The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 10, 1997
Darwin K. Decker, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
TRW Inc., Recondo Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A satellite power regulation and pointing system is disclosed that comprises a power bus (,) and first and second flywheels (,) capable of storing rotational energy. Each flywheel (,) comprises a flywheel motor/generator (,) for increasing the rotational energy in its associated flywheel when storing power in its associated flywheel and for reducing the associated flywheel rotational energy when drawing power from its associated flywheel. The system also includes individual flywheel regulators (,) connected to the power bus (,) and to the flywheel motor/generators (,). Each flywheel regulator (,) includes a power control circuit (,) that allows power to flow to a flywheel motor/generator (,) from the power bus (,) during an energy storage period and that allows power to flow to the power bus (,) from the flywheel motor/generator (,) during an energy drawing period. The flywheel regulators (,) also include feedback control loops (,) connected to the power control circuits (,) and to the power bus (,). The feedback control loops (,) determine the energy storage period and the energy drawing period based upon a predetermined voltage reference (Vref) and a power bus voltage reference (,).