Adaptive stepper

Claim 2

A weld controller system for controlling the operation of a welder including a weld transformer and at least one pair of electrodes that apply current and create heat between at least two workpieces, wherein the weld controller system has a plurality of welding cycles including a preceding welding cycle, comprising: a) welder power means operatively connected to the weld transformer for supplying current to the electrodes and creating a predetermined amount of heat in the workpieces, wherein the workpieces have an electrical resistance; b) resistance determining means operatively connected to the workpieces for determining a maximum resistance which is dependent on the workpieces resistance; and, c) adaptive stepper means operatively connected to said resistance determining means and said welder power means for varying the amount of said heat applied to the workpieces by said welder power means, said heat variation being dependent entirely upon the value of said maximum resistance determined by said resistance determining means during the preceding welding cycle.

Claim 3

The weld controller as recited in claim 1, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 4

The weld controller as recited in claim 2 wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 5

The weld controller as recited in claim 1, wherein said resistance determining means computes the logarithm of said maximum resistance and said adaptive stepper means varies said heat depending upon said logarithmic resistance value.

Claim 6

The weld controller as recited in claim 1, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 7

The weld controller as recited in claim 5, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 8

The weld controller as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a first stage of weld cycles defined by the first 500 weld cycles performed by the weld controller system, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces during said first stage a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 9

The weld controller as recited in claim 7, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 10

The weld controller as recited in claim 7, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 11

The weld controller as recited in claim 7, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value for a predetermined consecutive number of cycles.

Claim 12

The weld controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 13

The weld controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said predetermined consecutive number of cycles is 2.

Claim 14

The weld controller as recited in claim 10, wherein said adaptive stepper means does not reduce the amount of said heat to the workpieces less than a minimum heat value.

Claim 15

The weld controller as recited in claim 13, wherein said minimum heat value is -10%.

Claim 16

The weld controller as recited in claim 7, wherein there is a second stage of weld cycles which follows said first stage of weld cycles and continues until said heat applied to the workpieces has increased a first predetermined amount greater than a first weld cycle, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces during said second stage a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 17

The weld controller as recited in claim 15, wherein said first predetermined amount of heat increase is approximately 25% of the first weld cycle.

Claim 18

The weld controller as recited in claim 16, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of a workpieces during the first weld cycle.

Claim 19

The weld controller as recited in claim 15, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 20

The weld controller as recited in claim 18, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 21

The weld controller as recited in claim 15, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment is said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value for a predetermined consecutive number of cycles.

Claim 22

The weld controller as recited in claim 20, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 23

The weld controller as recited in claim 21, wherein said predetermined consecutive number of cycles is 2.

Claim 24

The weld controller as recited in claim 20, wherein said resistance determining means only determines said maximum resistance either during a first predetermined number of weld cycles or a second predetermined number of weld cycles, whichever is smaller, after said adaptive stepper means increases said heat said predetermined increment.

Claim 25

The weld controller as recited in claim 23, wherein said second predetermined number of weld cycles is 5.

Claim 26

The weld controller as recited in claim 24, wherein said adaptive stepper means will only decrease said heat of the workpieces one increment during each first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 27

The weld controller as recited in claim 15, wherein there is a third stage of weld cycles that follows said second stage of weld cycles and continues until said heat applied to the workpieces has increased a second predetermined amount greater than the first weld cycles, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces during said third stage a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 28

The weld controller as recited in claim 26, wherein said second predetermined amount of heat increase is approximately 91% of the first weld cycle.

Claim 29

The weld controller as recited in claim 27, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during the first weld cycle.

Claim 30

The weld controller as recited in claim 26, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value.

Claim 31

The weld controller as recited in claim 29, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during the first weld cycle.

Claim 32

The weld controller as recited in claim 26, wherein said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat in the workpieces a predetermined increment if said maximum resistance is below a predetermined value for a predetermined consecutive number of cycles.

Claim 33

The weld controller as recited in claim 31, wherein said predetermined increment is one percent of said heat of the workpieces during the first weld cycle.

Claim 34

The weld controller as recited in claim 32, wherein said predetermined consecutive number of cycles is 2.

Claim 35

The weld controller as recited in claim 31, wherein said measuring means only measures said maximum resistance either during a first predetermined number of weld cycles or a second predetermined number of weld cycles, whichever is smaller, after said adaptive stepper means increases said heat said predetermined increment.

Claim 36

The weld controller as recited in claim 34, wherein said second predetermined number of weld cycles is 5.

