Capacitor harvester
OwnerDavid A. Rhein, Dragan Tabakovicinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit interrupting device including a vacuum interrupter, a separable ceramic capacitor, and an insulating housing. The vacuum interrupter includes a vacuum bottle and first and second contacts disposed within the vacuum bottle. The second contact is movable relative to the first contact between a closed position and an open position. The separable ceramic capacitor is electrically connected in parallel with the vacuum interrupter provided over an outer surface of the vacuum bottle. The insulating housing encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the vacuum interrupter.
Claims18
A circuit interrupting device comprising:
- a separable ceramic capacitor electrically connected in parallel with an electronic component and provided over an outer surface of the electronic component, wherein the separable ceramic capacitor is electrically connected between an alternating current (AC) line voltage source and a converter;
- and
- an insulating housing that encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the electronic component.
A recloser comprising:
- a terminal configured to electrically connect the recloser to a power line included in a power distribution network;
- an electronic component;
- a separable ceramic capacitor electrically connected in parallel with the electronic component;
- an insulating housing that encloses the separable ceramic capacitor and the electronic component;
- and
- a harvester circuit configured to provide power to a load with power from the separable ceramic capacitor when the first and second contacts are in the open position, the harvester circuit includes:
- a rectifier configured to convert alternating current (AC) power flowing through the separable ceramic capacitor into direct current (DC) power output;
- and
- an electrolytic capacitor that is configured to provide the DC power output by the rectifier to the load.
A method of manufacturing a circuit interrupting device, the method comprising:
- sliding a separable ceramic capacitor over an electronic component;
- and
- enclosing the electronic component and the separable ceramic capacitor in an insulating housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.