# US 7,612,541 B1 · Charge-pump voltage converter

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,612,541 B1
- Document ID: US7612541B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 11/835,046
- Filed: 2007-08-07
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2007-08-07
- Assignees: Sandia Corporation
- Inventors: John P. Brainard; Todd R. Christenson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612541B1

## CPC

- H02N 1/08: with conductive charge carrier, i.e. capacitor machines
- H02N: ELECTRIC MACHINES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A charge-pump voltage converter for converting a low voltage provided by a low-voltage source to a higher voltage. Charge is inductively generated on a transfer rotor electrode during its transit past an inductor stator electrode and subsequently transferred by the rotating rotor to a collector stator electrode for storage or use. Repetition of the charge transfer process leads to a build-up of voltage on a charge-receiving device. Connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in series can generate higher voltages, and connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in parallel can generate higher currents. Microelectromechanical (MEMS) embodiments of this invention provide a small and compact high-voltage (several hundred V) voltage source starting with a few-V initial voltage source. The microscale size of many embodiments of this invention make it ideally suited for MEMS- and other micro-applications where integration of the voltage or charge source in a small package is highly desirable.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A charge-pump voltage converter comprising:
a stator comprising a rotor cavity, the rotor cavity having an insulating inner surface;
a rotor rotatably mounted in the rotor cavity, the rotor having an insulating circumferential surface and having means for connecting to a rotatable shaft;
at least one inductor electrode mounted on the insulating inner surface of the rotor cavity and having an inducing surface;
at least one transfer electrode mounted on the insulating circumferential surface of the rotor and having a transferring surface, a separation of the at least one inductor electrode and the at least one transfer electrode being suitable for induction of charge by the inductor electrode on the transfer electrode when a portion of the inducing surface is radially aligned with a portion of the transferring surface;
grounding means for connecting the at least one transfer electrode to a common for a portion of time while within an induction distance from the inductor electrode, wherein the transfer electrode has at least one contact-interruption means oriented out of a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor, the contact-interruption means serving to momentarily interrupt current flow between the transfer electrode and the grounding means as the transfer electrode rotates past the grounding means; and
charge-transfer means for transferring charge from the transfer electrode to a charge-receiving means.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The charge-pump voltage converter of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact-interruption means comprises at least one of a slot, an insulating material in a depression in the transfer electrode, and a raised textural element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The charge-pump converter of claim 1, further comprising an inductor connected in series between the grounding means and the inductor electrode.