Abstract: A bed signalling apparatus signals a caregiver an out of bed condition and a bottoming condition of a patient. Signalling of patient location within a bed is also provided. The bed signalling apparatus includes a fluid supplying member connected to at least one resilient member to supply fluid under pressure thereto, such fluid flowing from an inlet of the resilient member to an outlet of the resilient member. At least one switching member is connected between the resilient member and the fluid supplying member for controlling at least one indicating member attached to the switching member in response to changes in pressure within the resilient member.

Abstract: A pump shut-down system is disclosed for preventing damage to the pump from bearing failure. That system has a metal bar located within a preset clearance distance from a traveling element of the pump (such as a piston rod), a voltage source in electrical contact with the metal bar, an automatic shut-down relay in electrical contact with the voltage source, and an electrical ground on the pump in electrical contact with the voltage source. The metal bar, voltage source, automatic shut-down relay, and electrical ground all form an electrical circuit. That circuit is open when the metal bar is not in physical contact with the traveling element, and is closed whenever the metal bar is in physical contact with the traveling element. Whenever the circuit is closed, the automatic shut-down relay shuts down the pump.

Abstract: A water immersion alarm system mounts a water sensor-transmitter carrier unit on the person of a child in a manner that prevents the child or a friend of the child from removing the carrier unit from the child and that prevents a stick, wire, or other elongate object from sliding between the carrier unit and the body of the child to impale the child.

Abstract: A device is provided for detecting the presence of a food cooking container (9) placed on a cooking hob (1), in particular of glass ceramic, provided with at least one heater element such as an electrical resistance element (2, 40, 41, 42), a gas burner (30), a halogen lamp or the like includes at least two plates (11, 12) of electrically conducting material associated with the hob (1) and connected to an electrical circuit (13), and being of opposite polarities, said plates acting as plates of a capacitor, i.e. forming a capacitive sensor the capacitance of which changes when the food container is placed on the hob (1) in a position corresponding with said plates (11, 12), the change in capacity of said capacitor being sensed by the electrical circuit (13), which therefore detects the presence of said container (9), to generate a control signal as a result of such detection. This signal is fed to indicator means (20) to indicate which heater element has to be operated to heat the container.

Abstract: A microbend-sensitive optical fiber is embedded in a thin pliable padding and laid under an area to be protected. An amplitude-modulated optical light beam is launched into one end of the fiber. The light beam is recovered from the other end of the optical fiber. The angular phase shift between the launched light beam and the recovered light beam is continuously measured and sampled at desired sample intervals. A change in the measured phase shift between any two sequential sample intervals is indicative of the presence of an intruding entity. The magnitude of the phase shift is a function of the mass of the entity. The pattern of repetitive phase shift differences as a function of time provides an estimate of the dynamic characteristics of the intruding entity.

Abstract: An ashtray provided with a heat sensing element, an IC plate and an amplifier for emitting an alarm sound when a cigarette supported on the ashtray has burned down close to the edge of the ashtray.

Abstract: A voltage monitor and method enables the monitoring of a DC input voltage. The input voltage is continuously scanned and compared to a predetermined threshold. The result of the comparison is periodically stored in a shift register along with previous scan results. When a predetermined number of stored scan results indicate an out of range input voltage, a digital output changes state to provide indication of the abnormal condition.

Abstract: An alarm system includes an electrical energy source; an alarm for producing an alarm signal when electrically coupled to the electrical energy source; a switch for movement from a first position to a second position upon the occurrence of the monitored event; and timing circuitry for being activated when the switch is moved from the first position to the second position, for electrically coupling the alarm to the electrical energy source, for continuing to electrically couple the alarm to the source of electrical energy for a set period of time even if the switch is subsequently moved back to the first position during the set period of time, for deactivating the alarm a certain period of time after the alarm is activated, and for reactivating the alarm a certain period of time after the alarm is deactivated if the switch remains in the second position.

Abstract: A junction box mounted infrared motion detector is set forth. It incorporates push button controls mounted on a box which has a Fresnel lens looking into the immediate vicinity and which encloses an infrared detector to sense an intruder. An ambient light photocell responsive to visible light is also included to enable the device to be switched off in the daytime and on at nighttime. The circuit controls a remotely powered lamp or other alarm device. The electrical current to the lamp is adjustable by means of a slide control.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining and indicating the flame quality, or efficiency of the air-fuel ratio, in a fixed firing rate heating unit, such as an oil burning furnace, is provided. When the flame brightness falls outside a preset range, the flame quality, or excess air, has changed to the point that the unit should be serviced. The flame quality indicator output is in the form of lights mounted on the front of the unit. A green light indicates that the flame is about in the same condition as when the burner was last serviced. A red light indicates a flame which is either too rich or too lean, and that servicing of the burner is required. At the end of each firing cycle, the flame quality indicator goes into a hold mode which is in effect during the period that the burner remains off. A yellow or amber light indicates that the burner is in the hold mode. In this mode, the flame quality lights indicate the flame condition immediately before the burner turned off.

