Abstract: A bi-planar switch device having a plurality of spaced switches carried by a base. A level indicating device carried by the base indicates the orientation of the base relative to horizontal. Each switch is carried by a seat carried by the base. Each seat may be angularly displaced relative to the base to set its corresponding switch at a preselected angle relative to the base, each switch may be shifted within its seat ride upon the seat shoulder to adjust its preselected angle. A circuit is connected to the switches to eliminate the effects of switch bounce.

Abstract: A test system in a standalone chassis without a power cord. The testing subsystem (e.g. a spectrophotometer) is microprocessor-controlled, and the microprocessor is disconnected from the battery during normal operation. An ancillary integrated circuit controls the power supply to the microprocessor, and periodically powers up a proximity sensor subsystem (e.g. a photodiode/LED pair), without powering up the microprocessor. The ancillary circuit powers up the microprocessor IF the proximity sensor subsystem, after being activated, indicates that a sample has been inserted by a user. The microprocessor can then operate the testing subsystem, and provide output data to a display driver accordingly.

Abstract: Ion content of the atmosphere at a particular location is controlled by generating ions during repetitive period that are initiated by timing signals which reoccur at a predetermined rate. An ion sensor produces feedback signals indicative of the ion content of the air and a feedback circuit varies the duration of the recurring periods of ion generation, if necessary, to maintain the ion content within a predetermined range. Positive and negative ions may be generated during alternate ones of the repetitive periods in which case the feedback circuit inversely varies the periods of positive and negative ion generation to maintain the relative proportions of the two types of ion within a predetermined range. The method and apparatus may be used to suppress accumulation of electrostatic charge by objects, such as in a clean room where electronic components are manufactured, or for other purposes requiring control of the ion content of air.

Abstract: A programmable timer power switch unit for use with a battery includes a power switch receives power from the battery and switches the power to equipment. The unit also has a charge-discharge detector connected to the battery to detect a potential charge of the battery and a vibration-pressure detector which detects any movement of or sounds from the motor. There is a timer-control logic which is connected to the components and disables the power switch when any problems are detected. The unit further includes a programmable delay switch. The purpose of this switch is to allow the equipment to run during a pre-selected item. Also, there is a manual override switch for overriding the timer-control logic when necessary.

Abstract: An impact sensor (1) for a vehicle is connected to a testing circuit. The impact sensor includes an acceleration sensor (5), an evaluating circuit (6) and a trigger circuit (7) for a passive safety device. For simply testing the operability of the impact sensor an electro-acoustic transducer (9) is arranged in a sensor housing (2). The transducer (9) emits a testing signal that is received by the acceleration sensor (5). The electrical signals which are produced by the acceleration sensor are tested by the testing circuit (10) which is part of the evaluating and trigger circuit. The testing is performed with reference to given criteria.

Abstract: For the purpose of achieving an efficient and long-lived switching contact making on the basis of a structural design saving space and material, a reversing circuit for direction reversal in the case of direct current drives comprises four single-pole contactors which are arranged in a square and which are provided with coils 1 and with contact bridges 2 as well as four contact pieces 3 for connecting the outer terminals with fixed contacts formed by said contact pieces 3, the contact pieces 3 being arranged on one side of the coils in a square within one plane.

Abstract: A modular jack has a switch located between the jack's contacts and its screw terminals. The switch permits (1) simultaneous loop testing from both sides, (2) loop testing from one side while the other side is disconnected, and (3) normal communications. The modular jack is recommended for use between a PBX and computer equipment.

Abstract: In aircraft applications, it may be necessary or desirable to transfer one or more loads between a variable speed, constant frequency (VSCF) power generating system and a further source of AC power. Prior controls for effecting such transfer, however, have been unduly complex. In order to overcome this problem, a control for a VSCF system senses the deviation of a parameter of the power developed by an inverter of the system relative to a parameter of the power developed by an AC power source and controls the inverter in accordance with such deviation to cause the parameter of the power developed thereby to approach the parameter of the power developed by the AC power source. The inverter and the AC power source are connected in parallel across one or more loads when the parameter deviation is within a certain range. Either the inverter or the AC power source is thereafter disconnected a certain time after the two were connected in parallel to complete the power transfer.

Abstract: An actively shielded, superconducting magnet of a nuclear magnetic resonance tomography apparatus has an inner coil system and an outer coil system connected in series to avoid an increase in the external field upon the quench of one of the coil systems. To avoid losing the protection of the shielding effect from external magnetic field disturbances, a superconducting current limiter having a low critical current-carrying capability is connected in the coil system to guide a difference current between the inner coil system and the outer coil system. To avoid an unwanted increase in the external field in the event of a quench of one of the coil systems, the current limiter becomes normally conductive in the presence of a current difference larger than a prescribed value.

Abstract: A combined transient voltage and sneak current protector is presented. The protector device comprises a two-piece substantially rectangular insulative housing. The housing has four spaced and aligned openings at the bottom thereof for receiving upstanding terminals from a terminal block. The interior of the housing is loaded with four contact members which are adapted to effect electrical connection with a three element surge suppressor (e.g. transistor) and a pair of small cylindrical fuse elements. Each of the four contact members include a female connector communicating with the four aligned openings in the housing. The housing interior also includes a ground contact which electrically connects to the middle element on the surge suppressor. The ground contact passes through a lateral opening in the housing for mating with a novel plug-on grounding bus connector.

Abstract: An electrically conductive meltable conductor that is used in series with a voltage surge protector in AC power lines is disclosed. The meltable conductor must be able to keep a substantially constant resistance when subject to transient high voltage surges and momentary line overvoltages of twice the rated line voltage for periods of one full cycle. The meltable conductor must also actually melt within a view seconds after steady state line voltage is applied. Such a conductor has a resistance between 0.8 milliohms and 14 milliohms. This conductor allows detection of a short circuit breakdown condition in a voltage surge suppressor without substantially decreasing the life-span of the voltage surge suppressor.

Abstract: The invention relates to the automatic welding of plastic parts possessing a built-in winding. In order to carry out an automatic welding operation without risking damaging the parts by subjecting them to an excessive welding temperature, there are regulating means for varying the electrical energy supplied to the winding, in order, during the welding phase, to maintain the temperature of the winding between a minimum temperature, below which welding cannot be carried out, and a maximum temperature, beyond which the parts will be damaged. The invention is used particularly for the production of systems for the distribution of gas under pressure by means of plastic pipelines.

Abstract: A heated tool for soldering objects to a plurality of pads which are spaced apart by a selected pitch, comprises a tool member having a heating surface with a plurality of spacer bars thereon, spaced by the pitch between the pads. The spacer bars act to separate one pad from the other to avoid the flow of solder between the pads.

Abstract: A new type of corona discharging apparatus. The apparatus revealed is equipped with a pair of thin electrodes which are edge-to-edge parallelly arranged, and bewteen them is an air gap. It is characteristic of this apparatus that the equipped electrodes are allowed to reciprocate along a definite path within a desired distance. By using the apparatus, corona discharge on polymer film can be performed, either in a still or moving state, for a considerable length of time without causing dielectric breakdown. One of the practical applications of this invention is poling of stretched PVDF (polyvinylidene flouride) films to gain high piezolelectric activity with high production yield.

Abstract: A method for releasing the contacts of a sticking relay by sensing whether or not the relay contacts stick together in a closed condition and when the contacts stick together, applying an AC voltage on pulsating DC voltage to the winding of the relay coil. The mechanism for sensing the sticking relay contact condition is a comparator to compare the output load of the relay with the exciting control signal to energize the relay coil.

Abstract: An electronic package (10) including a first circuitized substrate 11 (e.g., printed circuit board) having connected thereto a second, flexible circuitized substrate (e.g., polyimide with chrome-copper-chrome circuitry thereon). The second substrate is in turn electrically connected to the invention's semiconductor device (e.g., silicon chip), which device in turn is attached to a heat spreader (37) for providing effective heat transference from the device to the package's heat sink (33). The heat sink is attached to the first substrate (e.g., using solder). Significantly, the coefficients of thermal expansion of the heat spreader, semiconductor device and adhesive used to connect same are substantially similar, around 2 to 5 ppm/degree Kelvin (.times.10.sup.-6 m/m degrees Kelvin), in order to provide an effective heat path from the heat-generating device to the corresponding, much larger heat sink.

Abstract: An interlock switch for the service door of a computer. The switch prevents power from being automatically resupplied to the computer if the door is opened while power has been interrupted, even if the door is subsequently closed. The interlock switch includes a magnetic reed switch, an electromagnet for closing the reed switch contacts when the power-on switch of the computer is actuated, and a permanent magnet which holds the reed switch contacts closed as long as the service door has not been opened. The reed switch and electromagnet are mounted on the frame of the cabinet of the computer. The permanent magnet is mounted on the edge of the service door adjacent the reed switch. The use of the switch in a security system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A circuit breaker with over-temperature protector and low error I.sup.2 t calculator is provided. The over-temperature protector includes a fixed current source which provides current to a resistive element to produce a voltage which thereacross which increases with a positive temperature coefficient as the surrounding temperature increases. The resistor is connected to the base-to-emitter circuit of a transistor. The base-to-emitter circuit has a minimum firing voltage which decreases with an increase in ambient temperature. The value of the resistive element, the amount of current provided by the fixed current source and the transistor base-to-emitter minimum firing voltage are chosen to cause a circuit breaker to be actuated. There is also provided an active memory device which is utilized to discharge a capacitor with a time constant which approximates the heat dissipating time constant associated with a conductor to be protected by the circuit breaker in question.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for levitating objects in a magnetic field, comprising disposing at least one electromagnet having a centrally disposed core with at least one end positioned adjacent an outer surface of the electromagnet, connecting the electromagnet to a switchable electrical power source, and mounting at least one magnet on the object to be levitated. At least one magnetic field sensor is disposed adjacent the core end for providing an output signal indicative of a magnetic field level and orientation. A reference source is used for generating a variable reference signal which is applied to one input of a comparison element which is in turn connected to the sensor at a second input. The comparison element is used for comparing the respective voltages generated by each source, sensor and reference, and for providing an output signal indicative of a relative status of the two.

Abstract: A welding electrode arrangement comprising an inner electrode and a plurality of electrically interconnected outer electrodes defining a closed figure about the inner electrode, the outer electrodes being resilient in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the closed figure, the outer electrodes further being in the form of a plurality of inwardly directed fingers extending from and integral with an outer connecting rim.