Abstract: A solar sensor for a vehicle that is incorporated as part of the vehicle climate control system is disclosed. The solar sensor include a photo diode assembly including a sensing surface. The photo diode assembly is mounted on a horizontally extending portion of a dashboard of a vehicle with the sensing surface oriented substantially parallel to the plane that an occupant's body lies within when seated in the vehicle. The sensing surface is preferably oriented within a range of between about 16.degree. and 40.degree. above horizontal toward the front of a vehicle. Optimally, the sensing surface is oriented at an angle of 28.degree. above horizontal relative to the front of the vehicle. The photo diode assembly includes a housing having a base surface mounted to the dashboard that is configured to hold the sensing surface of the photo diode in the desired angular orientation.

Abstract: A temperature monitoring unit has a high degree of sensitivity and reliability even when monitoring the temperature of a relatively large rotary heating element. The temperature monitoring unit includes a mirror which is provided in the vicinity of the rotary heating element and is oriented to reflect infrared rays from the heating element in the radial direction thereof, the mirror being reciprocated linearly in the radial direction, a condenser lens provided radially outwardly of the heating element for converging the infrared rays reflected by the mirror, an infrared sensor on which the converged rays impinge, a plate provided between the mirror and the lens and which has a slit therein that is elongate in a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface of the heating element, and an image processor receiving the output of the infrared sensor. The sensitivity is high because infrared rays from around the thermal point of the heating element are blocked by the plate.

Abstract: A temperature control circuit particularly for use with a graphite tube atomizer of an atomic absorption spectrometer provides rapid temperature rise and a leveling at a constant predetermined temperature. A.C. power applied through a transformer to electrodes on the ends of the graphite tube rapidly heats the tube and the visible radiation thus produced is measured by a photocell, the output of which is amplified to control a relay in the graphite tube power circuit. When the desired tube temperature is approached, the photocell output actuates the relay so that the tube power circuit will switch from the high voltage rapid heating mode to a controlled lower voltage that will automatically maintain the constant predetermined tube temperature.

Abstract: Monitoring the peak temperature of a moving mass, such as a flowing stream of molten material, has in the past been plaqued with problems. The present system and method overcomes these problems by oscillating a temperature sensor, spaced from the moving mass, such that the sensor scans back and forth across the moving mass during each cycle of oscillation. The output signal from the sensor is fed to device that preferably puts out a signal proportional to the peak temperature sensed by the sensor on each half cycle of oscillation, which output signal is caused to decay at a desired rate between peak temperature measurements. This slightly sawtooth shaped output signal can be recorded and/or used for control purposes.