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US 12,144,073 B1Granted
Voltage doubling circuit for powering a load
AssigneeTomar Electronics, Inc.
InventorScott T. Sikora
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A voltage doubling circuit including a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a control circuit configured to charge a charging capacitor during a negative alternating current cycle, and including a storage capacitor that receives a voltage from the charging capacitor during a positive alternating current cycle, and by charging the storage capacitor from the charging capacitor when the SCR is off, the storage capacitor is prevented from exceeding its regulated voltage even if the SCR fails.
Claims18
A voltage doubling circuit configured for providing power to a strobe light, the circuit comprising:
- a positive terminal and a negative terminal configured to couple across an alternating current voltage source;
- at least one resistor connected in a parallel configuration with each of at least one non-polar charging capacitor forming a parallel combination, the parallel combination together being connected in series between the positive terminal and the first output terminal;
- a second output terminal coupled to the negative terminal;
- a diode connected in series between the parallel combination and the first output terminal and configured to allow the flow of current from the capacitors to the first output terminal;
- a polar storage capacitor having an anode coupled between the diode and the first output terminal, and a cathode coupled to the negative terminal;
- a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a cathode coupled between the parallel combination and the diode, and an anode coupled to the negative terminal;
- and
- a control circuit having a first connection to the positive terminal, a second connection to the negative terminal, and a third connection to a gate of the SCR, the control circuit configured to switch the SCR between an on state to allow the flow of electricity through the SCR, and an off state to restrict the flow of electricity through the SCR;
- wherein during a negative half of an AC cycle the control circuit is configured to control the SCR to allow the flow of electricity such that the at least one non-polar charging capacitor is charged to a maximum voltage, and during a positive half of the AC cycle the control circuit is configured to control the SCR to restrict the flow of electricity such that the at least one non-polar charging capacitor discharges through the diode and into the polar storage capacitor;
- wherein by charging the polar storage capacitor through the SCR, the polar storage capacitor is prevented from being over-voltaged even if the SCR fails;
- and
- wherein the first output terminal and the second output terminal are configured to provide power to a strobe light.
9 more elements
A voltage doubling circuit for providing power to a load, the circuit comprising:
- a first power terminal and a second power terminal configured to couple across an alternating current voltage source;
- at least one charging capacitor coupled in series between the first power terminal and a first output terminal;
- a second output terminal coupled to the second power terminal;
- a diode connected in series between the charging capacitor and the first output terminal, and configured to allow the flow of current from the charging capacitor to the first output terminal;
- a storage capacitor having a first lead coupled between a first node positioned between the diode and the first output terminal, and a second lead coupled to the second power terminal;
- a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a cathode coupled at a second node between the charging capacitor and the diode, and an anode coupled to the second power terminal;
- and
- a control circuit having a first connection to power, a second connection to power, and a third connection to a gate of the SCR, the control circuit configured to switch the SCR between an on state to allow the flow of electricity through the SCR, and an off state to restrict the flow of electricity through the SCR;
- wherein during a negative half of an AC cycle the control circuit is configured to control the SCR to allow the flow of electricity such that the charging capacitor is charged, and during a positive half of the AC cycle the SCR restricts the flow of electricity such that the charging capacitor charges the storage capacitor through the diode;
- wherein the storage capacitor is prevented from being over-voltaged even if the SCR fails.
7 more elements
A method of powering a load with a voltage doubling circuit, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a voltage doubling circuit comprising:
- a first power terminal, a first output terminal, a second power terminal and a second output terminal;
- a charging capacitor coupled in series between the first power terminal and the first output terminal;
- a diode coupled in series between the charging capacitor and the first output terminal;
- a storage capacitor having a first lead coupled at a first node between the diode and the first output terminal, and a second lead coupled to the second power terminal;
- and
- a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) having a cathode coupled at a second node between the charging capacitor and the diode, and an anode coupled to the second power terminal;
- b) coupling the first power terminal and the second power terminal across an alternating current voltage source having an input voltage;
- and
- c) controlling the SCR with a control circuit to allow the flow of electricity through the SCR to the charging capacitor during a negative half of an AC cycle of the alternating current voltage source;
- wherein flow of electricity through the SCR during the positive half of the AC cycle is restricted such that the charging capacitor discharges into the storage capacitor;
- and
- wherein the storage capacitor is charged to a voltage up to twice the peak input voltage to power a load placed across the first output terminal and the second output terminal.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.