United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,661,747

Gray, Sr. 45 Date of Patent: Apr. 28, 1987

(54) EFFICIENT ELECTRICAL CONVERSION FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
SWITCHINGTUBE SUTABLE FOR
INDUCTIVE LOADS 054036l 12/1976 U.S.S.R. .............................. 315/335
76 Inventor: Edwin V. Gray, Sr., P.O. Box 362, Primary Examiner-Saxfield Chatmon
Council, Id. 83612 (57) ABSTRACT
21 Appl. No.: 791,508 Disclosed is an electrical driving and recovery system
for a high frequency environment. The recovery system
22 Filed: Oct. 25, 1985 can be applied to drive present day direct-current or
alternating-current loads for better efficiency. It has a
Related U.S. Application Data low-voltage source coupled to a vibrator, a transformer
62) Division of Ser. No. 662,339, Oct. 18, 1984, Pat. No. and a bridge-type rectifier to provide a high voltage
4,595,975. pulsating signal to a first capacitor. Where a high-volt
age source is otherwise available, it may be coupled
30) Foreign Application Priority Data directly to a bridge-type rectifier, causing a pulsating
Dec. 16, 1983 GR) Greece................................... 124388 signal to the first capacitor. The first capacitor in turn is
coupled to a high voltage anode of an electrical conver
51 Int. Cl........................ H01J 11/04; H01J 13/48; sion switching element tube. The switching element
H05B 37/00; H05B 39/00 tube also includes a low voltage anode which is con
52 U.S. Cl. .................................... 315/330; 313/601; nected to a voltage source by a commutator and a
313/602; 313/604; 315/261; 315/335 switching element tube. Mounted around the high volt
58 Field of Search ....................... 315/57, 58, 60, 36, age anode is a charge receiving plate which is coupled
315/334, 335, 330,336,261; 313/595, 601, 602, to an inductive load to transmit a high voltage dis
603 charge from the switching element tube to the load.
Also coupled to the load is a second capacitor for stor
(56) References Cited ing the back EMF created by the collapsing electrical
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS field of the load when the current to the load is blocked.
The second capacitor is coupled to the voltage source.
3,443,142 5/1969 Koppl et al. .......................... 315/58 When adapted to present day direct-current or alternat
3,663,855 5/1972 Boettcher. ... 315/330 ing-current devices the load could be a battery or ca
3,798,461 3/1974 Edson ................................... 35/36 pacitor to enhance the productivity of electrical energy.
3,939,379 2/1976 Sullivan et al. ... 315/330
4,198,590 4/1980 Harris................ ... 315/335
4,370,597 1/1983 Weiner et al. ........................ 315/58 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

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U.S. Patent Apr. 28, 1987 Sheet 1 of 2 4,661,747

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U.S. Patent Apr. 28, 1987 Sheet 2 of 2 4,661,747

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 4,661,747
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charge receiving element; conducting the discharge to
EFFICIENT ELECTRICAL CONVERSION an inductive load; coupling a second capacitor to the
SWITCHING TUBE SUTABLE FOR INDUCTIVE load; and coupling the second capacitor to the source.
LOADS It is an aim of the present invention to provide a
system for driving an inductive load which system is
This is a division of application Ser. No. 662,339, filed substantially more efficient than any now existing.
Oct. 18, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,975. Another object of the present invention is to provide
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a system for driving an inductive load which is reliable,
is inexpensive and simply constructed.
