Variable voltage regulator

Abstract: A variable voltage regulator for incrementally regulating an input signal. The regulator includes a diode configuration which allows incremental reduction or clamping of an AC or DC input signal. Such a universal diode configuration has widespread use in many different voltage regulating applications, either as an integrated circuit or in discrete component form.

Description: Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a variable voltage regulator capable of incrementally regulating an input signal, and more particularly to a universal diode configuration which allows incremental reduction or clamping of an input signal. Description of the Background Conventionally, single diodes are used in DC-to-DC, AC-to-DC and AC-to-AC regulators to provide a fixed voltage reduction. Additionally, zener diodes may be used to clamp an AC output at it fixed level. However, such diodes typically have a fixed rating and are only usable in a narrow range of circuit applications. German Patent Publication No. 1095321 in the name of Siemens and Halske discloses a voltage linking circuit including first and second input terminals, the first input terminal connected to a load, and a first and a second output terminal connected to the first and second input terminals respectively. A diode bridge is connected between the first input and output terminals and the second input and output terminals. A zener diode is connected across the bridge. GB404094 in the name of Gorges Villebonnet discloses a method of regulating the voltage from a source of continuous electric current by using a series of dry contact cells across which a voltage drop occurs. Tap leads are disposed between the individual cells so that the circuit may be switched between taps. Rectifiers are described as an example of such dry contact cells. US3430127 in the name of Weiss discloses a voltage regulator and switching system in which voltage is regulated by a series of zener diodes across which a voltage drop occurs. Various of the zener diodes may be switched into and out of the circuit in order that voltage is regulated. A sequential arrangement of relays are used to switch the zener diodes into and out of the circuit. US3935505 in the name of Spiteri discloses a dimmer for fluorescent lights whereby a pair of opposing diodes are switched into a circuit in order to reduce the amount of energy passing through the fluorescent lamp by squaring an AC sign wave. The square wave applied to the load has a lower RMS voltage than the normal mains AC wave, thereby dimming the fluorescent lights without flickering. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a voltage regulator having a universal diode arrangement which allows for incremental adjustment of the regulation provided thereby. It is another object of the invention to provide a voltage regulator as described above which has an application in many well-known circuits and which can be efficiently mass-produced. It is still another object of the present invention to provide the above-described voltage regulator in integrated circuit or in discrete component form. According to the present invention, the above-described and other objects are accomplished by providing an improved variable voltage regulator for applying a regulated voltage across an impedance or load. The regulator comprises a first terminal (10) and a second terminal (20) for receiving an input signal; a third terminal (100) and a fourth terminal (110) for outputting a regulated signal; a regulating circuit (120) having a fifth terminal (X) connected to said first terminal (10) and said third terminal (100), a sixth terminal (Y) connected to said second terminal (20), a seventh terminal (M) and an eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q) said regulating circuit (120) further comprising, a diode bridge including a first diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said seventh terminal (M), a second diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q), a third diode connected between said seventh terminal (M) and said sixth terminal (Y), a fourth diode connected between said eighth terminal (N,O,P.Q) and said sixth terminal (Y), and a diode chain including a plurality of diodes connected in series between said seventh terminal (M) and said eighth terminal (N,O,P.Q); a plurality of tap leads, each tap lead being connected to a corresponding junction of adjacent diodes in said series-connected diode chain; whereby said seventh terminal (M) can be selectively connected to said tap leads and said eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q), thereby short circuiting a selected number of said plurality of diodes in said diode chain so that an input signal applied to