U.S. patent application number 16/893550 was filed with the patent office on 2020-09-24 for engine driven welder.
The applicant listed for this patent is Lincoln Global, Inc.. Invention is credited to Edward A. Enyedy, Adam M. Hruska, Justin M. Makosky.
Application Number | 20200298331 16/893550 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004870512 |
Filed Date | 2020-09-24 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200298331 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hruska; Adam M. ; et
al. |
September 24, 2020 |
ENGINE DRIVEN WELDER
Abstract
A welding machine includes a welding power supply. A generator
is operatively connected to the welding power supply to supply
electrical energy to the welding power supply. An internal
combustion engine is configured to drive the generator. A chassis
structure includes a divider wall that at least partially defines
an engine compartment of the welding machine. A cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf is cantilevered from the divider wall. The
internal combustion engine is attached to the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf. A fuel tank is mounted within the chassis
structure and located beneath each of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine and the
generator.
Inventors: |
Hruska; Adam M.; (Chardon,
OH) ; Makosky; Justin M.; (Hiram, OH) ;
Enyedy; Edward A.; (Eastlake, OH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lincoln Global, Inc. |
Santa Fe Springs |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004870512 |
Appl. No.: |
16/893550 |
Filed: |
June 5, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15823818 |
Nov 28, 2017 |
|
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16893550 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23K 37/003 20130101;
B23K 9/1006 20130101; B23K 9/32 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B23K 9/10 20060101
B23K009/10; B23K 37/00 20060101 B23K037/00; B23K 9/32 20060101
B23K009/32 |
Claims
1. A welding machine, comprising: a welding power supply; a
generator operatively connected to the welding power supply to
supply electrical energy to the welding power supply; an internal
combustion engine configured to drive the generator; a chassis
structure comprising a divider wall that at least partially defines
an engine compartment of the welding machine; a cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf cantilevered from the divider wall and having
first and second sides that extend away from the divider wall and
into the engine compartment, wherein the first and second sides
each include a respective strengthening flange that extends away
from an engine-mounting surface of the cantilevered engine-mounting
shelf, and wherein the internal combustion engine is attached to
the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf; a fuel tank mounted within
the chassis structure and located beneath each of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine and the
generator; and a vibration isolator that isolates the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf from the chassis structure.
2. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the divider wall is
located between the internal combustion engine and a starting
battery for starting the internal combustion engine.
3. The welding machine of claim 2, wherein the divider wall
separates the engine compartment from a battery compartment storing
the starting battery.
4. The welding machine of claim 3, further comprising a removable
battery compartment cover for providing access to the battery
compartment, wherein the battery compartment cover is located on a
front side of the welding machine.
5. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the divider wall is
located between the internal combustion engine and the welding
power supply.
6. The welding machine of claim 5, wherein the welding power supply
is located in an electronics compartment of the welding machine,
and the internal combustion engine is configured to draw combustion
air from the electronics compartment.
7. The welding machine of claim 1, wherein the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf has a trapezoidal shape.
8. A welding machine, comprising: a welding power supply; a
generator operatively connected to the welding power supply to
supply electrical energy to the welding power supply; an internal
combustion engine configured to drive the generator; a chassis
structure comprising a bulkhead separating an engine compartment
from another compartment of the welding machine; a vibration
isolator mounted to the bulkhead; an engine-mounting shelf
projecting from the bulkhead and isolated from the bulkhead by the
vibration isolator, wherein the internal combustion engine and
engine-mounting shelf apply a radial load to the vibration
isolator; and a fuel tank mounted within the chassis structure and
located beneath each of the engine-mounting shelf, the internal
combustion engine, and the generator.
9. The welding machine of claim 8, wherein the engine-mounting
shelf is cantilevered from the bulkhead.
10. The welding machine of claim 8, wherein said another
compartment is a battery compartment storing a starting battery for
starting the internal combustion engine.
11. The welding machine of claim 10, wherein the welding machine
further comprises a removable battery compartment cover located on
a front side of the welding machine.
12. The welding machine of claim 10, wherein the welding power
supply is located above the battery compartment and forward of the
internal combustion engine.
13. The welding machine of claim 8, wherein the engine-mounting
shelf has a trapezoidal shape, and nonparallel sides of the
engine-mounting shelf extend away from the bulkhead into the engine
compartment and include respective strengthening flanges.
14. The welding machine of claim 8, wherein the engine-mounting
shelf includes first and second sides that extend away from the
bulkhead and into the engine compartment, and wherein the first and
second sides each include a respective strengthening flange that
extends away from an engine-mounting surface of the engine-mounting
shelf.
15. The welding machine of claim 8, wherein the bulkhead is located
between the internal combustion engine and the welding power
supply.
16. The welding machine of claim 15, wherein the welding power
supply is located in an electronics compartment of the welding
machine, and the internal combustion engine is configured to draw
combustion air from the electronics compartment.
17. An electrical power generation apparatus, comprising: an
internal combustion engine; a generator coaxially coupled to the
internal combustion engine and driven by the internal combustion
engine; a starting battery operatively connected to the internal
combustion engine and located within a battery compartment; a
chassis structure comprising a divider wall separating an engine
compartment from the battery compartment; a cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf cantilevered from the divider wall and having
first and second sides that extend away from the divider wall and
into the engine compartment, wherein the first and second sides
each include a respective strengthening flange that extends away
from an engine-mounting surface of the cantilevered engine-mounting
shelf, wherein the internal combustion engine is attached to the
cantilevered engine-mounting shelf; a fuel tank mounted within the
chassis structure and located beneath each of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine and the
generator; and a vibration isolator that isolates the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf from the chassis structure.
18. The electrical power generation apparatus of claim 17, wherein
the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf has a trapezoidal shape.
19. The electrical power generation apparatus of claim 17, wherein
the divider wall is located between the internal combustion engine
and an electronics compartment.
20. The electrical power generation apparatus of claim 19, wherein
the internal combustion engine is configured to draw combustion air
from the electronics compartment.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/823,818, filed on Nov. 28, 2017, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present disclosure relates to engine driven generators,
and in particular to engine driven arc generation devices, such as
welders and plasma cutters.
Description of Related Art
[0003] Engine driven welders include an internal combustion engine,
such as a diesel, gasoline or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) engine.
The engine drives a generator, and the generator supplies
electrical power to a welding power supply that outputs a welding
current and voltage. A compact design for an engine driven welder
is often desirable. However, it can be difficult to maximize the
machine's fuel storage capacity when a compact design is employed.
For example, space for the fuel tank will be limited, and various
obstructions in the structural chassis that occupy potential fuel
tank space may be present. A compact design for an engine driven
welder that maximizes fuel storage capacity would be
beneficial.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The following summary presents a simplified summary in order
to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the devices,
systems and/or methods discussed herein. This summary is not an
extensive overview of the devices, systems and/or methods discussed
herein. It is not intended to identify critical elements or to
delineate the scope of such devices, systems and/or methods. Its
sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a
prelude to the more detailed description that is presented
later.
[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention,
provided is a welding machine. The welding machine includes a
welding power supply. A generator is operatively connected to the
welding power supply to supply electrical energy to the welding
power supply. An internal combustion engine is configured to drive
the generator. A chassis structure includes a divider wall that at
least partially defines an engine compartment of the welding
machine. A cantilevered engine-mounting shelf is cantilevered from
the divider wall. The internal combustion engine is attached to the
cantilevered engine-mounting shelf. A fuel tank is mounted within
the chassis structure and located beneath each of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine and the
generator.
[0006] In certain embodiments, the divider wall is located between
the internal combustion engine and a starting battery for starting
the internal combustion engine. Further, the divider wall can
separate an engine compartment from a battery compartment storing
the starting battery. Further still, a removable battery
compartment cover can provide access to the battery compartment,
and the battery compartment cover can be located on a front side of
the welding machine. In certain embodiments, the divider wall is
located between the internal combustion engine and the welding
power supply. Further, the welding power supply can be located in
an electronics compartment of the welding machine, and the internal
combustion engine can be configured to draw combustion air from the
electronics compartment. In certain embodiments, the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf has a trapezoidal shape. Further, the
engine-mounting shelf can include an upper engine-mounting surface,
and first and second nonparallel sides of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf extend away from the divider wall and into an
engine compartment of the welding machine, and the first and second
nonparallel sides of the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf include
a respective strengthening flange that extends away from the upper
engine-mounting surface in a vertical direction. In certain
embodiments, the welding machine comprises a vibration isolator
that isolates the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf from the
divider wall, and the internal combustion engine and cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf apply a radial load to the vibration
isolator. In certain embodiments, the welding machine comprises a
generator-mounting bracket located at a rear portion of the welding
machine, and the fuel tank extends rearward of the
generator-mounting bracket.
[0007] In accordance with another aspect, provided is a welding
machine. The welding machine includes a welding power supply. A
generator is operatively connected to the welding power supply to
supply electrical energy to the welding power supply. An internal
combustion engine is configured to drive the generator. A chassis
structure comprising a bulkhead separates an engine compartment
from another compartment of the welding machine. A vibration
isolator is mounted to the bulkhead. An engine-mounting shelf
projects from the bulkhead and is isolated from the bulkhead by the
vibration isolator. The internal combustion engine and
engine-mounting shelf apply a radial load to the vibration
isolator. The welding machine includes means for connecting the
generator to the chassis structure. A fuel tank is mounted within
the chassis structure and is located beneath each of the
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine, the
generator, and the means for connecting the generator to the
chassis structure.
[0008] In certain embodiments, the engine-mounting shelf is
cantilevered from the bulkhead. In certain embodiments, said
another compartment is a battery compartment storing a starting
battery for starting the internal combustion engine, and the
welding machine further comprises a removable battery compartment
cover located on a front side of the welding machine. Further, the
welding power supply can be located above the battery compartment
and forward of the internal combustion engine. In certain
embodiments, the engine-mounting shelf has a trapezoidal shape, and
nonparallel sides of the engine-mounting shelf extend away from the
bulkhead into the engine compartment and include respective
strengthening flanges.
[0009] In accordance with another aspect, provided is an electrical
power generation apparatus comprising an internal combustion
engine. An electric generator is coaxially coupled to the internal
combustion engine and is driven by the internal combustion engine.
A starting battery is operatively connected to the internal
combustion engine and is located within a battery compartment. A
chassis structure comprising a divider wall separates an engine
compartment from the battery compartment. A cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf is cantilevered from the divider wall. The
internal combustion engine is attached to the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf. A fuel tank is mounted within the chassis
structure and is located beneath each of the cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf, the internal combustion engine and the
electric generator.
[0010] In certain embodiments, the electrical power generation
apparatus comprises a removable battery compartment cover for
providing access to the battery compartment, and the battery
compartment cover is located on a front side of the electrical
power generation apparatus. In certain embodiments, the electrical
power generation apparatus comprises a vibration isolator that
isolates the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf from the divider
wall, and the internal combustion engine and cantilevered
engine-mounting shelf apply a radial load to the vibration
isolator. Further, the cantilevered engine-mounting shelf can have
a trapezoidal shape. In certain embodiments, the electrical power
generation apparatus further comprises a generator-mounting bracket
located at a rear portion of the of the electrical power generation
apparatus, and the fuel tank extends rearward of the
generator-mounting bracket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an engine driven welder;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the engine driven
welder;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the engine driven welder;
[0014] FIG. 4 is an internal view of the engine driven welder;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an internal view of the engine driven welder;
[0016] FIG. 6 is an internal view of the engine driven welder;
[0017] FIG. 7 is an internal view of the engine driven welder;
[0018] FIG. 8 shows an engine-mounting shelf of the engine driven
welder;
[0019] FIG. 9 shows the engine-mounting shelf of the engine driven
welder;
[0020] FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the engine driven
welder;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a rear perspective view of the engine driven
welder;
[0022] FIG. 12 is a right side internal view of the engine driven
welder;
[0023] FIG. 13 is a left side internal view of the engine driven
welder; and
[0024] FIG. 14 is an internal view of the engine driven welder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to engine
driven welders. The embodiments will now be described with
reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used
to refer to like elements throughout. It is to be appreciated that
the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale from one
figure to another nor inside a given figure, and in particular that
the size of the components are arbitrarily drawn for facilitating
the understanding of the drawings. In the following description,
for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set
forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present
invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention
can be practiced without these specific details. Additionally,
other embodiments of the invention are possible and the invention
is capable of being practiced and carried out in ways other than as
described. The terminology and phraseology used in describing the
invention is employed for the purpose of promoting an understanding
of the invention and should not be taken as limiting.
[0026] FIG. 1 is an outer perspective view of an example engine
driven electrical power generation apparatus. The electrical power
generation apparatus will be described in the context of a welding
machine 10. However, it will be appreciated that aspects of the
present disclosure are not limited to welding machines and would be
applicable to other types of electrical power generation devices,
such as standby generators, engine driven plasma cutters, and the
like.
