Power delivery to a moving unit

• US 9,722,429 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Analogic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Analogic Corporation
• Inventors: Weedon, Hans J., Quigley, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Gannon, Levi
• Application Number:
  US14/348,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140239715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,132 Days
• Field of Search: 307 17, 307104, 378101, 378104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/035 Mechanical aspects of CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4435 the source unit and the detector unit being coupled by a rigid structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/18 Rotary transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/009 having two or more independently controlled outputs for DC-DC converter with intermediate AC H02M3/33561

Abstract

Power delivery of an image modality system for transferring power from a transmission unit (e.g., stationary unit) to a reception unit (e.g., a moving and/or rotating unit). A modulated electric signal comprising at least two modulated characteristics (e.g., such as amplitude and frequency) is configured to (e.g., concurrently) supply power to both high voltage and lower voltage components (216, 222) of the reception unit. An auxiliary component (316) is configured to utilize a first of the modulated characteristics (e.g., amplitude) to adjust/regulate a voltage applied to the lower voltage component (s), and a filter component (324) (e.g., such as a frequency selective circuit) is configured to utilize a second of the modulated characteristics (e.g., frequency) to adjust/regulate a voltage applied to the high voltage component (s).

Claims

1. A power delivery system, comprising:

a rotary transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein;

the rotary transformer is configured to deliver first power to a high voltage component and second power to a lower voltage component concurrently, and

the secondary winding is configured to produce a modulated signal comprising at least a modulated amplitude and a modulated frequency; and

an auxiliary component disposed on a first circuit through which the second power is delivered via the modulated signal from the secondary winding to the lower voltage component, wherein;

the auxiliary component comprises a rectifier, and

the auxiliary component is configured to adjust a first voltage applied to the lower voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated amplitude of the modulated signal.

2. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein:

the primary winding is disposed on a transmission unit of the power delivery system and the secondary winding is disposed on a reception unit of the power delivery system, and

the reception unit is configured for movement relative to the transmission unit.

3. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary component is configured to adjust the first voltage applied to the lower voltage component substantially independent of the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

4. The power delivery system of claim 1, comprising a filter component disposed on a second circuit through which the first power is delivered via the modulated signal from the secondary winding to the high voltage component, wherein:

the filter component is configured to adjust a second voltage applied to the high voltage component, and

the second circuit is different than the first circuit.

5. The power delivery system of claim 4, wherein the filter component is configured to adjust the second voltage applied to the high voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

6. The power delivery system of claim 4, wherein the filter component comprises a frequency selective circuit.

7. The power delivery system of claim 6, wherein the frequency selective circuit comprises an LC circuit.

8. The power delivery system of claim 4, wherein the second circuit comprises a switch configured to electrically uncouple the high voltage component from the secondary winding.

9. The power delivery system of claim 1, comprising a modulation component configured to produce an original modulated signal comprising at least an original modulated amplitude and an original modulated frequency, wherein:

the original modulated signal is applied to the primary winding, and

the modulated signal is produced by the secondary winding derived from the original modulated signal.

10. The power delivery system of claim 1, comprising a frequency selective component disposed on a circuit through which the first power is delivered from the secondary winding to the high voltage component, wherein:

the frequency selective component is configured to adjust a voltage applied to the high voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

11. The power delivery system of claim 1, comprising:

a filter component configured to adjust a second voltage applied to the high voltage component.

12. The power delivery system of claim 11, wherein the filter component is configured to adjust the second voltage based at least in part upon the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

13. The power delivery system of claim 12, wherein the auxiliary component is configured to adjust the first voltage substantially independent of the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

14. The power delivery system of claim 1, wherein the high voltage component comprises an x-ray source configured to emit x-rays that are utilized to examine an object under examination.

15. A power delivery system, comprising:

an inverter disposed on a transmission unit of the power delivery system and configured to modulate a frequency and an amplitude of a signal to generate an original modulated signal having a modulated frequency and a modulated amplitude;

a transference component configured to derive a modulated signal from the original modulated signal, wherein the modulated signal comprises at least a frequency characteristic and an amplitude characteristic substantially consistent with the modulated frequency and the modulated amplitude of the original modulated signal;

an auxiliary rectifier coupled to a first circuit electrically coupling the transference component to a lower voltage component, wherein the auxiliary rectifier is configured to adjust a first voltage applied to the lower voltage component based at least in part upon the amplitude characteristic of the modulated signal; and

a filter component coupled to a second circuit electrically coupling the transference component to a high voltage component, wherein;

the filter component comprises a frequency selective circuit configured to adjust a second voltage applied to the high voltage component based at least in part upon the frequency characteristic of the modulated signal, and

the second voltage is different than the first voltage.

16. A power delivery system, comprising:

a rotary transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding, wherein;

the rotary transformer is configured to deliver first power to a high voltage component and second power to a lower voltage component concurrently, and

the secondary winding is configured to produce a modulated signal comprising at least a modulated amplitude and a modulated frequency;

an auxiliary component disposed on a first circuit through which the second power is delivered via the modulated signal from the secondary winding to the lower voltage component, wherein the auxiliary component is configured to adjust a first voltage applied to the lower voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated amplitude of the modulated signal; and

a filter component disposed on a second circuit through which the first power is delivered via the modulated signal from the secondary winding to the high voltage component, wherein;

the filter component is configured to adjust a second voltage applied to the high voltage component,

the second circuit is different than the first circuit, and

the second circuit comprises a switch configured to electrically uncouple the high voltage component from the secondary winding.

17. The power delivery system of claim 16, wherein the auxiliary component is configured to adjust the first voltage applied to the lower voltage component substantially independent of the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

18. The power delivery system of claim 16, wherein the filter component is configured to adjust the second voltage applied to the high voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

19. The power delivery system of claim 16, wherein:

the auxiliary component is configured to adjust the first voltage applied to the lower voltage component substantially independent of the modulated frequency of the modulated signal, and

the filter component is configured to adjust the second voltage applied to the high voltage component based at least in part upon the modulated frequency of the modulated signal.

20. The power delivery system of claim 16, comprising a modulation component configured to produce an original modulated signal comprising at least an original modulated amplitude and an original modulated frequency, wherein:

the original modulated signal is applied to the primary winding, and

the modulated signal is produced by the secondary winding derived from the original modulated signal.