Qortek, Inc.

John M Staron

William C Knoll

Ross W Bird

Bruce Bower

A high-frequency switch circuit is presented. The invention includes a pair of switches, a pair of inductors, and a pair of diodes. Inductors are electrically connected in series between the switches which are thereafter electrically coupled to a power source. Switches are electrically connected to gate drivers so as to control and coordinate the cycling of switches between ON and OFF states. Inductors are also electrically connected to an output thereby communicating a voltage waveform thereto. In some embodiments, it may be desired to electrically connect the inductors to an output circuit to further modify the waveform. Diodes are likewise electrically connected about the switches and inductors. The present invention is applicable to a variety of circuits having a totem pole arrangement of switches sequentially cycled ON and OFF, examples including but not limited to half-bridge, full-bridge, and hybrid configurations.

High frequency switch circuit

A gate drive circuit capable of providing both positive and negative drive from a DC power supply is presented. The circuit includes an isolator stage, a driver stage, an optional tuning stage, an offset stage, a shaping stage, and a switching stage, each electrically coupled in the order described. The isolator stage provides electrical isolation from signal level circuitry. The driver stage boosts the power within the signal from the isolator stage. The tuning stage slows rising and falling edges along the signal from driver. The offset stage shifts the unipolar gate drive signal from the tuning stage into the negative voltage range. The shaping stage modifies the signal from the offset stage so as to ensure squared transitions. The switching stage enables voltage control. The described circuit is applicable to electronics utilizing a variety of voltage controlled switching devices.

Gate drive circuit with negative offset

A head positioner is described wherein a read/write head is slidably propelled along an arm by an electrically, an acoustically, or an magnetically active material. One embodiment is comprised of a driver arm with a single slidable positioner. The driver arm is composed of a rail with two driver layers. An isolator layer between rail and each driver layer prevents distortion of rail when driver layers are activated. A wear-resistant, low-friction layer prevents damage to driver layer and facilitates sliding motion between positioner and driver arm. Positioner is propelled along driver arm by energizing driver layer composed of either a piezoelectric, piezoceramic, electrostatic, electromagnetic, or electrostatic material. At least one read/write head is attached to the positioner for data communication purposes with a storage element. In an alternate embodiment, two positioners are separately and independently slidable along a single driver arm.

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Montoursville, PA, United States of America

John M Staron