1. Field of the Invention O The foregoing objects of the present invention to
The present invention relates to an electrical driving gether with various other objects, advantages, features
system and a conversion element, and more particu and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled
larly, to a system for driving an inductive load in a in the art in light of this disclosure may be achieved
greatly improved and efficient manner. with the exemplary embodiment of the invention de
2. Description of the Prior Act 15 scribed in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the ac
In the opinion of the inventor, there is no known companying drawings.
device which provides the conversion of energy from a BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
direct-current electric source or an alternating-current
electric source to a mechanical force based on the prin FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of the electrical
ciple of this invention. EXAMPLE: A portable energy 20 driving system.
source, (1) such as a battery, (2) such as alternating-cur FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view of the electri
rent, (3) such as the combination of battery and alternat cal conversion element.
ing-current, may be used with highly improved effi FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view taken along line 3-3
ciency to operate a mechanical device, whose output is of FIG. 2.
a linear or rotary force, with an attendant increase in the 25 FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view taken along line 4-4
useful productive period between external applications of FIG. 2.
of energy restoration for the energy source. FIG. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the alternat
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
ing-current input circuit.
The present invention provides a more efficient driv 30 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
ing system comprising a source of electrical voltage; a EMBODIMENT
vibrator connected to the low-voltage source for form While the present invention is susceptible of various
ing a pulsating signal; a transformer connected to the modifications and alternative constructions, an embodi
vibrator for receiving the pulsating signal; a high-volt ment is shown in the drawings and will herein be de
age source, where available, connected to a bridge-type 35 scribed in detail. It should be understood however that
rectifier; or the bridge-type rectifier connected to the it is not the intention to limit the invention to the partic
high voltage pulse output of the transformer; a capaci ular form disclosed; but, on the contrary, the invention
tor for receiving the voltage pulse output; a conversion is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternative
element having first and second anodes, electrically constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the
conductive means for receiving a charge positioned invention as expressed in the appended claims.
about the second anode and an output terminal con There is disclosed herein an electrical driving system
nected to the charge receiving means, the second anode which, on theory, will convert low voltage electric
being connected to the capacitor; a commutator con energy from a source such as an electric storage battery
nected to the source of electrical voltage and to the first to a high potential, high current energy pulse that is
anode; and an inductive load connected to the output 45 capable of developing a working force at the inductive
terminal whereby a high energy discharge between the output of the device that is more efficient than that
first and second anodes is transferred to the charge which is capable of being developed directly from the
receiving means and then to the inductive load. energy source. The improvement in efficiency is further
As a sub-combination, the present invention also in enhanced by the capability of the device to return that
cludes a conversion element comprising a housing; a 50 portion of the initial energy developed, and not used by
first low voltage anode mounted to the housing, the first the inductive load in the production of mechanical en
anode adapted to be connected to a voltage source; a ergy, to the same or second energy reservoir or source
second high voltage anode mounted to the housing, the for use elsewhere, or for storage.
second anode adapted to be connected to a voltage This system accomplishes the results stated above by
source; electrically conductive means positioned about 55 harnessing the "electrostatic' or "impulse' energy cre
the second anode and spaced therefrom for receiving a ated by a high-intensity spark generated within a spe
charge, the charge receiving means being mounted to cially constructed electrical conversion switching ele
the housing; and an output terminal communicating ment tube. This element utilizes a low-voltage anode, a
with the charge receiving means, said terminal adapted high-voltage anode, and one or more "electrostatic' or
to be connected to an inductive load. 60 charge receiving grids. These grids are of a physical
The invention also includes a method for providing size, and appropriately positioned, as to be compatible
power to an inductive load comprising the steps of with the size of the tube, and therefore, directly related
providing a voltage source, pulsating a signal from said to the amount of energy to be anticipated when the
source; increasing the voltage of said signal; rectifying device is operating.
said signal; storing and increasing the signal; conducting 65 The low-voltage anode may incorporate a resistive
said signal to a high voltage anode; providing a low device to aid in controlling the amount of current
voltage to a second anode to form a high energy dis drawn from the energy source. This low-voltage anode
charge; electrostatically coupling the discharge to a is connected to the energy source through a mechanical
 4,661,747
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commutator or a solid-state pulser that controls the A novel, but not essential, circuit arrangement pro
timing and duration of the energy spark within the vides for switching the energy source and the energy
element. The high-voltage anode is connected to a high storage device. This switching may be so arranged as to
voltage potential developed by the associated circuits. actuate automatically at predetermined times. The
An energy discharge occurs within the element when switching may be at specified periods determined by
the external control circuits permit. This short duration, experimentation with a particular device, or may be
high-voltage, high-current energy pulse is captured by actuated by some control device that measures the rela
the "electrostatic' grids within the tube, stored momen tive energy content of the two energy reservoirs.
tarily, then transferred to the inductive output load. Referring now to FIG. 1, the system 10 will be de
The increase in efficiency anticipated in converting 10 scribed in additional detail. The potential for the high
the electrical energy to mechanical energy within the voltage anode 12 of the conversion element 14 is devel
inductive load is attributed to the utilization of the most oped across the capacitor 16. This voltage is produced
optimum timing in introducing the electrical energy to by drawing a low current from a battery source 18
the load device, for the optimum period of time. through the vibrator 20. The effect of the vibrator is to
Further enhancement of energy conservation is ac 5 create a pulsating input to the transformer 22. The turns
complished by capturing a significant portion of the ratio of the transformer is chosen to optimize the volt
energy generated by the inductive load when the useful age applied to a bridge-type rectifier 24. The output of
energy field is collapsing. This energy is normally dissi the rectifier is then a series of high-voltage pulses of
pated in load losses that are contrary to the desired modest current. When the available source is already of
energy utilization, and have heretofore been accepted the high voltage AC type, it may be coupled directly to
because no suitable means had been developed to har the bridge-type rectifier.
ness this energy and restore it to a suitable energy stor By repetitious application of these output pulses from
age device. the bridge-type recrifier to the capacitor 16, a high-volt
The present invention is concerned with two con age high-level charge is built up on the capacitor.
cepts or characteristics. The first of these characteristics
25 Control of the conversion switching element tube is
is observed with the introduction of an energizing cur maintained by a commutator 26. A series of contacts
rent through the inductor. The inductor creates a con mounted radially about a shaft, or a solid-state switch
trary force (counter-electromotive force or CEMF) ing device sensitive to time or other variable may be
that opposes the energy introduced into the inductor. used for this control element. A switching element tube
This CEMF increases throughout the time the intro
30 type one-way energy path 28 is introduced between the
duced energy is increasing. commutator device and the conversion switching ele
In normal applications of an alternating-current to an ment tube to prevent high energy arcing at the commu
tator current path. When the switching element tube is
inductive load for mechanical applications, the useful closed, current from the voltage source 18 is routed
work of the inductor is accomplished prior to terminat 35 through a resistive element 30 and a low voltage anode
ing the application of energy. The excess energy applied 32. This causes a high energy discharge between the
is thereby wasted. anodes within the conversion switching element tube
Previous attempts to provide energy inputs to an 14.
inductor of time durations limited to that period when The energy content of the high energy pulse is elec
the optimum transfer of inductive energy to mechanical 40 trostatically coupled to the conversion grids 34 of the
energy is occuring, have been limited by the ability of conversion element. This electrostatic charge is applied
any such device to handle the high current required to through an output terminal 60 (FIG. 2) across the load
optimize the energy transfer. inductance 36, inducing a strong electromagnetic field
The second characteristic is observed when the ener about the inductive load. The intensity of this electro
gizing current is removed from the inductor. As the 45 magnetic field is determined by the high electromotive
current is decreased, the inductor generates an EMF potential developed upon the electrostatic grids and the
that opposes the removal of current or, in other words, very short time duration required to develop the energy
produces an energy source at the output of the inductor pulse.
that simulates the original energy source, reduced by If the inductive load is coupled magnetically to a
the actual energy removed from the circuit by the me 50 mechanical load, a strong initial torque is developed
chanical load. This "regenerated', or excess, energy has that may be efficiently utilized to produce physical
previously been lost due to a failure to provide a storage work.
