Switch control system
First Claim
1. Apparatus for periodically connecting a source of direct current to an inductive load,said direct current source including a capacitance connected between the opposite polarity output terminals thereof,said apparatus comprising:
- first solid-state switch means, said first switch means comprising a first silicon controlled rectifier connected between a first polarity terminal of the current source and a first side of the load;
second solid-state switch means, said second switch means comprising a second silicon controlled rectifier connected between the second polarity terminal of the current source and the second side of the load, said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers and the load defining a series circuit through which current can flow in a first direction when said rectifiers are in the conductive state;
a first diode connected between the first polarity terminal of the current source and the second side of the load; and
a second diode connected between the second polarity terminal of the current source and the first side of the load, said first and second diodes and the load defining a series circuit through which current may flow in a second direction when said silicon controlled rectifiers are in the non-conductive state, said diodes, rectifier, load and power supply capacitance forming a resonant circuit whereby energy may be delivered to the load when the silicon controlled rectifiers are in the conductive state and returned from the load when the silicon controlled rectifiers are in the non-conductive state.oscillator means, said oscillator means generating timing control signals;
drive control means, said drive control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for producing gating signals;
means for coupling said drive control means produced gating signals to said first and second solid-state switch means to periodically render said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers conductive;
commutation control means, said commutation control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for periodically producing turn-off signals, said turn-off signals alternating with said gating signals;
means connected to said first and second solid-state switch means for interrupting current flow through said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers to thereby return said rectifiers to the non-conductive condition; and
means for coupling said turn-off signals from said commutation control means to said current flow interrupting means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A switch control system particularly well suited for use in a electromechanical vibrator drive. Solid-state switches and diodes are used in combination with a DC power supply to alternately switch energy between the electric field of the power supply filter capacitor and the magnetic field of the actuator coil of a vibrator in a power resonant mode. The control system includes a variable frequency oscillator and a controllable pulse generator which respectively provide signals for controlling the closing and opening of the switches whereby the frequency and amplitude of movement of a vibratory feeder may be adjusted.
212 Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for periodically connecting a source of direct current to an inductive load,
said direct current source including a capacitance connected between the opposite polarity output terminals thereof, said apparatus comprising: -
first solid-state switch means, said first switch means comprising a first silicon controlled rectifier connected between a first polarity terminal of the current source and a first side of the load; second solid-state switch means, said second switch means comprising a second silicon controlled rectifier connected between the second polarity terminal of the current source and the second side of the load, said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers and the load defining a series circuit through which current can flow in a first direction when said rectifiers are in the conductive state; a first diode connected between the first polarity terminal of the current source and the second side of the load; and a second diode connected between the second polarity terminal of the current source and the first side of the load, said first and second diodes and the load defining a series circuit through which current may flow in a second direction when said silicon controlled rectifiers are in the non-conductive state, said diodes, rectifier, load and power supply capacitance forming a resonant circuit whereby energy may be delivered to the load when the silicon controlled rectifiers are in the conductive state and returned from the load when the silicon controlled rectifiers are in the non-conductive state. oscillator means, said oscillator means generating timing control signals; drive control means, said drive control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for producing gating signals; means for coupling said drive control means produced gating signals to said first and second solid-state switch means to periodically render said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers conductive; commutation control means, said commutation control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for periodically producing turn-off signals, said turn-off signals alternating with said gating signals; means connected to said first and second solid-state switch means for interrupting current flow through said first and second silicon controlled rectifiers to thereby return said rectifiers to the non-conductive condition; and means for coupling said turn-off signals from said commutation control means to said current flow interrupting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for periodically connecting a source of direct current to a load comprising:
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switch means, said switch means including at least a first solid-state switch device connected in series with the load and current source; oscillator means, said oscillator means generating timing control signals; drive control means, said drive control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for producing gating signals; means for coupling said drive control means produced gating signals to said switch means switch device to periodically render said device conductive; commutation control means, said commutation control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for periodically producing turn-off signals, said turn-off signals alternating with said gating signals; means connected to said switch means for interrupting current flow through said switch means solid-state switch device to thereby return said switch device to the non-conductive condition; means for coupling said turn-off signals from said commutation control means to said current flow interrupting means whereby said interrupting means is responsive to said turn-off signals to disconnect the source from the load; means for disabling said oscillator means; means for sensing the magnitude of the output voltage of the direct current source and for generating a logic control signal when said voltage is below a preselected minimum level; and means for delivering said logic control signal to said oscillator disabling means to cause disabling of said oscillator whereby said gating signals will not be generated. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for periodically connecting a source of direct current to the coil of an electromagnetic vibrator comprising:
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a first silicon controlled rectifier connected between a first polarity terminal of the current source and the coil whereby current may be passed through the coil in a first direction when said first rectifier is in the conductive state; a diode connected between the first polarity source terminal and the coil whereby current may flow through the coil in a second direction upon switching of said first rectifier to the non-conductive state. oscillator means, said oscillator means generating timing control signals; drive control means, said drive control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for producing gating signals; means for coupling said drive control means produced gating signals to said first rectifier to periodically render said first rectifier conductive; commutation control means, said commutation control means being responsive to the timing control signals generated by said oscillator means for periodically producing turn-off signals, said turn-off signals alternating with said gating signals; means connected to said first rectifier means for interrupting current flow therethrough to thereby return said first rectifier to the non-conductive condition; and means for coupling said turn-off signals from said commutation control means to said current flow interrupting means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification