US3886398A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electron beam electrical power transmission system
Assignee: Varian Medical Systems Inc
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Filing: 1973-08-20
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1993-08-20
Abstract
Abstract Electrical power is transmitted from a transmitting location to a remote receiving location by means of an electron beam injected into an evacuated magnetically shielded pipe extending between the transmitting location and the receiving location. The beam is magnetically focused within the evacuated pipe. Electrical power to be transmitted is put into the beam in the form of kinetic energy by accelerating the beam to a high kinetic energy. The kinetic energy is extracted from the beam at the receiving location and converted into potential electrical energy for application to the load. In one embodiment, the kinetic energy is extracted from the beam by collecting the beam current at a potential substantially equal to the potential of the source of the electrons, i.e. cathode potential, and causing the collected beam current to flow through the load to develop the depressed collector potential. In another embodiment, radio frequency accelerator means are utilized for r.f. current density modulating and accelerating the beam. The radio frequency current modulation on the beam is extracted at the receiving end by means of radio frequency circuits coupled to the beam. The extracted radio frequency energy is rectified for application to the load. In another embodiment, AC power at conventional AC power frequencies, as of 60 Hertz, is extracted from the beam by sequentially directing the beam into a plurality of depressed collectors coupled to respective primary windings of power transformers for deriving AC output power for application to a load.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Feinstein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:08
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J23/00; H01J23/02; H01J23/06; H01J23/065; G; G21; G21K; G21K1/00; G21K1/08; H01J23/027; H01J25/00; H01J25/02; H02; H02N; H02N3/00; H05; H05H; H05H9/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
237 words
In an electron beam power transmission system for transmitting electrical power from a transmitting location to a remote receiving location: elongated evacuated envelope means extending from the transmitting location to the receiving location, said receiving location being geographically removed from the transmitting location; transmitter means at said transmitting location for accelerating and projecting a beam of electrons through said evacuated envelope means from said transmitting location to said receiving location; receiver means at said receiving location for converting kinetic energy of the beam to electrical power for application to a power load, said receiver means comprising collector means for collecting the electrons as conduction current; electrical conductor means interconnecting said receiver means and said transmitter means for returning said conduction current to said transmitter means; said transmitter means including an electron gun having a cathode emitter for emitting electrons and an electron permeable anode electrode for drawing a stream of emitted electrons from said cathode emitter to form an electron beam emergent from said anode electrode; means for supplying to said cathode emitter a potential alternating with respect to the potential of said conductor means for causing said gun to produce an electron beam during only every other half-cycle of said alternating potential; said receiver means including means for developing a potential on said collector means alternating with respect to the potential of said conductor means for converting kinetic energy of the beam to alternating electrical power.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
In an electron beam power transmission system for transmitting electrical power from a transmitting location to a remote receiving location: elongated evacuated envelope means extending from the transmitting location to the receiving location, said receiving location being geographically removed from the transmitting location; transmitter means at said transmitting location for accelerating and projecting a beam of electrons through said evacuated envelope means from said transmitting location to said receiving location; receiver means at said receiving location for converting kinetic energy of the beam to electrical power for application to a power load, said receiver means comprising collector means for collecting the electrons as conduction current; electrical conductor means interconnecting said receiver means and said transmitter means for returning said conduction current to said transmitter means; said transmitter means including an electron gun having a cathode emitter for emitting electrons and an electron permeable anode electrode for drawing a stream of emitted electrons from said cathode emitter to form an electron beam emergent from said anode electrode; means for supplying to said cathode emitter a potential alternating with respect to the potential of said conductor means for causing said gun to produce an electron beam during only every other half-cycle of said alternating potential; said receiver means including means for developing a potential on said collector means alternating with respect to the potential of said conductor means for converting kinetic energy of the beam to alternating electrical power.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power transmission system is a polyphase system and wherein said transmitting means includes a plurality of electron guns, these being at least one gun for each phase of the polyphase power transmission system, and wherein said elongated evacuated envelope means includes a plurality of said elongated evacuated envelopes, there being at least one envelope for each one of said electron guns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said receiver means includes a plurality of electron collectors, there being at least one electron collector for each one of said electron guns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said receiver means includes first and second electron collectors for collecting the electrons, electrical insulator means for insulating said first and second collectors from said evacuated envelope means to permit independent potentials to be established on said collectors relative to said envelope, means for causing electrons to be collected in a sequence in said first and second electron collectors, inductive winding means connected to said first and second collectors for flow of collected beam current therethrough for presenting an alternAting power load to said respective collectors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said receiver means includes an output power transformer means, and said inductive winding means comprises a primary winding means of said transformer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 4 wherein there are at least three electron guns and three electron collectors for transmitting and for supplying three phase output power to the load at the receiving end of the transmission system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 6 including a three phase input winding means for applying three phase alternating potentials and beam current to said three electron guns.
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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) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |