E2v Technologies (UK) Limited

The Marconi Company Limited

Marconi Applied Technologies Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Teledyne UK Limited

Eev Liimited

Teledyne E2v (UK) Limited

Robert Richardson

Stephen Mark Iskander

David Bernard Fox

Karl Osbourne

Yucel Aybar

Michael John Bland

Matthew Kevin Hicks

Martin Day

Colin Bennett

Paul Andrew Gooch

Anthony T Barker

Michael Bland

The present invention relates to a modulator system adapted to generate high voltage pulses suitable for supply across a high voltage load having a thermionic cathode, such as a magnetron. The modulator system comprises a high voltage DC PSU connected to a switching mechanism adapted to generate high voltage pulses from the high voltage DC PSU for application to a thermionic cathode of a high voltage load. The modulator system further comprises an isolation transformer; a heater PSU adapted to be connected to a cathode heater through the isolation transformer and to provide an AC current thereto. The modulator system further comprises a controller to receive pulse instruction signals and trigger generation of corresponding high voltage pulses by the switching mechanism, to calculate the estimated arrival time of a next pulse instruction signal, based on the time between previous pulse instruction signals, and disable the heater PSU for a preset time, commencing before the estimated arrival time of the next pulse instruction signal, such that no current is supplied from the heater PSU while current is supplied from the high voltage PSU.

Modulator system

An electrical system for a motor vehicle is provided. The electrical system includes one or more vehicle batteries configured to provide electric power to one or more vehicle systems. The electrical system also includes a terminal configured to allow a third-party loads and/or a third-party batteries to be electrically coupled to the electrical system at the terminal. The electrical system further includes a relay configured to selectively couple the terminal to the vehicle batteries. A controller is configured to control the operation of the relay. A method of controlling operation of an electrical system for a motor vehicle is also provided.

Vehicle electrical system to facilitate integration of third-party batteries

A transformer includes a primary winding; a secondary winding; a first electrostatic screen located between the primary winding and the secondary winding and most proximate to the primary winding; and a second electrostatic screen located between the primary winding and the secondary winding and most proximate to the secondary winding. The first electrostatic screen is electrically connectable to a power supply electrically connectable to the primary winding and the second electrostatic screen is electrically connectable to a load electrically connectable to the secondary winding. The invention also includes an inverter system including the transformer.

Transformer for an inverter system and an inverter system comprising the transformer

A low-filter is arranged for attachment to an exterior face of a wall of an electrically conducting screened chamber encasing the magnetron and an associated isolation transformer electrically connected to terminals of the magnetron. Output connections of the filter pass directly through an interface between the electrically conducting screened chamber and the filter to connect electrically, directly or indirectly, with the isolation transformer. There are therefore no electrical leads outside the screened chamber electrically connecting the filter to the isolation transformer.

Magnetron filter

Drive circuit and method for a gated semiconductor switching device A drive circuit and method for a gated semiconductor switching device () comprising providing coupling such as a mutual inductance between a gate drive circuit () for the device and a drain to source current supply circuit () for the device in order to change a gate voltage provided by the gate drive circuit dependent on a rate of change of a current in the drain to source current supply circuit. The change in gate voltage has a magnitude and phase arranged to increase or decrease a switching speed of the gated semiconductor switching device.

Drive circuit for a gated semiconductor switching device and method for driving a gated semiconductor switching device

An inductive filter for a magnetron power supply lead comprises an electrically insulating tube; a power lead located partially within the electrically insulating tube, and coaxial therewith, for supplying power from a magnetron power supply to a magnetron, a first core of a first magnetic material and a second core of a second magnetic material coaxially located on the electrically insulating tube; an insulating disc of same external diameter as the first core and the second core and coaxially located on the electrically insulating tube between the first core and the second core. The inductive filter is arranged to filter noise of a first frequency band and noise of a second, different, frequency band different from being transmitted along the power lead and to absorb a predetermined transient voltage from being transmitted along the power lead.

Filter for a magnetron power supply lead

A high frequency cathode heater supply for a microwave source includes a SMPS inverter and an isolation transformer having a primary winding arranged to be powered by the SMPS inverter, a monitor winding passing through primary core assemblies of the primary winding and a secondary winding arranged for connection to the cathode heater. A current monitor is arranged to monitor a current in the primary windings. Signal processing modules are arranged to receive a first input signal from the monitor winding indicative of a voltage across the cathode heater and a second input signal from the current monitor indicative of a current through the cathode heater. The signal processing modules are arranged to output a control signal to the SMPS inverter to control power supplied to the cathode heater dependent on a monitored resistance of, or monitored power supplied to, the cathode heater as determined from the first input signal and the second input signal.

