Electronic device and soft start module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941783-B2
Application number	US-201615151600-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 28, 2016
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a power supply module, a system load, a soft start unit, a unidirectional conducting unit and a connector. The system load is electrically coupled with the power supply module. The soft start unit is electrically coupled with the system load and the power supply module. The unidirectional conducting unit is electrically coupled between the soft start unit and the power supply module, so as to prevent the energy from the power supply module from entering the soft start unit. The connector has a power input terminal. The power input terminal is electrically coupled with the soft start unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a power supply module;
a system load electrically coupled with the power supply module;
a soft start unit electrically coupled between the system load and the power supply module;
a unidirectional conducting unit electrically coupled between the soft start unit and the power supply module, so as to prevent energy from the power supply module from entering the soft start unit; and
a connector having a power input terminal and a power output terminal, wherein the power input terminal is electrically coupled with the soft start unit and the power output terminal is electrically coupled with the unidirectional conducting unit, wherein the soft start unit comprises:
a switching circuit electrically coupled with the unidirectional conducting unit;
a delay circuit electrically coupled with the switching circuit; and
a voltage divider electrically coupled between the power input terminal and the delay circuit, so as to supply a divided voltage to the delay circuit;
wherein when the delay circuit receives the divided voltage, the delay circuit supplies a threshold voltage to the switching circuit after a buffer time.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the switching circuit comprises a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal; the first terminal is electrically coupled with the delay circuit, the second terminal is electrically coupled with the power input terminal and the third terminal is electrically coupled with the unidirectional conducting unit.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the delay circuit comprises a capacitor, one terminal of the capacitor is electrically coupled with the power input terminal and the other terminal of the capacitor is electrically coupled with the voltage divider.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the voltage divider comprises:
a first resistor with one terminal thereof electrically coupled with the power input terminal, and
a second resistor having a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is grounded and the second terminal is electrically coupled with the first resistor;
wherein the delay circuit is electrically coupled between the first resistor and the second resistor so as to receive the divided voltage.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the unidirectional conducting unit is a diode.

6. An electronic device, comprising:
a first device body, comprising:
a first power supply module;
a first system load electrically coupled with the first power supply module;
a first soft start unit electrically coupled between the first system load and the first power supply module; and
a first unidirectional conducting unit electrically coupled between the first soft start unit and the first power supply module, so as to prevent energy from the first power supply module from entering the first soft start unit;

a second device body detachably connected to the first device body; and
a first connector having a power input terminal and a power output terminal;
wherein, the power input terminal of the first connector is electrically coupled with the first soft start unit, and when the second device body is connected to the first device body, a power output terminal of the second device body is electrically coupled with the power input terminal of the first connector.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second device body further comprises:
a second power supply module;
a second system load electrically coupled with the second power supply module;
a second soft start unit electrically coupled between the second system load and the second power supply module; and
a second unidirectional conducting unit electrically coupled between the second soft start unit and the second power supply module, so as to prevent energy from the second power supply module from entering the second soft start unit;
wherein, when the second device body is connected to the first device body, a power output terminal of the first device body is electrically coupled with the second soft start unit.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the second device body further comprises:
a second connector, wherein the power output terminal of the second device body is disposed on the second connector.

9. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein when the first device body is connected to the second device body, the first power supply module of the first device body supplies power to the second system load through the second soft start unit if a voltage of the power output terminal of the first device body is higher than a voltage of the power output terminal of the second device body.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein when the first device body is connected to the second device body, the second power supply module of the second device body supplies power to the first system load through the first soft start unit if the voltage of the power output terminal of the first device body is lower than the voltage of the power output terminal of the second device body.

11. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the first device body comprises a display interface.

12. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the second device body comprises at least one input interface.

13. A soft start module, comprising:
a first soft start unit having a power input terminal and a power output terminal;
a first unidirectional conducting unit electrically coupled to the power output terminal of the first soft start unit; and
a first connector having a power output terminal and a power input terminal;
wherein the first unidirectional conducting unit prevents energy from the power output terminal of the first soft start unit from entering the first soft start unit;
wherein the power input terminal of the first connector is electrically coupled with the power input terminal of the first soft start unit, and the power output terminal of the first connector is electrically coupled with the power output terminal of the first unidirectional conducting unit,
a second soft start unit having a power input terminal and a power output terminal; and
a second unidirectional conducting unit electrically coupled to the power output terminal of the second soft start unit;
wherein the second unidirectional conducting unit prevents energy from the power output terminal of the second soft start unit from entering the second soft start unit.

14. The soft start module of claim 13 , further comprising a second connector having a power output terminal and a power input terminal;
wherein, the power input terminal of the second connector is electrically coupled with the power input terminal of the second soft start unit, and the power output terminal of the second connector is electrically coupled with the power output terminal of the second unidirectional conducting unit.

15. The soft start module of claim 13 , wherein the first unidirectional conducting unit and the second unidirectional conducting unit respectively comprise a diode.

Assignees

• Quanta Comp Inc

Inventors

• Kuo Hsin-Chih
• Lee Ming-Chieh

Classifications

• H02M1/32

  Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection · CPC title

• H02H9/004

  in connection with live-insertion of plug-in units (involving communication with a central processing unit G06F13/40) · CPC title

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• G06F1/26 Primary

  Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof (for memories G11C) · CPC title