Abstract:
Embodiments of a welding system including a controller adapted to implement a lockout mechanism are provided. The controller may be adapted to selectively activate a learn mode and a use mode of a component of the welding system. When the learn mode is activated, the controller receives an allowable data set and stores the allowable data set to memory. When the use mode is activated, the controller receives an operational data set, references the allowable data set to check if the operational data set is allowable, logs the operational data set and enables the component of the welding system to operate when the operational data set is allowable, and disables the component of the welding system when the operational data set is not allowable.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a Non-Provisional Patent Application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/261,951 entitled “Suitcase Feeder with Wrong Wire Lockout”, filed Nov. 17, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates generally to the field of wire feeders and/or welding systems. More specifically, the invention relates to a welding wire feeder with a lockout mechanism. 
     In certain applications, a welding wire feeder may be used to feed a welding wire through a torch to a weld location in front of the tip of the torch. In many applications, it may be desirable to move the wire feeder to a remote location or simply to a different location in a work area. Otherwise, the wire feeder may be required to drive the wire over an unnecessarily long run of conduit to the particular work location. As a result, the wire feeder may require a more robust and expensive drive mechanism. Since many conventional wire feeders are designed as stationary devices intended to remain within a particular work area, some “suitcase” wire feeders have been developed, are currently available, and are specifically designed to enable a user to carry the wire feeders to the desired location. 
     Such wire feeders are often operable with a variety of types of consumables, and any welding operator may generally operate any given wire feeder as desired. It is possible that a welding operator may not properly identify which consumables and processes are appropriate for use with which welding systems, thereby creating welding problems. Accordingly, there exists a need for wire feeders capable of overcoming such drawbacks with traditional systems. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a wire feeder includes a housing, a spool mounting hub disposed in the housing and adapted to receive a wire spool, and control circuitry disposed in the housing and adapted to selectively enable a learning mode and a use mode. During the enabled learning mode, the control circuitry learns an allowable parameter set. During the enabled use mode, the control circuitry receives a desired parameter set, compares the desired parameter set to the allowable parameter set, enables the wire feeder to feed wire from the wire spool when the desired parameter set is contained within the allowable parameter set, and locks the wire feeder to prevent wire feed from the wire spool when the desired parameter set is not contained within the allowable parameter set. 
     In another embodiment, a method of controlling a wire feeder includes receiving a desired set of parameters, comparing the desired set of parameters to the allowable set of parameters, locking out the wire feeder to prevent wire feed from a wire spool when the desired set of parameters is not within the allowable set of parameters, and allowing wire feed from the wire spool of the wire feeder when the desired set of parameters is within the allowable set of parameters. 
     In another embodiment, a controller for a wire feeder is adapted to selectively activate a learn mode and a use mode of the wire feeder and receive an allowable data set and store the allowable data set to memory when the learn mode is activated. When the use mode is activated, the controller is also adapted to receive an operational data set, reference the allowable data set to check if the operational data set is allowable, log the operational data set and enable the wire feeder to operate when the operational data set is allowable, and disable the wire feeder when the operational data set is not allowable. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary wire feeding system enabled with a lockout mechanism in accordance with aspects of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary internal components of an exemplary wire feeder enabled with a lockout mechanism in accordance with aspects of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a method of controlling an exemplary wire feeder during a learning mode in accordance with aspects of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a method of controlling an exemplary wire feeder during a use mode in accordance with aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As described in detail below, embodiments of welding systems (e.g., wire feeders) including learning and lockout capabilities are provided. It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention are applicable to any of a variety of suitable components of a welding system. However, in the present disclosure, features of the exemplary welding systems are illustrated in the context of wire feeders, but such features are not meant to be limited to wire feeders. For example, the exemplary learning and lockout mechanisms, although described herein in the context of a wire feeder system, may be applicable to a variety of other welding system components, such as welding power supplies, welding accessories, and so forth. 
