Abstract: A solid state switch connected across a pair of separable contacts for eliminating arcing across the contacts allows the contacts and the contact driver to be enclosed within an evacuated envelope. The vacuum environment allows the use of an inexpensive, highly conductive contact material, such as copper, without fear of chemical reaction.

Abstract: A semiconductor body with an improved passivating layer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the body is a device comprising a semiconductor material having regions of opposite conductivity types which form a semiconductor junction therebetween which extends to a surface of the device. The passivating layer, comprising silicon oxynitride having a refractive index between about 1.55 and 1.75 and a substantial hydrogen content, overlies the surface at the junction.Also disclosed is a method for fabricating such a device wherein the vapor deposition of the passivating layer is carried out at low temperatures from an ambient having a ratio of silicon-containing to oxygen- and nitrogen-containing precursors of between about 1:1.67 and 1:5.

Abstract: A solid state switch connected across a pair of separable contacts for eliminating arcing across the contacts allows the contacts and the contact driver to be enclosed within an evacuated envelope. The vacuum environment allows the use of an inexpensive, highly conductive contact material, such as copper, without fear of chemical reaction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate of single crystalline silicon having the active regions of a semiconductor element, such as the source, drain, channel and gates, along one surface of the substrate, and a thin gettering region of a gettering material in the substrate. The gettering region is spaced from both surfaces of the substrate and is adjacent the active regions of the semiconductor element so as to getter contaminants in the substrate from the area of the substrate containing the semiconductor element.

Abstract: A solid state switch connected across a pair of separable contacts for eliminating arcing across the contacts allows the contacts and the contact driver to be enclosed within an evacuated envelope. The vacuum environment allows the use of an inexpensive, highly conductive contact material, such as copper, without fear of chemical reaction.

Abstract: This application describes a number of novel advanced piezoelectric ceramic power switching devices which are mounted within protective gastight enclosures that are either evacuated to a high degree of vacuum or filled with an inert gas protective atmosphere. The devices thus constructed are capable of operating over a range of load voltages extending from about 100 volts to 5000 volts or more with corresponding currents of from a few amperes to hundreds of amperes and wherein it is possible to provide a number of such structures in a single common protective gastight enclosure. For certain circuit applications the devices thus constructed have unpoled portions on which are mounted either passive circuit components such as resistors, capacitors and the like or active semiconductor devices all interconnected in circuit relationship with each other and the switching devices by using printed circuit or integrated circuit fabrication techniques.

Abstract: A circuit breaker panelboard modular assembly employs a plurality of interdependent molded plastic and metal parts to multifunctionally adapt breakers of different ratings for electrical connection within the panelboard enclosure. Anti-turn connector connects the strap terminals. Captive bolts or plug-in connections are employed to attach the breakers to the power bus. A novel concealed hinge construction is used to connect the panelboard door to the panelboard housing and the breakers are individually identified within the housing by extruded plastic circuit markers.

Abstract: A molded plastic load center enclosure allows the circuit breakers contained therein to be compactly aligned on one side of the enclosure. Depressions formed within the bottom of the interior surface of the enclosure produce bosses extending from the exterior surface thereof, which provide a cooling air circulatory space between the enclosure and a support wall. Metal disks inserted within the depressions provide increased thermal capacity to the enclosure interior while allowing the use of explosive charge-driven nails to attach the enclosure to the support wall without damaging the plastic material.

Abstract: The overcurrent trip levels of an electronic circuit breaker are selected by means of a variable resistance ladder network comprising binary encoded switches. The binary encoded switches reduce the size and cost of the trip unit, rendering electronic trip facility to a wider range of industrial circuit breakers utilizing both analog as well as digital processing circuits.

Abstract: An optically-coupled device package including a housing containing an optical device further includes an optical fiber assembly which comprises an optical cable with a support sleeve on its end. The support sleeve comprises a body with an axial opening therethrough and has a plurality of holes near a first end. The optical cable includes a first portion comprising a protective coating overlying an optical fiber, and a second portion comprising an optical fiber extending from said coating. The cable enters the first end of the sleeve and nodules integral with the protective coating extend into the plurality of holes. In one embodiment, the optical fiber is sealed to the inside of the sleeve through a solder window provided through the side of the sleeve. The second end of the sleeve extends through an aperture in said housing and is aligned to the device therein.

