US 4,109,192 A · Low power reactive drive circuit for capacitive loads

Abstract

A circuit for driving capacitive loads which utilizes the temporary storage characteristics of an inductor in a resonant LC configuration to force current to flow from a low potential location to a high potential location at selected switching times. The circuit is controlled by an externally activated switching network in series with the inductor and capacitive load which network comprises two unidirectional conducting branches oriented to allow current flow in opposite directions through the respective branches. By appropriately opening and closing switches in the two branches, the switching network can regulate the flow of current through the inductor to either charge or discharge the capacitive load without the necessity of dissipating energy when the capacitive load is either charged or discharged. Components are also included for replacing the inherent power losses of the circuit.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A reactive drive circuit for driving a capacitive load comprising in combination:

(a) inductive means;
(b) an energy reservoir;
(c) switching network means, said switching network comprising first and second oppositely poled unidirectional conducting branches at least one branch of which includes a controllable switch;
(d) switch control means coupled to said switching network means for controlling the opening and closing of said controllable switch;
and
(e) wherein said inductive means, said energy reservoir and said switching network means are coupled in series with one another and are coupled to said capacitive load such that said capacitive load is discharged through said inductive means and said first conducting branch into said energy reservoir;
and said capacitive load is charged primarily by energy reapplied thereto from said energy reservoir through said second conducting branch and said inductive means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Low power reactive drive circuit for capacitive loads

Life of this patent

Low power reactive drive circuit for capacitive loads

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5