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US4672528A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Resonant inverter with improved control

Assignee: NORTH AMERICAN POWER SUPPLIES Inc A CORP OF
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Filing: 1986-05-27
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Granted: 1987-06-09
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Expires: 2006-05-27
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Abstract

Abstract A resonant inverter is operated in a manner to provide a substantially constant output voltage to a load. The inverter is controlled using either a frequency control mode or a phase shift control mode. In the frequency control mode, a constant output voltage is maintained through frequency variation of the rectangular wave signal applied to the resonant circuit of the inverter. In the phase shift control mode, constant output voltage is maintained by phase shifting one component signal of the rectangular wave signal relative to another component signal thereof while maintaining constant the frequency of both component signals. Mode switching occurs automatically at the extremities of the operating frequency range of controllable switch means in the resonant inverter.

Inventors

  • 👤 John N. Park
  • 👤 Robert L. Steigerwald

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 19:14
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02M; H02M3/00; H02M3/22; H02M3/24; H02M3/28; H02M3/325; H02M3/335; H02M3/337; H02M3/3376; H02M7/00; H02M7/42; H02M7/44; H02M7/48; H02M7/53; H02M7/537; H02M7/5387; H02M7/53871; H02M7/53878; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/10

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 292 words
An improved dc-to-dc converter, comprising: a resonant inverter having two pairs of controllable switch means, the pairs of controllable switch means being adapted to be connected in parallel across a dc supply and each said pair of controllable switch means being connected in series; a series resonant circuit connected between the junctions of each said pair of controllable switch means; a full wave rectifier inductively coupled to said series resonant circuit, the output of said rectifier being adapted to supply substantially constant output voltage to a load; first means of control for controlling the output load voltage by varying the frequency of operation of each one of said controllable switch means within an operable frequency range of said controllable switch means; second means of control for controlling the output load voltage by phase shifting the operating frequency of one of said controllable switch means in one of said pairs adapted to be connected to a positive dc supply terminal and one of said controllable switch means in the other of said pairs adapted to be connected to a negative dc supply terminal while maintaining constant the frequency of operation of each one of said controllable switch means; and selection means coupled to said first and second means of control for selecting between said first means of control and said second means of control so that output load voltage is maintained substantially constant by said first means of control when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means is within the operable range of said controllable switch means and by said second means of control when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 292 words
An improved dc-to-dc converter, comprising: a resonant inverter having two pairs of controllable switch means, the pairs of controllable switch means being adapted to be connected in parallel across a dc supply and each said pair of controllable switch means being connected in series; a series resonant circuit connected between the junctions of each said pair of controllable switch means; a full wave rectifier inductively coupled to said series resonant circuit, the output of said rectifier being adapted to supply substantially constant output voltage to a load; first means of control for controlling the output load voltage by varying the frequency of operation of each one of said controllable switch means within an operable frequency range of said controllable switch means; second means of control for controlling the output load voltage by phase shifting the operating frequency of one of said controllable switch means in one of said pairs adapted to be connected to a positive dc supply terminal and one of said controllable switch means in the other of said pairs adapted to be connected to a negative dc supply terminal while maintaining constant the frequency of operation of each one of said controllable switch means; and selection means coupled to said first and second means of control for selecting between said first means of control and said second means of control so that output load voltage is maintained substantially constant by said first means of control when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means is within the operable range of said controllable switch means and by said second means of control when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 113 words
The improved dc-to-dc converter of claim 1, wherein said selection means comprises: measuring means coupled to the output of said inverter for determining when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means; and switching means coupled to said measuring means to actuate said first means of control when the frequency of operation of each of said controllable switch means moves to an extremity in the operable range of said controllable switch means and to actuate said second means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal moves away from an extremity in the operable range.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 80 words
The improved dc-to-dc converter of claim 1, wherein said first means of control comprises: first comparison means coupled to the output of said converter for comparing a commanded output voltage to the actual output load voltage and providing a control signal; and oscillator means responsive to said control signal for generating a frequency signal, said oscillator means being coupled to said controllable switch means to vary, in synchronism, the frequency of operation of each one of said controllable switch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 87 words
The improved dc-to-dc converter of claim 3, wherein said second means of control comprises: sawtooth waveform generating means coupled to said oscillator means and being responsive to said frequency signal generated by said oscillator means; second comparison means coupled to said first comparison means and to said sawtooth waveform generating means for comparing said sawtooth wave signal to said control signal and providing a phase delay signal; and means coupling said second comparison means to each of said controllable switch means to thereby achieve said phase shifting.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 76 words
The improved control of claim 4, wherein said measuring means comprises: third comparison means coupled to the output of said first comparison means for comparing a present reference signal to said control signal and generating a switching signal, said preset reference signal being representative of a rectangular wave voltage signal frequency at an extreme of the operable range of said controllable switch means, the output of said third comparison means being coupled to said switching means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 215 words
An improved control for a resonant inverter, said inverter including a resonant circuit and having controllable switch means which produces a first component signal and a second component signal, said component signals combining to form a rectangular wave signal which is applied to said resonant circuit, the output of said resonant inverter providing a substantially constant output voltage to a load, said improved control comprising: first means of control for controlling the output load voltage by varying the frequency of said rectangular wave signal within an operable range of said controllable switch means; second means of control for controlling the output load voltage by phase shifting said second component signal relative to said first component signal while maintaining the frequency of said first and second component signals constant; and selection means coupled to said first and second means of control for selecting between said first means of control and said second means of control so that output load voltage is maintained substantially constant by said first means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal is within the operable range of said controllable switch means and by said second means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 215 words
An improved control for a resonant inverter, said inverter including a resonant circuit and having controllable switch means which produces a first component signal and a second component signal, said component signals combining to form a rectangular wave signal which is applied to said resonant circuit, the output of said resonant inverter providing a substantially constant output voltage to a load, said improved control comprising: first means of control for controlling the output load voltage by varying the frequency of said rectangular wave signal within an operable range of said controllable switch means; second means of control for controlling the output load voltage by phase shifting said second component signal relative to said first component signal while maintaining the frequency of said first and second component signals constant; and selection means coupled to said first and second means of control for selecting between said first means of control and said second means of control so that output load voltage is maintained substantially constant by said first means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal is within the operable range of said controllable switch means and by said second means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 104 words
The improved control of claim 6, wherein said selection means comprises: measuring means coupled to the output of said inverter for determining when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal is at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means; and switching means coupled to said measuring means to actuate said first means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal moves to an extremity in the operable range of said controllable switch means and to actuate said second means of control when the frequency of said rectangular wave signal moves away from an extremity in the operable range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 78 words
The improved control of claim 6, wherein said first means of control comprises: first comparison means coupled to the output of said inverter for comparing a commanded output voltage to the actual output load voltage and providing a control signal; and oscillator means responsive to said control signal for generating a frequency signal, said oscillator means being coupled to said controllable switch means to vary the frequency of the rectangular wave voltage signal supplied to said resonant circuit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 101 words
The improved control of claim 8, wherein said second means of control comprises: sawtooth waveform generating means coupled to said oscillator means and being responsive to said frequency signal generated by said oscillator means; second comparison means coupled to said first comparison means and to said sawtooth waveform generating means for comparing said sawtooth wave signal to said control signal and providing a phase delay signal; and means coupling said second comparison means to said controllable switch means to thereby shift phase of said second component voltage signal and thus vary the rectangular wave voltage signal supplied to said resonant circuit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 76 words
The improved control of claim 9 wherein said measuring means comprises: third comparison means coupled to the output of said first comparison means for comparing a preset reference signal to said control signal and generating a switching signal, said present reference signal being representative of a rectangular wave voltage signal frequency at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means, the output of said third comparison means being coupled to said switching means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 121 words
A method for controlling a resonant inverter, said inverter having controllable switch means which produces a first component signal and a second component signal, said component signals combining to form a rectangular wave signal which is applied to a resonant circuit, the output of aid resonant inverter providing a substantially constant output voltage and current to a load, said control method comprising the steps of: varying the frequency of said rectangular wave signal when within an operable range of said controllable switch means; and phase shifting said second component signal relative to said first component signal while maintaining the frequency of said first and second component signals constant when at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 121 words
A method for controlling a resonant inverter, said inverter having controllable switch means which produces a first component signal and a second component signal, said component signals combining to form a rectangular wave signal which is applied to a resonant circuit, the output of aid resonant inverter providing a substantially constant output voltage and current to a load, said control method comprising the steps of: varying the frequency of said rectangular wave signal when within an operable range of said controllable switch means; and phase shifting said second component signal relative to said first component signal while maintaining the frequency of said first and second component signals constant when at an extremity of the operable range of said controllable switch means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of: selecting between varying the frequency of said rectangular wave signal and phase shifting said second component signal relative to said first component signal while maintaining the frequency of said rectangular wave signal constant.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4276586A Cited
GB2060220A Cited
SU1008878A1 Cited
US4451041A Cited
FR2528636A1 Cited
GB2130823A Cited
US4535399A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-06-08 1990-12-08 1991-06-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-06-08 1994-12-08 1995-06-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-06-08 1998-12-08 1999-06-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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