Abstract:
A welding machine for welding an object may include a microprocessor to control the operation of the welding machine; a wireless remote controller to wirelessly control the welding machine and a transceiver to convert the wireless remote controller with the microprocessor.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to welding machines and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for remotely and wirelessly controlling operation of a power source of a welding-type system. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    MIG welding, formerly known as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), combines the techniques and advantages of TIG welding&#39;s inert gas shielding with a continuous, consumable wire electrode. An electrical arc is created between the continuous, consumable wire electrode and a workpiece. As such, the consumable wire functions as the electrode in the weld circuit as well as the source of filler metal. MIG welding is a relatively simple process that allows an operator to concentrate on arc control. MIG welding may be used to weld most commercial metals and alloys including steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Moreover, the travel speed and the deposition rates in MIG welding may be much higher than those typically associated with either Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG) or Shielded Metal Arc Welding (stick) thereby making MIG welding a more efficient welding process. Additionally, by continuously feeding the consumable wire to the weld, electrode changing is minimized and as such, weld effects caused by interruptions in the welding process are reduced. The MIG welding process also produces very little or no slag, the arc and weld pool are clearly visible during welding, and post-weld clean-up is typically minimized. Another advantage of MIG welding is that it can be done in most positions which can be an asset for manufacturing and repair work where vertical or overhead welding may be required. 
         [0003]    A wire feeder is operationally connected to the power source and is designed to deliver consumable wire to a weld. To further enhance the operability of the wire feeder of a MIG welding system, known welding systems have connected the power source and the wire feeder to one another across a dedicated control cable that is in addition to a dedicated weld cable such that control signals defining the operational parameters of the power source are transmitted or fed back from the wire feeder to the power source, generally referred to as remote control. 
         [0004]    One type of remote control device is used to regulate the operational welding parameters, and switch the welding power source output ON and OFF as well as change the power source mode via a pendant that connects to the power source by a multi-conductor cable. A wire feeder is connected to a power source by a control cable that includes a 14-pin connector. The cable used to transmit operational information to, and in some cases, from the power source may incorporate 2 to 14 conductors depending on how many functions are to be controlled. Separately connected between the power source and wire feeder is a high voltage weld cable that delivers welding power to the wire feeder and creates a voltage potential between an electrode and a workpiece. 
         [0005]    A significant drawback to this control cable-based scheme is that the control cable is typically fragile relative to the welding cables designed to carry high currents at high voltages. Welding machines are commonly used at construction sites or shipyards where it is not uncommon for the welding machines to be periodically relocated or surrounded by other mobile heavy equipment operating in the same area. As such, the remote control cable can become damaged by being crushed or snagged from contact with surrounding machines and/or traffic. This can cause damage to the wire feeder and/or the welding power source if internal power conductors become shorted to signal leads that are connected to sensitive signal level circuitry (See U.S. Pat. No. 7,902,484). 
         [0006]    MIG and TIG welders use inert gas to remove the oxygen from the arc meal metal, to avoid the oxidation, consequently, this kind of welder is normally used indoor because the wind removes the inert gas and oxidation takes place, having defective welds. 
         [0007]    In some applications, the welder operator may not have easy access to the welder machine. 
       EXAMPLES 
       [0008]    Building construction, Oil platforms, Derricks, oil field, Plants, etc. and use mainly rod electrode, because it is outdoor job. 
         [0009]    When a welder is working on a pipeline normally needs a helper because the helper changes the settings on the welder machine when the welder indicates, this settings depends of work position. It would be desirable to eliminate the need for the helper. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    A welding machine for welding an object may include a microprocessor to control the operation of the welding machine; a wireless remote controller to wirelessly control the welding machine and a transceiver to convert the wireless remote controller with the microprocessor. 
         [0011]    The transceiver is to transmit and receive RF signal and, data and commands 
         [0012]    The microprocessor may provide automatic control of the welding machine. 
         [0013]    The remote control may only can set settings present on the welder machine front panel, like: start, stop, select current, select digging and so on, desired by the operator. One can see it like an extent of the welder machine FRONT PANEL plus some practical functionality like pipe mode and automatic start and stop engine. 
         [0014]    The microprocessor may provide pipe mode control of the welding machine to replace the action of the welder helper that may include increasing or decreasing the current when the operator needs to do it, according to the welder position. 
         [0015]    The microprocessor may control the welding current by pulse width modulation when is operating in an electric welder machine field current controlled. 
         [0016]    The microprocessor may control an AC load sensor to start the engine when power is demanded. 
         [0017]    The automatic control may set a predetermined time to stop the welding machine when the machine is in idle state. 
         [0018]    The automatic control may start the welding machine when power is demanded. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates a circuit diagram of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]    There are electronic controlled welders and electric controlled welders. normally the electronic controlled welders are three phase AC generators, and converts the AC to DC by rectifier bridges, and then controls the output welding current by a “chopping techniques” PWM. Normally, normally this kind of machine have a potentiometer POT to adjust the output welding current. 
         [0022]    The electric controlled welder machines of the present invention includes a DC generator and uses a rheostat to control directly the field current, now controlling the field current, “magnetic field” on the DC generator controls the output welding current, so the present invention is capable of control, electronic controlled welder machines and electric welder machines, only changes the method. 
         [0023]    For electric welder machines where welding current is controlled by modifying the field current by a rheostat, then uses a PWM to control the field current, and optionally can use a small step motor to rotate the original rheostat to the correct position, depending of the desired current, the position sensor is required when the system starts to determine the initial position of the rheostat, after that it do not needs position sensor because the system has in memory the current position of the step motor. 
