High speed-high voltage switching with low power consumption
AssigneeThe Singer Company
InventorDavid John Martinkovic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitive load is charged through a series transistor. Peak charge currents for the load are drawn from a capacitive source whose charge is constantly maintained. Rapid discharge of the capacitive load is through a semiconductor diode and a cascade of transistors which act as switching elements. Diodes across the base-emitter junction of these switching diodes provide protection against transient damage as well as reducing the time required to cut-off conduction of the transistors. A simple transistor TTL drive (+5v) operates the switch.
Claims9
A high speed-high voltage switch which consumes little power when operative to charge and discharge a capacitive load comprising:
- a storage capacitor of several orders of magnitude greater capacity than the capacitive load;
- means to continually maintain a desired charge level on said storage capacitor;
- a conduction path of variable impedance connecting said storage capacitor and said capacitive load;
- a switched discharge path operative to discharge said capacitive load while simultaneously increasing the impedance of said variable impedance conduction path;
- and
- drive means to establish the operating state (charge or discharge) of said high speed-high voltage switch.
A method for switching a capacitive load so as to charge and discharge it at high voltage levels and high speed while consuming minimal power comprising the steps of:
- storing high voltage energy within a capacitor relatively large with respect to the load;
- maintaining a continual charge on said capacitor;
- drawing charge from said capacitor to charge said load;
- drawing said charge through a variable impedance path;
- providing a switched discharge path to discharge said load while simultaneously increasing the impedance of said variable impedance charge path;
- and
- providing a drive signal to control the operating of said switched discharge path and of said variable impedance charge path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.