Power supply system

• US 4,943,762 A
• Filed: 01/27/1988
• Issued: 07/24/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Codar Technology, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Codar Technology, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Stone, Robert J., Evans, Michael W., Campbell, W. Carroll, Browning, Edward A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salce, Patrick R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peckman, Kristine
• Application Number:
  US07/149,116
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 323/276, 323/278, 323/281, 323/282, 323/283, 323/284, 323/285, 323/287, 323/288, 323/266, 323/299, 363/80, 363/85, 363/86, 363/89
• US Class Current: 323/284
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/569 for protection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/28 Supervision thereof, e.g. detecting power-supply failure by out of limits supervision

Abstract

A power supply control circuit, for control of the power supply, controls a solid state relay in series with the power input to the power supply. The power supply control circuit also generates control signals, indicating pending power failure, for the microcomputer arranged in a card cage.

Claims

1. A sensing system for producing an output signal responsive to the drop of the amplitude of a cyclic voltage below a determined level, comprising a source of a cyclic signal, a timing circuit having an input circuit and an output terminal, a threshold circuit, means coupling said output terminal and said source to said threshold circuit as first and second inputs thereto, said threshold circuit being responsive to the sum of the voltage at said output terminal and the instantaneous voltage of said source above a first predetermined level for applying triggering signals to said input circuit of said timing circuit, said timing circuit comprising means responsive to said triggering signal for maintaining said output terminal at a level exceeding a second predetermined level for a predetermined time, whereby in the absence of the occurrence of a peak of said cyclic voltage exceeding a third predetermined level for said predetermined time the voltage at said output terminal assumes a level less than said second predetermined level.

2. The sensing system of claim 1 wherein said timing circuit comprises monostable multivibrator.

3. The sensing system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined time is substantially 2 half cycles of said cyclic voltage.

4. The sensing system of claim 1 wherein said cyclic voltage is a full wave rectified voltage.

5. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the alternating current output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control circuit, said system further comprising first sensing means for producing a first output signal when the voltage of the output of said input circuit is outside of a determined range, and means for applying said first signal to said control circuit for disconnecting said power supply from said input circuit when said voltage output of said input circuit is outside of said range.

6. The power supply system of claim 5 wherein said control circuit comprises a control diode, said means for applying said first signal comprising means for applying said first signal to one electrode of said control diode.

7. The power supply system of claim 6 wherein said input circuit comprises means for applying a.c. to said solid state relay, and further comprising means for rectifying said a.c., and means deriving a voltage from said rectifying means for application to the other electrode of said control diode.

8. The power supply system of claim 7 wherein said means deriving a voltage comprises constant voltage dropping means, whereby said diode is cut off when said rectified voltage drops below a predetermined level.

9. The power supply system of claim 8 further comprising voltage regulating means connected to receive said rectified voltage for providing operating voltage for said sensing means.

10. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current input power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control device for controlling said interconnecting circuit, said system further comprising means for deriving a direct voltage control voltage from said input circuit proportional to the amplitude of said alternating current input power, a control circuit for producing a first signal responsive to the amplitude of said control voltage, and means applying said first signal to one terminal of said control device for controlling said solid state relay.

11. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current input power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control device for controlling said interconnecting circuit, said system further comprising means for deriving a control voltage from said input circuit responsive to the amplitude of said alternating current input power, a control circuit for producing a first signal responsive to the amplitude of said control voltage, and means applying said first signal to one terminal of said control device for controlling said solid state relay, said system further comprising a regulating circuit for supplying operating power to said control circuit, a rectifying circuit for rectifying said alternating power to produce a d.c. voltage supply for said regulating circuit, and a constant voltage dropping means for applying said d.c. voltage to the other terminal of said control device, whereby said control device is cutoff whenever said d.c. voltage is too low to enable proper operation of said regulating circuit.

12. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current input power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control device for controlling said interconnecting circuit, said system further comprising means for deriving a control voltage from said input circuit responsive to the amplitude of said alternating current input power, a control circuit for producing a first signal responsive to the amplitude of said control voltage, and means applying said first signal to one terminal of said control device for controlling said solid state relay, said control circuit comprising first and second transformers coupled to receive said alternating power, first and second rectifying circuits for rectifying the output of said first and second transformers respectively, sensing circuit means coupled to said first rectifying circuit for deriving said first signal, and means coupled to said second rectifying circuit for deriving operating voltage for said control circuit.

13. The power supply system of claim 12 wherein said control circuit further comprises means for generating control signals responsive to said alternating power being outside of a determined range.

14. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current input power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control device for controlling said interconnecting circuit, said system further comprising means for deriving a control voltage from said input circuit responsive to the amplitude of said alternating current input power, a control circuit for producing a first signal responsive to the amplitude of said control voltage, and means applying said first signal to one terminal of said control device for controlling said solid state relay, said control circuit comprising means for inhibiting the cutting off of said control device for a predetermined time following initial application of alternating input power to said power supply system.

15. In a power supply system including an input circuit for receiving alternating current input power, a power supply for converting alternating current power received by said input circuit to direct current power, and a circuit for applying the output of said input circuit to said power supply, the improvement wherein said applying circuit comprises a solid state relay having a circuit interconnecting said input circuit and power supply and a control device for controlling said interconnecting circuit, said system further comprising means for deriving a control voltage from said input circuit responsive to the amplitude of said alternating current input power, a control circuit for producing a first signal responsive to the amplitude of said control voltage, and means applying said first signal to one terminal of said control device for controlling said solid state relay, said control circuit further comprising on-off switch means connected to inhibit energization of said control device without inhibiting application of alternating power to said solid state relay.