US3668508A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Regulator circuit
Assignee: Power Products LLC
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Filing: 1970-09-15
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Granted: 1972-06-06
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Expires: 1990-09-15
Abstract
Abstract A regulator circuit is disclosed incorporating a DC capacitor as an energy storage device to be charged to a direct voltage level from an AC source through switch means. The switch means may be semi-conductor switches and because of the direct voltage on the energy storage device, a substantially square wave alternating voltage appears on the switch input. An inductive reactance absorbs the instantaneous voltage differences between the square wave and the alternating voltage input. The switches are operated at the same frequency as the alternating voltage input and operate at a variable phase angle of lag of the leading edge relative to the alternating voltage input in order to regulate the voltage output which may either DC across the storage device or AC across the switch input. The switch means is a double throw switch conducting for substantially 180* alternately to obtain the direct voltage across the storage device. The foregoing abstract is merely a resume of one general application, is not a complete discussion of all principles of operation or applications, and is not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the claimed subject matter.
Inventors
- 👤 William A Archer
- 👤 Ronald H Randall
- 👤 Richard M Lewis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 14:07
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05F; G05F1/00; G05F1/10; G05F1/12; G05F1/40; G05F1/44; G05F1/445; H; H02; H02M; H02M7/00; H02M7/02; H02M7/04; H02M7/12; H02M7/21; H02M7/217; H02M7/2173
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A regulator circuit operable from an AC input, comprising in combination, capacitive reactance means, switch means, means to charge said capacitive reactance means of one polarity from the AC input through said switch means periodically actuated at a frequency proportional to the frequency of the AC input, means conditioning said switch means for bi-directional conduction throughout substantially 180* of each half cycle of the AC input, and means to absorb any instantaneous difference in voltage between the voltage of the AC input and the voltage at the input to said switch means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A regulator circuit operable from an AC input, comprising in combination, capacitive reactance means, switch means, means to charge said capacitive reactance means of one polarity from the AC input through said switch means periodically actuated at a frequency proportional to the frequency of the AC input, means conditioning said switch means for bi-directional conduction throughout substantially 180* of each half cycle of the AC input, and means to absorb any instantaneous difference in voltage between the voltage of the AC input and the voltage at the input to said switch means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, including means to shift the phase of the conduction periods of said switch means relative to the AC input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, including means to obtain an output voltage from either the capacitive reactance means or the input to said switch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, including a transformer having a primary winding connected to the AC input and having a secondary winding connected to said switch means, and means including said transformer to reflect the one polarity charge on said capacitive reactance means through said transformer as a bi-polarity charge in the alternating voltage on the primary winding of said transformer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, including means to connect a load circuit to said regulator circuit, means to sense the power factor of the load circuit, and means to control the angle of phase lag of said switch means conduction periods relative to the AC input in accordance with the power factor of said load circuit to control same.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, within said conditioning means establishes charging said capacitive reactance means during a part of each half cycle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 6, including means to establish bi-directional conduction through said switch means to permit discharging said capacitive reactance means during another part of each half cycle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conditioning means establishes discharging said capacitive reactance means during part of each half cycle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 6, including means to permit discharge at either the beginning or the end of each half cycle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said periodic actuation of said switch means and the one polarity charge on said capacitive reactance means establishes substantially a square wave of voltage on the input to said switch means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 10, including a transformer having windings connected between the AC input and the input to the switch means, and said substantially square wave of voltage appearing on the windings of said transformer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 11, including means to establish an alternating voltage output from said transformer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 10, wherein said absorbing means includes reactive means to absorb any instantaneous difference in potential between the AC input and said substantially square wave of voltage at said switch means input.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said absorptive reactive means is an inductive reactance between the AC input and the input to said switch means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 13, wherein said absorptive reactive means is a part of a leakage reactance transformer supplying said switch means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said switch means is periodically actuated at a frequency equal to the frequency of the AC input.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
159 words
A regulator circuit, comprising in combination, input terminals adapted to be connected to an alternating voltage source, a DC storage device, double throw switch means having an input from said input terminals and connected to said storage device, control means connected to control said switch means for conduction at the same frequency as the alternating voltage source and conducting alternately for substantially 180* of the alternating voltage source to apply a direct voltage to said storage device, said direct voltage on the storage device reflecting to the input of said switch means as a substantially square wave alternating voltage, reactance means connected between said input terminals and said switch means input to absorb any instantaneous voltage difference between said square wave alternating voltage and the alternating voltage on said input terminals, and an output connected to receive a voltage in accordance with the direct voltage across said storage device or the square wave alternating voltage on the switch input.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