capability for this energy. Upon cessation of the energy pulse (arc) within the
In this invention, a high-voltage, high-current, short conversion switching element tube the inductive load is
duration energy pulse is applied to the inductive load by 55 decoupled, allowing the electromagnetic field about the
the conversion element. This element makes possible inductive load to collapse. The collapse of this energy
the use of certain of that energy impressed within an arc field induces within the inductive load a counter EMF.
across a spark-gap, without the resultant deterioration This counter EMF creates a high positive potential
of circuit elements normally associated with high en across a second capacitor 38 which, in turn, is induced
ergy electrical arcs. 60 into the second energy storage device or battery 40 as a
This invention also provides for capture of a certain charging current. The amount of charging current
portion of the energy induced by the high inductive available to the battery 40 is dependent upon the initial
kick produced by the abrupt withdrawal of the intro conditions within the circuit at the time of discharge
duced current. This abrupt withdrawal of current is within the conversion switching element tube and the
attendant upon the termination of the stimulating arc. 65 amount of mechanical energy consumed by the work
The voltage spike so created is imposed upon a capaci load.
tor that couples the attendant current to a secondary A spark-gap protection device 42 is included in the
energy storage device. circuit to protect the inductive load and the rectifier
 4,661,747
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elements from unduly large discharge currents. Should stored on the capacitor in incremental, additive steps
the potentials within the circuit exceed predetermined from the bridge-type rectifier 24.
values, fixed by the mechanical size and spacing of the When the energy source is a direct-current electric
elements within the protective device, the excess en energy storage device, such as the battery 12, the input
ergy is dissipated (bypassed) by the protective device to 5 to the bridge rectifier is provided by the voltage step-up
the circuit common (electrical ground). transformer 22, that is in turn energized from the vibra
Diodes 44 and 46 bypass the excess overshoot gener tor 20, or solid-state chopper, or similar device to prop
ated when the "Energy Conversion Switching Element erly drive the transformer and rectifier circuits.
Tube' is triggered. A switching element 48 allows ei O When the energy source is an alternating-current,
ther energy storage source to be used as the primary switches 64 disconnect transformer 22 and the input to
energy source, while the other battery is used as the the bridge-type rectifier 24 is provided by the voltage
energy retrieval unit. The switch facilitates interchang step-up transformer 66, that is in turn energized from
ing the source and the retrieval unit at optimum inter the vibrator 20, or solid-state chopper, or similar device
vals to be determined by the utilization of the conver to properly drive the transformer and rectifier circuits.
sion switching element tube. This switching may be 15 The repetitious output of the bridge rectifier incre
accomplished manually or automatically, as determined mentally increases the capacitor charge toward its max
imum. This charge is electrically connected directly to
by the choice of switching element from among a large the high-voltage anode 12 of the conversion switching
variety readily available for the purpose.
FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show the mechanical structure of element tube.
the conversion switching element tube 14. An outer 20 source When the low-voltage anode 32 is connected to a
housing 50 may be of any insulative material such as designated of current, an arc is created in the spark-gap
glass. The anodes 12 and 32 and grids 34a and 34b are equivalent 62 of the conversion switching element tube
firmly secured by nonconductive spacer material 54, anode, and thethecurrent
to potential stored on the high-voltage
available from the low-voltage
and 56. The resistive element 30 may be introduced into 25 anode. Because the duration of the arc is very short, the
the low-voltage anode path to control the peak currents instantaneous voltage, and instantaneous current may
through the conversion switching element tube. The both be very high. The instantaneous peak
resistive element may be of a piece, or it may be built of power is therefore, also very high. Within theapparent conver
one or more resistive elements to achieve the desired sion switching element tube, this energy is absorbed by
result. 30 the grids 34a and 34b mounted circumferentially about
The anode material may be identical for each anode, the interior of the tube.
