Patents Examined by William H. Beha, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5218523
    Abstract: A driver circuit for a half-bridge portion of an inverter device includes a upper arm driver circuit and a lower arm driver circuit for driving a upper arm IGBT and a lower arm IGBT, respectively. The lower arm driver circuit is supplied from a lower arm driver voltage source, while the upper arm driver circuit is supplied from a capacitor, which is charged by the lower arm driver voltage source via a diode and the lower arm IGBT when the lower arm IGBT is turned on. A current limiter is coupled in series with the capacitor to limit the magnitude of the initial charging current of the capacitor while the charge stored across the capacitor is null or small, such that the voltage controller for the lower arm driver voltage source is not disturbed. Alternatively, a pulse generator is provided to generate pulses which repeatedly turn on and off the lower arm driver circuit before the upper arm driver circuit and the lower arm driver circuit are driven complimentarily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1993
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Eiichi Sugishima
  • Patent number: 5216356
    Abstract: A motor control system includes a single, multicompartment enclosure mounted on a skid. The enclosure contains a transformer circuit and a motor controller circuit interconnected so that only external connections to a power source and a load are needed. When the circuits are energized, access to high voltage motor control components and to field replaceable fuses and output selection switches is prevented by a double interlocking mechanism which operates in conjunction with energizing and deenergizing the transformer. The transformer of the transformer circuit includes a tertiary winding disposed radially between a primary winding and a secondary winding. The winding filters electrostatically coupled transients. A conventional electrostatic shield is also used so that the transformer is doubly shielded to electrostatic transients. The tertiary winding is connected to one or more capacitors to filter magnetically coupled transients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Southwest Electric Company
    Inventor: Donald W. Owen
  • Patent number: 5216351
    Abstract: The voltage regulator of the boosting/lowering type is comprised of a switching regulator block and a series regulator block, which are cascade-connected to each other. One input terminal of an error amplifier of the switching regulator block is connected to a dividing node of bleeder resistors in the series regulator block to constitute a regulative feedback loop effective to improve an efficiency of the voltage regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1993
    Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Sadashi Shimoda
  • Patent number: 5214575
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting a ground fault occurring on an output side of an inverter circuit, which includes a converter circuit for rectifying an alternating current into a direct current, a capacitor for smoothing the direct current, an inverter circuit for converting the smoothed direct current into a predetermined frequency and voltage through the on/off operation of switching elements connected in parallel with diodes, and a PWM signal generator for controlling the on/off of the switching elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichi Sugishima, Taro Ando
  • Patent number: 5204548
    Abstract: A two-quadrant converter having a connected superconducting magnetic memory used as a chopper circuit or an actuator for stabilizing networks and for short-term bridging of power failures (e.g., uninterrupted power supply). For example, a two-quadrant converter is connected on the input side to an intermediate d.c. circuit of a converter whose intermediate circuit voltage is stabilized by an indirect capacitor. A magnetic memory is charged and discharged, respectively with energy in cyclic intervals, i.e. in conjunction with interposed free-wheeling intervals. Charging takes place via triggered thyristors, discharging via conducting diodes, with blocked thyristors. When the magnetic memory is in a charged state and is to be neither charged nor discharged over lengthy intervals, its current can be conducted in the free wheel via a closed mechanical switch connected in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri Ltd.
    Inventors: Peter Dahler, Michael Hausler
  • Patent number: 5204594
    Abstract: A circuit for providing a signal proportional to the average current supplied to the coils of a motor operated in both linear and PWM modes includes a sense resistor across which a voltage representing the current flowing supplied to said coils is developed. The voltage is selectively applied to an output circuit which operates as a low pass filter circuit when drive current is supplied to the coils and as a voltage hold circuit when drive current is not supplied to the coils. The output circuit includes an amplifier connected to receive a voltage produced by the sense resistor when the motor is operated in the linear mode, and a capacitor and a resistor connected in parallel, the capacitor and resistor being connected between an input and an output of the amplifier to operate as a low pass filter circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Francesco Carobolante
  • Patent number: 5202820
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for relieving stresses related to reverse recovery of free-wheeling diodes of power inverter circuits used to drive inductive loads by utilizing saturating inductors which are connected between switching transistors of the inverter circuit and the inductive load. Circuit elements are also connected to the switching devices of the inverter circuits for initially conducting free-wheeling current through an inductive load upon the turn-off of an inverter transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: John M. Miller, Fenton L. Rees
  • Patent number: 5202894
    Abstract: Electric supply device for at least one metal vapor laser includes a convertor for converting an a.c. voltage into a d.c. voltage of fixed amplitude. Means are provided for supplying a pulse voltage with a maximum amplitude that can be regulated. An electric power charging circuit including a variable inductor is used for regulating the maximum amplitude of the pulse voltage for each laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Bernard Chaudanson
  • Patent number: 5200687
    Abstract: An energy storage system for use in a receptacle having terminals connected to conductors for establishing an electric circuit. The energy storage system includes one or more batteries disposed in an abutting relationship and connected together by a metal clip. A tab extends from the clip for engaging an external power source and another tab extends from the clip to a terminal of one of the batteries to supply a charging current to the batteries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: Victor Technologies AB
    Inventors: Jonas Lindblom, Erik Johnsson
  • Patent number: 5200692
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrical control circuit (10) for controlling current through a furnace coil or other resistive load (14). The control circuit includes a plurality of current control stages (12(1), 12(2), . . . 12(N)), a minimum circuit (16), and a control system (22) which provides feedback from the load. The control circuit utilizes a signal conditioner (20) and a sensor (18) to provide information regarding the load to the minimum circuit. The minimum circuit provides the minimum of inputs from the control system and a limit circuit (24) to the current control stages, thereby controlling the current that is drawn through the load. Each current control stage includes an operational amplifier (30), a pass transistor (34), a sense resistor (R.sub.s), and a feedback resistor (R.sub.f). The sense resistors ensure that there is current sharing through each of the current control stages. The operational amplifiers are a pre-drive to the pass transistors to allow smaller sense resistors to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Krinsky, Tim R. Majoch
  • Patent number: 5200645
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device that can be used to obtain voltages for the biasing of the electrodes used to deflect the electron beam emitted by a cathode of an X-ray tube. Four DC voltages .+-.V.sub.1 and .+-.V.sub.2 are generated and applied to a mixing circuit in which they are added by using diodes to floating reference pulse voltages .+-.V.sub.3 so as to obtain voltages VS.sub.1, VS.sub.2, VS'.sub.1, VS'.sub.2 for the charging of capacitors such that:VS.sub.1 =V.sub.3 -V.sub.1 and VS.sub.2 =-V.sub.3 +V.sub.2VS'.sub.1 =-VS.sub.3 +V.sub.2 and VS'.sub.2 =V.sub.3 -V.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric CGR S.A.
    Inventor: Jacques Laeuffer
  • Patent number: 5198747
    Abstract: An LCD drive circuit includes a voltage divider circuitry which generates a plurality of voltages (V.sub.1 -V.sub.5) in response to a reference voltage. A substantially constant reference voltage is generated by a band-gap reference circuit (22). A digital-to-analog converter (32) allows the voltages to be adjusted responsive to digital control signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1993
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventor: Michael H. Haight
  • Patent number: 5196996
    Abstract: A high voltage generating circuit for semi-conductor devices which removes a threshold voltage and generates a high voltage above a source voltage or a negative voltage below a ground voltage, comprising an oscillation signal generating circuit, clamping circuits 51 and 52 and charge pump circuits 53 and 54, for inputting first to fourth oscillation signals from said oscillation signal generating means, and a charge transfer circuit 55. Also, the high voltage generating circuit according to the present invention comprises an initial state control circuit 56 for controlling an initial state of a final output stage Vpp. The present high voltage generating circuit removes a threshold voltage loss in clamping and charge transfer devices to increase an efficiency of the semi-conductor device. Therefore, a sufficient high voltage above the source voltage can be used to prevent a malfunction of the semi-conductor device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jong H. Oh
