DIRECT CURRENT VOLTAGE REGULATOR
First Claim
1. In a voltage regulator having input terminals for receiving a source of variable direct current voltage, a series regulator circuit connected to said input terminals, a filter connected to the output of said series regulator circuit, output terminals connected to the output of said filter, a voltage reference circuit connected to said output of said series regulator circuit for producing a reference circuit signal in response to a voltage at said regulator circuit output that is below a selected magnitude with respect to the reference voltage provided by said voltage reference circuit, a control circuit having an input connected to said voltage reference circuit and an output for producing a conducting signal in response to said reference circuit signal, and means connecting said control circuit output to said series regulator to supply said conducting signal thereto and control the current supplied to said filter and said output terminals as a function of said reference circuit signal, and thereby provide relatively stable direct current voltage to said output terminals, the improvement comprising:
- a. a lockout circuit connectd to the input of said control circuit, said lockout circuit having an input terminal for connection to the source of variable direct current voltage and having means for preventing reference circuit signals from being applied to the control circuit input in response to the absence of said direct current voltage at said lockout circuit input terminal;
b. a current limiter circuit having means connected to the voltage regulator for sensing the magnitude of current supplied to said voltage regulator output terminals and having means connected between said sensing means and the voltage reference circuit for changing the reference voltage as an inverse function of said current magnitude supplied to said output terminals;
c. and a current cutoff circuit connected to said voltage reference circuit for preventing said voltage reference circuit from producing said reference circuit signals in response to the regulator output voltage falling below a selected low magnitude.
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Abstract
Improved regulation of direct current voltage from an unstable voltage source through a transitor series regulator to a load is provided by a lockout circuit that prevents current flow through the series regulator when the source voltage is removed from the lockout circuit, by a current limiter circuit that controls the series regulator as a function of current supplied to a load, and by a current cutoff circuit that prevents current flow through the series regulator when the output voltage falls below a selected magnitude.
19 Citations
3 Claims
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1. In a voltage regulator having input terminals for receiving a source of variable direct current voltage, a series regulator circuit connected to said input terminals, a filter connected to the output of said series regulator circuit, output terminals connected to the output of said filter, a voltage reference circuit connected to said output of said series regulator circuit for producing a reference circuit signal in response to a voltage at said regulator circuit output that is below a selected magnitude with respect to the reference voltage provided by said voltage reference circuit, a control circuit having an input connected to said voltage reference circuit and an output for producing a conducting signal in response to said reference circuit signal, and means connecting said control circuit output to said series regulator to supply said conducting signal thereto and control the current supplied to said filter and said output terminals as a function of said reference circuit signal, and thereby provide relatively stable direct current voltage to said output terminals, the improvement comprising:
- a. a lockout circuit connectd to the input of said control circuit, said lockout circuit having an input terminal for connection to the source of variable direct current voltage and having means for preventing reference circuit signals from being applied to the control circuit input in response to the absence of said direct current voltage at said lockout circuit input terminal;
b. a current limiter circuit having means connected to the voltage regulator for sensing the magnitude of current supplied to said voltage regulator output terminals and having means connected between said sensing means and the voltage reference circuit for changing the reference voltage as an inverse function of said current magnitude supplied to said output terminals;
c. and a current cutoff circuit connected to said voltage reference circuit for preventing said voltage reference circuit from producing said reference circuit signals in response to the regulator output voltage falling below a selected low magnitude.
- a. a lockout circuit connectd to the input of said control circuit, said lockout circuit having an input terminal for connection to the source of variable direct current voltage and having means for preventing reference circuit signals from being applied to the control circuit input in response to the absence of said direct current voltage at said lockout circuit input terminal;
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2. The improvement defined in claim 1, and further comprising a short-circuiting device connected across said current regulator output terminals for short-circuiting said output terminals in response to a voltage that exceeds a selected magnitude.
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3. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein said current limiter sensing means comprises a resistor.
Specification
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- Resources
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Current AssigneeCantrell Smith
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Original AssigneeCantrell Smith
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InventorsSmith, Cantrell
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Primary Examiner(s)Goldberg, Gerald
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Application NumberUS05/352,481Time in Patent Office383 DaysField of Search323/17,22T,22SC,8,DIG.1 321/2,25 331/113A 317/33VRUS Class Current323/285CPC Class CodesH02M 3/156 with automatic control of o...
