Energy converter utilizing electrostatics

A power and control unit for use with an electrostatic motor having a torque demand and electrodes driven by a poly-phase drive scheme having at least three phase voltages comprising a power supply having a positive rail and a negative rail, a switch control unit configured to receive control inputs and adapted to receive the torque demand for calculating pulse widths for at least one of the phase voltages as a function of the torque demand and a power switch coupled to the switch control unit for making no connection or connecting one of the positive rail and the negative rail to selected electrodes for delivering the desired phase voltages to the selected electrodes using current pulses of the calculated width.

A transportation vehicle comprising a support frame and a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to the support frame, at least one electrostatic motor carried by the support frame and coupled to at least one of the wheels, the electrostatic motor including a rotor having a working surface provided with a plurality of distinct charged regions and a stator extending parallel to the rotor and having a working surface facing the working surface of the rotor and being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart electrodes and a power supply coupled to the electrodes.

A compact motorized tool for being held and operated by a human hand comprising a housing adapted for grasping by the human hand, an electrostatic motor carried by the housing and including a rotor having a working surface provided with a plurality of distinct charged regions and a stator extending parallel to the rotor and having a working surface facing the working surface of the rotor and being provided with a plurality of spaced-apart electrodes, and a tool coupled to the rotor.