Charge-pump voltage converter
US7612541B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 7, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH02N1/08
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A charge-pump voltage converter for converting a low voltage provided by a low-voltage source to a higher voltage. Charge is inductively generated on a transfer rotor electrode during its transit past an inductor stator electrode and subsequently transferred by the rotating rotor to a collector stator electrode for storage or use. Repetition of the charge transfer process leads to a build-up of voltage on a charge-receiving device. Connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in series can generate higher voltages, and connection of multiple charge-pump voltage converters in parallel can generate higher currents. Microelectromechanical (MEMS) embodiments of this invention provide a small and compact high-voltage (several hundred V) voltage source starting with a few-V initial voltage source. The microscale size of many embodiments of this invention make it ideally suited for MEMS- and other micro-applications where integration of the voltage or charge source in a small package is highly desirable.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.