Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to charge a battery including a DC charge current supply having a variable output. The charging current is varied in accordance with several sensed parameters in the circuit so that battery voltage is accurately controlled. Initially, constant charging current is applied, and upon detecting that battery voltage increases to the gassing voltage, an incremental step reduction in charging current is triggered. The step reduction causes a decrease in battery voltage, dropping it below the gassing voltage. The step reduced charging current is then applied to increase battery voltage back up to the gassing voltage, thereby triggering another step reduction in charging current. This process is repeated multiple times providing a stepped current profile, i.e., each battery voltage increase to the gassing voltage triggering a step reduction in charging current, and in turn a corresponding voltage reduction.

Abstract: A collection assembly adapted to attract and collect lightning from the atmosphere and channel electrical energy therefrom through a conductor to a storage facility defined by an extremely large coil housed within a congruently configured trench formed in the ground wherein the storage coil is formed of a superconductive material. A first conductive pathway serves to interconnect the collection facility defined by the lightning attracting structure to the storage coil. A second conductive path serves to interconnect the storage coil to a power take-off means which may be standard and conventional power lines directing current to areas of practical application. Both the first and second conductive paths are preferably formed of superconductive material.

Abstract: An improved cooling arrangement for a dynamoelectric machine of the type having a plurality of stacked laminations forming a stator core. The stacked laminations have a central bore for passage of a rotor therethrough and a plurality of uniformly spaced winding slots extending radially outward from the bore and terminating at an end at least partially through the laminations. Adjacent ones of the slots define pole pieces extending from the bore into a radially outer portion of the laminations. The improvement comprises a plurality of cooling air passages extending axially through the stacked laminations generally parallel to the central bore with each of the air passages being positioned adjacent the terminating end of a corresponding one of the winding slots. Each air passage has a radially outer shape corresponding generally to a radially outer shape of the winding slots and preferably have a crescent shape when viewed axially.

Abstract: A battery-charger with adjustable contacts which are specifically arranged according to specific positions of power contacts of different types of batteries. The battery-charger includes a base body on which a battery to be charged is placed, a contact-adjusting member disposed on the base body and a set of conductive contacts fitted in the contact-adjusting member in accordance with the positions of power contacts of the battery. After a set of contacts are specifically fitted in the contact-adjusting member, the contact-adjusting member is fitted on the base body. Thereafter, the battery to be charged is fixedly located on the base body and adjacent to the contact-adjusting member. At this time, the specifically arranged contacts contact with the power contacts of the battery and conduct electricity to the battery.

Abstract: An alternating current voltage regulator providing a stable RMS output voltage across a load. The voltage applied to the load being determined by controlling the firing angle of a triac, which is controlled by the pulse width of a timing signal generated in a timer circuit. The pulse width of the timing signal is controlled by an error signal. The error signal is based upon the actual triac output voltage as compared with a comparison signal. The voltage delivered to the load is compared with a RMS reference voltage to produce the comparison signal. The potential difference between the output voltage and the comparison signal is constantly monitored to produce the error signal. The error signal is thus constantly applied to vary the pulse width of the timing signal and thus vary the firing angle of the triac in accordance with the deviation of the actual output voltage from the stable RMS reference voltage.

Abstract: In an exemplary fast charging system, a hand-held computerized terminal with rechargeable batteries therein may be bodily inserted into a charger receptacle. The terminal may have volatile memory and other components requiring load current during charging., The system may automatically identify battery type and progressively increase charging current while monitoring for an increase in battery terminal voltage to ascertain the level of load current. The battery temperature may be brought into a relationship to surrounding temperature such that by applying a suitable overcharge current value and observing any resultant temperature increase, the level of remaining battery charge can be determined. For example, if the battery is found to be relatively fully discharged, a relatively high fast-charge rate may be safely applied while monitoring battery temperature.

Abstract: A synchronous generator usable in both a starting mode of operation and a generating mode of operation includes a permanent magnet generator having a permanent magnet and an armature winding rotatable with respect to the permanent magnet, an exciter portion having an exciter armature winding and an exciter field winding rotatable with respect to the exciter armature winding, and a main generator portion having a main generator armature winding and a main generator field winding rotatable with respect to the main generator armature winding. An inverter is coupled to supply power to the main generator portion armature winding via a DC link during the starting mode of operation, and an inverter controller includes a position sensing circuit that generates a rotor position signal based upon the differential reluctance between pairs of phase windings in the main generator portion armature winding.

Abstract: A plural output power supply comprises a converter transformer having a first primary winding and first and second secondary windings. A first DC output circuit is driven by the first secondary winding and comprises a first series rectifier, a first series inductor wound on a first core and a first parallel capacitor. A second DC output circuit is driven by the second secondary winding and comprises a second series rectifier, a second series inductor wound on a second core and a second parallel capacitor. A sense transformer or series resistor senses a current in the first primary winding of the converter transformer. Circuitry subtracts the current in the second secondary winding from current sensed from the primary winding. If the first DC output is used to drive the stable load and the second DC output is used to drive the noisy load, the difference in the two currents represents the stable current and is used to control the drive to the primary of the converter transformer.

Abstract: A high voltage power supply in a dc--dc converter configuration includes a pre-regulator which filters and regulates the dc input and drives an oscillator which applies, in turn, a low voltage ac signal to the low side of a step-up high voltage transformer. The high voltage side of the transformer drives a voltage multiplier which provides a stepped up dc voltage to an output filter. The output voltage is sensed by a feedback network which then controls a regulator. Both the input and output of the regulator are on the high voltage side, avoiding isolation problems. The regulator furnishes a portion of the drive to the voltage multiplier, avoiding having a regulator in series with the load with its attendant, relatively high power losses. This power supply is highly regulated, has low power consumption, a low parts count and may be manufactured at low cost. The power supply has a programmability feature that allows for the selection of a large range of output voltages.

Abstract: A circuit wherein a current sensing device is incorporated in an AC input line. An AC output is taken from the output of said current sensing device, and from an other AC input line. Circuitry including a bi-directional bridge rectifier followed by a bi-directional switching regulator and an energy storage capacitor adds current to or subtracts current from the instantaneous output load current. The arrangement is such that the AC output is equal to the AC input with no regulation effect. Substantially one hundred percent efficiency results when very little power factor correction is required.

Abstract: A spindle motor with an H-type pneumatic dynamic bearing has a high durability against repeated starts and stops of rotation. The H-type bearing is composed of a radial bearing member, thrust plates firmly fixed to opposite ends of the radial bearing member and a cylindrical radial sleeve, which form a radial pneumatic dynamic bearing and thrust pneumatic dynamic bearings. A stator core is fixedly secured around a rotary member, which is in turn fixedly secured around the cylindrical radial sleeve. A total thrust clearance a+a' of the thrust bearings is represented by an inequality of (a+a')/A< 2.5/10.sup.4 based on a sliding surface diameter A of each thrust plate, a and total radial clearance b+b' of the radial bearing is represented by an inequality of (b+b')/B<5/10.sup.4 based on a sliding surface diameter B of the radial bearing member.

Abstract: An automatic, continuous and rapid charging circuit for a plurality of rechargeable batteries and method thereof are disclosed. There is provided a power supply section; a power source switching section for selectively supplying the charging voltage to one of a plurality of batteries; a switching control section for supplying switching control signals to said power source switching section; a battery detecting section; a charge completion detecting section; a display section for displaying the charging operation of the batteries; and a microcomputer for performing the overall control of the system. According to the method of the present invention, a plurality of batteries are sequentially detected as to their placing for charging, and are successively charged, by using a power supply with a power capacity required to charge only a single battery.

Abstract: An AC adapter including an automatic battery voltage selection circuit that senses which battery pack is installed in an electronic device and regulates the AC adapter output voltage at an appropriate level. A battery voltage selection signal providing circuit provides the battery voltage selection signal indicative of the particular battery pack present. An output voltage sensor senses the output voltage of the AC adapter and provides a proportional sense signal to a feedback circuit which controls the AC adapter output. A switching circuit coupled to the output voltage sensor and to the battery voltage selection signal providing circuit modifies the sense signal depending upon the state of the battery voltage selection signal, so that the AC adapter output voltage is regulated at an appropriate level for the particular battery pack installed.

Abstract: A low noise, essentially ripple free power supply for supplying power to a telecommunications system includes a gasoline, propane, natural gas or diesel fueled engine driving a rotating field power generator to produce an alternating current output which is then rectified and applied to a special filter circuit to provide an output current having less than 100 mVolts ripple and less than 22 dBrnc noise, which is acceptable to the telecommunications industry. A current sensor connected to the output of said filter circuit monitors the output current to the telecommunications system, and a regulator circuit responds to the voltage and current output of the power supply to control current to the rotating field coils to provide a regulated, substantially constant, output voltage level up to a predetermined maximum current output. A high voltage shutdown circuit shuts down the engine and opens a circuit breaker whenever the voltage output to the telecommunications system exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: A power source apparatus for vehicles comprises first and second switch means respectively for controlling charging currents flowing from a rectifier of a generator to first and second batteries having equal open terminal voltages, and third switch means for controlling a current flowing through a field winding of the generator. The third switch means is controlled to be turned on/off in response to whichever of the voltages generated respectively by the first and second batteries is lower. The first and second switch means are controlled to be turned on/off on the basis of a duty factor set based on a voltage difference between the first and second batteries.

Abstract: A gas turbine generator unit which is small-sized to be portable. The generator unit comprises a generator directly driven by a gas turbine. The rotatable shaft of the generator is coaxially connected with the rotor shaft of the gas turbine engine. An air filter box having an air filter element is disposed in a manner that the extension of the axis of the generator rotatable shaft passes through the air filter box. The air filter box is located on the opposite side of the gas turbine compressor with respect to the generator. Additionally, an intake silencer for reducing intake air noise is disposed fluidly connect the air filter box and the air intake port of the compressor. The intake silencer is located to extend generally parallel with the axis of the generator rotatable shaft.

Abstract: A charging method for storage batteries, in particular for NiCd and NiH cells. In accordance with the invention, the charging operation is cyclically interrupted for the purpose of measuring the charging voltage. During these measurement intervals, the charging voltage is cyclically compared with a reference value. If the value of the actual charging voltage is greater than this reference value, the latter is increased by a certain amount to match it to the actual value of the charging voltage and then stored. By contrast, the number of measurement cycles is counted in which the value of the measured charging voltage is consecutively equal to or less than the maximum stored reference value. Finally, the charging current source is switched off or the charging current is reduced at a preset counter reading. As a result, maximum utilization of the available effective capacity together with extensive protection against overcharging is achieved.

Abstract: A battery pack is selectively connectable to electrical equipment and to a battery charger. The electrical equipment or battery recharger decides whether the attached battery pack is a compatible device. If the attached battery pack is determined to be suitable, electrical power is transferred from the battery pack to the electrical equipment or from the battery recharger to the battery pack. To determine whether the battery pack is compatible, the electrical equipment or battery recharger receives an electrical signal, from the battery pack, containing battery information by which the type of battery pack can be distinguished.

Abstract: A battery charger used to charge a battery has a voltage detector for detecting a voltage across a battery, a memory for storing detected voltage values, and a comparator for comparing a presently detected voltage with a previously stored voltage. If the detected voltage decreases below a certain value before a predetermined period of time elapses, it is determined that a battery that has been in storage for a long period of time is connected to the battery charger. The battery charger will then apply a constant current to the battery until a second predetermined period of time has elapsed.

Abstract: The present invention realates to an ultrasonic transducer providing a plurality of arranged vibrators as the piezoelectric materials. The present invention easily provide the shading to the polarization in the elevation direction of the piezoelectric materials in order to narrow the beam transmitted from the transducer. For this purpose, a structure of the present invention provides for the polarization (V.sub.1, V.sub.2, V.sub.3) of piezoelectric material of arranged vibrators to be gradually reduced in mass like a staircase from the center of the arranged vibrators to both end portions in the direction orthogonally crossing the arrangment direction of a plurality of arranged vibrators.