  • Patent number: 5194799
    Abstract: A booster battery assembly is provided, where the booster battery is intended for use to provide additional energy to vehicle batteries, while connected in parallel with such vehicle batteries, so that a sufficient source of cranking current is available. Moreover, it is important for the terminal voltage of the vehicle battery as boosted by the booster battery assembly to be about 6.0 to 8.4 volts for an average automobile in order for ignition to be initiated and maintained during cranking. The booster battery assembly is portable, or it may be permanently installed in the vehicle, but isolated from the vehicle battery. In any event, the booster battery assembly of this invention comprises a battery of the same terminal voltage as the vehicle battery but of much smaller capacity. The booster battery may be charged from the vehicle battery during a time when the vehicle alternator is operating, or it may be recharged from an AC source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Battery Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Klaus Tomantschger
  • Patent number: 5193198
    Abstract: A battery-powered electronic system in which ICs of low and high voltage specifications can be operated simultaneously by a single low voltage power supply, wherein prolongation of battery life, miniaturization of the housing size and reduction of manufacturing costs are achieved. The present invention comprises a monolithically integrated charge pump circuit for boosting a power supply voltage so as to output a voltage greater than that of the power supply voltage, and a power supply multiplexor for selecting between the output of the charge pump circuit and the power supply voltage in accordance with a power supply select control signal. The output of the multiplexor is used as a supply voltage, for at least one other IC in the system. The voltage selection process is dynamically determined based on the time-varying requirements of system operation. A voltage regulation circuit may be used to provide control over the charge pump circuit output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1993
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hideaki Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 5189602
    Abstract: An assembly is made enabling an inverter of a high-voltage generator to pass from a full-bridge use to a half-bridge use, in replacing a connection circuit of a mid-point of a first rectifier of this generator at a mid-point of the inverter by a circuit that is frequency controlled at the rate at which the inverter itself is controlled. By this approach, the two assemblies are made compatible and it becomes possible to pass from one assembly to the other as a function either of a high power to be supplied or of a ripple, which cannot be tolerated, of a residual voltage rectified by a second rectifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric CGR S.A.
    Inventors: Bernard Callier, Jean-Pierre Maynard
  • Patent number: 5187428
    Abstract: A transformer having a shunt magnetic path and a shunt coil is provided. The transformer includes control circuitry to control the output of the transformer by controlling current flow in the shunt coil, thereby controlling the flux through the shunt magnetic path and the flux coupling with the secondary coil. The current in the shunt coil is phase-controlled and power for the control circuitry is derived from the current induced in the shunt coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
    Inventors: Richard M. Hutchison, Don J. Corrigall
  • Patent number: 5184291
    Abstract: The inverter module according to the present invention includes a component support for supporting components attached thereto, an AC/DC converter attached to the support for converting input AC into DC, inverter switches attached to the support for inverting the DC into single-phase output AC, a switch controller attached to the support for controlling the inverter switches, and connectors for interconnecting the AC/DC converter, the inverter switches, and the switch controller so that input AC is converted to a single phase of output AC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Inventors: Lawrence E. Crowe, Mark W. Metzler
  • Patent number: 5184288
    Abstract: A power rectifying circuit (10) for converting an AC power signal to DC which includes a plurality of rectifiers (20) that receive power from a single AC power source (12). The AC power signal is power split amongst the plurality of rectifiers (20). Each power split signal is phase shifted by an incremental amount of phase shift and provided to on of the rectifiers (20). The rectified DC output of each rectifier is summed together and provided to a load (22) as DC power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company
    Inventors: Robert D. Washburn, Robert S. Wedeen, Robert F. McClanahan, William J. Council, David M. Lusher
  • Patent number: 5184026
    Abstract: The circuit includes a capacitor (C1) and a resistor (R1) connected in series and interconnected with the switch to sense which phase of the line to which the switch's wiper is connected. The impedance of the series circuit of C1 and R1 is very high, so that when the switch is open, it appears that the wiper is connected with line B, through moderate impedance Z1. (Z1 could be an auxiliary appliance component, e.g. water valve heater relay, or could be simply a resistor). Of course, when the switch is closed, the wiper is connected directly to line A. The monitoring device is referenced to a voltage which is related to the power line by being a dc drop below the instantaneously higher voltage line. The monitoring device thus requires dc isolation from the switch, as well as an input voltage which is substantially less than the line voltage of the power line. DC isolation is provided by C1, while diodes D1 and D2 clamp the signal to acceptable levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.
    Inventor: Ciaran S. O Breartuin