Patent ID: 12220773

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The welding system of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment, is represented as a whole inFIG.1, where it is indicated with1.

This welding system1comprises a main module2equipped with an external casing3in which an inlet port4for the connection to an external electric power source, an electric generator5configured to adapt the electrical characteristics of the electric power received at the inlet to a first type of welding and an outlet port6for the connection, by means of an electrical conductor10, of a welding torch20are in turn identified.

The aforesaid electric power adapted by the electric generator5is supplied at the outlet port6.

Preferably, this electric generator5is configured, according to the preferred embodiment, to adapt the electric power received at the inlet to the execution, alternatively, of the manual welding with coated electrode (MMA), continuous wire gas shielded welding (MIG/MAG) or gas shielded welding with nonconsumable electrode (TIG).

It is not excluded, however, that according to alternative embodiments of the invention, this main module2and the relative electric generator5are configured to execute only one type of welding or, differently, are configured to allow the execution of welding processes that are different from those indicated above.

The main module2also comprises an electronic control unit7configured to control the functionality of the aforesaid electric generator5based on the type of welding or the types of welding that the electronic generator5itself is able to actuate and based on the choice of the operator.

In particular, to allow the operator to select and then execute one of the aforesaid types of welding, the main module2comprises a control panel8, preferably a touch screen display81, through which it is possible to appropriately set the software loaded on the aforesaid electronic control unit7.

Preferably, the aforesaid electronic control unit7comprises a microprocessor71and a data medium72, the usefulness of which will be described below.

The welding system of the invention, as can be seen inFIG.2, also comprises a welding torch20configured to be connected, via the aforesaid electrical conductor10, to the outlet port6.

As is known, welding torches are configured for the actuation of a type of welding or a limited number of types of welding, based on their own technical characteristics, such as for example the maximum current value that can be supported by the welding torch, and the type of cooling implemented in the latter.

By way of example, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid welding torch20is configured for the execution of manual TIG welding with air cooling and with a maximum predetermined current value.

It should be noted, however, that from now on, when referring to the welding torch20, this expression comprises all types of torches capable of carrying out at least one of the various types of welding, provided that these welding torches comprise the characteristics reported below.

According to the invention, in fact, the welding torch20comprises electronic means21which in turn comprise a data medium22in which the identification data I of the same welding torch20are stored.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic means21also comprise a microprocessor23capable of communicating and exchanging information with the electronic control unit7, in particular with the microprocessor71, when the welding torch20is connected to the main module2.

As regards the identification data I, in particular, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, they comprise a unique identifying code of the specific welding torch20and the type or types of welding that can be actuated with the same welding torch20.

Furthermore, even more preferably, they also comprise the maximum level of current that can be supported by the welding torch20, the type of cooling implemented on the welding torch20itself and a parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the welding torch20.

In particular, as regards the latter data, it preferably comprises at least one value relating to the maximum level of electrical energy that can be supported by the welding torch20for the entire life cycle thereof; which electrical energy level therefore represents the maximum limit of use of the welding torch20before its performance degrades or even before it breaks down. Below, it will be specifically described how this parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the welding torch20is used by the welding system1of the invention.

It is not excluded that, according to alternative embodiments, these identification data I provide for further types of information or provide for other ones than those indicated above, such as for example the ideal value of the ratio between pressure and flow rate of the technical gas used in the various types of welding.

Furthermore, it is not excluded that, according to an embodiment variant of the invention with respect to the preferred one described so far, only the identification data I relating to the unique identifying code of the specific welding torch20and the type or types of welding that can be actuated are stored in the aforesaid data medium22of the welding torch20. In this case, the remaining identification data I described above, in particular the parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the welding torch20, are stored in the data medium72of the electronic control unit7of the main module2. In particular, this data medium72could comprise a database where the aforesaid further data are associated with each welding torch20with a specific unique identifying code, including the parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the same welding torch20.

Still, alternatively, this database could be present on a remote server accessible from the aforesaid main module2via a data network.

Always according to the invention, the electronic control unit7of the main module2is configured, when the welding torch20is connected to the outlet port6, to detect the aforesaid identification data I from the electronic means21and to enable the use of the same welding torch20if the latter is compatible with the main module2. More precisely, according to the invention, the use of the welding torch20is enabled if this welding torch is configured to actuate the type or one of the types of welding for which the electric generator5is configured.

In particular, the electronic control unit7is configured to set the operating parameters of the aforesaid electric generator5based on the type of welding torch20connected to the outlet port6, in the event that this electric generator5is configured to adapt the inlet electric power to more welding types.

