Voltage regulating circuitry for a DC to DC converter

Claim 2

In control circuitry for terminating the operating of a DC to DC converter when a load capacitor is charged to a predetermined upper level and for restarting the operating of the converter when the capacitor discharges to a predetermined lower level, wherein the improvement comprises: (a) an SCR latch connected for bidirectional regenerative switching (1) to change rapidly from a latched non-conducting state to a latched conducting state upon the progressively increasing voltage applied to the load capacitor reaching the aforementioned predetermined upper level, and (2) to change rapidly from its latched conducting state back to its latched non-conducting state in response to the voltage of the load capacitor decaying from the predetermined upper level to the predetermined lower level; (b) bistable switching circuitry connected with respect to said SCR latch and having only (1) a first discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched conducting state when the load capacitor is charged to the predetermined upper level, and (2) a second discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched non-conducting state when the load capacitor discharges to the predetermined lower level; and (c) a transistor, coupling said bistable switching circuitry and the DC to DC converter, for terminating the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its first state, and for permitting the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its second state.

Claim 3

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 1 wherein said SCR latch comprises a first transistor and a second transistor interconnected to form a regenerative feedback pair.

Claim 4

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 2 wherein: (a) said first transistor has a collector terminal, an emitter terminal, and a base terminal; and (b) said second transistor has a collector terminal, an emitter terminal, and a base terminal, said collector terminal of said second transistor being connected to supply current to said base terminal of said first transistor, and said collector terminal of said first transistor being connected to provide drive current for said base terminal of said second transistor.

Claim 5

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 2 wherein said SCR latch is connected to cause said first transistor, in response to the progressively increasing voltage being applied to the load capacitor, to turn on prior to the turning on of said second transistor.

Claim 6

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first transistor, in response to the voltage of the load capacitor decaying from the predetermined upper level toward the predetermined lower level, is caused to turn off prior to the turning off of said second transistor.

Claim 7

In control circuitry for terminating the operating of a DC to DC converter when a load capacitor is charged to a predetermined upper level and for restarting the operating of the converter when the capacitor discharges to a predetermined lower level, wherein the improvement comprises: (a) voltage-sensitive switching means connected to conduct when the application of a progressively increasing voltage to the load capacitor corresponds substantially to the aforementioned predetermined upper level; (b) an SCR latch-connected to said voltage-sensitive switching means for bidirectional regenerative switching (1) to change rapidly from a latched non-conducting state to a latched conducting state upon the progressively increasing voltage applied to the load capacitor reaching the aforementioned predetermined upper level, and (2) to change rapidly from its latched conducting state back to its latched non-conducting state in response to the voltage of the load capacitor decaying from the predetermined upper level to the predetermined lower level; (c) bistable switching circuitry connected with respect to said SCR latch and having only (1) a first discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched conducting state when the load capacitor is charged to the predetermined upper level, and (2) a second discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched non-conducting state when the load capacitor discharges to the predetermined lower level; and (d) a transistor, coupling said bistable switching circuitry and the DC to DC converter, for terminating the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its first state, and for permitting the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its second state.

Claim 8

In control circuitry for terminating the operating of a DC to DC converter when a load capacitor is charged to a predetermined upper level and for restarting the operating of the converter when the capacitor discharges to a predetermined lower level, wherein the improvement comprises: (a) voltage-sensitive switching means connected to conduct when the application of a progressively increasing voltage to the load capacitor corresponds substantially to the aforementioned predetermined upper level; (b) an SCR latch-connected to said voltage-sensitive switching means for bidirectional regenerative switching (1) to change rapidly from a latched non-conducting state to a latched conducting state upon the progressively increasing voltage applied to the load capacitor reaching the aforementioned predetermined upper level, and (2) to change rapidly from its latched conducting state back to its latched non-conducting state in response to the voltage of the load capacitor decaying from the predetermined upper level to the predetermined lower level; (c) bistable switching circuitry connected with respect to said SCR latch and having only (1) a first discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched conducting state when the load capacitor is charged to the predetermined upper level, and (2) a second discrete output state in response to said SCR latch assuming its latched non-conducting state when the load capacitor discharges to the predetermined lower level; and (d) a transistor, coupling said bistable switching circuitry and the DC to DC converter, for terminating the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its first state, and for permitting the operating of the converter while said bistable circuitry assumes its second state.

Claim 9

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 6 wherein said voltage-sensitive switching means includes zener diode means serially connected to a first resistor and to a second resistor.

Claim 10

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 7 wherein said SCR latch comprises a first transistor and a second transistor interconnected to form a regenerative feedback pair.

Claim 11

Control circuitry as claimed in claim 8 wherein said first resistor and said second resistor are interconnected to provide bias voltage to said first transistor and to said second transistor, respectively.