FORCE SENSING CONTROL APPARATUS FOR WELDING MACHINES

摘要

Apparatus for allowing a welder to control the output power of a weldingmachine, and thus its arc power by applying force to a surface of a forcesensingtransducer assembly. The force sensing transducer assembly generates a forcesignalbased upon the force applied, for example by reducing the resistance withinthe forcesensing transducer assembly. A control interface module then receives theforce signaland controls the welding machine power output based upon the force signal. Theweldermay set the range of force to change the arc power by setting a minimum amountof forceto actuate the welding machine and a maximum force that increases the outputpower ofthe welding machine (force below the minimum does not actuate the weldingmachineand force above the maximum does not increase the welding machine power aboveacertain level). A user interface provides potentiometers for setting theminimum andmaximum, and also provides indicators such as LEDs for indicating whether theweldingmachine is turned on and actuated. The force signal may be transmitted over acable orwirelessly.