Abstract: A protective device (1) which is attached on an internal side of a compressor, includes a housing (10) of an insulating material, a motor protector (20) placed on the housing (10) and having a thermally responsive switch inside, a fuse device (30), a connective terminal (40) electrically connected to a hermetic terminal in the compressor, and a quick connect terminal (50). A portion (11) of the housing for varying an installation position of the connective terminal (40) includes a plurality of vertical grooves (11a) and a horizontal slot (11b). These grooves and slots (11a and 11b) are formed equally spaced from one another at a periphery of the housing (10). The connective terminal (40) has an engaging part (41) and a fuse connecting part (43). The fuse connecting part (43) is inserted through the horizontal slot (11b), and the engaging part (41) is engaged with a selected vertical groove (11a) to determine a direction and/or a position of the protective device (1) in the compressor.

Abstract: A protector (1) has a metal header (30) that mounts a first terminal (31) and a second terminal (32) electrically isolated from one another. A metallic housing (10) is fixed to the header (30) and forms a chamber. A stationary contact (40) is electrically connected to the first terminal (31), a heater (50) is electrically connected between the second terminal (32) and the header (30), and an arm assembly (60) is arranged inside the chamber, with an end thereof being fixed to the housing. The arm assembly (60) includes an electrically conductive movable plate (70) having a movable contact (77) engageable with the stationary contact (40), a thermally responsive member (80) arranged at a position where it lies over or under the movable plate (70) and an electrically conductive weld slug (90) that fixes the movable plate (70) and the thermally responsive member (80) to the housing (10).

Abstract: A switch system (10) for use with vehicular transmissions for providing an indication of transmission operation in which an electrically insulating ramp plate (14) is fixedly mounted on a face surface of an electrically conductive detent plate (12). Detent plate (12) has a shaft receiving bore (12f) formed in a hub (12e) that extends from a face surface and interfits with hub (16e) of the actuator plate. The detent plate is fixedly mounted to a rotatable shaft received in the bore of hub (12e) and is rotatably mounted relative to actuator plate (16). Ramp plate (14) has a plurality of openings each defined by a lifting ramp at two opposite ends and conductive leads mounted on the actuator plate, as by insert molding, extend into cut-outs formed in the actuator plate.

Abstract: A motor starter for use with a motor (20) having a main winding (M) and a start winding (S). The starter has a PTC thermistor (30) connected in series with the start winding (S). A triac (40) is connected between PTC thermistor (30) and a power source line. A control circuit (50) is connected to the power source line for providing a voltage for a gate terminal (G) of triac (40) and an overload relay (60) is connected between the power source (10) and the motor (20). The control circuit (50) preferably includes a current detecting circuit (52) for detecting the inrush current and a voltage generating circuit (54) for generating the voltage in response to the detected inrush current. At the startup of motor (20) the control circuit (50) allows triac (40) to turn on by providing the gate terminal (G) with the voltage based on the inrush current. According to this invention, the power consumption of the start winding S after the startup of the motor (20) can be almost zero thus providing low power consumption.

Abstract: An occupant weight sensor (1) for placement between a frame (7) fixed to the chassis of a vehicle and a second frame (8) supporting a vehicle seat has a sense element having a first body (12, 22, 28, 34, 50, 62, 64, 68, 84) formed with a planar sense surface on which are mounted piezoresistors electrically connected in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. A post (12a, 22c, 28c, 34e, 50b, 62a, 64a, 68b, 84g) extends outwardly from the first body for attachment to the first frame. A second body is formed with a force transfer portion (14a, 24g, 30d, 36b, 52a, 70a, 94a) permanently attached to the first body along an outer periphery circumscribing the sense surface. The piezoresistors are electrically connected to conditioning electronics received in a chamber formed between the two bodies. The effects of parasitic loads on the sense element are minimized by selected placement of the piezoresistors on the sense surface.

Abstract: A solid state motor protector has a first PTC chip (positive temperature coefficient of resistivity) electrically connected in series relation with a second resistor having a generally fixed temperature coefficient of resistivity and mechanically coupled to the first resistor in close/direct thermal coupling. Another embodiment has a plate like isolator (52) formed with an opening receiving a polymer PTC chip (58) and having terminals (54, 56) which serve as fixed resistors. Yet another embodiment has an additional PTC resistor and a fixed resistor used in a motor reversing mechanism. Still another embodiment has a fixed resistor on either side of a PTC resistor for use in protecting the windings of a single phase motor. Another embodiment has a stack of polymer PTC resistor chips (82a–82d) with one chip serving as a voltage blocking chip and the other chip serving as fixed resistors.

Abstract: Signal conditioning of multiple sense elements is shown for providing information to a system requiring high accuracy and robust fault coverage. A first signal conditioning ASIC (10) pre-conditions the sense element data and a second system control ASIC (14) mathematically solves predetermined compensation relations based on the output of ASIC (10) and stored compensation data to fully condition the sensor output signal(s). The sense elements (1–6) are each formed by two half bridges whose inputs are pre-conditioned by separate, identical signal conditioning paths to provide highly accurate sense and diagnostic information.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor has a stator (16?, 36, 52) formed of magnetic material and a pair of magnets (14a, 14b; 34a, 34b; 54a, 54b; 64a, 64b) rotatably mounted about the stator and movable between opposite angular extremities and spaced from the stator by a primary cylindrical air gap (5). A secondary air gap (4) is formed in a stationary member at a location at which the magnetic field varies with the angular position of the magnets. A first Hall Effect sensor (18) is disposed in the secondary air gap to measure the magnetic field there-across as an indication of the angular position of the magnets. A second reference sensor (22) is provided to detect the magnetic decay of the magnets. The second sensor can be a Hall Effect sensor disposed at a location at which the magnetic field is relatively constant, independent of the angular position of the magnets. The reference sensor output can be used as a diagnostic indicator or as a correction for the first sensor output.

Abstract: A combined pressure and temperature transducer (10) particularly adapted for high temperature fluids has a sensing element assembly mounted at the tip of a tubular probe (20) which is arranged for placement in a fluid flow path. A sensing element (12) includes a pressure responsive diaphragm (12g) closing the open end of the tubular probe and being provided with piezo-resistive gauge elements bonded to the diaphragm. Wires are bonded between the gauge elements and a first, heat resistant, printed circuit board (PCB). The first PCB, together with the piezo-resistive elements, form a Wheatstone bridge. An inner connector (26) mounts elongated, axial stress absorbing contacts connecting the first PCB at one end of the inner connector with a second printed circuit board (PCB) mounted at the opposite end of the inner connector physically removed from the sensing element and first PCB and away from the fluid flow path. The second PCB mounts signal conditioning and amplifying electronics.

Abstract: A low current motor protector (10, 10?) has an oblong metal housing (12) defining a switch chamber and formed with an open end. The housing has opposing flange portions extending transversely from the open end. Spaced apart lid portions (18a, 18b; 18a?, 18b?) are received on and clamped to the flange portions with an electrically insulating gasket (16) having a central opening interposed between the housing and the lid parts. The lid parts are formed with a recessed ceramic heater seat disposed in the switch chamber having spaced apart contact shelves (18f) which receives a ceramic heater (20) which is maintained in place and provided with contact force by a spring clip (22, 22?) attached to one of the lid parts. A thermostatic switch is mounted in the housing and has a movable electrical contact movable into and out of engagement with a stationary electrical contact on one of the lid parts.

Abstract: A self retaining crankcase heater (10) has a tubular casing (12) of relatively flexible, thermally conductive material in which is received a PTC element (16), sandwiched by semi-cylindrical terminal blocks (14). Spring contacts (18a) are received in grooves (14c) of the terminal blocks and the assembly is potted with heat conductive material (20) and sealed with sealant (22). Locking projections (12d) are formed at open end (12c) of the casing which are lockingly received in an annular recess (24a; 26d) of a well (24; 26) in a compressor housing wall.

Abstract: An electrical switch system (10) for use with a motor vehicle transmission has a movable contact assembly (16) mounted on an insulative base member (14) in turn mounted on a detent lever (22). The detent lever (22) is mounted on a manual shaft (20) for pivotal movement therewith while a housing is rotatably mounted on the manual shaft facing the detent lever. A plurality of side-by-side arcuate contact strips are insert molded in the housing wall with contact segments (1–6) exposed on a wall facing the movable contact assembly. The housing is maintained in one fixed angular position while movable contacts sweep across the contact segments upon pivotal motion of the manual shaft. A control gap is provided by ledges (12k) formed in the housing with a lip (14b) of the insulative base member (14) mounting the movable contact assembly received in the control gap to ensure that appropriate contact engagement between the movable contact assembly and control segments is maintained.

Abstract: Current flowing through a load is monitored by a transformer (Tr1) having a small mutual inductance. The secondary coil is shorted through a rectifier circuit to deliver a charge which, in a first preferred embodiment, is connected to a log charge translator circuit comprising matching diodes (D9, D7 and D10, D8) and a capacitor (C2) to provide a capacitor voltage proportional to the log of the charge delivered through the rectifier circuit. The capacitor is reset after each measurement. In a modified embodiment, the log translator circuit comprises a pair of transistors (T1, T2) and a capacitor (C2). According to the preferred embodiments, two measurements of the capacitor voltage are taken each half cycle at a time determined by the absolute value of the line voltage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accurately decoding a Manchester data stream having transition time distortion and noise spikes. Briefly, in an embodiment using a protocol where a falling edge at the mid-point of a bit represents a “1” bit and a rising edge at the mid-point represents a “0” bit, the coded data can be accurately determined by comparing the time period tp1 from the start of the bit to the first falling edge and the time period tp2 from the last rising edge to the end point of the bit. If tp1 is less than tp2, the bit represents a bit value of “0” and if tp2 is less than tp1, the bit represents a bit value of “1”.

Abstract: A magnetic position sensor has a stator (16?, 36, 52) formed of magnetic material and a pair of magnets (14a, 14b; 34a, 34b; 54a, 54b; 64a, 64b) rotatably mounted about the stator and movable between opposite angular extremities and spaced from the stator by a primary cylindrical air gap (5). A secondary air gap (4) is formed in a stationary member at a location at which the magnetic field varies with the angular position of the magnets. A first Hall Effect sensor (18) is disposed in the secondary air gap to measure the magnetic field there-across as an indication of the angular position of the magnets. A second reference sensor (22) is provided to detect the magnetic decay of the magnets. The second sensor can be a Hall Effect sensor disposed at a location at which the magnetic field is relatively constant, independent of the angular position of the magnets. The reference sensor output can be used as a diagnostic indicator or as a correction for the first sensor output.

Abstract: An integrated refrigeration control (IRC) module is disclosed which combines both thermal and electrical protection to the main components of a refrigerator and uses sensor inputs to control the compressor. The IRC module employs triacs (Q2, Q4, Q6, Q8, Q10) to control power to the start and run windings of the compressor motor, evaporator and compressor fans and the defrost heater. The module adaptively controls the refrigerator defrost cycle using pervious defrost cycle run times to determine new cumulative compressor run times. Also disclosed is the use of preventive defrost periods performed for brief periods at intervals between portions of the cumulative compressor run time.

Abstract: A test socket 10 of the present invention includes a base member 20, a cover member 30 which is installed on base 20 to move in reciprocal straight line movement between a first position away from the base and a second position adjacent the base and a plurality of contact members 40 that are fixed in the base and are capable of making contact with terminals 2 on a semiconductor device 1 when such device 1 is mounted on base 20. A latch member 60 is supported on base 20 in a rotatable manner to move in linkage with the movement of cover member 30. A compression member 80 is pivotably attached to a tip portion 62 of latch member 60 for pressing semiconductor part 1 onto base 20 to achieve reliable contacting between terminals 2 and contacts 40 in response to movement of cover member 30. This socket design will provide for wide area engagement between the surface of semiconductor part 1 and compression member 80 to prevent damage to the semiconductor part 1 during testing.

Abstract: A combination electricals package (12, 32) particularly for use with fractional horsepower compressor motors for various appliances has a first recess formed in the package for receipt of a motor starter (14) and a second recess formed in the package for receipt of a run capacitor (16) potted therein and having capacitor leads (16a) connected to a capacitor lead connecting portion (20e, 20e′) of a connector (20, 20′) also having a motor pin connecting portion (20d) and a motor starter connecting portion (20b). The capacitor lead connecting portion in a preferred embodiment includes spaced apart parallel extending rails to accommodate capacitor lead misalignment. In a modified embodiment the capacitor lead connecting portion includes quick connect receptacles for conventional capacitor quick connect terminals. The connectors are formed so that the same connector can be used in two opposite orientations for left and right connectors.

Abstract: A port fitting is formed with a closed, pedestal end forming a diaphragm on which a strain gauge sensor is mounted. A support member is received on the pedestal end and is formed with a flat end wall having an aperture aligned with the sensor. A portion of a flexible circuit assembly is bonded to the flat end wall with a connector disposed over the support member. A tubular outer housing is fitted over the several components and its bottom portion is welded to the port fitting while its top portion places a selected load on an O-ring received about the connector as well as internal components of the transducer. In one embodiment, a loading washer (72a) is disposed over the O-ring on a first portion (70a) of a two portion connector (70) and retained by a second connector portion (70b). Protrusions (76a1) formed on the tubular housing (76) pass through cut-outs in the second connector portion to place a load on the loading washer.

Abstract: A capacitive fluid pressure transducer (10′) has a sensing element (12) received in an electrically conductive cup-shaped shield member (24) which is crimped onto the base of an electrical connector (20′). A conditioning circuit (14) is received in a circuit chamber formed between the sensor element and the connector and is provided with a tab carrying a conductive trace for electrical connection of the shield member with the circuit. The shield member is received in an electrically insulating sleeve (28) which in turn is received in a cavity formed in a metallic, high strength hexport housing so that the shield member is electrically isolated from the hexport housing.