Inrush current limiter
AssigneeKeymed (Medical & Industrial Equipment) Ltd.
InventorWilliam John White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for limiting the inrush current component of a current provided by a supply to a load, the device including an impedance arranged between the supply and the load, a switch arranged to divert the current from the impedance, an inrush period timer connected to the supply and arranged to activate the switch after expiry of an inrush time period, the inrush time period being a time period beginning upon the supply becoming active such that current is available to be provided by the supply to the load and a reset circuit connected to the supply and the inrush period timer, the reset circuit arranged to deactivate the switch and reset the inrush period timer in response to the supply becoming inactive such that no current is available to be provided by the supply to the load.
Claims15
A device for limiting the inrush current component of a current provided by a supply to a load, the device comprising:
- an impedance arranged between the supply and the load;
- a switch arranged to divert the current from the impedance;
- an inrush period timer connected to the supply and arranged to activate the switch after expiry of an inrush time period, the inrush time period being a time period beginning upon the supply becoming active such that current is available to be provided by the supply to the load;
- and
- a reset circuit connected to the supply and the inrush period timer, the reset circuit arranged to deactivate the switch and reset the inrush period timer in response to the supply becoming inactive such that no current is available to be provided by the supply to the load.
A method for limiting the inrush current component of a current provided by a supply to a load, the method comprising:
- providing an impedance between the supply and the load to create a resistance against the inrush current;
- starting an inrush period timer in response to the supply becoming active such that current is available to be provided from the supply to the load;
- after expiration of an inrush time period, the inrush time period being a time period following the start of the inrush period timer, activating a switch to divert the current from the impedance;
- and
- deactivating the switch and resetting the inrush period timer in response to the supply becoming inactive such that no current is available to be provided by the supply to the load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.