welding system

Abstract

Welding system comprising a welding machine (10) and an accumulator (50) which can be coupled to the welding machine (10) as an interchangeable power supply source in order to supply the welding machine (10) with a current enabling welding operation when coupled to it, wherein the welding machine (10) has a housing (20) with an accumulator receptacle (30) into which the accumulator (50) can be reversibly inserted, and wherein the device housing (20) and the accumulator (50) have corresponding connection contacts (32, 52) which are designed such that the accumulator (50) is electrically connected to the welding machine (10) when inserted into the accumulator receptacle (30), characterized by that the welding system further comprises a power supply unit (70) which can be inserted into the battery receptacle (30) as an alternative to the battery (50) and can be connected to an external power supply source, in particular an external power supply network, wherein the connection contacts (72) of the power supply (70) are designed such that the power supply (70) is electrically connected to the welding machine (10) when inserted into the accumulator receptacle (30) and supplies the welding machine (10) with current based on the energy received from the external power supply source in order to enable welding operation of the welding machine (10).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a welding system according to the preamble of claim 1, comprising a welding device that can be powered by a battery to enable welding operation. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable welding device designed for stud welding.

[0002] Welding machines come in various forms and can be used to accomplish different tasks. A typical application for welding machines is stud welding, in which differently shaped, stud- or pin-like welding elements are welded to another element. For example, threaded studs can be attached to the surface of a workpiece in this way, which are then used to fasten additional components. Various methods exist for achieving this welding process, differing primarily in how the arc required for welding, which melts the components to be joined, is ignited.It should be noted in advance that the present invention is not limited to a specific application or to a specific welding process.

[0003] The present invention specifically addresses the problem of increasing the possibilities for the flexible use of such a welding machine. It must be taken into account that a considerable amount of electrical energy is required to carry out a welding process, and this energy must be supplied to the welding machine. While in the past it was common to connect the welding machine to an external power supply via a suitable connecting cable, welding machines powered by a replaceable battery are now also known. Modern batteries are now capable of storing considerable amounts of electrical energy, so that such welding machines can be powered for at least a sufficient period of time.Since recharging a corresponding battery still involves a time commitment, these devices are generally designed in such a way that the battery can be removed from the welding machine and replaced by another battery during the recharging period.

[0004] The use of battery-powered welding machines naturally expands their range of applications, as these machines can now be operated in areas or locations where no external power supply is available. On the other hand, due to the limited capacity of a single battery, the use of multiple batteries is usually necessary, which in turn leads to additional costs that would be unnecessary, at least if the welding machine were operated in an environment where it could easily be powered externally.

[0005] The present invention is therefore based on the objective of further increasing the flexibility for the use of welding equipment.

[0006] The problem is solved by a welding system having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] The solution according to the invention also starts with a welding machine that can be powered by a replaceable battery to enable autonomous welding operation. The welding machine has a housing with a corresponding receptacle for the battery, into which the battery can be inserted reversibly. According to the invention, the welding system is now supplemented by an additional power supply unit, which can be inserted into the housing receptacle as an alternative to the battery and can be connected to an external power source. The connection contacts provided on the power supply unit are designed such that, when inserted into the battery receptacle, it is electrically connected to the welding machine and supplies it with power based on the energy received from the external power source.The solution according to the invention thus opens up the possibility of operating welding equipment either via a battery or via an external power supply source, in particular via the general power supply network.

[0008] According to the present invention, a welding system is proposed comprising a welding machine and an accumulator which can be coupled to the welding machine as an interchangeable power supply source in order to supply the welding machine with a current enabling welding operation when coupled to the welding machine. • wherein the welding machine has a housing with a battery receptacle into which the battery can be inserted reversibly, and • wherein the device housing and the accumulator have corresponding connection contacts designed in such a way that the accumulator is electrically connected to the welding machine when inserted into the accumulator holder, • wherein, according to the invention, the welding system further comprises a power supply unit which can be inserted into the battery receptacle as an alternative to the battery and can be connected to an external power supply source, in particular one in the external power supply network, and • wherein the connection contacts of the power supply are designed in such a way that the power supply, when inserted into the accumulator receptacle, is electrically connected to the welding machine and supplies it with power based on the energy received from the external power supply source in order to enable welding operation of the welding machine.

