Device for increasing power of extremely low DC voltage

• US 6,838,859 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pioneering Technology Corp
• Original Assignee: Pioneering Technology Corp
• Inventors: Shah, Reza H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joe
• Assistant Examiner(s): GONZALEZ, JULIO C
• Application Number:
  US10/216,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20040033456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 322/38, 363/52, 363/53, 363/86, 363/126, 363/22, 363/23, 363/133, 363/24, 363/16, 363/132, 307/103, 307/113, 307/98, 307/99, 307/115
• US Class Current: 322/38
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 2235/14 electromagnetically operated
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/102 using electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/1563 without using an external clock H02M3/158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3384 of the parallel type

Abstract

A device for increasing an extreme low voltage from a heat to electrical voltage thermopile is shown. The device has an oscillator including two MOSFET transistors coupled to a transformer having four bifilar windings wound on a core having a high permeability. The two transistors operate alternately to generate an intermediate voltage which is increased in magnitude by a voltage doubling and rectifying circuit to obtain the substantially constant operating output voltage. The output voltage is further maintain constant by a current control cirucit including an adjustable potentiometer adjustable to vary the current.

Claims

1. A device for increasing an extremely low DC voltage to an operating voltage suitable for operating electrical control of gas supply valve for gas equipment, comprising

a first transistor and a second transistor each having a gate terminal, source terminal, and drain terminal,

a transformer having a first winding, a second winding, a third winding, and a fourth winding, said first winding and said second winding having equal number of windings, and said third winding and fourth winding having equal number of windings substantially higher than the number of windings of said first winding and second winding,

said first winding having a start end connected to a rear end of said third winding and to a first connection terminal, said first winding having a rear end connected to a start end of said second winding and to a second connection terminal, said second winding having a rear end connected to a start end of said fourth winding and to a third connection terminal,

said source terminal of said first transistor and said second transistor being connected to one another, said source terminal of said first transistor and second transistor being connected to a common terminal, said drain terminal of said first transistor being connected to said first connection terminal, said drain terminal of said second transistor being connected to said third connection terminal, said gate terminal of said first transistor being connected to a rear end of said fourth winding through a first resistor, said gate terminal of said second transistor being connected to a start end of said third winding through a second resistor,

said third winding having a start end connected to an anode of a first diode and a cathode of a second diode through a first capacitor, said fourth winding having a rear end connected to an anode of a third diode and a cathode of a fourth diode through a second capacitor, said cathode of said first diode being connected to said cathode of said third diode and to a first output terminal, and said anode of said second diode being connected to said anode of said fourth diode and to a second output terminal,

said second connection terminal and said common terminal being operative to receive said extremely low voltage to said device, and said

a momentary switch connected between said source terminal and said drain terminal of said first transistor and operative for initiating operation of said device to provide said operating voltage from said first output terminal and said second output terminal.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said first transistor and said second transistor are MOSFET transistors and said first diode, second diode, third diode, and fourth diode are Schottky diodes.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein said first winding, second winding, third winding, and fourth winding are bifilar windings wound on a core having a high permeability.

4. A device according to claim 3 including a third capacitor connected between said first output terminal and said second output terminal adapted for reducing spurious voltages in said operating voltage.

5. A device according to claim 4 including a current control circuit connected between said first output terminal and said second output terminal, said current control circuit including a third transistor having a source terminal, a collector terminal, and a gate terminal, said source terminal of said third transistor being connected to a cathode terminal of a fifth diode and said fifth diode having an anode connected to said second output terminal, said collector terminal of said third transistor being connected to said first output terminal, a potentiometer having one terminal connected to said cathode terminal of said fifth diode and a second terminal connected to said anode terminal of said fifth diode, and an adjustable arm connected to said gate terminal of said third transistor, said adjustable arm being operative for adjusting the magnitude of voltage at said gate of said third transistor to maintain said operating voltage constant.

6. A device according to claim 5 wherein said third transistor is a junction FET transistor, and said fifth diode is a zener diode.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein said extreme low DC voltage is obtained from a thermopile located at a pilot light flame of said gas equipment.