Uninterruptible A/C power supply transfer unit
AssigneeCRU Acquistion Group, LLC
InventorsDean L. Mehler, James P. Wiebe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power transfer device (20) is used to transfer an energy consuming device (10) from one A/C power supply (12) to a different A/C power supply (16) without material interruption of the device's operation. In some embodiments, power transfer devices (20) and methods of their use are provided for transferring an energy consuming device (10) from a first power supply (12) to a second power supply (16). In other embodiments, power transfer devices and methods of their use are provided for transferring an energy consuming device (10) from a first power supply (12) to a second power supply (16) when the wiring scheme of the first power supply is uncertain or undetermined.
Claims14
A power transfer device comprising:
- a first power receptacle;
- a second power receptacle;
- and
- a power transfer circuit adapted to isolate the first power receptacle from the second power receptacle while the first power receptacle is connected to a first power supply and the second power receptacle is connected to a second power supply, and to transfer power from the first power receptacle to the second power receptacle upon a loss of power from the second power supply at the second power receptacle.
A method of transferring the power supply connected to an electrical connection device from a first power supply to a second power supply, the electrical connection device for connecting an energy consuming device to a power supply, the method comprising:
- connecting a first power receptacle to the second power supply;
- connecting a second power receptacle to the electrical connection device while the electrical connection device is connected to the first power supply and an energy consuming device is connected to the electrical connection device, the energy consuming device thereby receiving power from the first power supply;
- after connecting the first power receptacle to the second power supply and connecting a second power receptacle to the electrical connection device, disconnecting the electrical connection device from the first power supply;
- and
- in response to the disconnection of the electrical connection device from the first power supply, electrically connecting the first power receptacle to the second power receptacle sufficiently rapidly to maintain operation of the energy consuming device.
A power transfer device configured to be operated selectively in a plurality of predefined operating states, comprising:
- a first power receptacle;
- a second power receptacle;
- and
- a power transfer circuit, wherein the power transfer circuit is adapted to transition automatically the power transfer device between a plurality of operating states responsive at least in part to power at the first and second power receptacles, and further wherein the plurality of operating states includes:
- a first operating state wherein the first power receptacle is connected to a first power supply and the second power receptacle is connected to a second power supply, and the first and second power receptacles are electrically isolated from each other;
- and
- a second operating state wherein the first power receptacle is connected to the first power supply and the second power receptacle is not connected to the second power supply, and the first power receptacle is electrically connected to the second power receptacle;
- wherein the first and second power receptacles are maintained in electrical isolation from each other during the first operating state as a result of the power received on the second power receptacle, and the power transfer circuit transitions from the first operating state to the second operating state in response to disconnection of the second power supply from the second receptacle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.