[0009] Preferably, the battery and the power supply unit are designed to have essentially identical dimensions. In particular, both components are designed to fit snugly into the corresponding recess in the welding machine housing.

[0010] The power supply preferably has a connecting cable for connecting it to an external power source. The power supply housing preferably has a cable outlet opening through which the connecting cable exits the power supply. The power supply housing may be approximately cuboid in shape, with the cable outlet opening extending over an edge of the housing. As explained in more detail below, this offers the advantage of allowing the power supply to be oriented in different ways. In particular, it allows the power supply to be positioned on a surface in an alternative orientation compared to its orientation when installed in the welding machine housing, even when it is outside the housing.

[0011] The aforementioned advantageous further development of the invention is particularly advantageous if, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the power supply can also be used as a charger for the battery. In this case, it can be provided that the connection contacts of the power supply and the battery are designed such that the battery and the power supply can be electrically coupled outside the welding machine in order to enable charging of the battery via the power supply. These are preferably the same connection contacts of the battery through which it is also electrically coupled to the welding machine when inserted into the holder.The power supply preferably has an additional connection contact that allows for defined positioning of the battery on the power supply and / or enables the reading of an operating parameter of the battery, such as its capacity or state of charge. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that indicators for displaying the operating status of the power supply and / or the state of charge of the battery are arranged on the housing of the power supply. In particular, these indicators may include one or more status LEDs.

[0012] In the variant described above, the connection contacts intended for electrical coupling with the welding machine are at least partially used to alternatively connect the power supply and battery, and thus to use the power supply as a charger for the battery. According to an alternative embodiment, this option also exists if the power supply and battery have additional connection sockets that allow the connection of an electrical cable, enabling the power supply and battery to be connected. In this case, too, the battery can then be charged via the power supply.

[0013] The housing of the welding machine preferably has a removable cover that conceals the battery compartment, thus protecting the battery or power supply when it is installed. This cover can be, in particular, a hinged lid attached to the housing, preferably with at least one opening through which the power supply's connection cable is routed. This means that the housing compartment of the welding machine can be closed even when the power supply is installed.

[0014] Furthermore, if, as explained above, an electrical connection between the power supply and the battery is made via a separate cable to charge the battery through the power supply, the housing of the welding machine may also have an opening that, when the power supply is inserted, aligns with the battery compartment and the power supply's connection socket. This allows the power supply to be connected to the battery via the separate cable while the power supply is in place, enabling the power supply to be used simultaneously for operating the welding machine and charging the battery. This is a particularly convenient option, as it allows the welding machine to be operated via an external power source and the battery to be charged at the same time, without requiring an additional charger.

[0015] Overall, the solution according to the invention and its advantageous further developments significantly expand the possible applications for a welding machine.

[0016] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1. View of the rear of a welding machine with a receptacle for receiving a battery or power supply according to the invention; Fig. 2. the back of the welding machine when inserting the battery; Fig. 3 the back of the welding machine with the accumulator inserted, the opening being closed by a swiveling cover; Fig. 4 one to Fig. 2. Analog view, now with a power supply inserted into the recording; Fig. 5 the welding machine with power supply unit inserted and cover closed; Fig. 6 the power supply positioned on a surface outside the welding machine; Fig. 7. Position the power supply in an orientation suitable for insertion into the welding machine's socket; Fig. 8 to 10 views on using the power supply as a charger for the battery; Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 illustrations of a second embodiment in which the power supply unit inserted into the housing of the welding machine can simultaneously be used to charge the battery; and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 views of the connection areas of the accumulator and the power supply in the case of the second embodiment.

[0017] In accordance with the above explanations, the welding system according to the invention essentially comprises three components, namely • a welding machine, • an accumulator as well as • a power supply.

[0018] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a welding machine 10 as the first component, which is designed in the usual way and is intended, for example, for welding bolts. The welding machine has a housing 20, which is portable via a handle 22 and has corresponding components for operating the machine 10 on its front. Furthermore, the welding machine 10 is connected, for example, to a welding gun (not shown) with a corresponding welding head, via which the actual welding of the bolt to a corresponding workpiece then takes place. The main task of the welding machine 10 is to supply the welding head with electrical energy in a coordinated manner, which is used to ignite an arc and to thermally melt the opposing surfaces of the bolt and the workpiece in order to then join the two components together.Corresponding welding equipment is well known from the prior art, and it should be emphasized again that the present invention is neither limited to specific stud welding processes nor to the welding of studs in general.

[0019] A first essential feature of the welding machine 10 is that it can optionally be equipped with a battery, which then supplies the welding machine 10 with energy during autonomous operation, thereby enabling welding. In the embodiment shown in the figures, a corresponding receptacle 30 for the battery is provided on the rear of the housing 20 of the welding machine 10, this receptacle 30 being approximately cuboid in shape and open at the rear. More precisely, the receptacle 30 can optionally be closed from the rear by a corresponding pivotally mounted cover 25, whereby in Fig. 1. The cover 25 is shown pivoted downwards in an open position, so that the back of the receptacle 30 is freely accessible. Other solutions for covering or closing the receptacle 30 would also be conceivable.

[0020] The cavity forming the receptacle 30 is enclosed by corresponding side walls, with connection contacts 32 being formed on the rear side 31 of the receptacle 30 opposite the housing opening. These contacts enable electrical connection to corresponding connection contacts of a battery or a power supply unit, which will be described in more detail below. Positioning the connection contacts 32 on the rear side 31 is advantageous because inserting a battery or power supply unit is a linear movement, and thus the electrical connection to the welding machine 10 can be made simultaneously with the insertion of the component. However, an alternative arrangement or design of the electrical connection contacts would also be conceivable, provided it allows for connection to a battery or power supply unit.

[0021] A in Fig. As already mentioned, the accumulator 50 shown in Figure 2 is inserted into the open receptacle 30 from the rear of the housing 20 by means of a linear movement. The dimensions of the accumulator 50 are preferably selected such that the side walls of the receptacle 30 simultaneously form a guide for the insertion process. This enables defined support of the accumulator 50 in the receptacle 30 and simultaneously ensures that a corresponding electrical connection is automatically established during this insertion process. For this purpose, the accumulator has a contact at the Fig. 2 corresponding connection contacts 52 on the reverse side, which are not visible (these are visible, for example, in Fig. 9) which are designed, for example, as corresponding sockets, such that the pin- or cone-shaped contacts 32 of the welding machine 10 automatically engage in the sockets. Once the accumulator 50 is fully inserted into the receptacle 30, this can then be closed by the pivoting cover 25, whereby the Fig. The arrangement shown in section 3 results.

[0022] The design of the welding machine 10 and the accumulator 50 described so far is already known from the prior art. The novel aspect is that the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10 can now be used for inserting a power supply unit as an alternative to the accumulator 50.

[0023] This is in Fig. Figure 4 shows that the dimensions of the power supply unit 70's housing correspond to those of the accumulator 50. Like the accumulator 50, the power supply unit 70 also has an approximately cuboid-shaped housing 77, the dimensions of which are matched to the dimensions of the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10, so that the power supply unit 70 can be inserted and positioned in a defined manner by means of a linear insertion movement into the receptacle 30. Furthermore, the power supply unit 70 also has connection contacts 72 that are aligned with the position of the connection contacts 32 of the welding machine 10, such that when the power supply unit 70 is inserted into the receptacle 30, an electrical connection is established between the power supply unit 70 and the welding machine 10. The corresponding connection contacts 72 are, for example, located in the Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 recognizable.

[0024] When the power supply 70 is fully inserted into the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10, the rear can again be closed by means of the pivoting cover 25. Unlike the battery 50, however, the power supply 70 is now connected to an external power source via a corresponding cable 74. This can be an electrical cable, for example, which allows the power supply 70 to be connected to the general power supply network and has a corresponding plug or the like at its end facing away from the power supply 70. In order to allow the rear of the welding machine 30 to be closed despite the cable 74, the pivoting cover 25 preferably has a corresponding recess 26 through which the cable 74 of the power supply 70 is guided, as shown in Fig. 5 is recognizable.

