AUTONOMOUS DEVICE FOR THE STORAGE AND USE OF ELECTRICAL POWER

• US 3,683,258 A
• Filed: 03/02/1971
• Issued: 08/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jacques Harbonn
• Original Assignee: Jacques Harbonn
• Inventors: Harbonn, Jacques
• Primary Examiner(s): J. D. Miller
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robert J. Hickey
• Application Number:
  US05/120,291
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 307/46,48 320/3,4,21,61,8 317/20 322/7,8 318/16,139 290/50,44
• US Class Current: 320/103
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0031 using battery or load disconnect circuits H02J9/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters

Abstract

Autonomous device for the storage and the use of electric power for controlling at least one member of a sub - station from a remote main station , comprising , at said sub - station , a low power autonomous generator , a main electric power accumulator , intermediary power accumulator means charged with the current supplied by the generator and discharged in said main accumulator , means for actuating said member , energized by said accumulator and controlled by control means remotely actuated from the main station , means for maintaining a minimum charge level of the accumulator which is sufficient for switching the member to be controlled to a security position and security means adapted to switch said member to its security position and to interrupt the charge current to said main accumulator in response to abnormal values of the current supplied by the generator.

Claims

1. An autonomous device for the storage and use of the electric power supplied by an autonomous generator of low power generating capacity adapted to feed with electric current an installation provided with at least one member to be controlled, which has a security position, and means for controlling said member, comprising the combination of:

a main electric power accumulator;

connection means between said generator and said main accumulator, providing for the charge of the latter with an electric current supplied by said generator;

means for connecting said main accumulator to said member to be controlled in order to supply to said member a control current, said means for connecting being actuated by the means for controlling said member;

operating means adapted to periodically actuate said connection means, so as to maintain the charge of said accumulator above a predetermined value which is sufficient to insure the switching to its security position of said member to be controlled;

means for controlling the current supplied by said generator and adapted to issue a pulse is response to abnormal values of the current supplied by the generator;

means for controlling the current supplied to said main accumulator; and

safety means connected to said control means and to said operating means and adapted, at the reception of said pulse, on the one hand, to actuate said means for controlling said member, so as to switch the same to its security position and, on the other hand, to actuate said operating means for maintaining said connection means in open position, thereby interrupting the charge current to said main accumulator;

said connection means to said main accumulator having a plurality of channels, each of which comprises at least one intermediary storage element for the electric power supplied by said generator, said connection means connecting each intermediary element, on the one hand, to said generator and, on the other hand, to said main accumulator, to provide for the charge of the latter by the current supplied by said intermediary element;

said operating means comprising a program element adapted to periodically and separately connect each intermediary eLement, on the one hand, to said generator and, on the other hand, to said main accumulator, in accordance with a connection program which may be selected within a set of different programs which may be established at will by said program element;

said means for controlling the current supplied to said main accumulator being connected to said operating means and adapted to issue a signal in response to any abnormal value of the current supplied by one of said intermediary elements occurring on at least one of said channels, said signal actuating said operating means so as to disconnect said channel on which occurred said abnormal value and to modify the program of said program element in order to make possible the charge of the main accumulator by means of the remaining channels.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said generator is an isotopic electricity source.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said generator is a fuel cell.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for controlling the current supplied by said generator comprises a short-circuit detecting device and a device for detecting an open circuit.

5. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the electric current supplied to the installation by the main accumulator, adapted to issue a signal in response to abnormal values of said current, said means for controlling being connected to said safety means, and means for monitoring of at least one parameter, characteristic of the operation of the installation, adapted to deliver a signal in response to abnormal values of said parameter, said means for controlling and means for monitoring being connected to said safety means which are adapted to actuate said means for controlling said member of the installation at the reception of at least one of said signals, so as to switch said member to its security position.

6. A device according to claim 5, for the electric power supply of a remotely controlled installation connected to a main installation through communication means connected to said means for controlling said member and adapted to operate said means for controlling upon reception of a specific order, wherein said means for controlling the current supplied by said generator, said monitoring means and said means for controlling said member are connected to said communication means and supply thereto signals representative of the status of the installation, said communication means transmitting to said main installation, in the form of a message, said signals representing the status of the remotely controlled installation.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said program element is connected to said safety means and is adapted to transmit to the latter, in the case of disconnection of all the channels, a signal ordering the switching of said member to be controlled to its security position.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein said intermediary element is an electric accumulator.