Load sharing modular power supply system

Claim 2

A modular power supply system for connection to a power bus supplying a load, said modular power supply system comprising: a first power supply module connected to said bus which includes current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a first settable reference voltage level; and at least a second power supply module connected to said power bus and including current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a second settable reference voltage level; means for monitoring the voltage across said load and developing an error signal indicating a departure of the voltage across said load from a desired level; amd a common voltage reference source means outputting a single voltage for supplying said first and second settable reference voltage levels and for responding to said error signal to adjust said common voltage reference to compensate for said departure.

Claim 3

A modular power supply system for connection to a power bus supplying a load, said modular power supply system comprising: a first power supply module connected to said bus which includes current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a first settable reference voltage level; and at least a second power supply module connected to said power bus and including current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a second settable reference voltage level; means for monitoring the voltage across said load and developing an error signal indicating the amount of departure of the voltage across said load from a desired level; and a common voltage reference source means which develops a common single reference voltage level for all the modular power supplies in the system, said common reference voltage level supplying said first and second reference voltage levels to said first and second power supply modules, said common voltage reference source means being a function of said error signal and operating to adjust said common reference voltage level to compensate each of the power supply modules individually to correct any departure of the voltage across said load from the desired level.

Claim 4

A modular power supply system for connection to a power bus supplying a load, said modular power supply system comprising: a first power supply module connected to said bus which includes current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a first settable reference voltage level; and at least a second power supply module connected to said power bus and including current feedback means for maintaining a constant current output, the level of said current output being adjustable in response to a second settable reference voltage level; means for monitoring the voltage across said load and developing an error signal indicating the amount of departure of the voltage across said load from a desired level; and a common voltage reference source means which develops a common single reference voltage level for all the modular power supplies in the system, said common reference voltage level supplying said first and second reference voltage levels to said first and second power supply modules, said common voltage reference source means being a function of said error signal and operating to adjust said common reference voltage level to compensate each of the power supply modules individually to correct any departure of the voltage across said load from the desired level.

Claim 5

A regulated electric power system comprising: (a) a load bus and a return bus means; (b) a plurality of electric energy generator modules connected between said load and said return bus means in a power supply relationship thereto wherein each of said electric generator modules is a constant current device which delivers a constant proportional share of the total current delivered to a load, each of said electric generator modules also having input voltage reference means for determining the value of its constant current output; (c) an electrical reference signal means representing the desired voltage across said load; (d) error signal generator means coupled to said load bus and to said reference signal means and applicable to provide an error output signal representative of the difference between the values of the electrical parameters existing at said load bus and the output terminal of said reference signal means; (e) error signal means which provide a common voltage reference source which common voltage reference source is individually applied to each of said electrical power generation modules, said electrical power generation modules being regulatable by use of voltage reference input in order to control the value of the constant current output which is provided as a proportionate share of the total load.

Claim 6

A regulated electric power system comprising: (a) a load bus and a return bus means; (b) a plurality of electric energy generator modules connected between said load and said return bus means in a power supply relationship thereto wherein each of said electric generator modules is a constant current device which delivers a constant proportional share of the total current delivered to a load, each of said electric generator modules also having input voltage reference means for determining the value of its constant current output; (c) an electrical reference signal means representing the desired voltage across said load; (d) error signal generator means coupled to said load bus and to said reference signal means and applicable to provide an error output signal representative of the difference between the values of the electrical parameters existing at said load bus and the output terminal of said reference signal means; (e) error signal means which provide a common voltage reference source which common voltage reference source is individually applied to each of said electrical power generation modules, said electrical power generation modules being regulatable by use of voltage reference input in order to control the value of the constant current output which is provided as a proportionate share of the total load.

Claim 7

A power supply system involving a plurality of individual power supply modules each of which act to supply a constant current as a proportional share of the total load, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of power supply modules each of said power modules being a constant current device having a current feedback line which is converted within said module into a voltage to permit voltage control of the value of the output current and wherein said plurality of modules are connected in parallel to a power bus which supplies a load; (b) means for monitoring the voltage across said load and developing an error signal indicating a departure of the voltage across said load from a desired level; (c) a reference voltage producing unit representing the desired voltage across said load; (d) a common voltage reference source means which outputs a voltage for supplying a common reference voltage level to each of said power supply modules, said source means responding to said error signal in order to adjust said common voltage reference to compensate for said voltage departure; (e) each of said constant current power supply modules involving a constant current DC power source supplied by an unregulated DC power level and having current switching devices and transformers for converting the unregulated DC level to an AC signal which is then converted to a constant current DC output level for delivery to a load and wherein each such power supply module includes: (e1) a settable input reference voltage, adjustable to determine the value of the level of the constant current output of that module; (e2) means for developing fixed frequency clock pulses; (e3) logic means for controlling said clock pulses to cause said switching devices to have a controlled duration for a switch-on pulse; (e4) means for generating a control signal derived from comparison of a settable voltage reference signal against a voltage feedback signal derived from a current feedback line from said AC signal, said control signal being used to determine the duration of said switch-on pulse; (e5) means for sensing said AC signal and feeding back a current which is converted to a proportional voltage usable to be compared with said settable reference voltage; (e6) isolation means for separating said current switching devices from said AC signal sensing means, from said control signal generating mans and from said logic means.

Claim 8

A power supply system involving a plurality of individual power supply modules each of which act to supply a constant current as a proportional share of the total load, said system comprising: (a) a plurality of power supply modules each of said power modules being a constant current device having a current feedback line which is converted within said module into a voltage to permit voltage control of the value of the output current and wherein said plurality of modules are connected in parallel to a power bus which supplies a load; (b) means for monitoring the voltage across said load and developing an error signal indicating a departure of the voltage across said load from a desired level; (c) a reference voltage producing unit representing the desired voltage across said load; (d) a common voltage reference source means which outputs a voltage for supplying a common reference voltage level to each of said power supply modules, said source means responding to said error signal in order to adjust said common voltage reference to compensate for said voltage departure; (e) each of said constant current power supply modules involving a constant current DC power source supplied by an unregulated DC power level and having current switching devices and transformers for converting the unregulated DC level to an AC signal which is then converted to a constant current DC output level for delivery to a load and wherein each such power supply module includes: (e1) a settable input reference voltage, adjustable to determine the value of the level of the constant current output of that module; (e2) means for developing fixed frequency clock pulses; (e3) logic means for controlling said clock pulses to cause said switching devices to have a controlled duration for a switch-on pulse; (e4) means for generating a control signal derived from comparison of a settable voltage reference signal against a voltage feedback signal derived from a current feedback line from said AC signal, said control signal being used to determine the duration of said switch-on pulse; (e5) means for sensing said AC signal and feeding back a current which is converted to a proportional voltage usable to be compared with said settable reference voltage; (e6) isolation means for separating said current switching devices from said AC signal sensing means, from said control signal generating mans and from said logic means.