Charge-pump voltage converter
| DWPI Title: Charge-pump voltage converter for converting low voltage to high voltage, has stator comprising rotor cavity, rotor rotatably mounted in cavity, and charge-transfer part transferring charge from transfer electrode to charge-receiving part |
| Abstract: A charge-pump voltage converter for converting a low voltage provided by a low-voltage source to a higher voltage. Charge is inductively generated on a transfer rotor electrode during its transit past an inductor stator electrode and subsequently transferred by the rotating rotor to a collector stator electrode for storage or use. Repetition of the charge transfer process leads to a build-up of voltage on a charge-receiving device. Connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in series can generate higher voltages, and connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in parallel can generate higher currents. Microelectromechanical (MEMS) embodiments of this invention provide a small and compact high-voltage (several hundred V) voltage source starting with a few-V initial voltage source. The microscale size of many embodiments of this invention make it ideally suited for MEMS- and other micro-applications where integration of the voltage or charge source in a small package is highly desirable. |
| Use: Charge-pump voltage converter for converting low voltage to high voltage. |
| Advantage: The converter increases charge transfer between the inductor electrode and the transfer electrode by an inductive spike, and allows reducing extension of the shield and increasing rotor diameter and/or reducing stator diameter. The converter increases capacitance between the inductor electrode and the transfer electrode to achieve greater charge transfer by decreasing spacing and/or increasing an overlapping area between the electrodes. |
| Novelty: The converter has a stator (10) comprising a rotor cavity (12), and a rotor (20) rotatably mounted in the cavity. An inductor electrode (16) is mounted on the insulating inner surface of the cavity. A transfer electrode (24) is mounted on an insulating circumferential surface of the rotor. The transfer electrode includes a contact-interruption part oriented out of a plane perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the rotor. A charge-transfer part (32) i.e. spring contact, transfers charge from the transfer electrode to a charge-receiving part (34) i.e. capacitor. |
| Filed: 8/7/2007 |
| Application Number: US2007835046A |
| Tech ID: SD 7321.0 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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