[0025] In the embodiment described so far, the welding machine 10 can be operated either via the accumulator 50 or via the power supply 70, depending on the location of use and whether an external power supply source is available. This allows the welding machine to be used even more flexibly and in a wider variety of ways.

[0026] An advantageous further development of the invention described so far can consist in the power supply 70 also being used as a charger for the accumulator 50, thus eliminating the need for a separate charger. In a first variant, which is described below based on the Fig. As will be explained in more detail in sections 6 to 10, it is intended that the power supply 70 can be used as a charger for the accumulator 50 in a state in which it is outside the welding machine 10.

[0027] For this purpose, it is planned that, as in the Fig. Figures 8 to 10 show that the power supply 70 is placed on a surface (not shown) such that corresponding connection contacts 73 are now arranged on its upper side, the design of which corresponds to the connection contacts 32 of the welding machine 30. In this orientation of the power supply 70, the accumulator 50 can be placed on top of the power supply 70, whereby the connection contacts 52 provided on the accumulator 50 are then automatically connected to the corresponding contacts 73 of the power supply 70. The contacts 52 of the accumulator 50, which originally provided a connection to the welding machine 10, are simultaneously used to be electrically coupled to the power supply 70 in order to be charged by it.

[0028] This can – as in Fig. As can be seen, an additional spring contact 75 is provided on the power supply 70, which corresponds to a corresponding socket on the accumulator 50 and ensures correct orientation of the accumulator 50 relative to the power supply 70. In this case, the spring contact 75 fulfills a purely mechanical function. However, it could also be used for an additional electrical connection with the accumulator 50 and then, for example, serve to read out additional information. This could be, for example, the charge level of the accumulator 50 or information relating to the accumulator (for example, the type of accumulator, its capacity, or the like).

[0029] Furthermore, indicator devices 76 can be provided on the front of the power supply unit 70 housing, via which the corresponding read-out information is then visually displayed. In this case, these indicator devices 76 are implemented as simple status LEDs, which are used to indicate the charge level of the accumulator 50. Of course, more complex indicator devices such as displays or the like would also be conceivable.

[0030] This variable use of the power supply 70 is facilitated, among other things, by the fact that the power supply 70 can be oriented in different ways without being affected by the connecting cable 74. For inserting the power supply 70 into the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10, a first step is required, in Fig. The orientation of the power supply 70 shown in Figure 6 is required, whereas for charging the battery 50 the power supply 70 is oriented differently, as is particularly evident in the Fig. Figures 7 to 10 show that, advantageously, an outlet opening 71 of the housing 77 of the power supply 70, through which the connecting cable 74 is led out, extends over an edge area connecting two side surfaces of the power supply 70. The outlet opening 71, which extends at an angle on the outside of the housing 77 of the power supply 70, then allows the cable 74 to be led out optionally on the corresponding two sides of the housing 77, so that the alternative use of the power supply 70 is easily enabled, both in the state inserted into the receptacle 30 and as an external charger for the battery 50.

[0031] An alternative embodiment for the supplementary use of the power supply 70 as a charger for the accumulator 50 is further described in the Fig. Figures 11 to 14 illustrate this. It is provided that an electrical connection between the power supply 70 and the battery 50 can be established via an additional connecting cable 15 in order to charge the battery 50. This connecting cable 15 is preferably not permanently attached to either unit, but can be plugged into corresponding connection sockets 59 and 79, respectively, as needed to electrically connect the power supply 70 and the battery 50. This connection can be made when the power supply 70 is located outside the welding machine 10. However, as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 11, in this variant the connection can also be made when the power supply 70 is inserted into the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10. In this situation, the power supply 70 serves to power the welding machine 10 and simultaneously charge the battery 50, so that, if a suitable external power source is available, continuous operation of the welding machine 10 and parallel charging of the battery 50 are possible without the need for an additional charger.

[0032] In order to enable the connection cable 15 to be connected to the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10 even when the power supply 70 is installed, the cover 26 preferably has a further opening 27, which is connected to the corresponding opening 27. Fig.The 11 recognizable connection socket 79 of the power supply unit 70 housing corresponds to the connection socket 79 of the power supply unit 70. The power supply unit 70 is therefore first inserted into the receptacle 30 of the welding machine 10, and this is then closed by the cover 25. Subsequently, the connecting cable 15 can be connected to the power supply unit 70 via the corresponding opening 27 and, on the other hand, connected to the battery 50, so that, as explained above, the battery 50 is charged in parallel with the operation of the welding machine 10.