[0027] The welding machine 10 includes a base 12 that is part of a
chassis structure for the welding machine, and an outer case or
enclosure 14. A user interface 16 for controlling the operation of
the welding machine 10 is located on the front side of the outer
case 14. Example welding processes that can be performed by the
welding machine include shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas
metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), gas
tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and gouging.
[0028] The case 14 includes various access doors. Doors 18 along
the left and right lateral sides of the welding machine 10 provide
access to an engine compartment. In certain embodiments, the doors
18 are hinged at their bottom edges, allowing the doors 18 to swing
downward. The doors 18 can be easily removable from the hinges, so
that they can be relocated away from the welding machine 10 when
accessing the engine compartment. A door 20 on the top of the
welding machine 10 also provides access to the engine compartment.
The top door 20 can be aligned with an air filter housing for the
engine, so that the air filter can be readily inspected and
replaced.
[0029] One or more doors 22 on the front side of the welding
machine 10 provide access to various electrical outputs of the
welding machine. For example, auxiliary power receptacles and
welding torch connections can be accessed via the doors 22 on the
front of the welding machine 10.
[0030] Beneath the doors 22 on the front side of the welding
machine is a removable battery compartment cover 24. The battery
compartment cover 24 is shown in an unattached, open position in
FIG. 2 (e.g., unscrewed from the outer case 14). A starting battery
32 for starting the engine is stored in the battery compartment 26.
The battery compartment 26 is located at the front of the welding
machine 10. The starting battery is readily accessible directly
from the front of the welding machine 10 by removing the cover 24,
allowing the battery to be serviced (e.g., charged) or replaced. In
certain embodiments, the battery compartment cover 24 can be hinged
to the base 12 or case 14 to form a hinged door.
[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of the welding machine
10. An internal combustion engine 28 is coupled to a generator 30
to drive the generator. The engine 28 and generator 30 can be
mounted in-line and coaxially coupled so that they operate at the
same rotational speed, or coupled via a speed-altering device, such
as a pulley or gear system. The starting battery 32 is operatively
connected to a starter motor of the engine 28 and is accessible
from the front of the welding machine 10 as discussed above. The
generator 30 is operatively connected to an arc generation power
supply, such as a welding power supply 34, and supplies electrical
energy to the welding power supply. The generator 30 can be an AC
or DC generator, as desired. The welding power supply 34 converts
the electrical energy from the generator 30 to a welding output for
generating a welding arc 36 between a torch 38 and workpiece(s) 40
to be welded. The welding power supply 34 can include a chopper or
inverter circuitry for generating the welding output, control
circuitry for controlling the chopper or inverter circuitry, and
may include a transformer and one or more rectifiers. The welding
power supply 34 can further include heat sinks to help cool the
welding power supply, such as by air pulled into the welding
machine by a fan powered by the engine or generator. The specific
construction of arc generation power supplies, such as welding
power supplies, is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art
and will not be discussed in detail herein.
[0032] FIGS. 4-7 provide internal views of the welding machine 10.
As will be explained in detail below, the welding machine 10
includes an engine-mounting shelf 42 or bracket that is
cantilevered from an internal wall or bulkhead of the machine's
chassis structure. Cantilevering the engine-mounting shelf 42
removes the engine's mounting system from the bottom of the chassis
structure and frees up space for maximizing the size of the fuel
tank 44. The engine's mounting system does not intrude into usable
fuel tank volume within the engine compartment. The fuel tank 44 is
mounted within the chassis structure and extends from a point just
behind the battery compartment 26 to the rear of the welding
machine 10, and the fuel tank 44 is located beneath the engine 28,
the engine-mounting shelf 42, the generator 30 and a mounting
bracket 46 for the generator.
