POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS

• US 20150332846A1
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Hunza Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Hunza Holdings Limited
• Inventors: CUNNINGHAM, Andrew William
• Granted Patent: US 10,290,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/24 Magnetic cores
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/24 in which the lamp is fed by high frequency ac, or with separate oscillator frequencyH05B41/26 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/185 via power line carrier transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49021 Magnetic recording reproducing transducer [e.g., tape head, core, etc.]

Abstract

A power supply system including: a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current; a power transmission line connected to the power supply to form a closed circuit; and at least one pickup configured to accept and slidingly engage with the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through the pickup, and to inductively couple to the power transmission line, wherein the at least one pickup can be positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line by sliding it along the power transmission line.

Claims

1. A power supply system including:

a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current;

a power transmission line connected to the power supply to form a closed circuit; and

a plurality of pickups configured to accept and slidingly engage with the power transmission line such that each pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through said pickup, and to inductively couple to the power transmission line,

wherein each of the plurality of pickups can be positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line by being slid along the power transmission line.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply system is supplied by a mains power source.

3. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply incorporates a portion for storage of electrical energy.

4. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply provides electrical isolation between the mains input supply and the power supply output and the Earth.

5. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply includes an inverter circuit configured to provide an AC output.

6. The power supply system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the inverter produces a pulse width modulated output of between 20 kHz and 40 kHz.

7. The power supply system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the inverter produces a pulse width modulated output of substantially 32 kHz.

8. The power supply system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the pulse width modulated output has an underlying pulse train corresponding to a sinusoidal waveform.

9. The power supply system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the underlying pulse train has a frequency of between 500 Hz and 800 Hz.

10. The power supply system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the underlying pulse train has a frequency of substantially 600 Hz.

11. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply includes a low pass filter capable of filtering high frequency components from the pulse width modulated output.

12. The power supply system as claimed in claim 11 wherein the filtered pulse width modulated output comprises an AC waveform having a frequency of between 500 Hz and 800 Hz.

13. The power supply system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the filtered pulse width modulated output comprises an AC waveform having a frequency of substantially 600 Hz.

14. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power supply actively monitors the power transmission line to dynamically maintain a constant current there through.

15. The power supply system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the constant current level can be adjusted by a user of the power supply system.

16. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power transmission line comprises a plurality of power transmission line sections which are joined by way of releasable electrical connections to form a closed circuit.

17. The power supply system of claim 16 wherein the releasable electrical connections are configured to pass through the pickup to allow for the pickup to slide over the releasable electrical connections and onto a section of power transmission line.

18. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power transmission line comprises a plurality of separate transmission lines.

19. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power transmission line is configured to propagate communications signals induced thereon.

20. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein the power transmission line includes a separate communications line.

21. A pickup configured to be used with a power supply system, the system having a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current to a power transmission line connected to the power supply to form a closed circuit,

wherein the pickup is configured, in use, to thread onto and to inductively couple to the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through the pickup and wherein the pickup is capable of being positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line by sliding the pickup along the power transmission line,

wherein the power supply is configured to provide power to a plurality of said pickups.

22. The pickup as claimed in claim 21 wherein the pickup is formed from a solid core that is configured to completely encircle a portion of the power transmission line threaded through the pickup.

23. The pickup as claimed in claim 22 wherein the solid core is formed from amorphous steel.

24. A circuit including a pickup, the pickup configured to be used with a power supply system, the system having a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current to a power transmission line connected to the power supply to form a closed circuit,

wherein the pickup is configured, in use, to thread onto and to inductively couple to the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through the pickup and wherein the pickup is capable of being positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line by sliding the pickup along the power transmission line,

wherein the power supply is configured to provide power to a plurality of said pickups,

the circuit including a switched mode power supply configured to supply a load of varying wattage whilst drawing a constant current input.

25. The circuit of claim 24 including a communications interface configured to receive signals inductively communicated by way of the pickup.

26. The circuit of claim 25 wherein the communications interface is capable of transmitting signals by inductively coupling said signals to the power transmission line.

27. The circuit of claim 25 wherein the circuit can be remotely controlled by way of signals transmitted on the power transmission line.

28. A method of attaching a pickup to a power supply system having a power transmission line connected to form a closed loop with a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current, the pickup being configured to accept and slidingly engage with the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through it and to inductively couple to the power transmission line, the method including:

breaking the closed circuit power transmission line by way of separating the power transmission line,

threading the pickup onto the power transmission line at the separation, and

re-connecting the power transmission line to form a closed circuit,

wherein a plurality of pickups can be positioned along the length of the power transmission line and wherein each of said plurality of pickups can be slid along the power transmission line.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein separation of the power transmission line occurs at a releasable electrical connection.

30. A method of controlling a circuit including a pickup inductively coupled to a power transmission line, the power transmission line connected to form a closed loop with a power supply configured to provide a constant AC current through the power transmission line to a plurality of pickups, the method including:

operating a communications interface associated with the power supply system to transmit a signal on the power transmission line, the signal configured to provide instructions to the circuit;

receiving the signal by way of a communications interface associated with the circuit, and

operating the circuit in accordance with the instructions within the transmitted signal,

wherein the pickup is configured to accept and slidingly engage with the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through it, and to inductively couple to the power transmission line wherein the pickup can be positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line by sliding it along the power transmission line.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein the interface is configured to receive signals from an external source.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31 wherein the signal from an external source is received by one or more of:

an internet connection, a wireless connection, a cellular network connection, an interface with a control panel.

33. A method of performing diagnostics on a power supply system including a power transmission line connected to form a closed loop with a power supply, the power supply configured to provide a constant AC current through the power transmission line to a plurality of pickups, and one or more circuits including communications interfaces coupled to the transmission line, the method including:

using a pickup to inductively couple a circuit communications interface to the power transmission line;

using the circuit communications interface to send communication signals to at least one of the one or more circuits attached to the power transmission line; and

controlling the at least one circuit using the communicated signal,

wherein the one or more circuits and the circuit communications interface include pickups that are configured to accept and slidingly engage with the power transmission line such that the pickup completely encircles a portion of the power transmission line threaded through it, and to inductively couple to the power transmission line, wherein the pickup can be positioned at any point along the length of the power transmission line or circuit by sliding the pickup along the power transmission line or circuit.

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)