Torch for electric arc welding system

Abstract

A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for the power source. The torch being connected to the front end of a welding gun, which gun has a rear end with a first unique component of a connector. The welding system has a second component of the connector matching the first component. The gun has a communication channel extending from the torch to the first component for transmitting data to the welding system through the connector. The torch has a memory with an identification code outputted on the communication channel to the first component and the system has a decoder circuit connected to the second component and responsive to a selected identification code.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a power source and a weld process controller for said power source to cause a selected weld process, a connector including a plug and receptacle with matching prong patterns, said torch including a manually actuated input device on said torch to create an output signal with digital data identifying a specific weld process, said controller having a set circuit for shifting said weld process of said controller to said specific weld process. 
     
     
         2 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a welding process controller for said power source to cause a selected weld process, said torch having a set-up device for manually selecting welding parameters for said welding process, a line communicating said selected parameters in digital format to said torch and a line communicating said parameters in digital format from said torch to a set circuit of said controller whereby said set parameters loaded in said set circuit are used by said controller to implement said weld process. 
     
     
         3 . A torch as defined in  claim 2  including a device for setting an identification code for communication to said torch and then from said torch to said controller. 
     
     
         4 . A torch as defined in  claim 3  wherein set-up device is a separate unit releasably connected to said torch. 
     
     
         5 . A torch as defined in  claim 2  wherein set-up device is a separate unit releasably connected to said torch. 
     
     
         6 . A torch as defined in  claim 5  wherein said set-up device includes an input device for inputting a digital code from said torch to said set circuit and a circuit for enabling said set circuit only upon receipt of a given type of digital code. 
     
     
         7 . A torch as defined in  claim 4  wherein said set-up device includes an input device for inputting a digital code from said torch to said set circuit and a circuit for enabling said set circuit only upon receipt of a given type of digital code. 
     
     
         8 . A torch as defined in  claim 3  wherein said set-up device includes an input device for inputting a digital code from said torch to said set circuit and a circuit for enabling said set circuit only upon receipt of a given type of digital code. 
     
     
         9 . A torch as defined in  claim 2  wherein said set-up device includes an input device for inputting a digital code from said torch to said set circuit and a circuit for enabling said set circuit only upon receipt of a given type of digital code. 
     
     
         10 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, power source and controller for said power source to cause a selected weld process, said torch having a register with a unique identification code in digital format, said torch being connected by a communication channel to an interface module activated by a given code or codes, one of which is said unique code, to output a set of weld process parameters on an output control channel as digital data wherein said controller has a set up memory for storing said digital data as control parameters for said power source. 
     
     
         11 . A torch as defined in  claim 10  wherein said torch includes a device for creating a selected parameter signal and a circuit to transmit said parameter signal in digital format on said communication channel to said interface for changing said parameter in said weld process. 
     
     
         12 . A torch as defined in  claim 11  including a display device on said torch to display said parameter level representative parameter signal. 
     
     
         13 . An interface module having stored parameters for a weld process to be performed by a welding system including a wire feeder, a power source and a controller for said wire feeder and power source to cause a weld process using the parameters stored in said interface module, said module having a front end for activation of said interface only when said front end receives a selected input code from a torch connected to said front end, said torch having a stored identification code in a register, wherein said stored code matches said selected input code and is communicated from said torch to said front end when said torch is connected to said weld system. 
     
     
         14 . An interface module as defined in  claim 13  wherein said torch connected to said front end includes a device for changing said stored parameters in said module. 
     
     
         15 . A welding torch for connection to a welding system including a wire feeder and a power source, said torch having a sensor to measure the level of the arc current, a sensor to measure the level of the wire feed speed and a timer, a circuit to combine one or more of said measure levels as a product of time to develop one or more use signal or signals, a memory unit to accumulate said use signal or signals and a monitor to read said use signal or signals. 
     
     
         16 . A welding torch as defined in  claim 15  wherein said memory unit is integral with said torch and said monitor is separate from said torch. 
     
     
         17 . A torch as defined in  claim 13  wherein said monitor has a network to display corrective actions based upon said use signal or signals. 
     