159 words
A regulator circuit, comprising in combination, input terminals adapted to be connected to an alternating voltage source, a DC storage device, double throw switch means having an input from said input terminals and connected to said storage device, control means connected to control said switch means for conduction at the same frequency as the alternating voltage source and conducting alternately for substantially 180* of the alternating voltage source to apply a direct voltage to said storage device, said direct voltage on the storage device reflecting to the input of said switch means as a substantially square wave alternating voltage, reactance means connected between said input terminals and said switch means input to absorb any instantaneous voltage difference between said square wave alternating voltage and the alternating voltage on said input terminals, and an output connected to receive a voltage in accordance with the direct voltage across said storage device or the square wave alternating voltage on the switch input.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said control means establishes a substantially constant direct voltage on said storage device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said switch means conducts bi-directional current at least part of each half cycle.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said switch means conducts bi-directional current on each throw of the switch means for at least part of each half cycle.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
44 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, including means to vary the phase angle of the leading edge of the square wave on said switch input relative to the alternating voltage input to vary the magnitude of the voltage on said output.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
53 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, including means to vary the phase angle of lag between substantially zero and 90* of the leading edge of said square wave on said switch input relative to the alternating voltage input in order to vary the magnitude of the voltage on said output.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said reactance means is an inductive reactance.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said output is connected to receive an alternating voltage in accordance with the alternating voltage across said switch means input.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
16 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said storage device is a capacitor.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, including a transformer having primary and secondary winding means, and means connecting said secondary winding means to said switch means input and means to connect said primary winding means to said input terminals.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 26, wherein said reactAnce means is an inductive reactance included as a part of said transformer.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 26, wherein said transformer is a leakage reactance transformer having an effective inductive reactance in the primary circuit.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
75 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said output is output terminals connected in parallel with the switch means input, means to sense a condition of a load connected to said output terminals, and means to control the phase angle of lag of the leading edge of the square wave on the switch input relative to the alternating voltage input to control the power factor of the combined load and regulator circuit.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 29, including means to control the value of the voltage across said energy storage device to control the power factor of the combined load and regulator circuit.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 29, including feedback means responsive to the voltage and the current of the load to determine the power factor of the load.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said switch means includes semi-conductor devices.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 32, including inverse parallel connection of semi-conductor devices.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 32, including means connecting said switch means to provide full wave rectification from said input terminals to said storage device, and inverse parallel connection of semi-conductor devices in each half of the full wave circuit.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
29 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said output is connected to receive a direct voltage in accordance with the direct voltage across said storage device.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
40 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 35, including a transformer having a primary winding and energizing said switch input, a separate inductive reactance as said reactance means connected in circuit between said input terminals and said primary winding.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 35, including a direct voltage input, and an inverter operating from said direct voltage input to supply an alternating voltage to said input terminals.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 17, wherein said output is an alternating voltage output derived in accordance with the voltage across said switch input.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
40 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 38, including a transformer having primary and secondary winding means with said secondary winding means connected to said switch input, and means to connect said primary winding means to said input circuit.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
25 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 39, including a tertiary winding on said transformer, and means connecting said output to said tertiary winding.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
27 words
A reactor circuit as set forth in claim 40, including a separate inductive reactance as said reactance means connected between said input terminals and said primary winding.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
41 words
A regulator circuit as set forth in claim 40, wherein said transformer is a leakage reactance transformer, DC input terminals, and an inverter connected between said DC input terminals and said transformer primary winding to supply an alternating input voltage thereto.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
14 words
The regulator as set forth in claim 17, wherein said switch means includes thyristors.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
The regulator as set forth in claim 17, wherein said switch means includes thyristors, and a flip-flop circuit connected in circuit to establish alternate energization of said thyristors.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-06 | 1975-12-06 | 1976-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-06 | 1979-12-06 | 1980-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-06 | 1983-12-06 | 1984-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |