Patent ID: 6489591
Filing Date: 2002-12-03
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A power supply for a welding machine comprising:a. abase; b. front and back end panels upstanding from the base and having respective louvers therethrough; c. a top cover over the base and front and back end panels and cooperating therewith to define an interior space; d. a magnetics chamber containing first heat producing components in the power supply interior space adjacent the front end panel and open to atmospheric air only through the louvers in the front end panel; e. a second chamber containing second heat producing components in the power supply interior space between the magnetics chamber and the back end panel, the second chamber cooperating with the magnetics chamber to form a primary air circuit that extends from the louvers in the front end panel to the louvers in the back end panel; and f. a fan between the magnetics chamber and second chamber that creates a negative pressure in the magnetics chamber and a positive pressure in the second chamber, wherein the magnetics chamber is partially defined by a vertical wall generally aligned with the fan and located between the front and back end panels, and a horizontal wall between the vertical wall and the front end panel, the vertical and horizontal walls reaching the full width of the base and the top cover, and the vertical wall extending between the base and the horizontal wall, to thereby prevent any air from entering the second chamber except through the fan, so that operation of the fan causes cooling air to flow in a first direction through the primary circuit from the front end panel to the back end panel and thereby cools the first and second heat producing components.