[0033] The engine-mounting structure is shown in detail in FIG. 8,
and the engine-mounting shelf 42 is shown in FIG. 9. The engine
compartment of the welding machine, containing the engine, fuel
tank, muffler, and generator, is located at the rear of the welding
machine, and is separated from the battery compartment 26, and
separated from an electronics compartment 48 containing the welding
power supply, by a divider wall 50 or bulkhead. Thus, the divider
wall 50 is located between the internal combustion engine and the
starting battery and welding power supply. The engine-mounting
shelf 42 is cantilevered from the divider wall 50 and is mounted on
vibration isolators 52 (e.g., elastomeric isolators). The
engine-mounting shelf 42 projects horizontally rearward into the
engine compartment from the divider wall 50, and the
engine-mounting shelf is isolated from the divider wall and chassis
structure by the vibration isolators 52. Conventional vibration
isolators are typically axially loaded (i.e., the load is borne
along the axis of the vibration isolator). However, in the shown
embodiment, the vibration isolators 52 for the engine-mounting
shelf 42 are radially loaded (i.e., the engine and engine-mounting
shelf 42 apply a load to the vibration isolators in a radial
direction of the vibration isolator, rather than along its axis).
The engine-mounting shelf 42 shown in the drawings is supported by
two vibration isolators 52. However, additional vibration
isolators, such as three, four, or more than four, could be used as
necessary or desired.
[0034] It can be seen that the engine-mounting shelf 42 in the
illustrated embodiment has a trapezoidal shape. The engine-mounting
shelf 42 need not have a trapezoidal shape and could have a square
or rectangular shape for example. However, the trapezoidal shape
provides the advantages of reduced torque/force on the vibration
isolators 52 and the fasteners extending therethrough, while
reducing the weight of the engine-mounting shelf 42. Locating the
vibration isolators 52 far apart on the divider wall 50 helps to
minimize the side-to-side rocking of the engine. The trapezoidal
shape of the shelf 42 reduces the weight of the shelf by narrowing
it near the engine mounts. It can be seen that the nonparallel
sides 54, 56 of the engine-mounting shelf 42 extend away from the
divider wall and converge, and would extend into the engine
compartment of the welding machine. The edges of the nonparallel
sides 54, 56 of the engine-mounting shelf 42 are upturned to form
strengthening flanges that extend vertically away from the upper
surface 58 of the shelf. Alternatively, the edges can extend
downwards to form the strengthening flanges. In either case, the
strengthening flanges stiffen the shelf 42 to support the weight of
the engine. The engine is mounted to the upper surface 58 of the
engine-mounting shelf 42. The engine-mounting shelf 42 can include
holes 60 for fasteners to secure the engine to the shelf, and slots
62 for hanging the shelf from the vibration isolators 52. To reduce
the weight of the engine-mounting shelf 42, or to allow air to flow
through the shelf, the shelf can include one or more cutout
portions 63.
[0035] Returning to FIGS. 4-7, the welding power supply 34 is
located in the electronics compartment 48, forward of the divider
wall 50 and above the battery compartment 26. Behind the
electronics and battery compartments, rearward of the divider wall
50, is the engine compartment 64, which occupies the majority of
the interior volume of the welding machine 10. Among other things,
the engine compartment 64 contains the engine 28, generator 30,
muffler 66 and fuel tank 44. The engine 28 is mounted forward of
the generator 30 on the engine-mounting shelf 42. The generator 30
can be mounted to a generator-mounting bracket 46 that is attached
to the chassis structure at a rear portion of the welding machine
10. In an example embodiment, the generator-mounting bracket 46 is
a bridge bracket that is attached to the chassis structure at the
left and right sides of the chassis structure, near the rear
corners of the chassis structure, and the generator is secured to
the center portion of the "bridge" formed by the bridge bracket.
Alternatively, the generator 30 could be mounted to another
cantilevered shelf, similar to the engine 28. Vibration isolators
70 can be used to isolate the generator 30 and bridge bracket 46
from the chassis structure. The vibration isolators 70 for the
generator 30 and bridge bracket 46 are axially loaded, unlike the
vibration isolators 52 for the engine-mounting shelf.
[0036] At the bottom of the chassis structure nestled within the
base 12 is the fuel tank 44. The base is not shown in FIGS. 5-7 to
better expose the fuel tank 44. The base 12 can form a pan for
holding the fuel tank 44 by having raised sides and having a
generally planar bottom surface. In certain embodiments, the sides
of the base 12 and/or its generally planar bottom surface can
include locating protrusions that engage corresponding indentations
in the fuel tank 44, to limit side-to-side and/or
forward-to-backward movement of the fuel tank within the base. The
welding machine 10 can also include a fuel tank strap 68 (FIG. 4)
that is attached to the chassis structure and passes over the top
of the fuel tank 44, to prevent upward movement of the fuel tank
within the chassis.
