Isolated power supply for indicator light

• US 5,889,660 A
• Filed: 03/06/1997
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Schmalz, Steven C., Taranowski, Michael G., Ryczek, Lawrence J., Gruber, Isaac
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/812,463
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 363/21, 363/18, 363/19, 363/20, 363/55, 363/56, 363/95, 363/131, 315/224, 315/225, 315/219, 315/277, 315/307
• US Class Current: 363/19
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2019/085 Transformer for galvanic isolation
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/2804 Printed windings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 39/047 with pulse width modulation from a DC power source
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/165 incorporating printed inductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/086 for inductive purposes, e.g. printed inductor with ferrite core
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09063 Holes or slots in insulating substrate not used for electrical connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A planar transformer having windings on a printed circuit board coupled by a high frequency ferrite core driven by a high frequency operational amplifier based relaxation oscillator controlling a switch for pulsing a primary winding of the transformer at a set frequency. The secondary of the transformer powers a lamp circuit which is isolated from the electrical supply, and a test input is connected in a logic OR arrangement with the electrical supply.

Claims

1. An isolated open loop power supply for an indicator light comprising:

a planar transformer comprising;

a printed circuit board;

a primary winding comprising a first conductive trace on said board;

a secondary winding comprising a second conductive trace on said board isolated from said first conductive trace; and

a ferrite core assembled to said printed circuit board coupling said primary and said secondary windings;

an indicator light connected to said secondary winding;

solid state switch means;

a source of electrical power connected to said primary winding through said solid state switch means; and

a high frequency oscillator on said printed circuit board connected to said source and being operable for operating said solid state switch means for supplying energizing pulses to said primary winding.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said oscillator provides a pulse width modulated output adjusted by a single one-time potentiometric setting.

3. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said energizing pulses do not saturate said core, and said core discharges to zero through said secondary winding between successive pulses.

4. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said high frequency oscillator is a wide band operational amplifier based relaxation oscillator.

5. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said source of electrical power is AC and further comprising rectifier means for rectifying said source of electrical power.

6. The invention defined in claim 5 comprising auxiliary input means connected as a logic OR with said source of electrical power.

7. The invention defined in claim 6 further comprising linear regulator means for providing reduced voltage DC pulses.