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`as) United States
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`a2) Patent Application Publication 0) Pub. No.: US 2003/0015479 Al
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`(43) Pub. Date: Jan. 23, 2003
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`Kuennen etal.
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`US 20030015479A1
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`(22)
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`INDUCTIVELY COUPLED BALLAST
`CIRCUIT
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`Inventors: Roy W. Kuennen, Caledonia, MI (US);
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`Scott A. Mollema, Grand Rapids, MI
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`(US); David W. Baarman,Fennville,
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`MI (US); Ronald C. Markham, Grand
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`Rapids, MI (US); Dennis J. Denen,
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`Westerville, OH (US)
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`Correspondence Address:
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`Warner Norcross & Judd LLP
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`Intellectual Property Practice Group
`900 Fifth Third Center
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`111 Lyon Street, N.W.
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`Grand Rapids, MI 49503-2487 (US)
`(21) Appl. No.:
`10/246,155
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`Filed:
`Sep. 18, 2002
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`Related U.S. Application Data
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`(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/175,095,
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`filed on Jun. 18, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part
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`of application No. 09/592,194,filed on Jun. 12, 2000,
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`now Pat. No. 6,436,299.
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`(60) Provisional application No. 60/140,159, filed on Jun.
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`21, 1999. Provisional application No. 60/140,090,
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`filed on Jun. 21, 1999.
`Publication Classification
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`(51) Ute C07 cacecscssessscsssssssesnssnsssetnesnnsnsn C02F 1/48
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`(52) US. Ch.
`ceecsccsssssstnstsstsssnsenststn 210/748; 210/243
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`A ballast circuit is disclosed for inductively providing power
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`to a load. The ballast circuit includes an oscillator, a driver,
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`a switching circuit, a resonant tank circuit and a current
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`sensing circuit. The current sensing circuit provides a cur-
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`rent feedback signalto the oscillator that is representative of
`the current in the resonant tank circuit. The current feedback
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`signal drives the frequency of the ballast circuit causing the
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`ballast circuit to seek resonance. The ballast circuit prefer-
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`that
`ably includes a current
`limit circuit
`is inductively
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`coupled to the resonant tank circuit. The current limit circuit
`disables the ballast circuit when the current in the ballast
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`circuit exceeds a predetermined threshold or falls outside a
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`predetermined range.
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`105
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`I
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`0B
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`110
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`112
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`Ti¢
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`Ambient Light
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`Sensor Circuit
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`Visible Light
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`Power Delectio
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`Circuit
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`Page 1 of 32
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`Jan. 23, 2003 Sheet 4 of 15
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`INDUCTIVELY COUPLED BALLAST CIRCUIT
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`[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
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`patent application Ser. No. 10/175,095 entitled Fluid Treat-
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`ment System, which wasfiled on Jun. 18, 2002, which is a
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`continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
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`09/592,194 entitled Fluid Treatment System, which was
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`filed on Jun. 12, 2000. U.S. patent application Ser. No.
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`90/592,194 claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of
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`US. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/140,159
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`entitled Water Treatment System with an Inductively
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`Coupled Ballast, which wasfiled on Jun. 21, 1999, and US.
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`provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/140,090 entitled
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`Point-of-Use Water Treatment System, which wasfiled on
`Jun. 21, 1999,
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`[0002] This application hereby incorporates by reference
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`US. patent application Ser. No. 09/596,416 entitled Point-
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`of-Use Water Treatment System, which wasfiled on Jun. 12,
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`2000, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/133,860
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`entitled Inductively Powered Lamp Assembly, which was
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`filed on Apr. 26, 2002.
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
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`[0003] The present invention generally relates to ballasts
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`and more particularly, to an inductively coupled ballast for
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`non-contact power transfer to a secondary circuit or load.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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`[0004] Ballasts are commonly used to supply power to a
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`wide variety of electrically powered components. Often
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`ballasts are connected directly to the component(or load),
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`for example, by “permanent” connections, such as wires or
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`soldered leads on a circuit board, or by “removable” con-
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`nections, such as plugs or other connectors.
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`[0005] Direct electrical connections present a number of
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`problems.First, direct electrical connections makeit difficult
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`to install and remove the load from the ballast. With per-
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`manent connections, the electrical leads must be soldered or
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`otherwise secured directly between the ballast and the load.
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`If the ballast or the load is damaged, replacement is com-
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`plicated by the permanent connections. Removable connec-
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`tions make separation of the ballast and the load easier, but
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`still require some manual manipulation. Removable connec-
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`tors are also subject to corrosion and may be inadvertently
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`or unintentionally disconnected, for example, by vibrations.
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`Second, in many environments, direct electrical connections
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`must be insulated from the environment to prevent damage
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`to the circuit. For example, in wet environments, exposed
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`electrical connections are subject to a short circuit. Third,
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`direct electrical connections provide a direct and essentially
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`unimpeded path for electricity to flow between the ballast
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`and the load. As a result, power surges and other potentially
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`damaging abnormalities in one element can be directly
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`transfer to the other, thereby permitting problems in one
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`component to damage or even destroy the other.
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`[0006] To address these and other significant problems,
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`there is an increasing trend to replace conventional direct
`electrical connections with inductive connections. Induc-
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`tively coupled systems provide a number of significant
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`advantages over direct connections. First, inductive cou-
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`plings do not
`include permanent or removable physical
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`connectors.
`Instead,
`the secondary coil of the load (or
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`secondary circuit) simply needs to be placed in the close
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`proximity to the primary coil of the ballast. This greatly
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`simplifies installation and removal of the load. Second, the
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`inductive coupling provide a significant level of isolation
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`between the ballast and the load. This isolation can protect
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`one component from power surges and other potentially
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`damaging abnormalities in the other component.
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`[0007] Unfortunately, conventional
`inductively coupled
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`ballasts suffer from a number of problems associated pri-
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`marily with efficiency. To provide maximumefficiency,it is
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`desirable for the circuit to operate at resonance. Conven-
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`tional ballasts are designed to operate at resonance by
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`carefully selecting the componentsof the ballast in view of
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`the precise characteristics of the load. Any variation in the
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`load can move the circuit dramatically out of resonance.
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`Accordingly, conventional ballasts require very precise
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`selection of the components of the ballast circuit and sec-
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`ondary circuit. In some applications, the impedance of the
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`secondary circuit will vary over time, thereby changing the
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`resonant frequency of the circuit. For example, in many
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`conventional lighting applications,
`the impedance of the
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`lamp will vary as the lampis heated and will also vary over
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`the life of the lamp. As a result of these changes,
`the
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`efficiency of conventional, fixed-frequency ballasts will vary
`over time.
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`[0008] Conventional ballast control circuits employ bipo-
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`lar transistors and saturating transformers to provide power.
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`The ballast control circuits oscillate at frequenciesrelated to
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`the magnetic properties of the materials and winding
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`arrangements of these transformers. Circuits with saturating
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`transformeroscillators produce an output in the category of
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`a square wave, require the transistors of the half bridge to
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`hard-switch under load and require a separate inductor to
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`limit the current through the load. Conventional circuits
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`chop the available power supply voltage, developing voltage
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`spikes at the corners of the square wave as a consequence of
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`the current limiting inductor. Inductive couplings rely on
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`electromagnetic induction to transfer power from a primary
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`coil to a secondary coil. The amount of current induced in
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`the secondary coil
`is a function of the changes in the
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`magnetic field generated by the primary coil. Accordingly,
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`the amount of current
`transferred through an inductive
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`coupling is dependent,
`in part, on the waveform of the
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`current driving the primary. A square waveform hasrela-
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`tively small regions of change and therefore providesrela-
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`tively inefficient transfer of power.
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`[0009] These and other deficiencies in prior ballasts are
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`addressed by the present invention.
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
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`invention discloses an inductively
`[0010] The present
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`powered ballast circuit having a current sensing circuit that
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`automatically adjusts the frequencyofthe ballast to maintain
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`operation of the ballast at or near unity powerfactor.
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`[0011]
`In one embodiment, the inductively coupled ballast
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`circuit is a self-oscillating half-bridge switching design that
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`operates at high frequencies. In addition,
`the inductively
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`coupled ballast circuit self-oscillates partly as a function of
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`the current sensing circuit
`to maintain resonance, uses
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`MOSFETtransistors as switching elements, and is designed
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`to accommodate an air-core transformer coupling arrange-
`ment.
