Patent US3767933A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3767933A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Power supply having a plurality of power sources that are sequentially placed on load one at a time
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1972-05-30
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-05-30
Abstract
Abstract An electrical power, supply, particularly adapted for intermittent use, that has an extremely long standby life is disclosed. The power supply includes a series of batteries that are selectively placed in the load circuit. A new battery is placed in the load circuit when the battery previously supplying power to the load is substantially exhausted. Three different circuits are disclosed for sequentially placing the batteries in the load circuit. All three circuits are particularly adapted for use with electrochemical batteries that are activated by a squib or the like. Thus, the circuits not only place a new battery in the load circuit when the preceding battery has substantially spent its useful life but also provides for the activation of the new battery as it is placed in the load circuit. In addition, one of the circuits can be used with conventional activated batteries as well as the reserve type batteries that have to be activated.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bogue
- 👤 R Sarbacher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 07:27
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J9/00; H02J9/04; H02J9/06; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/30; Y04; Y04S; Y04S20/00; Y04S20/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
A power supply comprising: output terminals; a plurality of batteries, the output voltage of only one of said plurality of batteries being initially applied to said output terminals; voltage level responsive means coupled to each of said plurality of batteries; first means coupled to the output of said voltage level responsive means for applying the output voltage of a second battery of said plurality of batteries to said output terminals when said output voltage of said initially applied battery drops to a given value, said voltage level responsive means providing an output signal when said output voltage of said initially applied battery drops to said given value and said first means responding to said output signal from said voltage level responsive means to couple said output voltage of said second battery to said output terminals;and additional separate means associated with each one of said plurality of batteries, except said battery whose output voltage is initially applied to said output terminals and said second battery which is associated with said first means, for sequentially applying the output voltage of each battery, one at a time, except said battery whose output voltage is initially applied to said output terminals and the output voltage of said second battery, to said output terminals as the output voltage of the just previously applied battery drops to said given value, said voltage level responsive means providing an output signal to activate said additional separate means, one at a time, each time the output voltage of the just previously applied battery drops to said given Value.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
A power supply comprising: output terminals; a plurality of batteries, the output voltage of only one of said plurality of batteries being initially applied to said output terminals; voltage level responsive means coupled to each of said plurality of batteries; first means coupled to the output of said voltage level responsive means for applying the output voltage of a second battery of said plurality of batteries to said output terminals when said output voltage of said initially applied battery drops to a given value, said voltage level responsive means providing an output signal when said output voltage of said initially applied battery drops to said given value and said first means responding to said output signal from said voltage level responsive means to couple said output voltage of said second battery to said output terminals;and additional separate means associated with each one of said plurality of batteries, except said battery whose output voltage is initially applied to said output terminals and said second battery which is associated with said first means, for sequentially applying the output voltage of each battery, one at a time, except said battery whose output voltage is initially applied to said output terminals and the output voltage of said second battery, to said output terminals as the output voltage of the just previously applied battery drops to said given value, said voltage level responsive means providing an output signal to activate said additional separate means, one at a time, each time the output voltage of the just previously applied battery drops to said given Value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The power supply as defined in claim 1 wherein said plurality of batteries are reserve type batteries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The power supply as defined in claim 1 wherein said batteries are active batteries.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
The power supply as defined in claim 2 wherein said voltage level responsive means are separate bridge circuits one for each battery of said plurality of batteries except for one and wherein said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of silicon controlled rectifiers one less in number than said plurality of batteries.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
The power supply as defined in claim 2 wherein said voltage level responsive means is a voltage level sensor and said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of transistorized firing circuits one less in number than the number of said plurality of batteries.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The power supply as defined in claim 1 wherein said voltage level responsive means is a voltage sensor and said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of power switches equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The power supply as defined in claim 2 wherein said voltage level responsive means is a voltage sensor and said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of power switches equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
The power supply as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said bridge circuits comprises: a first arm having a resistor, a second arm having a resistor, a third arm having a resistor and a fourth arm having a diode; and a transistor having its base connected to the common point of said second and third arms and its emitter connected to the common point of said first and fourth arms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
98 words
A power supply as defined in claim 8 wherein each of said silicon controlled rectifiers has a cathode electrode, an anode electrode and a gate electrode and wherein each of said bridge circuits is coupled to a different one of said silicon controlled rectifiers through a separate transistor, each of said separate transistors having its emitter connected to a gate electrode of its associated silicon controlled rectifier, its collector connected to the anode electrode of the associated silicon controlled rectifier and its base electrode connected to the collector electrode of said transistor connected in the associated bridge circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
A power supply as defined in claim 9 wherein the battery associated with each bridge circuit has one terminal connected to the common point of said third and fourth arms of its associated bridge circuit and its second terminal coupled to said first and second arms of its associated bridge circuit through a diode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
A power supply circuit as defined in claim 10 wherein a separate squib is connected between the cathode electrode of each silicon controlled rectifier and the common point of said third and fourth arms of the bridge circuit associated with the silicon controlled rectifier, said squib being energized to actuate the next battery whose output voltage is to be applied to said output terminals when the output voltage of the battery whose output was just previously applied to said output terminals reaches said given value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power supply as defined in claim 3 wherein said voltage level responsive means includes a battery condition sensor, said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of power switches equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
120 words
A power supply as defined in claim 12 including a clock gate having a first input, a second input and an output; means to connect said first input of said clock gate to said battery condition sensor; a multivibrator having an output connected to said second input of said clock gate; a ring counter having stages equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries, at least one input and a plurality of outputs equal in number to the number of said stages; means To connect said input of said ring counter to said output of said clock gate; and means to connect each one of said ring counter outputs to a different one of said power switches.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power supply as defined in claim 13 wherein said ring counter is provided with a second input and wherein a cold start circuit is connected to said second input of said ring counter to apply said initial battery output voltage to said output terminals.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A power supply as defined in claim 2 wherein means are provided to sequentially activate each of said plurality of batteries, one at a time, when the output voltage of that battery is to be applied to said output terminals.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power supply as defined in claim 15 wherein said voltage level responsive means includes a battery condition sensor, said means responsive to said voltage level responsive means are a plurality of power switches equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
120 words
A power supply as defined in claim 16 including a clock gate having a first input, a second input and an output; means to connect said first input of said clock gate to said battery condition sensor; a multivibrator having an output connected to said second input of said clock gate; a ring counter having stages equal in number to the number of said plurality of batteries, at least one input and a plurality of outputs equal in number to the number of said stages; means to connect said input of said ring counter to said output of said clock gate; and means to connect each one of said ring counter outputs to a different one of said power switches.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
A power supply as defined in claim 17 wherein said ring counter is provided with a second input and wherein a cold start circuit is connected to said second input of said ring counter to apply said initial battery output voltage to said output terminals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
A power supply as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said transistor firing circuits is coupled to a different one of said plurality of said batteries except the battery whose voltage is initially applied to said output terminals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
A power supply as defined in claim 19 wherein each one of said firing circuits includes a squib to activate the said battery associated with that firing circuit when that firing circuit is energized.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
A power supply as defined in claim 20 wherein each of said firing circuits except for the firing circuit associated with the last battery whose output voltage is coupled to said output terminals includes inhibiting means to inhibit the energizing of all of said batteries except for said battery associated with that firing circuit and all previously energized batteries.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
A power supply as defined in claim 21 wherein said inhibiting means includes a fuse that is burned out when its firing circuit is energized.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3356857A
Cited
US3639773A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |