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US 8,432,212 B2Granted
Switching element having an electromechanical switch and methods for making and using same
AssigneeClean Energy Labs, LLC
InventorsDavid A. Badger, Joseph F. Pinkerton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A switching element having an electromechanical switch (such as an electrically conductive membrane switch, for example a graphene membrane switch) is disclosed herein. Such a switching element can be made and used in a switching power converter to reduce power loss and to maximize efficiency of the switching power converter.
Claims44
A switching element comprising:
- (a) a first switch;
- (b) a second switch, wherein the second switch is an electromechanical switch connected electrically in parallel with the first switch;
- and
- (c) a controller, wherein
- (i) the controller is operatively connected to the first switch and the second switch,
- (ii) the controller is operable for turning on the first switch at a first voltage,
- (iii) the controller is operable for turning on the second switch at a second voltage after a first time delay such that the second switch is turned on after the first switch is turned on by the controller,
- (iv) the second voltage is less than the first voltage,
- (v) the controller is operable for turning off the first switch after a second time delay such that the first switch is turned off after the second switch is turned on by the controller, and
- (vi) the controller is operable for turning off the second switch after a third time delay such that the second switch is turned off after the first switch is turned off by the controller.
7 more elements
A switching element comprising:
- (a) a first switch;
- (b) a second switch, wherein the second switch is an electrically conductive membrane switch connected electrically in parallel with the first switch;
- and
- (c) a controller operatively connected to the first switch and the second switch such that the controller is operable for controlling the first switch and the second switch, wherein
- (ii) the controller is operable for turning on the first switch at a first voltage,
- (iii) the controller is operable for turning on the second switch at a second voltage after a first time delay such that the second switch is turned on after the first switch is turned on by the controller, and
- (iv) the second voltage is less than the first voltage
- (v) the controller is operable for turning off the first switch after a second time delay such that the first switch is turned off after the second switch is turned on by the controller, and
- (vi) the controller is operable for turning off the second switch after a third time delay such that the second switch is turned off after the first switch is turned off by the controller.
6 more elements
A switching power converter comprising:
- (a) a first switching element;
- (b) second switching element, wherein the second switching element comprises
- (i) an electromechanical switch,
- (ii) a parallel switch connected electrically in parallel to the electromechanical switch, and
- (iii) a controller, wherein
- (1) the controller is operable for turning on the parallel switch at a first voltage,
- (2) the controller is operable for turning on the electromechanical switch at a second voltage after a first time delay such that the electromechanical switch is turned on after the parallel switch is turned on by the controller,
- (3) the controller is operable for turning off the parallel switch after a second time delay such that the parallel switch is turned off after the electromechanical switch is turned on by the controller;
- and
- (4) the controller is operable for turning off the electromechanical switch after a third time delay such that the electromechanical switch is turned off after the parallel switch is turned off by the controller, and
- (5) the second voltage is less than the first voltage;
- (c) a power source;
- (d) a filter;
- and
- (e) a load, wherein the first switching element, the second switching element, the power source, the filter, and the load are operatively connected for switching power converting operations.
12 more elements
A method of operating a switching element comprising the steps of:
- (a) turning on a first switch at a first voltage;
- (b) turning on a second switch at a second voltage after a first time delay, wherein
- (i) the second switch is an electromechanical switch,
- (ii) the second switch is turned on after the first switch is turned on, and
- (iii) the second voltage is less than the first voltage;
- (c) turning off said first switch after a second time delay, wherein the first switch is turned off after the second switch is turned on;
- and
- (d) turning off the second switch after a third time delay, wherein the second switch is turned off after the first switch is turned off.
5 more elements
A method of operating a switching power convertor comprising the steps of:
- (a) operating a first switching element;
- (b) operating a second switching element, comprising
- (i) turning on a first switch at a first voltage;
- (ii) turning on a second switch at a second voltage after a first time delay, wherein
- (1) the second switch is connected electrically in parallel to the first switch,
- (2) the second switch comprises an electromechanical switch,
- (3) the second switch is turned on after the first switch is turned on,
- (4) the second voltage is less than the first voltage, and
- (5) the switching power converter converts power selected from the group consisting of (I) converting AC power to DC power, (II) converting DC power to AC power, (III) converting one DC voltage level to another DC voltage level, and (IV) a combination thereof;
- (iii) turning off said first switch after a second time delay, wherein the first switch is turned off after the second switch is turned on;
- and
- (iv) turning off the second switch after a third time delay, wherein the second switch is turned off after the first switch is turned off.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.