Programmable power supply

• US 7,450,390 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Comarco Wireless Technologies Incorporated (Comarco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lanni, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoffberg, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US11/481,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20060250830A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 361/704, 361/707, 361/719, 361760-761, 361/836, 361/714, 336 55- 61, 336/200, 336/232, 165/80.3, 165/104.33, 165/185, 363/141, 363/144, 363/146, 174/252
• US Class Current: 361/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 2027/2819 Planar transformers with printed windings, e.g. surrounded by two cores and to be mounted on printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/24 resilient; resiliently-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/16 for telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/24 for radio transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00041 in response to measured battery parameters, e.g. voltage, current or temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0068 Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply H02J7/0013 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4258 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage H02M1/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/003 Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/28 using discharge tubes with control electrode or semiconductor devices with control electrode to produce the intermediate ac
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33507 with automatic control of the output voltage or current, e.g. flyback converters H02M3/33561, H02M3/33569 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33523 with galvanic isolation between input and output of both the power stage and the feedback loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3372 of the parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3378 in a push-pull configuration of the parallel type H02M3/3374 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3382 in a push-pull circuit arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3387 : in a push-pull configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/003 : Constructional details, e.g. physical layout, assembly, wiring or busbar connections
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 : Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0262 : Arrangements for regulating voltages or for using plural voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/029 : having a programmable lay-out, i.e. adapted for choosing between a few possibilities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/16 : incorporating printed electric components, e.g. printed resistor, capacitor, inductor
• 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: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 : Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A progammable power supply for providing a regulated DC output power is disclosed. The power supply provides the output power to any one of a plurality of electronic devices adapted for receiving the output power at an operational voltage or an operational current. The power supply receives a programming signal to maintain the output power at the operational voltage or operational current associated with a particular selected electronic device. Accordingly, by varying the programming signal, the power supply can be programmed to provide output power to any one of several electronic devices having differing input power requirements.

Claims

1. A small form factor power supply, comprising:

a transformer having a low profile magnetic core;

a printed circuit board including components;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the printed circuit board to transfer heat from at least one of the components;

a case connected to the heat sink to transfer heat from the heat sink to the case in order to dissipate the heat generated from the printed circuit board components, the case having openings on one surface to provide air circulation for the small form factor power supply; and

a thin layer of material that lies under the openings of the case to protect the printed circuit board from liquids.

2. The small form factor power supply of claim 1, wherein the case has openings on a second surface to provide additional air circulation for the small form factor power supply.

3. The small form factor power supply of claim 1, wherein the thin layer of material is plastic and allows heat from the heat sink to be thermally transferred to the case.

4. The small form factor power supply of claim 1, wherein the thin layer of material is a metal.

5. A small form factor power supply, comprising:

a transformer having a low profile magnetic core;

a printed circuit board having components mounted thereon;

a heat sink thermally coupled to the components mounted on the printed circuit board to transfer heat from the components;

a case enclosing the transformer, the printed circuit board and the heat sink, the case having openings on one surface to provide air circulation for the power supply; and

a thin layer lying inside the case, the thin layer lying under the openings of the case and protecting the printed circuit from damage from liquids.

6. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein the thin layer is positioned between a bottom surface of the case and the heat sink.

7. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein a product of a length and a width of the case is less than fourteen square inches.

8. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein the thin layer is between 1 millimeter and 3 millimeters thick.

9. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein the thin layer is made of plastic.

10. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein the heat sink is thermally coupled to a bottom surface of the printed circuit board.

11. The small form factor power supply of claim 10, wherein another heat sink is thermally coupled to a top surface of the printed circuit board.

12. The small form factor power supply of claim 5, wherein the heat sink is a layer of conductive material.

13. The small form factor power supply of claim 12, wherein the layer of conductive material has dimensions at least as large as dimensions of the printed circuit board.