One form of the invention is directed to an apparatus that comprises step-down circuitry to better match impedance between an input and an output that includes a number of stages each electrically coupled to another and each including a charge storage device. The circuitry further includes a number of switching devices operable in a first electrical connectivity state to connect the charge storage device of each of the stages in series to receive electrical charge from the input and in a second electrical connectivity state opposite the first state to connect the charge storage device of each of the stages in parallel to discharge electricity through the output. This circuitry can be used in connection with a radioisotopic conversion cell.

A method for controlling a transmission of a powertrain system includes executing a single source shortest path search to identify a preferred shift path originating with an initial powertrain state and terminating at a target powertrain state, wherein the single source shortest path search employs transition-specific costs and situational costs to identify the preferred shift path. The preferred shift path is executed to achieve the target powertrain state.

A kinetic hybrid device and method for a vehicle may include a planetary gear system configured as a continuously variable transmission comprised of three or four ports. The kinetic hybrid device and method may include a flywheel connected to a first port of the system, a final drive connected to a second port of the system, and the variator for the flywheel connected to a third or fourth port of the system. The prime mover and/or other power sources may share a port with the flywheel, but do not share a port with the final drive.

A modular, intrinsically-safe power module assembly is provided. The assembly includes a rigid conduit adapter configured to mount to a conduit of a field device. A housing, having an interior, is operably coupled to the rigid conduit adapter and is physically supported by the rigid conduit adapter. At least one non-rechargeable battery is disposed within the housing. Intrinsic safety circuitry is coupled to the at least one non-rechargeable battery, and is coupled to a connector that mates with a cooperative connector in the rigid conduit adapter.

A power storage device cell is configured to include a capacitor positive electrode, a lithium positive electrode, and a common negative electrode in which electrode layers are formed on a collector foil in which penetration holes are formed, and such that the capacitor positive electrode and the lithium positive electrode are directly connected; each of the electrode layers of the common negative electrode is formed of a carbon-based material in which graphite particles and hard carbon particles are mixed, and the proportion of the hard carbon particles in the carbon-based material is from 5% by weight to 70% by weight.

When a continuous short circuit occurs between both terminals of a battery pack, fault, destruction and rupture of the battery can occur. Further, when a momentary short circuit occurs, a user may continue to use, without knowing thermal and electrical damage to the batteries, and reliability for the batteries is impaired, To overcome the problem, in a battery pack configured by connecting a plurality of storage batteries in series, at least one first storage battery is included which has a low capacity compared to second storage batteries during high-rate discharge, and the first storage battery undergoes polarity inversion during external short circuit, thereby preventing the other batteries from becoming damaged. There are also included a detector that detects voltage of the first storage battery, and a fault signal generator that generates an output fault signal when a voltage detected by the detector inverses.

A drive arrangement is disclosed for a motor vehicle power take off (PTO). The arrangement comprises a PTO shaft 104,158,207 of a known type intended for coupling to a power driven implement. An input shaft is arranged to be coupled to a rotary driver such as an engine. A continuously variable transmission such as 10 is coupled between the input and PTO shafts to transfer drive between them at a continuously variable ratio. In accordance with the invention, the continuously variable transmission is constructed and arranged such as to regulate torque and to automatically accommodate changes in speed at the PTO Shaft by virtue of changes in its drive ratio.

In a disc grinder, a spindle mounted with a grindstone intersects an output shaft of an electric motor. The disc grinder includes the three-point pressing continuously-variable transmission between the output shaft of the electric motor and a bevel gear train. The bevel gear train is used for deceleration. The traction grease having a high traction coefficient is used as the lubricant of the traction drive. A grease reservoir or felt members arranged in sliding contact with the pressing parts are disposed in the transmission case.

A power transmission device includes first and second rings arranged opposite each other, having a common rotation center axis, and rotatable relative to each other; a plurality of planetary balls having rotation center axes parallel to the rotation center axis, and radially arranged between the first and second rings and around the rotation center axis; a transmission control unit configured to change a rotation ratio between the first and second rings by changing the respective contact points of the first and second rings and each of the planetary balls through tilting motion of each of the planetary balls; and a rotation restricting unit disposed between the planetary balls adjacent to each other.

