Dual input voltage adapter system and method

• US 20030197425A1
• Filed: 12/05/2002
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles J. Montante
• Original Assignee: Charles J. Montante
• Inventors: Montante, Charles J.
• Application Number:
  US10/310,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20030197425A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/26
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/10 Arrangements incorporating converting means for enabling loads to be operated at will from different kinds of power supplies, e.g. from ac or dc

Abstract

A voltage adapter for use with DC operable devices and for deriving a DC output voltage from either an AC voltage power source or a DC voltage power source. The voltage adapter, which is selectively coupled by a cable assembly to either a DC voltage power source or an AC voltage power source, includes separate voltage regulators for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the AC voltage and a DC output voltage derived from the DC voltage. The voltage adapter also allows selection of the amplitude for the DC output voltage within a range.

Claims

1. A voltage delivery system for use with a DC voltage operable device and a remote voltage power source, comprising:

a voltage adapter for deriving a DC output voltage from either an AC voltage power source or a DC voltage power source

a first cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage power source;

a second cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to assembly AC voltage power source; and

a third cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage operable device, said voltage adapter including a first voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the AC voltage and a second voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the DC voltage.

2. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a feedback circuit for deriving from said DC output voltage feedback signal for controlling said first voltage regulator and said second voltage regulator.

3. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said first voltage regulator includes a first switching device and a first pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said first switching device and said second voltage regulator includes a second switching device and a second a pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said second switching device.

4. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a DC output circuit portion adapted to allow the selection of the amplitude of the DC output voltage.

5. The voltage delivery system according to claim 4, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises an overvoltage protection portion for disabling at least one of said voltage regulators whenever the amplitude of the DC output voltage exceeds a pre-determined value.

6. The voltage delivery system according to claim 3, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a common feedback circuit for deriving from said DC output voltage, feedback signals for said first pulse-width modulator and said second pulse-width modulator.

7. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage adapter further includes a voltage boosting converter portion for boosting the amplitude of a DC input voltage from said DC voltage power source to a higher amplitude in deriving said DC output voltage.

8. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a first in-rush current limiter for reducing in-rush current due to AC input voltage and a second in-rush current limiter for reducing in-rush current due to DC input voltage.

9. The voltage delivery system according to claim 1, wherein said DC output circuit allows selection of the amplitude for the DC output voltage within a range of about 15 volts DC to 25 volts DC.

10. A voltage delivery system for use with a DC voltage operable device and a remote voltage power source, comprising:

a voltage adapter for deriving a DC output voltage from either an AC voltage power source or a DC voltage power source

a first cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage power source;

a second cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to assembly AC voltage power source;

a third cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage operable device;

said voltage adapter including a first voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the AC voltage and a second voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the DC voltage;

a DC output circuit; and

a switching device interposed between said first and second voltage regulators and said DC output circuit for selectively extending said first and second regulated voltages to said DC output circuit.

11. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a feedback circuit for deriving from said DC output voltage feedback signal for controlling said first voltage regulator and said second voltage regulator.

12. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said first voltage regulator includes a first switching device and a first pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said first switching device and said second voltage regulator includes a second switching device and a second a pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said second switching device.

13. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said voltage adapter further includes a DC output voltage amplitude selection circuit adapted to allow the selection of the amplitude of the DC output voltage.

14. The voltage delivery system according to claim 13, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises an overvoltage protection portion for disabling at least one of said voltage regulators whenever the amplitude of the DC output voltage exceeds a pre-determined value.

15. The voltage delivery system according to claim 13 wherein said DC output voltage amplitude selection circuit includes a variable resistance device.

16. The voltage delivery system according to claim 12, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a common feedback circuit for deriving from said DC output voltage, feedback signals for said first pulse-width modulator and said second pulse-width modulator.

17. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said voltage adapter further includes a voltage boosting converter portion for boosting the amplitude of a DC input voltage from said DC voltage power source to a higher amplitude in deriving said DC output voltage.

18. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a first in-rush current limiter for reducing in-rush current due to AC input voltage and a second in-rush current limiter for reducing in-rush current due to DC input voltage.

19. The voltage delivery system according to claim 10, wherein said DC output circuit allows selection of the amplitude for the DC output voltage within a range of about 15 volts DC to 25 volts DC.

20. The voltage delivery system according to claim 16 wherein said voltage adapter includes an opto-coupling device for coupling a feedback signal from a feedback circuit to one of said voltage regulators.

21. A voltage delivery system for use with a DC voltage operable device and a remote voltage power source, comprising:

a voltage adapter for deriving a DC output voltage from either an AC voltage from said AC voltage power source or a DC voltage from said DC voltage power source,

a first cable assembly capable of electrically coupling said voltage adapter to a DC voltage power source or an AC voltage power source; and

a second cable assembly for electrically coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage operable device, said voltage adapter including a DC output circuit portion adapted to allow the selection of the amplitude of the DC output voltage.

22. The voltage delivery system according to claim 21, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a voltage regulator for regulating the DC output voltage, said voltage regulator includes a switching device and a pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said switching device.

23. The voltage delivery system according to claim 22, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a feedback circuit for deriving from said DC output voltage, a feedback signal for said voltage regulator.

24. The voltage delivery system according to claim 21, wherein said voltage adapter further comprises a first voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the AC voltage and a second voltage regulator for regulating a DC output voltage derived from the DC voltage.

25. The voltage delivery system according to claim 24, wherein said first voltage regulator includes a first switching device and a first pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said first switching device and said second voltage regulator includes a second switching device and a second a pulse-width modulator for providing a drive signal for said second switching device.

26. The voltage delivery system according to claim 21, wherein said DC output circuit allows selection of the amplitude for the DC output voltage within a range of about 15 volts DC to 25 volts DC.

27. A dual input voltage adapter for use with a DC voltage operable device, said dual input voltage adapter comprising:

means for electrically coupling said dual input voltage adapter to an AC voltage power source;

means for electrically coupling said dual input voltage adapter to a DC voltage power source;

means for electrically coupling said dual input voltage adapter to a DC voltage operable device;

means for deriving a DC output voltage from either said AC voltage power source or DC voltage power source for delivering the DC output voltage to said DC operable device; and

means for selecting the amplitude of the DC output voltage.

28. The voltage adapter according to claim 27, further comprising means for regulating the DC output voltage.

29. The voltage adapter according to claim 27, further comprising means for deriving from said DC output voltage, a feedback signal for controlling said voltage regulator.

30. The voltage adapter according to claim 27, further comprises first means for regulating the AC voltage and second means for regulating the DC voltage.

31. The voltage adapter according to claim 27, further comprising means for boosting the amplitude of a DC input voltage from said DC voltage power source to a higher amplitude in deriving said DC output voltage.

32. A method of supplying DC voltage to a DC operable device, said method comprising the steps of:

selectively coupling a cable assembly from a voltage adapter to either a DC voltage power source or an AC voltage power source;

coupling said voltage adapter to said DC voltage operable device; and

regulating a DC output voltage derived from the AC voltage using a first voltage regulator and regulating a DC output voltage derived from the DC voltage using a second voltage regulator.

33. The method according to claim 32, said method further comprising the steps of selecting an amplitude for the DC output voltage and delivering the selected DC output voltage to said DC voltage operable device.

34. The method according to claim 32, said method further comprising the step of deriving from said DC output voltage, feedback signals for said first voltage regulator and said second voltage regulator.

35. The method according to claim 32, and further comprising optically coupling a feedback signal from a feedback circuit to one of said voltage regulators.