Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: A control unit for a food waste disposer has a controller that determines operational status of the food waste disposer based on motor loading of an induction motor of the food waste disposer.

Abstract: A power loss reduction circuit and method for use in an output stage of a voltage converter is provided. The circuit has one transistor associated with a first output terminal of the output stage and ground. There is also a clamping circuit associated with the first output terminal. There is also a second transistor with a second conduction path associated with a second output terminal of the output stage and ground. The second transistor has a second control terminal controlled by a second control signal. Each of the first and second transistors has a lower voltage drop than a voltage drop for a Schottky diode. There is also a second clamping circuit associated with the second output terminal. There is also an energy storage device associated with the first and second clamping circuits to store energy from the first and second ringing signals.

Abstract: The blocking time maintenance circuit is applied to a resonant-transition ZVS power converter having saturable core reactors to induce a current in the primary of the transformer which enables ZVS. The circuit includes a peak detector for producing a signal having a magnitude proportional to an input voltage. A biasing mechanism, comprising a current source, is provided in order reset the saturable core reactors in a controlled manner. A control mechanism is connected to the peak detector and the current source in order to generate a reset current, the magnitude of which is correlated to the input voltage. In this manner, the volt-time product of the saturable reactors is varied, thereby maintaining the blocking time relatively constant over a wide range of input voltages and ensuring that the output voltage does not fall out of regulation.

Abstract: A circuit for producing one or more regulated auxiliary voltages from a single zero-volt full bridge power stage without degrading the zero-volt switching action. The freewheeling diode used in previous magnetic amplifiers is no longer needed. Transformer current is carried to an auxiliary output inductor through a gate winding of a saturable reactor while a second saturable reactor is reset. Current from the output inductor normally diverted through the freewheeling diode is provided to the transformer through the first saturable reactor just before the transformer provides a pulse of opposite polarity thus discharging the capacitance of the primary switches and enhancing the full bridge zero-volt switching process.

Abstract: The present invention is a circuit and method for reducing switching losses in a full bridge, resonant transition, switching power converter. The converter circuit includes a bridge switching circuit having an FET switch in each leg of the bridge. Each FET has a parasitic drain-to-source capacitance. The primary of a power transformer is connected across the bridge. Two secondary windings of the transformer are connected in a center-tapped configuration. A saturable reactor and a rectifier is connected in series with each secondary winding. A control means controls the conduction interval of the FET switches to produce a first and a second half-cycle of converter operation, each half-cycle including an on-time and a free-wheeling interval. The saturable reactors force unequal current distribution in the secondary windings during the free-wheeling intervals such that a primary current is caused to flow.

Abstract: A drive circuit for a P-channel FET is provided which uses a switch means to bias the P-channel FET into conduction and passive components to bias the P-channel FET out of conduction, reducing the components required in the drive circuit and the power dissipated. Energy stored in an inductor while the P-channel FET is conducting is used to provide current through a capacitor in series with the gate to source capacitance of the P-channel FET reducing the stored charge and turning off the P-channel FET.