         [0024]    For electronic controlled welders using a mechanical POT to control the output welding current, 
         [0025]    The mechanic mechanical POT is replaced by a digital POT and this can be operated by digital signal to make the job. 
         [0026]    The present invention is applicable to the welding field, and the present invention includes a RF (Radio Frequency) remote control for welding machines  103 . The users of the present invention may control any setting on the machine  103  remotely and without wires, for example current arc digging, flat welding and down hill welding and other applications. The present invention may be used in engine powered welders or in power line feed led welders, moreover, the present invention may include operation modes, automatic mode and pipe mode. 
         [0027]    The automatic mode may include on set a predetermined time to stop the engine, so the controller may stop the engine after a predetermined time in the idle state, and the controller may start the engine when power is demanded such as when the user touches the metal with the welding rod or when the user starts an electric tool. 
         [0028]    Pipe mode, Pipe welding demands different capabilities because the current required for welding needs to be changed depending on the position of the arc on the pipe. Under these circumstances, the welder needs a helper to change the current in the machine when welding is in process. The present invention permits the welder to increase or decreases the current in steps predetermined by the welder without stopping the arc himself. By simply activating one of a multitude push buttons, the current increases or decreases (increases and decreases) and by pushing another push button, the current value returns to the initial setting. 
         [0029]    More particularly activating one of two push buttons, the current increases or decreases. By pushing both push buttons together, the current value returns to the initial setting. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates a control circuit  100  for a welding apparatus  103  of the present invention which may include a microcontroller  101  to control the operation of the welding apparatus  103  which may be connected to a battery voltage circuit  105 , an oil pressure sensor  107 , a temperature sensor  109 , preheat plug circuit  111 , a start control circuit  113 , an engine on off switch  115 , a welding current control circuit by digital potentiometer in the electronic controlled welder machines  117 , a welding current control circuit by pulse width modulator (PWM) in electric welder machines, field current controlled, a optional method for electric welding machines field current may be controlled by rheostat rotate the original rheostat by step motor  121  which may be connected to a position sensor  123 , and arc control circuit  125  for electronic machines only, AC load sensor  127  and a stinger touch sensor circuit  129 . The microcontroller  101  may be controlled by remote control  131  which may include a display, an antenna and a keyboard. The remote control  131  transmits and receives signals to and from the microcontroller  101  by connection with the receiver  133  which may be connected to the microcontroller  101 . The micro controller  101  controls the welding machine  103 . 
         [0031]    The engine on/off switch  105  allows the engine to run or be shut off and the start switch  113  starts the engine. The pre-heat plugs circuit  111  and may be used to preheat the plugs of the welding machine  103  during cold weather. The microcontroller  101  senses the temperature and determines if the plugs need to be heated and determines the length of time that the plugs need to be preheated. The temperature sensor  109  senses the engine coolant temperature and transmits the temperature signal to the microprocessor  101  and to control the preheat plugs circuit  111 . The oil pressure sensor  107  senses the pressure of the oil in the engine of the welding machine  103  to determine if the engine is running or not and the oil pressure signal is transmitted to the microcontroller  101 . 
         [0032]    The battery voltage circuit  105  may be used to determine the exact time that the engine of the welding machine  103  starts. During the starting process, the battery voltage is monitored by the microprocessor  101  to determine when the engine starts. When the engine starts, the electric start motor current is reduced and the voltage across the battery increases. A measure of the battery voltage is transmitted to the microprocessor  101 . 
         [0033]    The welding current is controlled by the following circuits. The digital potentiometer control circuit  117  controls the welding current, a pulse width modulator circuit  119  (PWM) may control the field current of the field current welding machine (electric controlled welder machines). The widths of the digital pulses are varied to control the field current. The PWM circuit  119  may replace a rheostat and may be under the control of the microprocessor  101 . A step motor  121  may be an alternative to a welding machine using a rheostat to control the field current as the step motor may rotate the rheostat to the correct position for the desired field current. The steep motor  121  may be under the control of the microprocessor  101 . The step motor  121  may include a position sensor  123  to detect the position of the motor and inputs the position to the microcontroller  101 . The arc control circuit  125  may be used to control the arc in welding machines  103  using electronic control and is controlled by the microprocessor  101 . 
         [0034]    The microprocessor  101  senses when the engine has been in a predetermined time in idle state and after that the microcontroller  101  stops the engine and senses if there is a power demand. When power demand is sensed (AC load sensor  127  or welding current stinger load sensor  129 ) then the microcontroller  101  starts the engine and activate the welding machine  103 . 
         [0035]    The receiver/transmitter radio transceiver  133  wirelessly may connect with the remote control  131  to transmit and receive signals from the remote control  131 . More particularly the radio transceiver  133  may receive commands and data values from the remote control, and the microprocessor  101  executes the commands and data values and acknowledges the receipt of the remote control  131  by sending a signal through the radio transceiver  133 . 
         [0036]    The remote control  131  can enable the user to select a command for the microprocessor  101  and optionally a data value for the microprocessor  101  such as a setting for the welding machine. To operate the welding machine in the pipe mode, the user may operate two keys or two push buttons to actuate the welding machine during the welding process. Without stopping welding, one pushbutton may be to increase the Delta amps and another button to decrease the Delta amps. The user may return to a base value by pressing both buttons together. The user may set the increment to increase or decrease (Delta value) which may be any value between 1 and 10 per step. 
         [0037]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.