said first (10) and second (20) terminals can be incrementally regulated and output on said third (100) and fourth (110) terminals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and certain modifications thereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an AC-to-AC voltage regulator using zener diodes to clamp an output voltage according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an AC-to-AC voltage regulator using zener diodes to amplify an output voltage according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a DC-to-AC voltage regulator using diodes to provide a selectable output voltage according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a power supply having an AC-to-DC voltage regulator using diodes to provide a selectable output voltage according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Fig. 1 illustrates an AC-to-AC voltage regulator having a first terminal 10 and a second terminal 20 for receiving an AC input signal, and a third terminal (100) and a fourth terminal (110) for outputting a regulated AC signal. The first terminal 10 is connected to the third terminal 100 through an impedance 30, and the second terminal 20 is connected directly to the fourth terminal 110. In addition, the regulator includes a regulating circuit 120 having seven connecting terminals, X, Y, M and N-Q. A fifth terminal X and a sixth terminal Y of regulating circuit 120 are connected between output terminals 100 and 110 respectively. The regulating circuit 120 includes a diode bridge connected between terminals X, Y, M and N. In addition to the diode bridge, a number of diodes are connected in series between a seventh terminal M and an eighth terminal N,O,P,Q. Tap leads extend from between the series-connected diodes. The throw terminals of a single pole multi-throw switch 50 are each connected to a corresponding one of the tap leads. The pole terminal of switch 50 is connected to the seventh terminal M. The series connected diodes may be conventional diodes or zener diodes. In operation, an AC signal is applied at the first terminal 10 and the second terminal 20. Switch 50 may be positioned to connect any one of the tap leads to the seventh terminal M. In this manner, regulating circuit 120 can be adjusted to act as a voltage clamp, and the peak output voltage can be clamped at a preselected level depending on the number of series connected diodes which are short-circulated. Thus, the output voltage can be incrementally clamped at any level ranging from the peak level of the AC input signal to zero. The clamped voltage is output to the third terminal 100 and fourth terminal 110. Fig. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein a load 30 is connected between the fifth terminal X and the junction connection of the first terminal 10 and the third terminal 100. The fourth terminal 110 is connected to the fifth terminal X. In operation, the device shown in Fig. 2 acts as a voltage amplifier by which the output voltage appearing across the third and fourth terminals 100 and 110 can be incrementally reduced from the input voltage applied to the first and second terminals 10 and 20. The incremental reduction in output voltage is determined by the position of switch 50. Fig. 3 illustrates a DC-to-DC voltage regulator using a diode arrangement similar to the devices shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In operation, a DC input signal is applied to the first and second terminals 10 and 20. A voltage drop appears across the series connected diodes, but the voltage drop can be incrementally reduced by by-passing selected diodes via positioning of switch 50. Fig. 4 depicts a power supply having a diode configuration substantially as shown in Fig. 3. Tap leads are drawn directly from between the series-connected diodes and are run to a number of eighth output terminals 110 through 112 and 7th terminal for supplying a equal number of different voltage outputs. A capacitor Cl is connected between eighth output terminals 110-112, and the seventh 140. In operation, an AC input signal is applied to the first and second terminals 10 and 20. A transformer 150 amplifies the AC input signal and supplies the amplified signal to fifth and sixth terminals X and Y of regulator circuit 120. The diode bridge of regulator circuit 120 rectifies the AC signal. Capacitor Cl smoothes the rectified signal to provide a smooth DC output. Voltage drops occur across the series-connected diodes between seventh and eighth terminals M and N. The tap leads connected between the series-connected diodes output the incremental voltage levels. This embodiment is especially useful because various regulated DC inputs are typically required by the external circuits which are attached to power supplies.