[0037] The fuel tank 44 can occupy nearly the entire floor space of
the engine compartment 64 formed by the base 12. The fuel tank 44
can extend from the divider wall 50 to a point rearward of the
generator-mounting bracket 46. The fuel tank 44 can occupy such a
considerable amount of the floor space of the engine compartment 64
because the mounting system for the engine 28 does not intrude into
the floor space. Thus, the fuel tank 44 can be located beneath each
of the engine-mounting shelf 42, the engine 28, the generator 30,
the generator-mounting bracket 46 and the muffler 66. The base 12
of the chassis structure has raised side walls, a raised rear wall,
and a forward wall formed by the divider wall 50, and the fuel tank
44 can extend substantially to each of these four walls. Further,
the engine 28 and generator 30 need not be supported by the fuel
tank 44, but rather can be borne by their respective support
structures (e.g., engine-mounting shelf 42 and bracket 46 and
associated vibration isolators) and held just above the fuel
tank.
[0038] The fuel tank 44 can include an upwardly-projecting filler
tube having a cap that is accessible from the exterior of the outer
case 14 of the welding machine 10.
[0039] FIGS. 10 and 11 are rear perspective views of the welding
machine 10. The welding machine 10 includes recessed side air
intake vents 72, 74, which are recessed into the right and left
lateral sides of the machine. The vents 72, 74 can be covered by
slotted vent guards (grating, louvers, etc.) having a number of
openings that allow air to enter the enclosure 14 while preventing
finger access. The vents 72, 74 are located toward the front of the
enclosure 14 and are open to and in fluid communication with the
electronics compartment 48, to cool the electronics compartment
and, in particular, to cool the welding power supply 34. The vents
72, 74 can be oriented generally parallel to the front and rear
sides of the enclosure 14, or oriented at an acute angle with
respect to the front and rear sides. In either orientation, cooling
air is drawn through the vents 72, 74 in a generally forward
direction (from back to front) into the electronics compartment
48.
[0040] The right and left lateral sides of the enclosure 14 include
recessed air channels 76, 78 that extend rearward from the vents
72, 74 along the sides of the enclosure (e.g., along the engine
compartment). The depth of the air channels 76, 78 can increase
from back to front in a linear or non-linear fashion, so that the
air channels are tapered. The recessed vents 72, 74 and air
channels 76, 78 are less likely to be obstructed when the welding
machine 10 is placed close to another object, as compared to vents
located directly on a side surface of the machine. Moreover, the
effective open area provided by the recessed vents 72, 74 can be
made larger than conventional stamped louvered vents located on a
side surface of the machine. Large intake vents 72, 74 provide a
slower air flow, which reduces noise and the decreases the
likelihood of drawing contaminants into the enclosure 14.
[0041] The recessed side vents 72, 74 and air channels 76, 78 are
located well above the base 12, and can be located high on the
machine, such as in the upper one-third or upper one-quarter of the
machine's height, or lower, such as in the upper two-thirds or
upper one-half of the machine's height. In the embodiment shown in
the drawings, the recessed side vents 72, 74 and air channels 76,
78 are located above the engine compartment access doors 18 in an
upper portion of the welding machine 10. The electronics
compartment 48 is also located in an upper portion of the welding
machine 10, above the battery compartment 26. Locating the side air
intake vents 72, 74 and electronics compartment 48 in an upper
portion of the welding machine 10 allows access to the starting
battery 32 and battery compartment 26 to be provided at the front
of the machine. Further, placing the vents 72, 74 above the base 12
reduces the likelihood that contaminants, such as dirt, rain, or
snow, will be sucked into the welding machine 10. Engine noise
emitted through the recessed side vents 72, 74 will tend to
propagate away from the front of the welding machine 10 and away
from an operator located at the front of the welding machine.
[0042] FIGS. 12 and 13 provide internal views of the welding
machine 10 and show air flow paths through the machine for cooling
purposes. Cooling air flows into, through and out of the welding
machine are shown schematically by arrow in FIGS. 10-13. In certain
embodiments, one or both of the recessed vents 72, 74 are aligned
with welding power supply heat sinks 80 located in the electronics
compartment 48, to cool various components of the welding power
supply 34. The heat sinks 80 can be located directly in front of
the vents 72, 74 or at another location in an air flow path within
the electronics compartment 48. The vents 72, 74 can be aligned
with other components of the welding power supply 34, such as a
rectifier for example.