More specifically, in the event that all identification data I of the welding torch

20are stored in the memory medium22of the torch itself, the electronic control unit7is configured to detect them by communicating with the microprocessor23and subsequently to adequately set the operating parameters of the electric generator5, once the compatibility between the aforesaid welding torch20and the main module2has been verified.

Alternatively, in the event that such identification data I are partially stored in the data medium72of the main module2, the electronic control unit7is configured to detect the unique identifying code of the welding torch20connected to the main module2, so as to identify the identification data I of the specific welding torch20in the aforesaid data medium72and, obviously, to adequately set the operating parameters of the electric generator5on the basis of these detected identification data I, once the compatibility between the aforesaid welding torch20and the main module2has been verified.

Further, in the event that such identification data I are partially stored in the database of a remote server, the electronic control unit7is configured to detect the unique identifying code of the welding torch20connected to the main module2, to communicate with the aforesaid remote server in order to acquire the identification data I of the specific welding torch20from the latter and finally to adequately set the operating parameters of the electric generator5based on these acquired identification data I, once the compatibility between the aforesaid welding torch20and the main module2has been verified.

Regardless of which of the aforesaid three alternatives is actually implemented in the welding system1of the invention, this operation mode, advantageously, prevents that a main module2configured for the actuation of a certain type of welding can be used together with a welding torch20configured to actuate a different type of welding, thus achieving the main purposes of the invention.

As regards the operating parameters of the electric generator5, they mainly concern the value of the electric power generated at the outlet from the same electric generator5, in particular the voltage and current values, the ratio between pressure and flow rate of the technical gas used in some of the welding processes and, as indicated above, the parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the specific welding torch.

A further aspect of the invention consists in the fact that the welding torch20, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises an NFC reader24configured to detect the identification data IG of an element, preferably of a joint G, to be welded, stored in a TG RFID tag applied near the same joint G, as shown inFIG.3.

In particular, by applying a TG RFID tag in the vicinity of this joint G with the information necessary for the correct execution of the welding of the latter, it is possible to advantageously and automatically set the correct operating mode of both the welding torch20and of the main module2and of the relative electric generator5.

Therefore, in order to achieve this purpose, first of all, it is necessary that a TG RFID tag containing the information relating to the method of execution of the welding of a specific joint G, or in general of an element, must be placed near the joint G itself.

In a second step, the welding torch20, connected to the main module2, must be moved near the TG RFID tag of the joint G.

Furthermore, the welding system1of the invention provides for the microprocessor23of the welding torch20to be configured so as to send the identification data IG of the aforesaid joint G, once they have been read by means of the aforesaid NFC reader24, to the electronic control unit7. In turn, the electronic control unit7is configured to set the operating parameters of the electric generator5based on the type of joint G to be welded.

Obviously, the operating parameters of the electric generator5are also set based on the type of welding torch20, as seen previously.

It is not excluded that, according to different embodiments of the invention, this NFC reader24is not present in the aforesaid welding torch20.

A further aspect of the invention provides that the welding torch20itself, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, comprises an inertial sensor25provided in turn with an accelerometer26capable of measuring the welding execution speed. In this case, the microprocessor23of the same welding torch20is configured to send the data relating to the aforesaid speed to the electronic control unit7when the welding torch20is obviously connected to the main module2. The electronic control unit7is in turn configured to signal to the operator by audio-visual means the correctness or not of the execution of the welding based on the data of the aforesaid speed. In particular, according to the invention, the electronic control unit7is configured to compare these speed values with an ideal speed curve for the execution of the specific type of welding, where this curve is stored in the same electronic control unit7or it is stored in the TG RFID tag associated with the element/joint G to be welded or it is further made available on a remote server connected via a data network to the welding system1of the invention.

Preferably but not necessarily, as already said, the same electronic control unit7is configured to signal to the operator by audio-visual means the correctness or not of the execution of the welding based on the aforesaid speed data.

In addition or alternatively, preferably, the electronic control unit7is configured to modify the operating parameters of the electric generator5, in particular the current and voltage values supplied to the welding torch20, based on the difference between the real displacement speed of the torch and the aforesaid ideal speed curve.

Furthermore, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the welding system1provides that the aforesaid inertial sensor25also comprises a gyroscope27for detecting the spatial position of the welding torch20during the execution of the welding.