Claims: A variable voltage regulator for applying a regulated voltage across an impedance or load, the regulator comprising: a first terminal (10) and a second terminal (20) for receiving an input signal; a third terminal (100) and a fourth terminal (110) for outputting a regulated signal; a regulating circuit (120) having a fifth terminal (X) connected to said first terminal (10) and said third terminal (100), a sixth terminal (Y) connected to said second terminal (20), a seventh terminal (M) and an eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q) said regulating circuit (120) further comprising, a diode bridge including a first diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said seventh terminal (M), a second diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q), a third diode connected between said seventh terminal (M) and said sixth terminal (Y), a fourth diode connected between said eighth terminal (N,O,P.Q) and said sixth terminal (Y), and a diode chain including a plurality of diodes connected in series between said seventh terminal (M) and said eighth terminal (N,O,P.Q); a plurality of tap leads, each tap lead being connected to a corresponding junction of adjacent diodes in said series-connected diode chain; whereby said seventh terminal (M) can be selectively connected to said tap leads and said eighth terminal (N,O,P,Q), thereby short circuiting a selected number of said plurality of diodes in said diode chain so that an input signal applied to said first (10) and second (20) terminals can be incrementally regulated and output on said third (100) and fourth (110) terminals. A variable voltage regulator according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of diodes in said diode chain are zener diodes and said seventh terminal (M) can be selectively connected to said tap leads and said eighth terminal (N,O,P.Q), thereby short circuiting a selected number of said plurality of zener diodes in said diode chain to provide an incrementally adjustable voltage clamp when an input signal is applied to said first (10) and second (20) terminals. A variable voltage regulator according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein an impedance (30) is connected between said 5th terminal (X) and a junction of said first terminal (10) and third terminal. A variable voltage regulator according to claim 3 wherein the fourth terminal (110) is connected to the 5th terminal (X). A variable voltage regulator according to claim 1 and 2 wherein an impedance (30) is connected between said first terminal (10) and a junction between said third terminal (100) and said fifth terminal (X). A variable voltage regulator according to claim 5 wherein the fourth terminal (110) is connected to the sixth terminal (Y). A variable voltage regulator according to any preceding claim comprising an A.C. power supply, connected to said first (10) and second (20) terminals. A variable voltage regulator according to any of claims 1 to 6, comprising a D.C. power supply connected to said first (10) and second (20) terminals, whereby said output signal is a D.C. signal. A variable power supply for applying a regulated voltage across an impedance or load, the power supply comprising: a first terminal (10) and a second terminal (20) for receiving an A.C. input signal; a third terminal (110,111,112) and a fourth terminal (140) for outputting a regulated D.C. signal; a transformer (150) having a primary winding connected across said first (10) and second (20) terminals, and a secondary winding having a first output and a second output; a regulating circuit (120) having a fifth terminal (X) connected to said first output of said transformer (150), a sixth terminal (Y) connected to said second output of said transformer (150), a seventh terminal (M) and an eighth terminal (N,O,P) connected together through a capacitance, said seventh terminal (M) connected to said fourth terminal, said regulating circuit (120) further comprising, a diode bridge including a first diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said seventh (M) terminal, a second diode connected between said fifth terminal (X) and said eighth terminal (N,O,P), a third diode connected between said seventh terminal (M) and said sixth terminal (Y), a fourth diode connected between said eighth terminal (N,O,P) and said sixth terminal (Y), and a diode chain including a plurality of diodes connected in series between seventh terminal (M) and said eighth (N,O,P) terminal; a plurality of tap leads, each tap lead being connected to a corresponding anode-cathode junction adjacent diodes in said series-connected diode chain; whereby said third terminal (110,111,112) can be selectively connected to said tap leads and said eighth terminal (N,O,P), thereby short circuiting a selected number of said plurality of diodes in said diode chain so that an A.C. input signal applied to said first (10) and second (20) terminals is amplified and regulated to a selectable D.C. level which is output on said third and fourth (140) terminals. A variable power supply according to claim 9 further comprising a single-pole multi-throw switch for selectively connecting said third terminal to said tap leads and said eighth terminal (N,O,P), thereby short circuiting a selected number of said plurality of diodes in said diode chain so that an A.C. input signal applied to said first (10) and second (20) terminals is amplified and regulated to a selectable D.C. level which is output on said third and fourth (140) terminals.

Inventors: YANG TAI-HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Applicants: YANG TAI HER, YANG, TAI-HER
Application year: 1991
Main classification: H02M7
IPC codes: H02M7, H02M5, H02M3