[0033] Ultimately, the measures according to the invention significantly increase the range of applications for a welding machine. In particular, if the power supply is also used as a battery charger, the advantages regarding the additional applications for the welding machine are especially beneficial without the need for an additional component, namely an additional battery charger.

Claims

[1] Welding system comprising a welding machine (10) and an accumulator (50) which can be coupled to the welding machine (10) as an interchangeable power supply source in order to supply the welding machine (10) with a current enabling welding operation when coupled to the welding machine (10), wherein the welding machine (10) has a housing (20) with an accumulator receptacle (30) into which the accumulator (50) can be reversibly inserted, and wherein the device housing (20) and the accumulator (50) have corresponding connection contacts (32, 52) which are designed such that the accumulator (50) is electrically connected to the welding machine (10) when inserted into the accumulator receptacle (30), characterized by , that the welding system further comprises a power supply unit (70) which can be inserted into the battery receptacle (30) as an alternative to the battery (50) and can be connected to an external power supply source, in particular an external power supply network, wherein the connection contacts (72) of the power supply (70) are designed such that the power supply (70) is electrically connected to the welding machine (10) when inserted into the accumulator receptacle (30) and supplies the welding machine (10) with current based on the energy received from the external power supply source in order to enable welding operation of the welding machine (10). [2] Welding system according to claim 1, characterized by , that the accumulator (50) and the power supply (70) have essentially identical dimensions. [3] Welding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the power supply (70) has a connection cable (74) via which the power supply (70) can be connected to the external power supply source. [4] Welding system according to claim 3, characterized by , that the housing (77) of the power supply (70) has a cable outlet opening (71) through which the connection cable (74) is led out of the power supply (70). [5] Welding system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the housing (77) of the power supply (70) is approximately cuboid in shape, with the cable outlet opening (71) extending over an edge area of ​​the housing (77). [6] Welding system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the power supply (70) can also be used as a charger for the battery (50). [7] Welding system according to claim 6, characterized by, that display means (76) for indicating an operating state of the power supply (70) and / or a charging state of the accumulator (50) are arranged on the housing (77) of the power supply (70), wherein the display means (76) in particular comprise one or more status LEDs. [8] Welding system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by , that the connection contacts (52, 73) of the power supply (70) and the accumulator (50) are designed such that the accumulator (50) and the power supply (70) can be electrically coupled outside the welding machine (10) in order to enable charging of the accumulator (50) via the power supply (70), wherein the electrical coupling between power supply (70) and accumulator (50) is preferably carried out using those connection contacts (52) of the accumulator (50) via which it can be coupled to the welding machine (10). [9] Welding system according to claim 8, characterized by , that the power supply (70) has an additional connection contact (75), via which a defined positioning of the accumulator (50) on the power supply (70) is made possible and / or with the help of which an operating parameter of the accumulator (50), for example the capacity of the accumulator (50), can be read out. [10] Welding system according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized by , that the power supply (70) and the accumulator (50) have additional connection sockets (59, 79) which allow the connection of an electrical connection cable (15) via which the power supply (70) and the accumulator (50) can be connected to each other in order to enable charging of the accumulator (50) via the power supply (70). [11] Welding system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the housing (20) of the welding machine (10) has a removable cover (25) which can be used to cover the accumulator receptacle (30), wherein the cover (25) is in particular a lid which is pivotably attached to the housing (20). [12] Welding system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the cover (25) has a recess (26) through which a connecting cable (74) of the power supply (70) is routed. [13] Welding system having the features of claim 10 and one of claims 11 and 12, characterized by , that the cover (25) additionally has an opening (27) which, when the power supply (70) is inserted, is essentially aligned with the connection socket (79) of the power supply (70) in the battery receptacle (30), such that when the power supply (70) is inserted, charging of the battery (50) via the power supply (70) is simultaneously possible.

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