An automatic pitch control system for riding power trowels enables a user to control and automatically adjust trowel blade pitch and height for concrete finishing. The disclosed system provides for blade pitch of separate rotor assemblies to be adjusted independently of one another or synchronously. The disclosed system also provides for a mode of operation that allows the user to completely flatten trowel blades for panning.

A powered, spray cleaning device that can be operated in an inverted orientation is provided. The cleaning device includes a cleaning head and an elongated handle configured to be grasped by a user. A container of cleaning solution is removably received by the handle, and when received by the handle, fluid from the container fills a fluid accumulator. Fluid in the fluid accumulator is prevented from flowing back into the container when the device is inverted, thus allowing the device to spray fluid when inverted.

A wireless communication device is configured for performing uplink transmission power control. The wireless communication device includes a processor and instructions stored in memory. The wireless communication device performs uplink transmission power control for multiple regulated frequency bands or component carriers. The wireless communication device determines a total transmission power for at least one component carrier and allocates transmission power to at least one antenna.

A method and system are provided for controlling uplink transmission power in a wireless communication system. At least one of a plurality of downlink carriers and a plurality of uplink carriers are aggregated, and the plurality of downlink carriers and the plurality of uplink carriers are mapped between a User Equipment (UE) and a network in the wireless communication system. A message relating to uplink carrier transmission power is received at the UE from the network via a downlink carrier. Uplink transmission power of one or more uplink carriers is controlled in accordance with the message and aggregation and mapping of at least one of the downlink carrier and the one or more uplink carriers.

An emergency system for a vehicle integrates many disparate equipment into single housing, including the power supply for the equipment. In one embodiment of the invention, the emergency system is a light bar. The light bar houses a power source comprising solar cell panels, a Lithium-Ion battery pack and a connection to an external supply such as the vehicle's electrical power. Energy for operating the light bar is provided by one or more of the power sources, depending on operating conditions of the light bar and each of the power sources.

When a molded fabric body (X) is impregnated with a powder (K) of a predetermined material, there are performed a first step of dispersing the powder (K) in a liquid to prepare a slurry, and a second step of burying the molded fabric body (X) made of fiber bundles in the slurry and vibrating the slurry by use of a predetermined vibrator (M). Furthermore, in the second step, the vibrator (M) is moved along a surface of the molded fabric body (X). As a result, it is possible to improve the rate of impregnation of the powder (K) more than that in the conventional cases, irrespective of the shape of the molded fabric body (X).

The power source apparatus is provided with a shunt resistor connected in series with batteries, and a current computation circuit that detects the voltage induced by current flow through the shunt resistor to compute battery current. The shunt resistor is provided with a pair of current flow terminals at two separated points on a metal plate connected in series with the batteries via connecting leads, and a pair of voltage detection terminals on a side of the metal plate between the pair of current flow terminals. Further, the shunt resistor has interval adjustment structures to adjust the distance (L) between attachment points where the connecting leads attach to the pair of current flow terminals. The distance (L) between lead attachment points is adjusted with the interval adjustment structures to finely adjust the voltage induced at the voltage detection terminals due to current flow between the two attachment points.

An electronic power apparatus is provided, including a circuit board having a conductive pads and a sense pad coupled to an output signal, and an actuator having a wiper portion accommodating a conductive wiper. The wiper includes a first end arranged to engage the sense pad and a second end arranged to slidably engage at least one of the conductive pads on the circuit board. The conductive pads are arranged in a first row of conductive pads and a second row of conductive pads in parallel with and at a distance to the first row of conductive pads. An alignment of the second row of conductive pads is offset with respect to the first row of conductive pads.

A powerline communication (PLC) transmission module transmits a signal over a three-line electrical mains supply. The PLC transmission module includes at least two coupling transformers, each transformer coupling the signal to first and second line-pairs of a three-line electrical mains supply, the first and second line-pairs different from one another. Driving circuitry drives a first version of the signal over the first line-pair and a second version of the signal over the second line-pair. Inversion circuitry selectively inverts one version of the signal relative to the other version of the signal, dependent upon an enacted transmission mode. The inversion circuitry may invert neither/both of the versions of the signal so that the signal is transmitted as a differential-mode signal on the line-pairs or invert one of the first and second versions of the signal relative to the other so that the signal is a common-mode signal.