Claim 37

The weld controller as recited in claim 35, wherein said adaptive stepper means will only decrease said heat of the workpieces one increment during each first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 38

The weld controller as recited in claim 31, wherein said first predetermined number is decreased by 1 every time the weld controller goes through a third predetermined number of weld cycles and said measuring means does not measure a maximum resistance below said predetermined value during said third predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 39

A weld controller system for controlling the operation of a welder including a weld transformer and at least one pair of electrodes that apply current and create heat between at least two workpieces, wherein the weld controller system has a plurality of welding cycles including a preceding welding cycle, comprising: a) welder power means operatively connected to the weld transformer for supplying current to the electrodes and creating a predetermined amount of heat in the workpieces, wherein the workpieces have an electrical resistance; b) resistance determining means operatively connected to the workpieces for determining a maximum resistance which is dependent on the workpieces' resistance; and, c) adaptive stepper means operatively connected to said resistance determining means and said welder power means for varying the amount of said heat applied to the workpieces by said welder power means depending upon said resistance measured by said measuring means during the preceding welding cycle, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles, said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat of the workpieces a predetermined increment if during said first predetermined number of weld cycles said resistance is below a predetermined value for a predetermined consecutive number of weld cycles.

Claim 40

A weld controller system for controlling the operation of a welder including a weld transformer and at least one pair of electrodes that apply current and create heat between at least two workpieces, wherein the weld controller system has a plurality of welding cycles including a preceding welding cycle, comprising: a) welder power means operatively connected to the weld transformer for supplying current to the electrodes and creating a predetermined amount of heat in the workpieces, wherein the workpieces have an electrical resistance; b) resistance determining means operatively connected to the workpieces for determining a maximum resistance which is dependent on the workpieces' resistance; and, c) adaptive stepper means operatively connected to said resistance determining means and said welder power means for varying the amount of said heat applied to the workpieces by said welder power means depending upon said resistance measured by said measuring means during the preceding welding cycle, wherein said adaptive stepper means increases said heat of the workpieces a predetermined increment after a first predetermined number of weld cycles, said adaptive stepper means decreases said heat of the workpieces a predetermined increment if during said first predetermined number of weld cycles said resistance is below a predetermined value for a predetermined consecutive number of weld cycles.

Claim 41

The weld controller as recited in claim 38, wherein said predetermined increments are one percent of said heat of the workpieces during a first weld cycle.

Claim 42

The weld controller as recited in claim 39, wherein said first predetermined number of weld cycles is 10.

Claim 43

The weld controller as recited in claim 39, wherein said predetermined consecutive number of weld cycles is 2.

Claim 44

The weld controller as recited in claim 41, wherein there is a first stage of weld cycles defined by the first 500 weld cycles performed by the weld controller system, a second stage of weld cycles following said first stage of weld cycles and continuing until said heat applied to the workpieces is a first predetermined amount of a first weld cycle, and a third stage of weld cycles following said second stage of weld cycles and continuing until said heat applied to the workpieces is a second predetermined amount greater than the first weld cycle.

Claim 45

The weld controller as recited in claim 42, wherein said first predetermined amount of heat is 25% greater than the first weld cycle.

Claim 46

The weld controller as recited in claim 43, wherein said second predetermined amount of heat is 91% greater than the first weld cycle.

Claim 47

The weld controller as recited in claim 44, wherein during the first stage of weld cycles said adaptive stepper means does not reduce the amount of said heat to the workpieces less than a minimum heat value.

Claim 48

The weld controller as recited in claim 45, wherein said minimum heat value is 10%.

Claim 49

The weld controller as recited in claim 45, wherein during said second and third stage of weld cycles said measuring means only measures said maximum resistance either during a first predetermined number of weld cycles or a second predetermined number of weld cycles, whichever is smaller, after said adaptive stepper means increases said heat said predetermined increment.

Claim 50

The weld controller as recited in claim 47, wherein said second predetermined number of weld cycles is 5.

Claim 51

The weld controller as recited in claim 47, wherein said adaptive stepper means will only decrease said heat of the workpieces one increment during each first predetermined number of weld cycles.

Claim 52

The weld controller as recited in claim 49, wherein during said third stage of weld cycles said first predetermined number is decreased by 1 every time the weld controller goes through a third predetermined number of weld cycles and said measuring means does not measure a maximum resistance below said predetermined value during said third predetermined number of weld cycles.