Abstract: An adjustable signalling gauge may utilize a non-captivating, magnetically actuated switch element which is mounted in an influence zone of the path of a magnet carried by an indicating pointer of a gauge. The gauge may be easily adjusted by an indirect adjustment mechanism. The adjustment may be by a reducing gear. Indirect adjustment effectively allows a reduction in the torque required to change the switching threshold.

Abstract: A contact protected mounting for non-contact proximity sensors has a pair of sleeves and a spring mounted about the sensor. One sleeve engages the sensor, and one engages the mounting bracket. The spring is mounted between the sleeve so as to allow the sensor to recess into the mounting when contacted by a machine part so as to eliminate any damage to the sensor itself. The sleeves are configured to mount about the body of the sensor and to be readily mounted within a mounting bracket or partition to properly monitor machine motion. Both axial and perpendicular machine motion is provided for.

Abstract: A resonant tag carries a plurality of resonant circuits having different resonant frequencies. The resonant circuit is composed of a first conductive pattern formed by a conductive metal foil on one surface of an insulating thin film and a second conductive pattern formed by a conductive metal foil on the other surface of the insulating thin film. The first conductive pattern contains an inductor element and an element of the capacitor, which correspond to a resonant frequency of the resonant circuit. The second conductive pattern contains the other element of the capacitor element. The capacitor element of the second conductive pattern, which corresponds to the resonant frequency, is disposed at a position where it faces the capacitor element of the first conductive pattern formed on one surface of the insulating thin film.

Abstract: A portable alarm system for a construction site or the like is provided with and consists of a cabinet, a stanchion supported on the cabinet, an alarm unit supported on the stanchion, and a key pad to program the alarm unit. When not in use the stanchion and alarm unit are stored within the cabinet.

Abstract: A tamper-indicating transmitter is disclosed that indicates a subsequent tamper event during a tamper alert period, T, which is initiated by a first tamper event. In a preferred embodiment, the transmitter includes a transmitter housing having a conductive strap attached thereto for securing the transmitter about a confinee's limb, the confinee typically participating in a home arrest program. Within the housing, a clock source generates pulses having a period t that are input to a counter whose reset line is connected to the conductive strap. When the conductive strap is opened, the counter is held reset and its output is a predetermined multiple bit maximum. Upon the closing of the strap, the counter counts the clock pulses and decrements the counter output from the initial predetermined maximum count down to a predetermined minimum count which remains on the counter output if no subsequent opening of the strap occurs.

Abstract: A personal security system includes at least one movable transmitter adapted to produce an emergency signal transmission when activated and a plurality of transceivers adapted to receive emergency signal transmissions from the movable transmitter. The received strength of an emergency signal received by one of the transceivers is compared with the received signal strength of an emergency signal received by other of the transceivers, and an alarm signal is produced by a transceiver in response to receipt of a transmission whose signal strength is stronger than any other transmission signal strength to which it has been compared. The alarm signal may include a code identifying both the activated movable transmitter and the transceiver producing the alarm signal.

Abstract: Temperature sensors are located inside drive chambers where disk drives are located to signal an overheating condition. An overheating condition triggers external alarms and produces an interrupt signal to the disk drive controller, which, in turn, alerts the operating system. If the operating system does not comprehend the problem and take the appropriate action, the controller shuts down the disk drives after a certain period of time.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring the location of an individual includes (a) a band attached to the individual that has a pressure actuated tamper indicator and (b) a monitoring/tracking unit that may be used to both monitor whether the individual has left a predetermined area and to provide an indication of the direction to the individual. The band may include a latch that applies pressure to a pressure sensitive pad when the latch is closed. When the latch is opened, pressure is removed and the transmitter may provide an indication that the band has been removed. The monitoring/tracking unit may include directional and omnidirectional antennae and a self-contained power source for portable operation of the unit.

Abstract: The lumbar roll is particularly usable by a person seated for extensive periods of time, as, for example, a computer operator, to alert the user to various conditions such as poor posture and/or a need to exercise. The lumbar roll includes a piece of foam material surrounded by a zippered casing of nylon or the like. A battery powered electronic unit is encased in the foam material, and a pressure switch is also positioned in the foam material so that the switch is closed by user pressure exerted on the roll. After user pressure closes the pressure switch, the electronic unit turns on and timers are activated to provide an audible alert if the pressure switch should open for a predetermined period of time thereafter to indicate a condition such as poor posture, for example, or if the pressure switch is not opened for a predetermined period of time thereafter to provide a different audible alert of a second condition such as a need for exercise, for example.

Abstract: A door status detection system is provided for use in a refrigerator having a cabinet defining first and second food storage compartments and corresponding first and second doors hingely mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the compartments. The doors each include a magnetic sealing strip secured thereto for sealing the doors to the cabinet and for maintaining the doors in closed position. First and second switch arrays are installed into the cabinet generally adjacent a section of the magnetic sealing strips of the first and second doors, respectively, when the doors are in closed position for signaling the opened/closed status of the doors. The first and second switch arrays are electrically connected in series and operated by the magnetic sealing strips of the doors. Circuitry is connected to the first and second switch arrays for signaling a user of the refrigerator if either of the doors remains in an opened position for a defined period of time.