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`Page 17 of 32
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`Page 17 of 32
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`US 2003/0015479 Al
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`Jan. 23, 2003
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`circuit protects both the load and the ballast circuit from
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`excessive current. The current limit circuit is preferably
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`latched to keep the ballast circuit disabled until reset, for
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`example, by a manual reset switch.
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`limit
`[0019]
`the current
`In an alternative embodiment,
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`circuit may be configured to disengage the ballast circuit if
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`the current falls outside of a desired operating range. This
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`embodimentis particularly useful in application where the
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`load may be damaged or function improperly when operat-
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`ing under low current.
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`[0020] These and other features and advantages of the
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`invention will become apparent upon consideration of the
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`following detailed description of the presently preferred
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`embodiments of the invention, viewed in conjunction with
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`the appended drawings.
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`[0012] One embodimentof the inductively coupled ballast
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`circuit includes a control circuit, an oscillator, a driver, a
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`half-bridge switching circuit, and a series resonant
`tank
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`circuit. The secondary circuit preferably includes a second-
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`ary coil and a load. During operation, the control circuit
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`provides electrical signals to the oscillator, which, in turn,
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`provides electrical signals to direct the driver. The driver
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`then causes the half-bridge switching circuit
`to become
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`energized. The half-bridge switching circuit energizes the
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`series resonant tank circuit, which includes a primary coil.
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`Once the series resonant tank circuit, and consequently the
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`primary coil,
`is energized,
`the secondary coil becomes
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`inductively energized, thereby providing powerto the load.
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`In one embodiment, the resonant frequency for the
`[0013]
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`inductively coupled ballast circuit
`is about 100 kHz. In
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`addition, the secondary circuit preferably resonates at about
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`100 kHzas well. The resonant frequency of operation can be
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`adjusted up or down bythe control unit to accommodate for
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`convenient componentselection. In addition,selection of the
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`[0021] FIG.1is a perspective view of a main housing of
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`resonant frequencyis a function of the componentselection
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`the water treatment system with its top shroud removed and
`in the series resonant tank and the characteristics of the
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`a filter assembly and the ultraviolet lamp assembly removed
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`from the base unit.
`secondary circuit.
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`[0014] An interesting feature of the inductively coupled
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`[0022] FIGS. 2A-C are exploded perspective views of
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`ballast circuit is the inductive coupling. The series resonant
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`major components of the water treatment system.
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`tank circuit includes an inductive coupler. In one embodi-
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`[0023] FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of the major
`ment, the inductive coupler is positioned adjacent the sec-
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`circuits and assemblies of the water treatment system.
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`ondary coil with an air gap therebetween to form an air core
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`transformer. When voltage is applied to the inductive cou-
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`[0024] FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of the inductively
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`pler, magnetic flux in the air gap induces voltage in the
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`coupled ballast circuit.
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`secondary coil thereby energizing the secondary load.
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`[0025] FIG.5isan electrical circuit schematic of a portion
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`[0015] Another
`interesting feature of
`the inductively
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`of the inductively coupled ballast circuit, the ballast feed-
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`back circuit and the interlock circuit.
`coupled ballast circuit involves the air gap of one embodi-
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`ment. The air gap is the distance between the inductive
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`the resonant
`[0026] FIG. 6 depicts the secondary coil,
`coupler and the secondary coil. The air gap may be selected
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`lamp circuit and the ultraviolet lamp of the ultraviolet lamp
`to provide a currentlimiting function. In addition,the air gap
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`assembly.
`provides a magnetic flux path for inducing sufficient voltage
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`in the secondary coil to establish and maintain an operating
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`[0027] FIG. 7 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`point for the secondary load.
`starter circuit.
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`[0016]
`‘Yet another interesting feature involves the fre-
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`[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates an electrical circuit schematic of
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`quency of operation of the inductively coupled ballast
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`the radio frequency identification system used in the water
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`circuit. Both the series resonant tank and the secondary load
`treatment system
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`may be tuned by proper selection of components to operate
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`FIG.9 is an electrical circuit schematic of the flow
`[0029]
`at a similar resonant frequency. In addition,
`impedance
`sensor circuit.
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`matching between the series resonant tank and the secondary
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`load may occur at
`the resonant frequency. Accordingly,
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`[0030] FIG. 10 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`powertransfer from the inductive coupler to the secondary
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`ambient light sensor circuit.