A power conditioner for a feeding system which stabilizes a load of active power is provided. A power conditioner for a feeding system comprises a first AC-DC and DC-AC converter for performing conversion between AC power and DC power; and a nickel-metal hydride battery disposed between and connected to a high-voltage cable at DC side of the first AC-DC and DC-AC converter and a low-voltage cable at the DC side of the first AC-DC and DC-AC converter.

A power controller for a vehicle includes a power converter module, a three-phase terminal, and a three-phase terminal base. The three-phase terminal includes a first flat portion, a second flat portion, and a curved portion. The first flat portion is connected to a contact surface of a three-phase output terminal to be in contact with the contact surface. The second flat portion is connected to a fixed surface of the three-phase terminal base to be in contact with the fixed surface. The three-phase terminal has a shape such that a predetermined gap is provided between the first flat portion and the contact surface of the three-phase output terminal when the first flat portion is released from the contact surface of the three-phase output terminal while the second flat portion is being in contact with the fixed surface of the three-phase terminal base.

Electrical power is dynamically managed among one or more power sources and one or more loads. A plurality of monitor nodes is connected to an input terminal connected to each source, and to an output terminal connected to each load. A plurality of electrical power storage cells is connected among the input and output terminals, each cell being capable of storing power from at least one of the sources and being capable of discharging stored power to at least one of the loads. A plurality of controllable switches is connected to the cells. A programmed controller dynamically monitors operating conditions at the monitor nodes during operation of each source and each load, and selectively dynamically controls the switches to interconnect the cells in different circuit topologies in response to the monitored operating conditions.

An output converter includes a DCDC conversion section, a secondary side voltage/current monitoring section detecting a power from the DCDC conversion section, a maximum operation point control section determining what voltage is to be set by the DCDC conversion section so that the power detected by the secondary side voltage/current monitoring section is maximum, a DCDC short-circuit switch via which a current from a module bypasses the DCDC conversion section to outside, a primary side voltage/current monitoring section measuring the current from the module, a module short-circuit switch switching between a state where a secondary side cathode and a secondary side anode are short-circuited and a state where they are not short-circuited, the maximum operation point control section causing the DCDC short-circuit switch and the module short-circuit switch to switch.

According to one embodiment, there is provided a power-fluctuation reducing apparatus in a power generation system to control a converter connected to the power generation system and connected to secondary batteries. The power-fluctuation reducing apparatus includes adjusting direct current voltages output from the secondary batteries, respectively, detecting the directing current voltages output from the secondary batteries, respectively, controlling to adjust the direct current voltages output from the secondary batteries to make the direct current voltages uniform, based on the detected direct current voltages, and controlling the converter to reduce power fluctuations in the power generation system.

A power control system includes a rechargeable battery, the rechargeable battery including a first battery unit and including a second battery unit connected to a first terminal of the first battery unit at a first node, a switching unit, the switching unit including a first switch connected to a second terminal of the first battery unit and including a second switch connected to the first node, and a control unit, the control unit being configured to generate and transmit switch control signals respectively corresponding to the first switch and the second switch, and being configured to control a voltage of the rechargeable battery such that the voltage is maintained in a threshold range of a predetermined rated voltage.

An electric power control system is provided. The power control system includes a first node to which a plurality of power production entities are connectable for combining their power output signals as a first power signal, a transformer adapted to transformer the first power signal at the first node to a second power signal at a second node connectable to a load, the second power signal having a higher voltage than the first power signal, at least one capacitor connectable to the first node and/or to the second node, a control unit adapted to control the connection of the at least one capacitor to the first node and/or to the second node such that a power loss caused by transmission loss of the power output signals from the power production entities to the load is minimized.

A wireless power feeder feeds power from a feeding coil L2 to a receiving coil L3 by wireless using a magnetic field coupling between the feeding coil L2 and the receiving coil L3. The feeding coil L2 is formed so as to be rotated. A power transmission control circuit supplies AC power to the feeding coil L2 to make the feeding coil L2 feed the AC power to the receiving coil L3. The power transmission control circuit rotates the feeding coil L2 to change the opposing area between the feeding coil L2 and the receiving coil L3 as viewed in the axis direction of the feeding coil L2 to thereby adjust the AC power to be supplied from the feeding coil L2 to the receiving coil L3.

An inductive power outlet for providing power to an electric load via an inductive power receiver includes at least one primary inductive coil wired to a power supply via a driver configured to provide a driving voltage across the primary inductive coil such that a secondary voltage is induced in a secondary inductive coil associated with the inductive power receiver. The driver may include a controller configured to receive feedback control signals from the inductive power receiver indicating if more or less power is required. The controller may be further configured to adjust the driving voltage according to the control signals.

A transmit pad inspection device includes a magnetic coupling device, which includes an inductive circuit that is configured to magnetically couple to a primary circuit of a charging device in a transmit pad through an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. The inductive circuit functions as a secondary circuit for a set of magnetically coupled coils. The magnetic coupling device further includes a rectification circuit, and includes a controllable load bank or is configured to be connected to an external controllable load back. The transmit pad inspection device is configured to determine the efficiency of power transfer under various coupling conditions. In addition, the transmit pad inspection device can be configured to measure residual magnetic field and the frequency of the input current, and to determine whether the charging device has been installed properly.

Embodiments include systems and methods of powering a mobile device using a sink device. The method may include detecting a coupling of the mobile device to the sink device and transmitting an acknowledgement in response to a query, the acknowledgement confirming that the sink device has charging capability. Power may be selectively provided in response to the power request. According to some embodiments, the method includes transmitting a query by a communications transmitter to determine if a sink device has charging capability, and deactivating a driver for a power line and transmitting a power request using the communications transmitter in response to receiving an acknowledgement signal from the sink device. The method may further include selectively providing power received from the sink device to a charging circuit of the mobile device. The mobile device may include an HDMI transmitter for communicating through a transmission line to an HDMI sink device.

A method of providing operating electrical power from a stationary power source to a mobile conveyor utilized in material handling at a mine site as the conveyor moves over a predetermined path at the site without having to move long lengths of cable as the conveyor moves away from the power source. The method utilizes a cable reel that features a power receptacle into which a cable connector can be easily plugged and unplugged.

A power control apparatus is mounted on an electrically driven vehicle which includes an electrical storage device configured by connecting a plurality of batteries in parallel, a voltage detection unit which detects a voltage of each battery, and a load, and the power control apparatus includes, a voltage deviation calculation unit which is connected to the electrical storage device, and calculates voltage deviation between the plurality of batteries based on the voltage detected by each voltage detection unit at the time of driving the load which is driven by power supply from the electrical storage device, a comparator which compares the voltage deviation calculated by the voltage deviation calculation unit and a first predetermined threshold, and a cutoff detection unit which detects a presence or absence of the battery, which comes into a cutoff state in the electrical storage device, when the voltage deviation is equal to or more than the first threshold in a comparison result by the comparator.

The system includes a first and a second power supply terminal configured to have at least one of a battery and a generator connected thereto, a first external terminal coupled to the first power supply terminal, and a second external terminal coupled to the second power supply terminal, and a protection unit connected between the first external terminal and the first power supply terminal. The protection unit includes a semiconductor switching unit having a load path and a control terminal, the load path connected between the first external terminal and the first power supply terminal, and a control circuit coupled to the control terminal of the semiconductor switching unit and configured to switch the switching unit on and off dependent on at least one electrical parameter in the on-board power supply system.

A phase balancing system includes a load forecasting module, a phase unbalance identification module and a demand response module. The load forecasting module determines a load forecast for the distribution system for the period of interest and the phase unbalance identification module determines voltage unbalance on the distribution system for the period of interest. The demand response module estimates an available demand response on the distribution system for the period of interest and allocates an optimized demand response from the available demand response to minimize the voltage unbalance on the distribution system for the period of interest.

Aspects of the invention are directed to apparatus and methods for controlling power distribution to a plurality of devices including a primary device and at least one secondary device, the primary device having at least a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, with the second mode of operation being a lower power mode of operation than the first mode of operation.

A power distribution system for distributing electric power generated by a wind farm between an AC power transmission link and a DC power transmission link is provided. Both power transmission links connect the wind farm to a substation of a power grid. The power distribution system includes a central wind farm controller and a distribution device. In response to a control signal from the central wind farm controller, the distribution device distributes the generated electrical power between the two power transmission links. It is further described a power transmission system with the above described power distribution system and a method for distributing electric power between an AC power transmission link and a DC power transmission link.

Systems and methods to operate a power supply. A power supply has an inductor and a capacitor coupled in a substantially series connection. The power supply has a first selectably conductive path that selectably couples a first power pack to the series reactive circuit and a second selectably conductive path that selectably couples the series reactive circuit to a substantially series combination of the first power pack and a second power pack. When the first power pack output voltage is above the threshold, the first selectably conductive path couples electrical current between the first power pack to the series reactive circuit. Otherwise, the second selectably conductive path couples electrical current between the series combination and the series reactive circuit. The controller further transfers charge from the second power pack to the first power pack.

A back-up feed system includes a feed input, a feed output, and a feed switching device. The feed input is coupled with an electrical power source. The feed output can couple with power lines in a power distribution unit at a location downstream from circuit protection devices the power distribution unit. The feed switching device can supply back-up electrical power from the power source to electrical systems in the event of a fault condition in the power distribution unit.

A circuit and method for wirelessly coupling an electrical energy between an electrical energy source and at least one load is provided. The circuit comprises a primary unit and at least one secondary unit. The primary unit includes an input node for receiving an input voltage produced by the energy source; a transmitter circuit including a transmitter coil configured to generate an electromagnetic field; and a regulator. The regulator is configured to sense a current consumption of the primary unit, determine a gradient of the current consumption with respect to different input voltages, and determine an optimal input voltage based on the gradient. The at least one secondary unit comprises a receiver circuit and a load. The receiver unit includes a coil that wirelessly and inductively couples with the electromagnetic field of the primary unit to receive power therefrom. The receiver unit further includes a regulator circuit configured to provide a constant power to an output node.

A power control device for an electronic device includes a power switching unit for switching to output a dc power source to a load of the electronic device according to a power switching signal, a switching detection unit for responding a power switching status to generate a switching detection signal, a status latch module for generating the power switching signal according to the switching detection signal, a first status signal and a second status signal, and a logic unit for generating the first status signal and the second status signal for the status latch module according to the power switching signal, such that the status latch module latches the first status signal and the second status signal.

A system for distributing electric power to an electrical grid. The system includes a DC/AC inverter arranged to convert a DC voltage output from an electric power generator to an AC voltage, a transformer arranged to receive the AC voltage, transform the AC voltage and deliver the transformed AC voltage to the grid, and a connector arranged to selectively connect and disconnect the transformer from the grid. The DC/AC inverter is arranged to control primary winding magnetizing current delivered to the transformer. Further, the connector is arranged to selectively connect and disconnect the grid to and from the transformer on the basis of the controlled magnetizing current.

A vehicle is supplied by a first electrical energy storage unit on board the vehicle, and a ground electrical network providing an energy supply by application of a supply voltage through electrical distribution. The first energy storage unit is controllable under a generator regime or a receiver regime. The supply voltage is adjusted, in the generator regime, by applying an algebraically additive supply voltage originating from the first electrical storage unit to the distribution, to maintain a supply voltage above a minimum threshold. In the receiver regime, if a surplus of supply voltage originating at least partially from a second storage unit in the generator regime is detected above the minimum threshold, this surplus is channeled energetically to the first energy storage unit of the vehicle if it is required for operating the vehicle and enables maintaining the supply voltage below a maximum threshold and above the minimum threshold.

A power generation and control system is easily installed in a consumer household, a business, or an end-user establishment for generating power and preventing power from flowing to a power grid from a consumer circuit during a power outage. A communications transceiver is adapted to transmit a permission signal for allowing power generation only after the control system has been installed. The control system can be adapted to replace an existing circuit breaker in a household circuit breaker box and prevents power from traveling from consumer power generators to the grid during a power outage. In the same manner that end-users can add appliances to existing circuits, end-users can easily add additional power generation devices without hiring a professional electrician and without worrying about causing harm to utility workman during power outages.

