Auxiliary power distribution system

• US 6,150,737 A
• Filed: 08/24/1994
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ole K Nilssen
• Original Assignee: Ole K Nilssen
• Inventors: Nilssen, Ole K.
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/295,150
• Time in Patent Office: 2,281 Days
• Field of Search: 307/66, 307/24, 307/32, 307/28, 320/56, 320/DIG. 36, 315/86, 363/13, 363/15, 363/16, 363/19, 363/21, 200/297, 361/601
• US Class Current: 307/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/12 The local stationary network supplying a household or a building
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/00 Circuit arrangements for ac mains or ac distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/062 for AC powered loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems

Abstract

A power supply is adapted to be powered from an ordinary electric utility power line, or alternately from a standby storage battery, and is operable to provide a power-line-isolated output of 120 Volt RMS at a frequency of about 30 kHz. The Volt-Ampere product available from this power supply is limited to be no more than 100 Volt-Ampere. Due to the high frequency, the electric shock hazard associated with this 120 Volt/30 kHz power supply is not higher than it is for a power supply voltage a voltage of only 30 Volt RMS at 60 Hz.

The power supply is used to provide shock-hazard-free and fire-initiation-hazard-free electric power for an auxiliary power distribution system in a home. Due to the Volt-Ampere limitation and the absence of shock-hazard, the power distribution can safely be done by way of so-called bell wire installation and without requiring the services of a licensed electrician.

Due to the battery back-up feature, this auxiliary power distribution system can provide uninterruptible power to critical loads such as computer terminals, security systems, smoke/fire alarms, safety lighting, etc.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

a building having plural rooms and a main power distribution system whereby ordinary power line voltage from an ordinary electric utility power line is provided by way of a first set of power distribution wires to a first type of electrical load and/or power outlet located in each of at least two of the rooms;

said power line voltage suffering from occasional periods of interruption; and

auxiliary power distribution system having an auxiliary source of power and providing an auxiliary voltage by way of a second set of power distribution wires to a second type of electrical load and/or power outlet located in each of at least two of the rooms;

the auxiliary voltage being provided during said periods of interruption as well as during other times;

the second type of electrical load and/or outlet being different from the first type of electrical load and/or outlet;

the auxiliary power distribution system is further characterized by including;

(i) a power supply having a pair of output terminals operative to supply a Volt-Ampere output;

(ii) the Volt-Ampere output extractable from the output terminals being manifestly prevented by a first current-limiting means from exceeding a first pre-determined level; and

(iii) the magnitude of any current drawn from the output terminals being limited by a second current-limiting means from exceeding a second predetermined level;

the second pre-determined level being different from the first pre-determined level.

2. An arrangement comprising:

In a building having rooms and a main power supply system operative to distribute power line voltage from an ordinary electric utility power line to an ordinary household electrical outlet in each room;

the power line voltage suffering from occasional periods of interruption;

the improvement comprising;

an auxiliary power supply system having an auxiliary source of power operative to distribute an auxiliary voltage to a special power outlet in each room;

each power outlet being operative to receive and disconnectably hold a special power plug;

the maximum amount of power extractable from any one of the special power outlets being limited so as to be safe from fire initiation hazard;

the auxiliary power supply system being further characterized by providing the auxiliary voltage during said periods of interruption as well as during other periods.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that the RMS magnitude of the auxiliary voltage is substantially equal to that of the power line voltage.

4. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that the auxiliary source of power is represented by a single central inverter means connected in circuit with a storage battery as well as with the power line voltage.

5. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the arrangement is additionally characterized in that:

(i) the main power distribution system includes electrical conductors operative to safely distribute electric power of magnitude substantially higher than what would ordinarily be considered as being safe from fire-initiation hazard;

whereas (ii) the auxiliary power distribution system includes electrical conductors not operative to safely distribute electric power of magnitude higher than what would ordinarily considered as being safe from fire-initiation hazard.

6. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the arrangement is additionally characterized in that:

(i) the main power distribution system distributes the power line voltage by way of ordinary power line voltage distribution conductors; and

(ii) the auxiliary power distribution system distributes the auxiliary voltage by way of bell-wire-type conductors.

7. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that the auxiliary source of power includes a central inverter circuit connected with the power line voltage;

the central inverter circuit;

(i) being operative to provide an AC inverter output voltage at a pair of inverter output terminals; and

(ii) including a storage battery charged by power drawn from the inverter output terminals.

8. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that the auxiliary source of power includes an inverter circuit characterized by:

(i) having a pair of DC terminals across which exists a DC supply voltage of substantially constant magnitude; and

(ii) providing a squarewave inverter output voltage across a pair of inverter output terminals.

9. An arrangement comprising:

In a building having a main power supply system operative to distribute power line voltage from an ordinary electric utility power line to an ordinary household electrical outlet in each of plural rooms in the building;

the power line voltage suffering from occasional periods of interruption;

the improvement comprising;

an auxiliary power supply system having an auxiliary source of power operative to distribute an auxiliary voltage to a special power outlet in each of several rooms in the building;

each power outlet being operative to receive and hold a special power plug;

the maximum amount of power extractable from any one of the special power outlets being limited so as to be safe from fire initiation hazard;

the auxiliary power supply system being further characterized by providing the auxiliary voltage during said periods of interruption as well as during other periods.

10. The arrangement of claim 9 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that it distributes the auxiliary voltage to a lighting means in each of at least two of the several rooms.

11. An arrangement comprising:

In a building having a main power supply system operative to distribute power line voltage from an ordinary electric utility power line to an ordinary household electrical outlet in each of several rooms in the building;

the improvement comprising;

an auxiliary power supply system having an auxiliary source of power operative to distribute an auxiliary voltage to a special load in each of at least two of the several rooms;

the maximum amount of power available to each of the special loads being limited to a level that is safe from fire initiation hazard;

the special loads including a lighting means in each of at least two of the several rooms;

each lighting means being operable to produce a substantive amount of light.

12. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein the auxiliary power supply system is additionally characterized in that at least one of the special loads is not operable to produce a substantive amount of light.

13. The arrangement of claim 11 wherein at least one of the special loads is a smoke detector.