Inductive power harvester with power limiting capability
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorMartin J. Vos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A power harvester having a current transformer configured to be inductively coupled to a current conductor and a circuit for delivering power to a load. The transformer core has two sections joined together and separable from one another at interleaved portions, allowing the transformer to be installed around the current conductor. The circuit includes a rectifier coupled to the transformer and a transistor coupled in series between the rectifier and a load. The transistor receives an output current from the rectifier and provides power to the load. A resistor is coupled to the transistor and the load, and the transistor and resistor provide for limiting of the power to the load over a wide range of the conductor line currents.
Claims13
A power harvester, comprising:
- a transformer having a core and a coil around the core, wherein the core has an interleaved portion and the transformer is configured to be inductively coupled to a current conductor, wherein the core comprises a first section and a second section, the first section is separable from the second section at the interleaved portion, and the interleaved portion comprises first protrusions on the first section alternating with second protrusions on the second section;
- a rectifier coupled to the coil;
- a transistor coupled in series between the rectifier and a load, wherein the transistor receives an output current from the rectifier and provides power to the load;
- and
- a resistor coupled to the transistor and the load,
- wherein the transistor and resistor provide for limiting of the power to the load over a particular range of currents within the current conductor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.