US3869659A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Controllable high voltage source having fast settling time
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
•
Filing: 1974-03-19
•
Granted: 1975-03-04
•
Expires: 1994-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A high voltage d.c. stepping power supply for sampling a utilization device such as an electrostatic analyzer has a relatively fast settling time for voltage steps. The supply includes a waveform generator for deriving a low voltage staircase waveform that feeds a relatively long response time power supply deriving a high output voltage generally equal to a predetermined multiple of the input voltage. In the power supply, an a.c. voltage modulated by the staircase waveform is applied to a step-up transformer and thence to a voltage multiplier stack to form a high voltage, relatively poor replica of the input waveform at an intermediate output terminal. A constant d.c. source, applied to the input of the power supply, biases the voltage at the intermediate output terminal to be in excess of the predetermined multiple of the input voltage. A fast shunt regulator responsive to the input signal provides an output which is a faithful high voltage reproduction of the staircase waveform. The shunt regulator includes a solid state shunt device connected to the intermediate output terminal via a dropping resistor. The supply output is taken from the junction of the resistor and the shunt device.
Inventors
- 👤 Henry Doong
- 👤 Mario H Acuna
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:58
CPC Classifications
H; H03; H03K; H03K6/00; H03K6/02; H01; H01J; H01J49/00; H01J49/02; H01J49/022; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/325; H02M3/335; H03K4/00; H03K4/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A controllable high voltage source having a relatively fast response to a low voltage input signal source with a predetermined gain comprising: a pair of input terminals for said input signal source; a pair of output terminals for high voltage output; a relatively long response time controllable high voltage source coupled between said input and output terminals, said long response time source having said predetermined gain; means for d.c. biasing said long response time controllable voltage source to have an output voltage in excess of the input signal times said gain; and fast response time shunt regulator means coupled across said output terminals responsive to said input signal at said input terminals for reducing the output voltage across said output terminals to said gain times said input signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
A controllable high voltage source having a relatively fast response to a low voltage input signal source with a predetermined gain comprising: a pair of input terminals for said input signal source; a pair of output terminals for high voltage output; a relatively long response time controllable high voltage source coupled between said input and output terminals, said long response time source having said predetermined gain; means for d.c. biasing said long response time controllable voltage source to have an output voltage in excess of the input signal times said gain; and fast response time shunt regulator means coupled across said output terminals responsive to said input signal at said input terminals for reducing the output voltage across said output terminals to said gain times said input signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said long response time source includes a rectifying voltage multiplier responsive to an a.c. source and means for controlling the amplitude of said a.c. source in response to said input signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said relatively long response time source has a relatively fast response for increasing said output voltage and a relatively slow response for decreasing said output voltage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said output voltage has only one polarity and further including a source of relatively low d.c. voltage opposite in polarity to said output voltage, said shunt regulator means including a plurality of transistors having emitter and collector electrodes connected in series between one of said output terminals and said low voltage source.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said output voltage has only one polarity and further including a source of relatively low D.c. voltage opposite in polarity to said output voltage, said shunt regulator means including a plurality of transistors having emitter and collector electrodes connected in series between one of said output terminals and said low voltage source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
130 words
A high voltage stepping power supply having relatively fast settling time for voltage steps comprising: a digital clock source; means for deriving a low voltage staircase analog input voltage signal having steps synchronous with said clock source; a pair of output terminals; a relatively long response time controllable high voltage source responsive to said input voltage signal, said high voltage source having a predetermined gain, said high voltage source being coupled to said output terminals, means for d.c. biasing said high voltage source to have an output voltage in excess of said analog voltage times said gain; and fast response time shunt regulator means responsive to said input signal coupled across said output terminals for reducing the output voltage at said output terminals to said gain times said input signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
130 words
A high voltage stepping power supply having relatively fast settling time for voltage steps comprising: a digital clock source; means for deriving a low voltage staircase analog input voltage signal having steps synchronous with said clock source; a pair of output terminals; a relatively long response time controllable high voltage source responsive to said input voltage signal, said high voltage source having a predetermined gain, said high voltage source being coupled to said output terminals, means for d.c. biasing said high voltage source to have an output voltage in excess of said analog voltage times said gain; and fast response time shunt regulator means responsive to said input signal coupled across said output terminals for reducing the output voltage at said output terminals to said gain times said input signal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said high voltage source includes a rectifying voltage multiplier responsive to an a.c. source and means for controlling the amplitude of said a.c. source in response to said input signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said high voltage source has a relatively fast response for increasing said output voltage and a relatively slow response for decreasing said output voltage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said output voltage has only one polarity and further including a source of relatively low d.c. voltage opposite in polarity to said output voltage, said shunt regulator means including a plurality of transistors having emitter and collector electrodes connected in series between one of said output terminals and said low voltage source.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said output voltage has only one polarity and further including a source of relatively low d.c. voltage opposite in polarity to said output voltage, said shunt regulator means including a plurality of transistors having emitter and collector electrodes connected in series between one of said output terminals and said low voltage source.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
116 words
A high voltage source having an output terminal for developing a high voltage capable of following relatively rapid variations of a relatively low voltage input source comprising an input terminal responsive to the input source, a series path between the input and output terminals said path including a d.c. to a.c. to d.c. converter connected to be responsive to the voltage at the input terminal for deriving a high voltage output having a tendency to follow the variations, a variable impedance shunt path having substantially only resistive components connected across the output terminal, and means external to the first path responsive to the voltage at the input terminal for controlling the impedance of the shunt path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
116 words
A high voltage source having an output terminal for developing a high voltage capable of following relatively rapid variations of a relatively low voltage input source comprising an input terminal responsive to the input source, a series path between the input and output terminals said path including a d.c. to a.c. to d.c. converter connected to be responsive to the voltage at the input terminal for deriving a high voltage output having a tendency to follow the variations, a variable impedance shunt path having substantially only resistive components connected across the output terminal, and means external to the first path responsive to the voltage at the input terminal for controlling the impedance of the shunt path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The source of claim 11 wherein the converter includes a voltage multiplier having diodes and capacitors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
The source of claim 12 further including a resistor series connected between the output of the converter and the output terminal, said means for controlling the impedance of the shunt path including a non-inverting d.c. amplifier, said amplifier having an input terminal connected to be responsive to the input source and a feedback resistor connected between the output terminal and the amplifier input terminal.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
78 words
The source of claim 13 wherein the shunt impedance includes plural series connected variable impedance elements, each of said elements including means for enabling a (a) predetermined, finite voltage, (b) a substantially zero voltage and (c) dynamic voltage to be developed across them in response to the voltage at the output terminal, and means for dynamically controlling the voltage developed across only one of the elements at a time in response to an output voltage of the amplifier.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
96 words
The source of claim 14 further including a first input resistor between the relatively low voltage input terminal and the amplifier input terminal, a second input resistor between the relatively low voltage input terminal and an input terminal of the converter, and another feedback resistor between the converter output and the converter input terminals, the ratio of the input resistor to the feedback resistor for the amplifier being substantially equal to that for the converter so that the gain of the series path including the converter and the path including the amplifier are substantially the same.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
The source of claim 12 wherein the shunt impedance includes plural series connected variable impedance elements, each of said elements including means for enabling a (a) predetermined, finite voltage, (b) a substantially zero voltage and (c) dynamic voltage to be developed across them in response to the voltage at the output terminal, and means for dynamically controlling the voltage developed across only one of the elements at a time in response to an output voltage of the amplifier means for controlling the shunt path impedance.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-03 | 1978-09-02 | 1979-03-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-03 | 1982-09-02 | 1983-03-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-03 | 1986-09-02 | 1987-03-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |