Fan controller
AssigneeTDK-Lambda UK Limited
InventorsQuinn Kneller, Mark Saintey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fan controller (1) for a modular power supply having a fan (13). An output (8) is provided for transmitting control signals to the fan (13) for controlling fan speed. A plurality of sensor modules (20) are associated with a respective module (11, 6, 7) of the modular power supply. Each sensor module (20) includes a temperature detecting circuit comprising a sensor for sensing temperature variations in the respective module (11, 6, 7), a fan control circuit (30) galvanically isolated from the temperature detecting circuit for outputting a control signal to the output (8) for controlling the fan (13), and an optocoupler (10,9) for transferring an output signal from the temperature detecting circuit (20) to the fan control circuit (30) for generating the control signal.
Claims15
A fan controller for a modular power supply having a mains input side, a low voltage output side comprising a plurality of galvanically isolated output modules, and a fan, the fan controller comprising:
- an output for transmitting control signals to the fan for controlling fan speed;
- and
- a plurality of sensor modules each sensor module associated with a respective one of the plurality of output modules of the modular power supply, wherein each sensor module comprises:
- a temperature detecting circuit comprising a sensor for sensing temperature variations in the respective module;
- a fan control circuit galvanically isolated from the temperature detecting circuit for outputting a control signal to the output for controlling the fan;
- and
- an optocoupler for transferring an output signal from the temperature detecting circuit to the fan control circuit for generating the control signal.
A power supply comprising:
- a mains input side;
- a low voltage output side comprising a plurality of output modules;
- a fan for cooling the plurality of modules, the fan having an input for receiving a control signal for controlling the fan's speed;
- and
- a plurality of sensor modules, each sensor module associated with a respective output module of the plurality of output modules of the modular power supply, wherein each sensor module comprises:
- a temperature detecting circuit comprising a sensor for sensing temperature variations in the respective module;
- a fan control circuit galvanically isolated from the temperature detecting circuit for outputting a control signal to the fan's input for controlling the fan;
- and
- an optocoupler for transferring an output signal from the temperature detecting circuit to the fan control circuit for generating the control signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.