Power supply for in-line power controllers and two-terminal electronic thermostat employing same

A power supply for an in-line power controller, the power controller being connectable in series with an electrical device and selectively providing power to the electrical device, the power controller including switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and substantially non-conductive state and being connectable in series with the electrical device and control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means, the power supply supplying power to at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply comprising:

• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and being connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• and
• a capacitor divider network, the capacitor divider network including at least a first capacitor coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second capacitor coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected.

A two-terminal electronic thermostat connectable in series with an electrical device and a source of AC power and selectively providing AC power to the electrical device, which comprises:

• switching means conectable in series with the electrical device, the switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and a substantially non-conductive state;
• control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means;
• an ambient temperature sensor, the ambient temperature sensor generating an output signal corresponding to an ambient temperature sensed by the sensor, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the ambient temperature sensor;
• adjustable means for adjustably setting a set point temperature, the adjustable set point temperature means generating an output signal corresponding to a selected set point temperature, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the adjustable set point temperature means;
• a voltage transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding of the voltage transformer being coupled in parallel with the switching means;
• a current transformer separate from the voltage transformer, the current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means coupled to the secondary winding of the voltage transformer, the first rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• and
• a first capacitor, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected and coupled to the first capacitor.

A two-terminal electronic thermostat connectable in series with an electrical device and a source of AC power and selectively providing AC power to the electrical device, which comprises:

• switching means connectable in series with the electrical device, the switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and a substantially non-conductive state;
• control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means;
• an ambient temperature sensor, the ambient temperature sensor generating an output signal corresponding to an ambient temperature sensed by the sensor, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the ambient temperature sensor;
• adjustable means for adjustably setting a set point temperature, the adjustable set point temperature means generating an output signal corresponding to a selected set point temperature, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the adjustable set point temperature means;
• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and being connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• and
• a capacitor divider network, the capacitor divider network including at least a first capacitor coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second capacitor coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected.

A self-setting power supply for an in-line power controller, the power controller being connectable in series with an electrical device and selectively providing power to the electrical device, the power controller including switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and substantially non-conductive state and being connectable in series with the electrical device and control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means, the power supply supplying a DC voltage of a predetermined magnitude to at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply being alternatively connectable to different sources of higher and lower AC voltages while maintaining substantially the same magnitude of DC voltage provided to the at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply comprising:

• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• a capacitor divider network, the capacitor divider network including at least a first branch having a first branch capacitance coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second branch having a second branch capacitance coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected;
• and
• means for changing at least one of the first branch capacitance of the first branch and the second branch capacitance of the second branch of the capacitor divider network in response to the power supply being alternatively connected to the different sources of higher and lower AC voltages.

A power supply for an in-line power controller, the power controller being connectable in series with an electrical device and selectively providing power to the electrical device, the power controller including switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and substantially non-conductive state and being connectable in series with the electrical device and control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means, the power supply supplying power to at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply comprising:

• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and being connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• and
• a voltage divider network, the voltage divider network including at least a first component having a predetermined impedance coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second component having a predetermined impedance coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected.

A two-terminal electronic thermostat connectable in series with an electrical device and a source of AC power and selectively providing AC power to the electrical device, which comprises:

• switching means connectable in series with the electrical device, the switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and a substantially non-conductive state;
• control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means;
• an ambient temperature sensor, the ambient temperature sensor generating an output signal corresponding to an ambient temperature sensed by the sensor, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the ambient temperature sensor;
• adjustable means for adjustably setting a set point temperature, the adjustable set point temperature means generating an output signal corresponding to a selected set point temperature, the control means being responsive to the output signal of the adjustable set point temperature means;
• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and being connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• and
• a voltage divider network, the voltage divider network including at least a first component having a predetermined impedance coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second component having a predetermined impedance coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected.

A self-setting power supply for an in-line power controller, the power controller being connectable in series with an electrical device and selectively providing power to the electrical device, the power controller including switching means being switchable between at least a substantially conductive and substantially non-conductive state and being connectable in series with the electrical device and control means for selectively controlling the substantially conductive and non-conductive states of the switching means, the power supply supplying a DC voltage of a predetermined magnitude to at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply being alternatively connectable to different sources of higher and lower AC voltages while maintaining substantially the same magnitude of DC voltage provided to the at least one of the switching means and the control means, the power supply comprising:

• a current transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being connected in series with the switching means and connectable in series with the electrical device;
• first rectifier means, the first rectifier means having at least a first AC input and a second AC input and having DC outputs of opposite polarity, the second AC input being coupled to the primary winding of the current transformer;
• second rectifier means separate from the first rectifier means, the second rectifier means being coupled to the secondary winding of the current transformer, the second rectifier means having DC outputs of opposite polarity;
• a voltage divider network, the voltage divider network including at least a first branch having a first branch impedance coupled between the switching means and the first AC input of the first rectifier means, and a second branch having a second branch impedance coupled between the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means, like polarities of the DC outputs of the first and second rectifier means being interconnected;
• and
• means for changing at least one of the first branch impedance of the first branch and the second branch impedance of the second branch of the voltage divider network in response to the power supply being alternatively connected to the different sources of higher and lower AC voltages.