     Embodiments of the presently disclosed wire feeders may be capable of learning an allowable parameter set and/or job information such as allowable wire types, gas types, operators, and so forth, when operating in a learning mode. For example, the wire feeder may be adapted to enter learning mode, to receive instructions from an appropriate operator (e.g., a supervisor) or other information source (e.g., a main job information system) in a variety of suitable ways described in detail below, and to store the allowable parameter set to memory for future referencing. Further, during learning mode, the wire feeder may be capable of learning in a variety of ways and from a variety of suitable sources. For example, the wire feeder may learn from a supervisor and/or from a main job information center, and the learned information may be transferred via a variety of suitable wired or wireless connections. Additionally, the wire feeder may be adapted to enter a use mode during which an operator may insert the desired wire spool, couple the wire feeder to the desired gas cylinder, place one or more tags devices in proximity to the wire feeder, and so forth. Such actions may define a desired operational data set that is compared to the allowable data set. By making such a comparison, embodiments of the disclosed wire feeder may identify whether or not the desired operational data set is allowable. In such a way, embodiments of the wire feeders disclosed herein may be capable of learning allowable parameters and preventing operation of the wire feeder when a welding operator attempts to operate the wire feeder outside the range of allowable parameters. 
     Turning now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary wire feeding system  10  including a wire feeder  12  configured to provide welding wire for a welding operation. In some embodiments, the wire feeder  12  may be a compact wire feeder (e.g., a suitcase wire feeder) configured for use in welding applications that require a portable wire feeder. For example, such compact wire feeders may be utilized in applications where the weight and size of the wire feeder are constrained by environmental factors, such as in shipbuilding applications. For further example, such compact wire feeders may be capable of being moved from one location to another by a human user without the use of tools, machines, vehicles, and so forth. 
     As shown, the illustrated system  10  includes the wire feeder  12 , a wire spool  14  with an associated wireless tag  16 , a welding operator  18  with an associated wireless tag, and a gas cylinder  22  with an associated wireless tag  24 . The compact wire feeder  12  includes a housing  26  with a side panel  28 , a front panel  30 , and a top panel  32 . The top panel  32  includes a handle  34 , which allows a welding operator to move the portable wire feeder  12  from one location to another without the use of a tool, machine, or vehicle. Such a feature may allow the operator to position the portable wire feeder as desired in welding environments that may not be accessible to larger vehicles or transportation tools. 
     Still further, the front panel  30  of the compact wire feeder  12  includes a control panel  36  and an electrical panel  38 . The illustrated control panel  36  includes a meter  40 , such as a voltmeter and/or a wire speed/amperage meter, and a wire feed speed adjustment knob  42 , which may be rotated by an operator to adjust the speed of the wire exiting the wire feeder during use. In some embodiments, the meter  40  may be configured to display one or more parameters to a user during a welding operation. For example, a voltmeter may be configured to display the arc voltage during a weld and to display the open circuit voltage during idling. For further example, a wire speed/amperage meter may be configured to display wire feed speed and/or amperage during the welding process. The control panel  40  may include additional switches, meters, knobs, and so forth, or fewer of such components, as desired for the given application. For example, in some embodiments, the wire feeder control panel  36  may also include a jog/purge switch configured to allow an operator to jog wire without energizing the contactor or gas valve, a trigger hold switch configured to allow the operator to weld without holding a welding gun trigger, a power switch configured to allow the operator to turn the unit ON or OFF, and so forth. 
     The illustrated electrical panel  38  includes universal serial bus (USB) ports  44  configured to receive a USB device  46 , as indicated by arrow  48 . The electrical panel  38  also includes a first electrical connection  50  and a second electrical connection  52 . In the illustrated embodiment, the first electrical connection  24  couples to a gun trigger receptacle  54  via cable  56 , and the second electrical connection  52  couples to a ground clamp  58  via cable  60 . The gun trigger receptacle  54  is further adapted to mate with a gun trigger plug coupled to a welding torch. As such, the gun trigger receptacle  54  is configured to couple to a variety of welding guns suitable for use in a variety of welding processes, such as metal inert gas (MIG) welding or any other welding process that utilizes a wire feed. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the wire feeder  12  includes a monitoring device  62  and a controller  64  disposed therein. However, in further embodiments, the monitoring device  62  may be located anywhere in or on the wire feeder  12 , the power supply, a welding accessory, or any other component of the welding system. During operation, the monitoring device  62  and the controller  64  may enable the wire feeder  12  to learn an allowable set of parameters. In one embodiment, a learning mode of the wire feeder  12  may be enabled, for example, by flipping a switch to a “learn mode” position on the control panel  36  and entering a code that unlocks the wire feeder, thus allowing the wire feeder to learn. Subsequently, a certified operator (e.g., a supervisor) may teach the controller  64  an allowable set of parameters via a reader located in the monitoring device  62  and through one or more wireless tags located on one or more allowable devices. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the allowable devices may include the wire spool  14 , the operator  18 , and the gas cylinder  22 , although in other embodiments, other types of allowable devices may include such wireless tags. In such an embodiment, the wireless tags  16 ,  20 , and  24  may be configured to communicate a unique identification tag or code to the monitoring device  62  via a suitable wireless communication protocol, such as RuBee low frequency magnetic signal communication, radio-frequency identification (RFID) communication, and so forth. In such a way, the user may communicate one or more sets of allowable devices to the controller  64  in the wire feeder  12 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the tags  16 ,  20 , and  24  are wireless communication devices. However, in further embodiments, such tags may be any suitable identification tag capable of communicating a unique identification code. For example, the tags may be barcodes adapted to be scanned for future communication with the wire feeder  12 . In such embodiments, the barcodes may be scanned into a computer, a laptop, a wireless handheld device, and so forth, and subsequently communicated to the wire feeder  12 , for example, via USB ports  44 . 
     Still further, such identification codes corresponding to the one or more allowable devices may be manually input by an operator into a keypad of a suitable device and then transmitted to the controller  64  in the wire feeder  12 . Such transmission may be via a wired or wireless connection to the USB ports  44  or directly to monitoring device  62 . Still further, after input into a keypad or computer, the allowable parameter set may be transferred to the wire feeder  12  via USB device  46 . Additionally, the allowable parameter set may be communicated to the wire feeder from a main job information system. Indeed, any of a variety of suitable ways of communicating an allowable set of parameters to the wire feeder  12  may be employed during learning mode. For further example, learned or preprogrammed job parameters and procedures may be stored in a memory of the wire feeder or other welding system component and subsequently retrieved for use in the current welding operation, as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components of the wire feeder  12  in more detail. However, in further embodiments, the wire feeder may include additional circuitry and mechanical components (e.g., wire spool mounting hub, wire drive assembly, etc.) not illustrated. As shown, the exemplary wire feeder  12  includes monitoring device  62 , control circuitry  64 , data input circuitry  66 , and memory  68 . The data input circuitry may be coupled to the USB ports  44  to receive incoming information and to route such information to the controller. The illustrated monitoring device  62  is a wireless monitoring device including an antenna  70 , a reader  72 , and a transmitter  74 . The antenna  70  is adapted to receive signals, such as those transmitted by tags  16 ,  20 , and  24 , and communicate the data encoded in such signals to the reader  72 . Likewise, the transmitter  74  is adapted to transmit information via the reader  72  and the antenna  70 . 
