Energy dissipating device for DC power supplies
First Claim
1. An energy dissipating device comprising:
- a DC rail input configured to connect across a DC rail in a power supply, where the DC rail conducts DC current generated by an AC/DC converter to at least one DC/DC converter, where the at least one DC/DC converter is configured to generate a supplemental current surge on the DC rail when the at least one DC/DC converter absorbs power from a load on the at least one DC/DC converter;
a dissipater control input configured to receive a DC rail power signal from a rail current monitor, where the rail current monitor is configured to monitor a current level on the DC rail and to generate the DC rail power signal indicative of a supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter; and
a plurality of dissipative elements connected across the DC rail at the DC rail input, each one of the plurality of dissipative elements configured to provide a current sink path across the DC rail, where the plurality of dissipative elements are configured to modulate the current sink path in proportion with the supplemental current surge level received at the dissipater control input.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An energy dissipating device configured to connect to a power supply and to dissipate excess energy from a direct current (DC) rail in response to a change in power supply settings or operating characteristics. The energy dissipating device is connected to the DC rail, which conducts current generated by an AC/DC converter to at least one DC/DC converter. When power demand to the DC/DC converter is reduced, the DC/DC converter generates a supplemental current surge on the DC rail. A rail current monitor monitors the current level on the DC rail and generates the DC rail power signal indicative of the supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter. The supplemental surge current is used to control dissipative elements connected across the DC rail to modulate a current sink path across the DC rail to dissipate the excess energy from the DC rail.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An energy dissipating device comprising:
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a DC rail input configured to connect across a DC rail in a power supply, where the DC rail conducts DC current generated by an AC/DC converter to at least one DC/DC converter, where the at least one DC/DC converter is configured to generate a supplemental current surge on the DC rail when the at least one DC/DC converter absorbs power from a load on the at least one DC/DC converter; a dissipater control input configured to receive a DC rail power signal from a rail current monitor, where the rail current monitor is configured to monitor a current level on the DC rail and to generate the DC rail power signal indicative of a supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter; and a plurality of dissipative elements connected across the DC rail at the DC rail input, each one of the plurality of dissipative elements configured to provide a current sink path across the DC rail, where the plurality of dissipative elements are configured to modulate the current sink path in proportion with the supplemental current surge level received at the dissipater control input. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for dissipating energy from a DC rail in a power supply configured to provide power generated by an AC/DC converter to at least one DC/DC converter, the DC/DC converter configured to generate a supplemental current surge on the DC rail when the at least one DC/DC converter absorbs power from a load, the method comprising:
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connecting a plurality of dissipative elements external to the power supply across the DC rail to provide a current sink path across the DC rail at each dissipative element; inputting a DC rail power signal at a dissipater control input from a rail current monitor, where the rail current monitor detects a current level on the DC rail and generates the DC rail power signal indicative of a supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter; and modulating the current sink path by controlling the plurality of dissipative elements in proportion with the supplemental current surge level received at the dissipater control input. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A DC power supply comprising:
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a DC rail configured to supply DC current; an AC/DC converter configured to generate the DC current on the DC rail; at least one DC/DC converter connected to the DC rail to receive the DC current, the at least one DC/DC converter configured to generate a supplemental current surge on the DC rail when the at least one DC/DC converter absorbs power from a load on the at least one DC/DC converter; a rail current monitor configured to monitor a current level on the DC rail and to generate a DC rail power signal indicative of a supplemental current surge level generated by the at least one DC/DC converter; and an energy dissipating device comprising; a DC rail input configured to connect across a DC rail, a dissipater control input configured to receive the DC rail power signal from a rail current monitor, and a plurality of dissipative elements connected across the DC rail at the DC rail input, each one of the plurality of dissipative elements configured to provide a current sink path across the DC rail, where the plurality of dissipative elements are configured to modulate the current sink path in proportion with the supplemental current surge level received at the dissipater control input. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification