AC/DC converter having single detectable input

• US 20070170785A1
• Filed: 01/26/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iGo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iGo, Inc.
• Inventors: McCoy, Bryan, The, Agus, Davis, William, Finkel, Alan, Stirling, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/130
• 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

An AC/DC input power converter including only a single input cable such that a user will never have to switch cabling, regardless if the cable is connected to an AC voltage source or a DC voltage source.

Claims

1. A power converter, comprising:

an input;

a DC/DC converter configured to receive a DC input voltage from the input and provide a first DC voltage to an output;

a AC/DC converter configured to receive an AC input voltage from the input and provide a second DC voltage to the output; and

a detector configured to detect whether the AC input voltage or the DC input voltage is provided to the input and responsively enable or disable either the DC/DC converter or the AC/DC converter.

2. The power converter as specified in claim 1 wherein the detector comprises a circuit including an integrator configured to change the output state of said detector upon detection of the DC input voltage.

3. The power converter as specified in claim 2 wherein the detector comprises a solid state switch configured to detect the DC input voltage.

4. The power converter as specified in claim 2 further comprising a relay configured to pass the DC input voltage as a function of the integrator.

5. The power converter as specified in claim 1 wherein the power converter further comprises displaceable prongs configured to receive the AC input voltage and which are electrically coupled to the AC/DC converter, wherein the detector is configured to detect and respond to a position of the displaceable prongs.

6. The power converter as specified in claim 5 wherein the displaceable prongs are configured to be rotatable between a first position and a second position.

7. The power converter as specified in claim 5 wherein the detector is configured to selectively control the DC/DC converter as a function of the prongs'"'"' position.