     During learning mode operation, the control circuitry  64  interfaces with the monitoring device  62  and the data input circuitry  66  to receive and process an allowable parameter set, thus learning which devices, procedures, and/or operators are allowable for the given wire feeder  12 . Once received, the control circuitry  64  is adapted to store the received allowable parameter set to memory  68  for future retrieval. Subsequently, during use mode operation, the control circuitry  64  is configured to receive a desired operational parameter set via at least one of the monitoring device  62  and the data input circuitry  66 . The control circuitry  64  is further adapted to compare the desired parameter set to the stored allowable parameter set. Based on this comparison, the control circuitry  64  may log the desired parameter set to memory for use in the wire feeding operation or lock out the wire feeder and prevent wire from being fed. That is, if the desired parameter set is within the allowable parameter set, the control circuitry  64  may enable the wire feeder for operation. However, if the desired parameter set is not within the allowable parameter set, the control circuitry  64  locks out the wire feeder, thus preventing a wire feed from occurring. Such features of the wire feeder operation may be better understood by considering the methods described in detail below with respect to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     Specifically,  FIG. 3  illustrates a method  76  that may be employed by the control circuitry during a learning mode of operation. The method  76  begins by checking if learn mode is enabled (block  78 ). For example, the control panel of the wire feeder may include a switch, which, when placed in “learn mode” position, prompts the user for a code that allows the wire feeder to “learn” a set of parameters. If learn mode is not enabled, the controller prevents the wire feeder from receiving or storing input parameters (block  80 ). In some embodiments, such a feature may reduce or eliminate the possibility of an unauthorized user accidentally teaching the wire feeder a disallowable set of parameters. 
     The method  76  also includes the step of receiving an allowable parameter set (block  82 ) when learn mode is enabled, for example through any one of the methods described in detail above. Further, the method  76  includes storing the allowable parameter set to memory (block  84 ) and verifying the stored parameter set with the user (block  86 ) if desired in certain applications. If necessary, the stored parameter set may be modified and restored (block  88 ). Finally, learn mode may be disabled (block  90 ), and the wire feeder may enter use mode or may idle while waiting for further operator input. 
       FIG. 4  is a method  92  that may be employed by the control circuitry during a use mode of operation. The method begins by checking if use mode is enabled (block  94 ). Again, in some embodiments, the control panel of the wire feeder may include a switch that a user may place in a “use mode” position to indicate initiation of a wire feeding operation. If use mode is not enabled, the controller disallows operation (block  96 ) and may display an error to the user. For example, the error may be communicated to the user via a handheld device, a personal computer, a cell phone, a systems message light, a display in welding system, a head-up display in a welding helmet, and so forth. If use mode is enabled, the method  92  includes checking for a desired operational parameter set. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the method  92  includes the step of receiving procedure information (block  98 ), receiving operator information (block  100 ), receiving wire information (block  102 ), and receiving gas information (block  104 ). The controller is then adapted to check if the received information is within the allowable parameter set (block  106 ). 
     If the received parameter set is within the allowable parameter set, the method  92  includes the steps of enabling the wire feeder for a wire feeding operation (block  108 ) and logging the input parameter set for the operation (block  110 ). If the received parameter set is not within the allowable parameter set, the method  92  includes the step of locking out the wire feeder (block  112 ), thus preventing wire feed. The method  92  also includes notifying the user that an error has occurred (block  114 ). In such a way, the controller may substantially reduce or prevent the likelihood that an unauthorized user or an incompatible consumable is utilized with the wire feeder. 
     In the embodiments described herein, the exemplary wire feeders include a learn mode and a use mode. However, in further embodiments, the wire feeder may be configured for a use mode and not for a learn mode. That is, in such embodiments, the wire feeders may be internally preprogrammed prior to use (e.g., during manufacturing) such that the allowable set of parameters are already included in the memory of the wire feeder. As such, in some embodiments, the wire feeder need not be placed in use mode, but when the user utilizes the wire feeder, the use mode logic presented above may be applied by the controller. For example, the controller may receive the desired operational parameter set, compare the desired operational parameter set to the stored allowable parameter set, and lockout the wire feeder if the desired operational parameter set is not contained within the allowable parameter set. 
     While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.