High frequency cathode heater supply for a microwave source

A magnetron has an anode and a cathode. The cathode includes two parts joined by sleeves of ferrous alloy spaced by a sleeve of insulating material. The ferrous alloy sleeves are adapted to be connected to opposite poles of a power supply for heating the cathode. A high frequency power supply is used to heat the cathode. The ferrous alloy sleeves have a surface coating of conductive material. The currents induced by the magnetic field generated by the high frequency currents of the power supply are largely confined to the conductive coating due to the skin effect, avoiding the heating of and losses in the ferrous alloy itself which would otherwise ensue.

Magnetron

An RF generator power supply comprises a first switched mode power supply (SMPS) connected in series to a second SMPS by a DC bus. A capacitor is arranged between the outputs of the first SMPS and inputs of the second SMPS to act as a smoothing capacitor for the first SMPS and to supply pulse energy to the second SMPS. The second SMPS has an output connected to an input of a step-up transformer and an output of the step-up transformer is connected to an input of a rectifier connectable to the RF generator. An input of the first SMPS is connectable to a prime power supply to maintain a high power factor with low harmonic content while setting an operating voltage and peak current level for the RF generator. The second SMPS is arranged to feed the step-up transformer and is arranged to operate with a variable duty cycle and/or variable frequency to provide average power control of the RF generator. The second SMPS is rapidly switched off on detection of a power surge through the RF generator.

Power supply for radio frequency heating apparatus

A transformer comprises a secondary winding including a plurality of coaxially arranged toroidal closed magnetic circuits connected in series within an enclosure and a primary winding comprising a plurality of turns including electrically conducting members passing axially through the toroidal closed magnetic circuits, respective ones of the plurality of electrically conducting members being electrically connected by respective electrically conducting strip lines passing along walls of the enclosure to form the continuous primary winding.

Multi-torroid transformer

A transformer comprises a primary winding having a first plurality of magnetic circuits each with a second plurality of turns and electrically connected in parallel and a secondary winding comprising a third plurality of magnetic circuits each with a fourth plurality of turns and electrically connected in series. The primary winding is electromagnetically coupled to the secondary winding by a single turn electrically conductive loop.

High frequency transformer for high voltage applications

An enclosure () for electrical apparatus () has a sealable outlet () for partially evacuating the enclosure and a sealable inlet ()for partially filling the enclosure with a liquid () having a vapor pressure at operating temperatures of the apparatus suitable to enhance electrical isolation of the electrical apparatus and suitable to provide convective cooling of the electrical apparatus. The vapor preferably provides a voltage hold-off sufficiently high for operating voltages of the electrical apparatus and has a relative permittivity sufficiently low to prevent stray capacitance in the electrical apparatus above a predetermined limit.

Sealed and cooled enclosure with voltage isolation

A switching arrangement for a high voltage load provides high voltage pulses to the load. The switching arrangement includes switching modules, where n is typically (). A load capacitance is Cd is required to avoid voltage overshoot at the load and is provided by a capacitance of nCd arranged in parallel with each switch.

High voltage switching apparatus

A high voltage switching apparatus delivers kV pulses to a load such as a magnetron. The switching apparatus comprises a switching stack surrounded by capacitors and both arranged within a housing. Lt power is supplied to the stack, e.g. for control electronics, by magnetic coupling across a non-conducting wall of the housing. Annular inserts are arranged on either side of the wall. Each insert receives a transformer core and winding. The bottom surfaces of the inserts carry a conductive coating to minimise electric stresses. Ht power is also supplied through the wall.

Galvanically isolated delivery of power to high voltage circuits parts

A rectifier transformer comprises two secondary windings, preferably with a single turn on each winding. The rectifier diodes form an integral part of each of the secondary windings. Thus, a compact arrangement is realised. In a high voltage application, the rectifier diodes comprise a plurality of relatively low voltage diodes in parallel to one another. The overall capacitance of the rectifier circuit is reduced by this arrangement.

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Chelmsford, United Kingdom

Robert Richardson