Also in this case, the microprocessor23is configured to send the spatial position data to the electronic control unit7. In turn, the electronic control unit7is configured to compare this spatial position data with a curve of ideal spatial positions for the execution of the specific type of welding, where this curve is stored in the same electronic control unit7or it is stored in the TG RFID tag associated with the element/joint G to be welded or it is further made available on a remote server connected via a data network to the welding system1of the invention.

Furthermore, the same electronic control unit7is configured to signal to the operator by audio-visual means the correctness or not of the execution of the welding based on the aforesaid spatial position data, possibly in conjunction with the other described data.

In addition or alternatively, preferably, the electronic control unit7is configured to adapt the operating parameters of the electric generator5, in particular the current and voltage values supplied to the welding torch20, based on the difference between the real spatial position of the torch and the aforesaid curve of ideal spatial positions.

Furthermore, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electronic control unit7is configured to perform further analyses of data acquired by means of the main module2, such as for example the values of

current and voltage absorbed, the gas flow, the gas pressure, any coolant flow, the wire speed and the time of use of the specific welding torch20. Obviously, the main module2, in order to be able to acquire the aforesaid data, must be equipped with appropriate sensors of the type known per se.

In particular, the values of current and voltage absorbed and the time of use of the welding torch20are used by the electronic control unit7to calculate the effective increase in the value of total electrical energy absorbed by the welding torch20during its life cycle, so as to compare this value with the aforesaid maximum level of electrical energy that can be supported by the welding torch20. Furthermore, if such comparison established that the actual value of electrical energy absorbed up to that moment by the specific welding torch20equals or exceeds the aforesaid maximum level of electrical energy that can be supported by the torch itself, the electronic control unit7is configured to signal the wear of the welding torch20to the operator and, in addition or alternatively, to automatically disable the use thereof.

Furthermore, the electronic control unit7is preferably configured to analyse the values relating to the gas flow, to the gas pressure, the coolant flow, the wire speed and the time of use of the specific welding torch to determine the state of life of the consumables, always by comparison with curves or ideal values stored in the data medium22or in the same electronic control unit7or again on a remote server connected via a data network to the welding system1of the invention.

Also, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, preferably but not necessarily, the welding torch20comprises a temperature sensor28adapted to detect the temperature of the welding torch20itself and of the consumables used on the welding torch20to execute the welding. Also in this case, the microprocessor23is configured to send the data relating to the above temperatures to the electronic control unit7. The electronic control unit7is in turn configured to analyse these data, in particular to compare them with ideal curves of temperatures in order to determine the state of life of the consumables and the state of life of the welding torch20itself.

Finally, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the welding torch20comprises an infrared sensor29adapted to detect the temperature of the welding area. Also in this case, preferably but not necessarily, the microprocessor23is configured to send the temperature data of the welding area to the electronic control unit7when the welding torch20is connected to the main module2. In turn, the electronic control unit7is configured to analyse these temperature data of the welding area, in particular to compare them with ideal curves of temperatures of the welding area, so as to determine the quality of the welding, possibly also by simultaneously verifying the data relating to the other measurements performed and described previously.

This set of sensors and analysis allow, in an isolated or correlated manner, to keep under control the quality of the welding being executed and possibly to signal to the operator the corrections to be made to the aforesaid execution of the welding, or to automatically adapt the operating parameters of the electric generator5.

Furthermore, preferably, the electronic control unit7is configured to use this data set acquired by means of the various sensors belonging to the main module2and to the welding torch20in order to update and adapt, by means of automatic learning algorithms, the identification data I relating to the specific welding torch20, in particular, the value of the parameter relating to the maximum limit of use of the welding torch20and the value relating to the maximum level of current that can be supported by said welding torch20.

Part of the invention is also the computer programming product comprising a data medium provided with program portions configured in such a way that, when executed on the aforesaid electronic control unit7of the main module2of the welding system1of the invention, they make the same electronic control unit7configured in such a way as to verify the compatibility of the welding torch20connected to the same main module2based on the identification data I detected by the electronic means21belonging to the aforesaid welding torch20.

On the basis of what has been said, it is clear that the welding system1, object of the invention, achieves the pre-established objects.

In particular, the object of realizing a welding system capable of preventing the execution of a welding operation in case of connection of a welding torch that is not compatible with a welding device is achieved.

The object of realizing a welding system is achieved in detail which allows preventing any damage to a welding device and/or a welding torch due to their incorrect connection, since they are not compatible.

The object of realizing a welding system that prevents any injuries to operators due to the incorrect connection of a welding device with a welding torch that is not compatible with the former is also achieved.

Finally, the object of realizing a welding system which is eventually able to adapt the operation of a welding device based on the welding torch connected thereto is achieved.