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`coil may be optimized at a resonant frequency to maximize
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`powerefficiency.
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`[0031] FIG. 11 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`ultraviolet light sensor circuit.
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`[0017] Still another interesting feature involves self-oscil-
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`lation of the inductively coupled ballast circuit with the
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`[0032] FIG. 12 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`oscillator. The oscillator may include feedback control for
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`ambient temperature sensor circuit.
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`monitoring the series resonance tank. The feedback control
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`[0033] FIG. 13 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`may allow the oscillator to adjust the frequency to minimize
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`audible generation circuit.
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`reflected impedance from the secondary circuit. Adjusting
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`the frequency to maintain resonance minimizesthe reflected
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`[0034] FIG. 14 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
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`impedance and maintains optimum power transfer as the
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`communication port.
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`impedance of the secondary circuit varies.
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`[0035] FIG. 15 is a plurality of waveforms representing
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`[0018]
`In another aspect, the present invention preferably
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`operation of the current sensing circuit.
`includes a current limit circuit
`that monitors the ballast
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`circuit and disables the ballast circuit if the current to the
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`[0036] FIG. 16 is an electrical circuit schematic of the
`current limit circuit.
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`primary exceeds a desired threshold. The current
`limit
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`Page 18 of 32
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`Page 18 of 32
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`

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`US 2003/0015479 Al
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`Jan. 23, 2003
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`[0037] FIG. 17 is an electrical circuit schematic of a
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`portion of an alternative current feedback circuit.
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
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`ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT OF THE
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`INVENTION
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`[0038] The present invention is directed to an inductively
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`coupled ballast circuit that is capable of providing powerto
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`a widevariety of electrically powered components in numer-
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`ous applications. For purposes of disclosure, embodiments
`of the ballast circuit will be described in connection with a
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`water treatment system, and morespecifically in connection
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`with the poweringof an ultraviolet lamp in a water treatment
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`system. Although described in connection with this particu-
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`lar application, the present invention is well-suited for use in
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`providing powerto other types of lamps, such as incandes-
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`fluorescent and halogen lamps used in numerous
`cent,
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`lighting applications, such as indoor and outdoor light
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`fixtures, desk lamps, outdoor signage, decorative lighting,
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`automotive lighting, underwater lighting, intrinsically safe
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`lighting, and landscapelighting, to name only a few lighting
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`configurations and applications. The present invention is
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`also well suited for providing power to non-lighting com-
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`ponents, such as integrated battery chargers in various
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`electronic components, including cell phones, personal digi-
`tal assistants and the like.
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`[0039] Referring to FIG.1, the present invention, as used
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`in the illustrated embodiment, discloses an electronic control
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`system for a water treatment system 10 that generally uses
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`carbon-basedfilters and ultraviolet light to purify water. In
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`order to appreciate the present invention,it is helpful to have
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`a general background of the mechanical aspects of water
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`treatment system 10 for which this illustrated embodiment
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`was intended. Water treatment system 10 includes a main
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`housing 12, a replaceable ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 and
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`a filter assembly 16. The ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 and
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`the filter assembly 16 are removable and replaceable from
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`the main housing 12. The main housing 12 includes a bottom
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`shroud 18, a back shroud 20, a front shroud 22, a top shroud
`24 and an inner sleeve shroud 26. A lens 28 accommodates
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`a display 106 (see FIG. 3) so that information may be
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`displayed about the status of the water treatment system 10
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`through the display 106. To assemble the water treatment
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`system 10,
`the ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 is securely
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`mounted to the main housing 12 andthereafter the filter
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`assembly 16 is mounted over the ultraviolet lamp assembly
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`14 and to the main housing 12.
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`[0040] As those skilled in the art would recognize, the
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`replaceable ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 may be made in
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`such a mannerthat the ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 may not
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`be replaceable. In addition, those skilled in the art would
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`recognize that the replaceable ultraviolet lamp assembly 14
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`may be interchanged with several different types of electro-
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`magnetic radiation emitting assemblies. As such, the present
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`invention should not be construed to cover only systemsthat
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`use ultraviolet lamp assemblies and those skilled in the art
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`should recognize that the disclosure of the ultraviolet lamp
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`assembly 14 represents only one embodimentof the present
`invention.
