AC power transfer over self-passivating connectors
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsJames R. Windgassen, Harvey P. Hack
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems to transform an alternating current into constant-polarity constant or pulsed voltages, provide these to a first group of contacts of an electrical connector assembly such that none of the contacts is subjected to polarity reversal, receive the constant-polarity constant or pulsed voltages from a second group of contacts of the electrical connector assembly, and reconstruct the alternating current from these voltages.
Claims18
A system for providing an alternating current (AC) or voltage, the system comprising:
- an electrical connector assembly configured to provide a constant-polarity voltage signal;
- and
- an AC reconstruction circuit configured to receive the constant-polarity voltage signal from the electric connector assembly and reconstruct from the constant-polarity voltage signal the alternating current as an output signal, the AC reconstruction circuit including one or more switch circuits and a control circuit configured to control the one or more switch circuits to alternately reverse connections between first and second nodes of a load based on a signal amplitude at the electrical connector assembly, wherein the AC reconstruction circuit comprises:
- a voltage regulator configured to filter and regulate the constant-polarity voltage signal;
- an operational amplifier comparator configured to generate a signal output;
- a flip flop circuit configured to divide the signal output;
- and
- a switch circuit configured to reverse a polarity of the alternating current.
A method for providing an alternating current (AC) or voltage, the method comprising:
- receiving a constant-polarity voltage signal at an electrical connector assembly;
- providing the constant-polarity voltage signal to a reconstruction circuit via the electrical connector assembly;
- and
- reconstructing the alternating current from the constant-polarity voltage signal by controlling one or more switch circuits to alternately reverse connections between first and second nodes of a load based on a signal amplitude at the electrical connector assembly, wherein reconstructing the alternating current from the constant-polarity voltage signal, comprises:
- filtering, by a voltage regulator, the constant-polarity voltage signal;
- generating, by an operational amplifier comparator, a signal output;
- dividing, by a flip flop circuit, the signal output;
- and
- reversing, by switch circuits, a polarity of the alternating current.
A system for providing an alternating current (AC) or voltage through electrical connectors;
- the system comprising:
- an electrical connector assembly configured to provide a constant-polarity voltage signal;
- and
- an AC reconstruction circuit configured to receive the constant-polarity voltage signal from the electrical connector assembly and reconstruct from the constant-polarity voltage signal the AC current as an output signal, wherein the output signal has the same frequency and amplitude as an AC input and is in phase with the AC input, wherein the AC reconstruction circuit comprises:
- a voltage regulator configured to filter and regulate a constant-polarity voltage signal;
- an operational amplifier comparator configured to generate a signal output;
- a flip flop circuit configured to divide the signal output;
- and
- a switch circuit configured to reverse a polarity of the alternating current.
A method for providing an alternating current (AC) or voltage, the method comprising:
- receiving a constant-polarity voltage signal at an electrical connector assembly;
- providing the constant-polarity voltage signal to a reconstruction circuit via the electrical connector assembly;
- and
- reconstructing from the constant-polarity voltage signal the alternating current as an output signal, wherein the output signal has the same frequency and amplitude as an AC input and is in phase with the AC input, wherein reconstructing from the constant-polarity voltage signal the alternating current, comprises:
- filtering, by a voltage regulator, the constant-polarity voltage signal;
- generating, by an operational amplifier comparator, a signal output;
- dividing, by a flip flop circuit, the signal output;
- and
- reversing, by switch circuits, a polarity of the alternating current.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.