or may be of differing materials for each anode, as dic Control of the energy spike within the conversion
tated by the most efficient utilization of the device, as switching element tube is accomplished by a mechani
determined by appropriate research at the time of pro cal, or solid-state commutator, that closes the circuit
duction for the intended use. 35 path from the low-voltage anode to the current source
The shape and spacing of the electrostatic grids is at that moment when the delivery of energy to the
also susceptible to variation with application (voltage, output load is most auspicious. Any number of standard
current, and energy requirements). high-accuracy, variable setting devices are available for
It is the contention of the inventor that by judicious this purpose. When control of the repetitive rate of the
mating of the elements of the conversion switching 40 system's output is required, it is accomplished by con
element tube, and the proper selection of the compo trolling the time of connection at the low-voltage an
nents of the circuit elements of the system, the desired ode.
theoretical results may be achieved. It is the inventor's Thus there can be provided an electrical driving
contention that this mating and selection process is well system having a low-voltage source coupled to a vibra
within the capabilities of intensive research and devel 45 tor, a transformer and a bridge-type rectifier to provide
opment technique. a high voltage pulsating signal to a first capacitor.
Let it be stated here that substituting a source of Where a high-voltage source is otherwise available, it
electric alternating-current subject to the required cur may be coupled direct to a bridge-type rectifier, causing
rent and/or voltage shaping and/or timing, either prior a pulsating signal to a first capacitor. The capacitor in
to being considered a primary energy source, or there 50 turn is coupled to a high-voltage anode of an electrical
after, should not be construed to change the described conversion switching element tube. The element also
utilization or application of primary energy in any way. includes a low-voltage anode which in turn is con
Such energy conversion is readily achieved by any of a nected to a voltage source by a commutator, a switch
multitude of well established principles. The preferred ing element tube, and a variable resistor. Mounted
embodiment of this invention merely assumes optimum 55 around the high-voltage anode is a charge receiving
utilization and optimum benefit from this invention plate which in turn is coupled to an inductive load to
when used with portable energy devices similar in prin transmit a high-voltage discharge from the element to
ciple to the wet-cell or dry-cell battery. the load. Also coupled to the load is a second capacitor
This invention proposes to utilize the energy con for storing the back EMF created by the collapsing
tained in an internally generated high-voltage electric 60 electrical field of the load when the current to the load
spike (energy pulse) to electrically energize an induc is blocked. The second capacitor in turn is coupled to
tive load; this inductive load being then capable of con the voltage source.
verting the energy so supplied into a useful electrical or What is claimed is:
mechanical output 1. An electrical conversion switching element tube
In operation the high-voltage, short-duration electric 65 comprising:
spike is generated by discharging the capacitor 16 a closed insulative housing (50);
across the spark-gap in the conversion switching ele a first low-voltage anode (32) mounted internally to
ment tube. The necessary high-voltage potential is said housing and extending internally to an electri
 4,661,747
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cal discharge area (62), said first anode adapted to tive means also being internally mounted to said
be connected to a voltage source external to the housing; and
housing; an output terminal (60) communicating with said
charge receiving electrically conductive means,
a second high-voltage anode (12) mounted internally 5 said terminal adapted to be connected to an induc
to said housing and extending internally to said tive load externally of said housing.
electrical discharge area (62), said second anode 2. An electrical conversion switching element tube as
also being adapted to be connected to a voltage claimed in claim 1, including a resistive element (30) in
series with said first anode.
source external to the housing: 10 3. An electrical conversion switching element tube as
electrically conductive means (34b) positioned inter claimed in claim 1 wherein:
nally within said housing and extending circumfer said charge receiving electrically conductive means is
entially about said second anode while being di tubularly shaped.
rectly exposed thereto but not conductively con 4. An electrical conversion switching element tube as
nected thereto but, rather, spaced therefrom for 5 claimed in claim 3, including
receiving an electrostatic charge from the second a second tubularly shaped charge receiving electri
anode when a discharge current is triggered across cally conductive means (34a) positioned circumfer
entially about said first mentioned charge receiving
said discharge area between said first and second electrically conductive means.
anodes, said charge receiving electrically conduc k

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