Quotables
"The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people."
Karl Marx
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of PatentStorm
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest patents by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Got questions? Ask a Patent Expert!
Registered users: Manage your profile, comments and alerts.
US Patent 6154422 - Power-generating device, charging method and clocking device
US Patent Issued on November 28, 2000
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
February 9, 2018Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
Estimated Patent Expiration Date:
February 9, 2018Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.AbstractA power-generating device can include a dynamo for converting kinetic energy into electrical energy, a switch capable of short-circuiting output terminals of the dynamo, a controller capable of controlling the switch, a rectifier for rectifying an output of the dynamo, and a charging portion capable of storing the output of the dynamo. The controller can perform chopper control for cyclically turning on and off the switch in accordance with a PWM signal. Where an electromotive voltage of the dynamo is lower than a charged voltage, a boosted voltage can be produced by chopper amplification. If the electromotive voltage is low, it can be charged in the charging portion if the boosted voltage is increased to a sufficient level prior to charging. | InventorsAssigneeApplicationNo. 020702 filed on 02/09/1998US Classes:368/204, Electrical320/166, CAPACITOR CHARGING OR DISCHARGING323/222, Using choke and switch across source323/282, Switched (e.g., switching regulators)363/89, With transistor control means in the line circuit363/127TransistorField of Search368/64, With supplemental power source368/66, With power monitor368/203, POWER SUPPLY DETAILS368/204, Electrical368/205, Solar cell323/222, Using choke and switch across source323/282, Switched (e.g., switching regulators)323/281, With reference voltage circuitry323/288, With ramp generator or controlled capacitor charging363/83, With electron tube or valve as control means in the line circuit363/89, With transistor control means in the line circuit363/127, Transistor320/166, CAPACITOR CHARGING OR DISCHARGING320/167, For large capacitance (e.g., "super" capacitor, memory backup capacitor, etc.)320/101, WIND, SOLAR, THERMAL, OR FUEL-CELL SOURCE320/102With shuntless charging source controlExaminersPrimary: Miska, Vit W.Attorney, Agent or FirmUS Patent References4519024, Two-terminal transistor rectifier circuit arrangementIssued on: 05/21/1985 Inventor: Federico , et al.5001685, Electronic wristwatch with generator Issued on: 03/19/1991 Inventor: Hayakawa5130960, Power supplies for electronic device Issued on: 07/14/1992 Inventor: Hayakawa5510972, Bridge rectifier circuit having active switches and an active control circuit Issued on: 04/23/1996 Inventor: Wong5835456, Timepiece including an electric power generator Issued on: 11/10/1998 Inventor: Farine, et al.5866278, Electrolytic manganese dioxide, process for preparing the same, and manganese dry cell Issued on: 02/02/1999 Inventor: Sumida, et al.5982157Chopper-amplifier for the voltage of a photovoltaic power source, in particular for a timepiece Issued on: 11/09/1999 Inventor: Wattenhofer, et al. Foreign Patent References
International ClassesG04B 001/00G04C 003/00 H02N 007/217 G05F 001/40 Foreign Application Priority Data1997-02-07 JP |
