Abstract: A bar-shaped device for generating electrical charges by corona discharges comprises a high voltage cable surrounded by an insulating casing, extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device and adapted to be connected to a high voltage source, a plurality of needle electrodes connected to high voltage via the high voltage cable and arranged in at least one row along the longitudinal axis of the device, an insulating member accommodating the high voltage cable and the needle electrodes and an outer sheath surrounding the insulating member and having a longitudinal slot, wherein the needle electrodes penetrate the longitudinal slot and the edges of the longitudinal slot form counterelectrodes for the needle electrodes. The outer sheath consists of plastic and has grooves at the edges of its longitudinal slot parallel to the row of needle electrodes. A metal stranded wire provided with a casing made of pliable plastic is inserted into each of these grooves as counterelectrode.

Abstract: To detect a faulty operation in a non-contact switch, a pulse signal is applied to the light emitting element of non-contact switch. The thus input pulse signal is compared with an output signal generated by a light receiving element of the non-contact switch. The faulty operation of the non-contact switch is discriminated in accordance with the thus compared input and output signals. Also to detect a faulty operation of the non-contact switch, a switch assembly includes a main push-button and an auxiliary push-button concentrically located over and within the main push-button. When the main push-button operates properly, the blocking members associated with the main push-button and the auxiliary push-button are displaced together. On the other hand, when the main push-button malfunctions, the light blocking member of the auxiliary push-button blocks the passage of light within the non-contact switch. Thus, an erroneous operation resulting from jamming of the main push-button is prevented.

Abstract: A housing having a front angularly inclined portion, and a central platform portion for supporting from below, a video monitor. A rear portion includes sockets for connecting electrically to electrical equipment associated with the monitor for power control purposes. Actuator members are mounted reciprocatively in an angular front face of the front portion to switch power to the video monitor and a computer upon which the housing and video monitor are stacked.

Abstract: The invention discloses a non-contact way to provide electrical power and two-way digital communications between a host computer and its peripheral modules, such as IC memory cards, modems, and A/D converters. A special magnetic core is employed to provide efficient transfer of both large amounts of electrical power and high speed digital communications through transformer action. Peripheral modules requiring different power supply voltages or different data voltage levels can be accommodated and intermixed with modules of other types in the same host system. The mechanical design of the connector includes detent structure to align the assembly in three dimensions, both upon mating, and under mechanical environmental stress conditions during operation. The magnetic core has both power supply and data windings; the data winding has sections of opposite polarity so that the power supply signal imposed on the data winding cancels itself.

Abstract: The invention relates to a billboard device suitable for use in posting a sheet of advertisement of guide bill, in particular, on the structure of a vehicle. The billboard device eliminates the necessity of using elastic material such as cardboard for sheets or bills and does not impair the design aesthetics of the bills. The billboard device includes an electrostatic attracting plate which has an attracting layer of dielectric material and at least one pair of comb-tooth shaped electrodes formed on the back surface of the attracting layer. The electrostatic attracting plate is warped so that the attracting layer is concave on the front surface. Voltage is applied to central comb-tooth electrodes first, and then the comb-tooth electrodes surrounding the central electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting illegal tampering with an electricity meter which is adapted to record the amount of electricity supplied to the meter through cables has a first signal generating sensing coil situated externally of, and upstream of, the meter which generates a first signal representative of the current flowing through one of the supply cables and a second signal generating second sensing coil, located within the meter, which generates a second signal representative of the amount of electricity to be recorded by the meter. A Monitoring device monitors the first and second signals and produces a third actuation signal when one of the first and second signals differs from its correct value as a result of tampering. The first and second signals charge and discharge a capacitor. When the voltage on the capacitor reaches a predetermined level, the third signal, which may cause the load to be disconnected or may produced a warning, is generated.

Abstract: A switching circuitry for coupling the power output of one of a plurality of power supplies to a keyboard. In this disclosure, a switching transistor of the circuit is coupled to switch power from a power supply output to a common point to which a plurality of like circuits and a keyboard are coupled. A differential amplifier having one input coupled to the common point and another input coupled to the power output of the respective power supply compares voltage on the common point to the voltage of the power supply. If the power supply voltage is higher than the voltage on the common point, the amplifier provides an enabling signal to the transistor, coupling power from the power supply to the common point. Conversely, if the voltage on the common point is higher than the voltage of the power supply output, the amplifier provides a disabling signal to the transistor, decouping the power supply output from the common point.

Abstract: Embedded elevator control software, responsive to WEIGHT, CARCALLS, HALLCALLS and STOPS signals, uses fuzzy logic to determine the number of passengers entering and exiting an elevator car at a stop. The software forms three fuzzy logic sets representing temporary estimates of the number of entering passengers and forms three fuzzy logic sets indicative of temporary estimates of the number of exiting passengers. The sets are combined to form a single fuzzy logic set indicative of the number of entering passengers and a single fuzzy logic set indicative of the number of exiting passengers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inexpensively but effectively packaging electrostatic sensitive products by sandwiching the product between opposing plies of an electrostatic discharge protective film while at the same time securing the edges of the plies between two opposing parts of a package so that the product is suspended by the plies within the package. A stretchable, heat shrinkable, static discharge protective film surrounds and encloses each of the opposing package parts in order to provide the suspending plies to suspend the product.

Abstract: A monitoring device having a switching mechanism to open or close electric circuits in case of overload which operates as a function of a current-detecting device includes a processor and setpoint memories for comparing and evaluating actual values. A device for detecting additional load operational errors, statistical operating data, and maintenance instructions from at least the load current over the lifetime of the device and providing a run display to display this data are consecutively integrated into the monitoring device. Furthermore, input keys are provided for setting desired parameters, which can be displayed in the run display.

Abstract: A coil is connected to a voltage source by a switch enabled by a drive signal of fixed duration. Drive current in a coil is terminated by a chopper circuit if it reaches a predetermined peak level before the end of preselected rise time interval. The chopper circuit is inhibited from operation until the end of the rise time interval during which time the drive current is allowed to decay. The chopper circuit is enabled at the end of the rise time interval for chopping the drive current at an average peak current value for the duration of the preselected time. The total amount of energy supplied to the actuator is adjusted by allowing the current to decay if the peak current is reached before the end of the predetermined rise time interval and then by chopping the current at a predetermined switching rate for the duration of the preselected time of the drive signal. Short circuit protection is also provided during the predetermined rise time interval.

Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protective apparatus for an integrated circuit having normally on semiconductor devices mutually connecting input/output pads and the power in bonding pad to prevent stray electrostatic discharges from damaging the integrated circuit components when the integrated circuit is not powered on. All adjacent input/output pads are connected to each other by a normally on transistor. Each pad is additionally connected to a power supply pad by a normally on transistor.

Abstract: A control station for a machine is equipped with capacitive proximity sensors in two locations for sensing the presence of operator's hands at the locations. The sensors are enclosed in a protective housing behind exterior target surfaces forming exterior wall surfaces of the enclosure and are supplied by a voltage source. A relay in series with each sensor and the voltage source is actuated when the operators hands are both sensed. Each sensor generates an electrical field extending outwardly a predetermined distance forwardly beyond each target surface for sensing an operators hands which are outside the enclosure within the field and need not be in tactile contact with the target surfaces. Only when both hands are sensed do the relays indicate operation of the machine.

Abstract: The resolution of two asynchronous three-phase power sources such that an optimal phase to phase matchup may be made between them. This is achieved with a logic system that receives a data point at the zero-voltage crossings of the three waveforms from each source. The data points create distinct "states" of the three-phase waveform for each power source. There are six data points for each power source per cycle. The states of the load and source, along with information pertaining to the connection configuration of the present source of power to the load, are used to determine the optimum configuration for connecting an alternate or new source to the load based on information obtained from a lookup table.

Abstract: An electrophotographic charger of the type in which a plurality of corona wires extend in the axial direction adjacent to and separated from the surface of a photosensitive drum in order to charge the surface. A plate-like etching grid is interposed between the corona wires and the drum to ensure the charge is uniformly placed on the drum. The grid is divided into a number of individual removable grids so that the distance between each grid and the adjacent corona wire, and the distance between each grid and the drum surface is substantially uniform.

Abstract: A harmonic current filtering transformer includes a three-phase input winding and at least two wye-connected three-phase output windings. The output windings are phase shifted relative to each other by an amount which causes harmonic currents generated by a non-linear load to magnetically cancel in the transformer core.

Abstract: An on/off circuit is provided to automatically turn "on" or "off" electrical power to electrical outlets depending upon whether an automobile engine is "on" or "off". The circuit is powered by the automobile battery via a plug inserted into an automobile cigarette lighter socket. The circuit includes a mechanical vibration sensor, namely a piezoelectrical transducer, that monitors engine vibrations. Upon detection of vibrations, the sensor outputs a signal that is amplified by an operational amplifier before being rectified and filtered into a signal that triggers a transistor to switch a power supply circuit "on". Energization of the power supply circuit provides power to one or more electrical sockets. The power supply circuit includes a current limiting circuit (featuring a Darlington transistor) to protect against high current damage. When the sensor notes an absence of vibrations, the on/off circuit shuts off the power supply circuit.

Abstract: An air conditioning system comprises a converter for converting a commercial AC into DC, an inverter for reconverting the DC into an AC having a predetermined frequency corresponding to an air conditioner load, a compressor driven with the AC from the inverter under a compressor capacity control operation matching the load, a battery used for dealing with a voltage drop of the supply power from the commercial AC power source and for supplying a DC different from the DC converted by the converter to the inverter via a switching element, and a discharge control unit for controlling the switching element in the manner that the battery supplies a current having a predetermined value proportional to a difference between the AC supplied from the power source to the converter and a preset current value.

Abstract: A degaussing current whose frequency is L Hz is supplied to a degaussing apparatus, and a constant amplitude vertical deflection current whose frequency is M Hz is supplied to a deflection yoke. The degaussing current is an A.C. current, and its frequency L Hz is determined such that the value of M/L is not an integer.

Abstract: A small personal appliance is wholly contained within a unitary housing that is fully supported by its contact blades being plugged into a wall outlet. The housing includes needles for ionizing the ambient atmosphere and a carbon foam pad for collecting the ionized air. A drive circuit generate cyclically recurring pulses having a voltage which is high enough to ionize the air and low enough to preclude a formation of ozone.