A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

The switch device includes a control switch that turns on/off an electrical connection between an apparatus and the power supply, a condition judging circuit that judges conditions of driving the control switch, an electric wave reception circuit that receives an electric wave, and a power supply circuit that generates power from the electric wave received by the electric wave reception circuit. An electric wave transmission device that transmits an electric wave for making the switch device operate is arranged in a space, whereby the electric wave can be received by the electric wave reception device in the specific space. The switch device controls the control switch to be turned off/on when the electric wave is received. Alternatively, when the electric wave is not received, the switch device turns on/off the control switch.

An electric power conversion apparatus includes a channel case in which a cooling water channel is formed; a double side cooling semiconductor module that has an upper and lower arms series circuit of an inverter circuit; a capacitor module; a direct current connector; and an alternate current connector. The semiconductor module includes first and second heat dissipation metals whose outer surfaces are heat dissipation surfaces, the upper and lower arms series circuit is disposed tightly between the first heat dissipation metal and the second heat dissipation metal, and the semiconductor module further includes a direct current positive terminal, a direct current negative terminal, and an alternate current terminal which protrude to outside. The channel case is provided with the cooling water channel which extends from a cooling water inlet to a cooling water outlet, and a first opening which opens into the cooling water channel.

A waterproof controller used for electric power steering includes a shell, a chamber, at least one sealing block, a circuit board, at least one cable, and at least one board mounting accessory. The chamber is formed in the shell. The sealing block is disposed on the shell, and includes at least one hole. The circuit board is accommodated in the chamber. The cable includes a first terminal and a second terminal opposite to the first terminal. The first terminal passes through the hole of the sealing block. The board mounting accessory covers the second terminal, in which the board mounting accessory and the second terminal insert into the circuit board together.

A power semiconductor has power terminals arranged in a row at one side of the housing, with control terminals arranged in a row at the other side of the housing. The spacing between adjacent power terminals is greater than the spacing between adjacent control terminals.

A converter power unit comprises: a heat sink; n power switch modules on the heat sink; a first group of laminated bus bars comprising a first and a second bus bar; a capacitor group comprising m capacitor; a second group of laminated bus bars comprising a third and a fourth bus bar, the first bus bar is connected with the third bus bar, the second bus bar is connected with the fourth bus bar; providing that vertical projection areas projected by an area occupied by the n power switch modules and projected by the capacitor group on a first plane perpendicular to an axial direction of the capacitor group are defined as a first and a second projection areas respectively, the first and the second projection area have an overlapped area. The present application can reduce the stray inductances in the commutating loop of the converter.

A power inverter includes a power semiconductor module that includes a power semiconductor device, a control circuit board that outputs a control signal used for controlling the power semiconductor device, a driver circuit board that outputs a driving signal used for driving the power semiconductor device, a conductive metal base plate arranged in a space between the driver circuit board and the control circuit board in which a fine and long opening portion is formed, wiring that connects the driver circuit board and the control circuit board through the opening portion and delivers the control signal to the driver circuit board, and an AC busbar that is arranged on a side opposite to the metal base plate through the driver circuit board and delivers an AC current output from the power semiconductor module to a drive motor. At least a portion of the AC busbar that faces the opening portion extends in a direction directly running in a longitudinal direction of the fine and long opening portion.

An apparatus includes a case capable of receiving a plurality of capacitive elements, each capacitor element having at least two capacitors, and each capacitor having a capacitive value. The apparatus also includes a cover assembly with a peripheral edge secured to the case. The cover assembly includes, for each of the plurality of capacitive elements, a cover terminal that extends upwardly from the cover assembly generally at a central region of the cover assembly. Each cover terminal is connected to one of the at least two capacitors of the respective one of the plurality of capacitive elements. The cover assembly also includes, for each of the plurality of capacitive elements, a cover terminal that extends upwardly from the cover assembly at a position spaced apart from the cover terminal generally at the central region of the cover assembly.