Abstract: An improved high pressure sodium lamp is described utilizing a polycrystalline alumina arc tube that is hermetically sealed, at least at one end, with a polycrystalline alumina end closure. Said end closure novel member is shaped as a flat disc having the contour and size permitting partial insertion into the internal opening of said arc tube, along with having a larger size projection located adjacent one major surface of said disc externally of said arc tube and with said disc being hermetically sealed directly to said arc tube. In a preferred embodiment, said end enclosure member further includes a central aperture through which extends one of the thermionic electrodes contained within said arc tube.

Abstract: A magnet piece and armature are arranged around a circuit breaker load strap having a bimetal strip attached thereto. The magnet piece is formed in a U-shaped configuration and is attached to the load strap. A corresponding U-shaped armature is pivotally mounted to the magnet piece in a partially overlapping relation. The U-shape armature presents a larger magnet pole surface to the magnet piece for enhanced magnetic interaction.

Abstract: A molded case circuit breaker provides both overcurrent protection as well as accessory protection function by means of a self-contained electronic trip actuator module. Undervoltage release function is provided by a separate undervoltage release assembly that includes the undervoltage coil and an electronic control circuit. Shunt trip facility is provided by the shunt trip coil and a shunt trip control circuitry. The overcurrent, shunt trip and undervoltage release coils are arranged on a magnetic circuit within the electronic actuator module.

Abstract: A solid state switch connected across a pair of separable contacts for eliminating arcing across the contacts allows the contacts and the contact driver to be enclosed within an evacuated envelope. The vacuum environment allows the use of an inexpensive, highly conductive contact material, such as copper, without fear of chemical reaction.

Abstract: A multi-faceted reflector for a headlamp of a motor vehicle is disclosed. The motor vehicle headlamp has the desired optics, in the form of facets, placed entirely on the reflective surfaces of the reflector. The reflective surfaces are comprised of a plurality of discrete reflective surfaces having right (i.e., surfaces of a parabolic shape in the vertical plane and being linear or cylindrical in the horizontal plane) parabolical cylindrical surfaces and discrete simple rotated parabolical surfaces. All of the reflective surfaces are located relative to the light source of the headlamp. The parabolic cylindrical surfaces, serving as spreading facets create a lateral spread of the light developed by the light source of the lamp, whereas, the simple rotated parabolic surfaces, serving as bending facets, create a shifting, relative to the light source, of the projected image of the light source.

Abstract: A robotically operated wire insertion apparatus for insulation displacement terminals (IDTs) automatically feeds wire to a wire insertion hand, automatically straightens the wire during the feeding so that the wire is aligned with the hand, inserts the wire progressively into a plurality of IDTs and severs the wire from the last inserted IDT, and initializes the apparatus to begin a new wiring cycle. The IDTs may have any orientation in any plane on one or more different substrates.

Abstract: An improved high pressure sodium lamp is described utilizing a polycrystalline alumina arc tube that is hermetically sealed, at least at one end, with a polycrystalline alumina end closure. Said end closure novel member is shaped as a flat disc having the contour and size permitting partial insertion into the internal opening of said arc tube, along with having a larger size projection located adjacent one major surface of said disc externally of said arc tube and with said disc being hermetically sealed directly to said arc tube. In a preferred embodiment, said end enclosure member further includes a central aperture through which extends one of the thermionic electrodes contained within said arc tube.

Abstract: The neutral excitation and differential current transformers of a ground fault circuit breaker are arranged for automated assembly onto the signal processor circuit board to complete the signal processor module prior to insertion within the ground fault circuit breaker housing. Electrical interconnection between the transformers is made by a unitary conducting strap having means therein for receiving the circuit neutral conductor. The completely assembled signal processor module is connected with the circuit breaker components by means of a single wire.

Abstract: Electronic trip units employed within static trip circuit breakers are individually calibrated and automatically adjusted to ensure that the trip transfer characteristics are within specification requirements. A trimming network within the trip unit circuit contains a plurality of parallel resistors each separately connected within the circuit by means of a fusible link. Test input and output values are compared to idealized values that are binary-weighted within a look-up table in the test equipment computer. The percent correction required is determined and the appropriate links are interrupted to provide ideal trip response.

Abstract: A monolithically integrated circuit is described for multiplexing parallel electrical data into a serial bit stream for transmission by fiber optics to a remote utilization apparatus and for demultiplexing a serial bit stream received from a fiber optics transmission path from a remote source. The integrated circuit uses a separate fiber for transmission and for reception, and in the transmission mode, encodes the data, which is clocked by on chip clocking into a self-clocking three-level code. The integrated circuit utilizes GaAs as the substrate material and is capable of transmitting data at bit rates in excess of 1/2 gHz.