     
         18 . A torch as defined in  claim 15  wherein said monitor has a network to display corrective actions based upon said use signal or signals. 
     
     
         19 . A torch as defined in  claim 18  wherein said memory unit is a touch memory button. 
     
     
         20 . A torch as defined in  claim 17  wherein said memory unit is a touch memory button. 
     
     
         21 . A torch as defined in  claim 16  wherein said memory unit is a touch memory button. 
     
     
         22 . A torch as defined in  claim 15  wherein said memory unit is a touch memory button. 
     
     
         23 . A torch as defined in  claim 22  including a device to reset said accumulated signal or signals. 
     
     
         24 . A torch as defined in  claim 23  wherein said reset device is on said monitor. 
     
     
         25 . A torch as defined in  claim 18  including a device to reset said accumulated signal or signals. 
     
     
         26 . A torch as defined in  claim 25  wherein said reset device is on said monitor. 
     
     
         27 . A torch as defined in  claim 16  including a device to reset said accumulated signal or signals. 
     
     
         28 . A torch as defined in  claim 27  wherein said reset device is on said monitor. 
     
     
         29 . A torch as defined in  claim 15  including a device to reset said accumulated signal or signals. 
     
     
         30 . A torch as defined in  claim 29  wherein said reset device is on said monitor. 
     
     
         31 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for said power source, said controller including a closed loop circuit to control weld parameters, such as current and voltage, and a waveform network to form wave profiles during said weld process when said network is activated and a torch with an output signal having a unique identification code wherein said controller has a decode circuit to create a network enable signal when connected to a lead carrying said unique identification code, said network enable signal being adapted to activate said waveform network. 
     
     
         32 . A torch as defined in  claim 31  wherein said identification code is a code indicative of the manufacture of said torch. 
     
     
         33 . A torch as defined in  claim 31  wherein said identification code is one of several, each of which is available on one of several torches of a similar type. 
     
     
         34 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for said power source, said controller including a closed loop circuit to control weld parameter, such as current, and a network to create a special weld procedure during said weld process when said network is activated and a torch with an output signal having a unique identification code wherein said controller has a decode circuit to create a network enable signal when connected to a lead carrying said unique identification code, said network enable signal being adapted to activate said network. 
     
     
         35 . A torch as defined in  claim 36  wherein said identification code is a code indicative of the manufacture of said torch. 
     
     
         36 . A torch as defined in  claim 34  wherein said identification code is one of several, each of which is available on one of several torches of a similar type. 
     
     
         37 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for said power source, said torch connected to the front end of a welding gun, said gun having a rear end with a first unique component of a receptacle, said welding system having a second component of said receptacle matching said first component and said gun having a communication channel extending from said torch to said first component for transmitting data to said welding system through said receptacle, a liner for welding wire and a tube for a power lead from said power source to a contact tip in said torch, said torch having a memory with an identification code outputted on said communication channel to said first component and said system having a decoder circuit connected to said second component and responsive to a selected identification code. 
     
     
         38 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for said power source, said torch having a read/write memory device containing loaded parameters to be used by said controller to perform said weld process, a communication line extending from said memory device to said welding system for transferring said parameters to said controller when said torch is connected to said system and means for maintaining said loaded parameters in said memory device when said torch is disconnected from said system. 
     
     
         39 . A torch as defined in  claim 38  including at least two sets of parameters stored in said memory device and a manually actuated toggle mechanism for selecting a desired set of parameters for communication to said controller. 
     
     
         40 . A torch as defined in  claim 39  including a personal setting module with selector elements to select a set of parameters and a loading circuit for selectively loading a desired set of parameters into said memory device. 
     
     
         41 . A torch as defined in  claim 37  including a personal setting module with selector elements to select a set of parameters and a loading circuit for selectively loading a desired set of parameters into said memory device. 
     
     
         42 . A torch for connection to an electric arc welding system having a wire feeder, a power source and a weld process controller for said power source, said torch having a read/write memory device and a communication line from said memory device to said controller for transferring parameters stored in said memory device when said torch is connected to said system to said controller to control said weld process, a personal setting module with a set of parameters stored in a memory unit of said module and a circuit to load said set of parameters from said memory unit into said memory device.