[0043] The engine 28 can include an engine-cooling fan 82 coupled
to the engine. The engine compartment 64 is in fluid communication
with the electronics compartment 48. When driven by the engine 28,
the engine-cooling fan 82 pulls air axially from the electronics
compartment 48 into the engine compartment 64 to cool the engine 28
and muffler 66, and such air drawn from the electronics compartment
is replaced by external air through the recessed side vents 72, 74
that are open to the electronics compartment. As shown
schematically by arrow in FIGS. 12 and 13, cooling air is drawn
directly into the electronics compartment 48 (e.g., across the heat
sink 80) by the engine-cooling fan 82. The cooling air flows into
the electronics compartment 48 in a forward direction (rear to
front), then downward through the electronics compartment, and then
rearward from the electronics compartment into the engine
compartment 64, to cool the engine 28 and muffler 66. Thus, the
cooling air flow created by the engine-cooling fan 82 cools each of
the welding power supply 34, the engine 28 and the muffler 66 in
that order. In certain embodiments, the enclosure 14 can include
additional air intake vents to cool the engine 28. For example, the
battery compartment 26 would be on the low pressure side of the
engine fan 82, and vents in fluid communication with the battery
compartment could be provided on the enclosure 14 to provide
additional cooling air flow to the engine 28.
[0044] Air is expelled from the engine compartment 64 through
discharge vents 84 in the sides and/or rear of the outer case 14.
See FIGS. 10 and 11. The discharge vents 84 can also be located in
the upper two-thirds or upper half of the outer case 14.
Discharging the cooling air at the top of the welding machine 10
helps to project engine noise upwards and away from the
operator.
[0045] It can be seen in FIGS. 12 and 13 that the generator 30
includes a generator-cooling fan 86 that is coupled to the
generator. The generator-cooling fan 86 can be located at the front
side of the generator 30, adjacent to the engine 28, to pull air
axially through the generator to cool the generator. The
generator-cooling fan 86 draws external air into the enclosure 14
and generator 30 through an intake vent 88 (FIGS. 10 and 11). The
intake vent 88 can be located on a rear side of the enclosure 14 so
that cooling air is drawn forward into the generator 30. The engine
compartment 64 will be pressurized by the engine-cooling fan 82 and
the generator-cooling fan 86, and the cooling air flows will be
pushed from the enclosure 14 through the discharge vents 84 by the
fans. To direct cooling air into the generator 30, the welding
machine 10 can include a relatively short sealing duct 90 (FIG. 14)
that extends from the generator 30 (e.g, extends rearward) and
seals against the inner surface of the enclosure 14 around the
intake vent 88. The cooling air flow created by the
generator-cooling fan 86 is shown schematically in FIGS. 12 and
13.
[0046] The cooling air flow created by the engine-cooling fan 82
also cools the muffler 66. However, the cooling air flow created by
the generator-cooling fan 86 does not cool the muffler 66. As best
seen in FIG. 14, a baffle 92 is located in the engine compartment
64 adjacent to the muffler 66. The baffle 92 partially surrounds
the muffler 66 and separates the cooling air flow created by the
generator fan 86 from the cooling air flow created by the engine
fan 82. The baffle 92 directs the cooling air flow created by the
generator fan 86 away from the muffler 66. A portion of the cooling
air flow created by the engine fan 82 flows inside of the baffle 92
and around the muffler 66 and out of the discharge vents 84. Thus,
the baffle 92 can serve as an air channel for the cooling air flow
from the engine fan 82. The filler tube for the fuel tank 44 can be
an obstruction for the baffle 92, and the baffle can be tapered,
bent or otherwise oriented around the filler tube as shown.
[0047] In certain embodiments, the engine 28 can draw combustion
air from the electronics compartment 48, in addition to its cooling
air. The air in the electronics compartment 48 may be cooler than
the air in the engine compartment 64. Cooler combustion air allows
the engine 28 to operate more efficiently and increases its power
output. Drawing combustion air from the electronics compartment 48
can also improve the cooling of the welding power supply 34 by
increasing the amount of air removed from the electronics
compartment 48.
[0048] It should be evident that this disclosure is by way of
example and that various changes may be made by adding, modifying
or eliminating details without departing from the fair scope of the
teaching contained in this disclosure. The invention is therefore
not limited to particular details of this disclosure except to the
extent that the following claims are necessarily so limited.
* * * * *