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`the major mechanical
`[0041] Referring to FIGS. 2A-C,
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`components of the water treatment system 10 are shown in
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`perspective view, as relevant to the present invention. As
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`illustrated in FIG. 2A, the inner sleeve shroud 26 includes
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`a plurality of inner sleeve covers 30, an inlet valve assembly
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`32 and an outlet cup assembly 34 with an outlet cup 36. A
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`bottom shroud assembly 38 is further disclosed that includes
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`the bottom shroud 18 along with an inlet assembly 40 and an
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`outlet assembly 42. An electronics assembly 44fits securely
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`in the bottom shroud 18, the details of which will be set forth
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`below in detail. These components are securely mounted to
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`the bottom shroud 18, the back shroud 20, the front shroud
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`22, the top shroud 24,the inner sleeve shroud 26 andthe lens
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`28 when the water treatment system 10 is fully assembled.
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`A magnet holder 46 and a magnet 48 are also housed in the
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`top shroud 24 in the illustrated embodiment.
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`[0042] Referring to FIG. 2B, the ultraviolet lamp assem-
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`bly 14 generally includes a base subassembly 50, a second-
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`ary coil 52, a bottom support subassembly 54, a top support
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`assembly 56, a pair of quartz sleeves 58, an ultraviolet lamp
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`60, an O-ring 62 and a pair of cooperating enclosure
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`reflector subassemblies 64. Generally speaking, the second-
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`ary coil 52, the bottom support subassembly 54 and the
`enclosure reflector subassemblies 64 are connected with the
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`base subassembly 50. The enclosure reflector subassemblies
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`64 house the pair of quartz tubes 58, the ultraviolet lamp 60
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`and the O-ring 62. The top support assembly 56 fits securely
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`over the top of the enclosure reflector assemblies 64 when
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`the ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 is fully assembled.
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`[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 2C, the filter assembly 16
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`generally includes a base assembly 66, a filter block assem-
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`bly 68, a filter housing 70 and an elastomericfilter-housing
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`grip 72. Generally speaking,the filter block assembly 68fits
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`over the base assembly 66 which,in turn,is encapsulated by
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`the filter housing 70. The filter housing grip 72 fits over the
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`top of the filter housing 70, thereby providing a better grip
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`for removing the filter housing 70. The filter assembly 16
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`filters a flow of water by directing the flow throughthefilter
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`block assembly 68 before being directed to the ultraviolet
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`lamp assembly 14.
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`[0044]
`FIG.3 illustrates an electronic control system 100
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`for the water treatment system 10 generally described above.
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`In the illustrated embodiment, the water treatment system 10
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`is controlled by a control unit 102, which is preferably a
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`microprocessor. As illustrated in FIG.4, the control unit 102
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`is electrically connected with the inductively coupled ballast
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`circuit 103 of the present invention. The ballast circuit 103
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`includes the ultraviolet lamp assembly 14 and electronic
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`assembly 44, which are inductively coupled as illustrated by
`the dotted line in FIG. 4. This control unit 102 is also
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`electrically connected to the ultraviolet lamp assembly 14
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`through two-way wireless communication, as will be set
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`forth in greater detail below. During operation, the control
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`unit 102 is capable of generating a predetermined electric
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`signal that is directed to the inductively coupled ballast
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`circuit 103, which instantaneously energizes the lamp
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`assembly 14 which, in turn, provides high-intensity ultra-
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`violet light that treats the flow of water.
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`[0045]
`In the illustrated embodiment, the control unit 102
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`is also electrically connected with a flow sensorcircuit 104,
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`a display 106, an ambient light sensor circuit 108, a visible
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`light sensor circuit 110, a power detection circuit 112, an
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`ambient temperature sensor circuit 114, an audio generation
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`circuit 116, a memory storage device 118, a communications
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`port 120, a ballast feedback circuit 122 and a radio fre-
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`Page 19 of 32
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`Page 19 of 32
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`US 2003/0015479 Al
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`Jan. 23, 2003
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`quency identification system 124. As further illustrated in
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`FIG. 3, an ultraviolet light radio frequency identification
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`transponder 126 is connected with the ultraviolet
`lamp
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`assembly 14 and a filter
`radio frequency identification
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`transponder 128 is connected with the filter assembly 16.
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`The ultraviolet radio frequency identification transponder
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`126 and the filter radio frequency identificatio