Patents Examined by Harold A. Dixon
  • Power control circuit
    Patent number: 4626746
    Abstract: A power control circuit which receives an AC line signal input and includes operational amplifiers which receive the AC line signal after it has been rectified. Each operational amplifier respectively operates as a zero crossing circuit which produces a square synchronous pulsed signal, a ramp generator which receives the square synchronous pulsed signal and produces a sawtooth wave signal, a comparator which receives the sawtooth wave signal and produces a synchronous pulsed width modulated output signal which can be varied. A power bridge circuit receives the AC line signal input and is triggered by the pulsed width modulated signal to rectify the AC line input to pass a pulsed width modulated signal to the load. The signal passed to the load is varied by the setting of the comparator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1986
    Inventor: Andrew Zaderej
  • Tricolor fluorescent lamp
    Patent number: 4625152
    Abstract: A tricolor fluorescent lamp operating on a DC power source is disclosed herein. The lamp comprises an outer envelop defining therein a sealed space in which an ionizable medium is filled at low pressure. Disposed within said outer envelop are three tubular envelops of a generally inverted U-shaped configuration which define correspondingly three separate discharge paths and which are coated with respective fluorescent substances emitting different colors. Three sequentially energized anodes are located within the sealed ends of the respective envelops and a common cathode is disposed in adjacently facing relation with the open ends of the envelops, such that the three envelops can be sequentially energized to emit the specific colors which are additively mixed in various proportions to produce a desired color as emitting from the whole lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsumasa Nakai
  • Signalling device
    Patent number: 4622494
    Abstract: An auxiliary signalling and warning device for utilization on vehicles which make wide turns comprising a main body section that is at least partially reflectorized and a light lens member that is adapted to be secured to the main body section so as to form an enclosure. The light lens member is provided with a written message indicating that the vehicle negotiates wide turns. Light bulb retaining means is provided in the main body section for receiving and retaining light bulbs. Electrical connections from the light bulbs are adapted to interact with the existing vehicle directional turn signal lights. The enclosure is adapted for mounting to the rear of the vehicle so as to provide a highly visible flashing warning to following traffic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Inventor: Robert M. Johnson
  • Energy efficient reactance ballast with electronic start circuit for the operation of fluorescent lamps of various wattages at standard levels of light output as well as at increased levels of light output
    Patent number: 4622496
    Abstract: A ballast and control circuit for use with fluorescent lights. The circuit aids energy efficiency by removing heater current flow once the lamp has ignited. The circuit also uses time delayed inductive storage to allow delivery to the lamps of increased operating current without a concurrent increase in power utilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1986
    Assignee: Energy Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Donald P. Dattilo, Michael S. Knippert
  • Anti-aliasing filter circuit for oscilloscopes
    Patent number: 4621217
    Abstract: A digital storage oscilloscope is provided with an anti-aliasing filter circuit utilizing a first plurality of switchable analog filters that bandwidth limit frequencies greater than half the oscilloscope's sampling frequency, and a digital transversal filter effective at lower sweep rates and sampling rates for also bandwidth limiting frequencies greater than half the sampling frequency. The digital transversal filter is controllable to provide a different band pass characteristic for different sweep and sample rates. Both the selection of filters and the control of the digital filter are responsive to the oscilloscope's selection of sweep rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Tektronix, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles L. Saxe, Roydn Jones
  • Electron gun
    Patent number: 4621213
    Abstract: An electron gun which can be easily disassembled to replace a defective cathode assembly and which can be easily and quickly reassembled and realigned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Imatron, Inc.
    Inventor: Roy E. Rand
  • Flashlight bulb
    Patent number: 4618799
    Abstract: An improved flashlight bulb in which excessive wandering of the glass envelope with respect to the filament during the sealing phase of manufacture is prevented by fusing a spacer bead to the wires supporting the filament, the diameter of the spacer bead being only slightly less than the inside diameter of the glass envelope, so that lateral movement of the glass envelope with respect to the filament is limited by the spacer bead. In the preferred embodiment, the spacer bead is an elongated bead that extends from approximately 0.040 inch of the filament to the base of the bulb. In an alternative embodiment, the wires within the bulb are fused to a sealing bead which is spaced from the spacer bead. In yet another alternative embodiment, a stack of beads extends from a point near the filament to the base of the flashlight bulb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1986
    Assignee: Carley
    Inventor: James A. Carley
  • Injector for negative ions
    Patent number: 4616157
    Abstract: Apparatus for generating negative ions, specifically He.sup.- ions. Positive ions at a predetermined energy level from a conventional ion source are directed to a permanent magnet channel that utilizes two, spaced permanent magnet assemblies to analyze the ions and, with double focusing, to direct them to a focal point located in a lithium vapor canal. As the positive ion beam passes through a lithium vapor of constant density in a predetermined volume at the central region of the canal, electrons transfer to the ions and produce He.sup.- ions. The canal is constructed to efficiently condense and collect lithium vapor as it escapes the predetermined volume. The beam of negative ions then passes to another permanent magnet assembly that corrects any astigmatism in the emerging beam and that directs the beam, with appropriate optical properties, onto an injection axis for another accelerating structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: General Ionex Corporation
    Inventors: Harry Naylor, Kenneth H. Purser
  • Driving circuit for pulsating radiation detector
    Patent number: 4616159
    Abstract: There is provided an improvement in a pulsating radiation detector system comprising means in a series circuit for emitting radiation in pulses of a selected, adjusted frequency, means responsive to pulses of radiation at the frequency for creating a control signal related to the received radiation and a driving circuit for pulsating the radiation emitting means in the series circuit. The improvement comprises a modification of the driving circuit to produce voltage pulses in the series circuit at a time base width less than the reciprocal of the frequency (in seconds), with means for sensing current flow in the series circuit, means for limiting current flow in the series circuit and means for adjusting the pulse width continuously as an inverse function of the sensed circuit whereby short distinct pulses can be created for better discrimination and accuracy in the detector system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: The North American Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Wen H. Ko, Gong-Jong Yeh
  • Tri-model type circuit breaker and rapid-start fluorescent lamp
    Patent number: 4616156
    Abstract: A rapid-start fluorescent lamp includes a circuit breaker having a pair of electrical conductors sealed into a bulb and connecting a lamp lead to the electrode of the lamp. The circuit breaker includes first and second electrical conductors and a bi-metal strip having a first end portion connected to a first conductor and a second end portion connected to a second conductor at ambient bulb temperature, disconnected therefrom at a higher given range of temperatures, and the portion of the bi-metal strip intermediate the end portions connected to the second electrical conductor at temperatures higher than the given range of temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 7, 1986
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Roche, John W. Anderson, Jr.
  • Switching circuit
    Patent number: 4614897
    Abstract: An electronic switch is disclosed that uses two complementary regenerative latches connected in a push-pull arrangement. The latches are interconnected so that when either latch turns on, the other latch is forced to turn off. In this arrangement, the inherently short turn-on time of each regenerative latch translates to a shortened turn-off time of the other latch. The switch is disclosed in the context of a fluorescent lamp ballast and dimmer circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: RCA Corporation
    Inventor: Robert A. Kumbatovic
  • Electronic ballast with low frequency AC to AC converter
    Patent number: 4614898
    Abstract: A gas discharge lamp is started with a high frequency AC signal from an oscillator and then operates on a low frequency AC signal provided by an AC to AC converter synchronously with the AC supply line. The low voltage switching devices of the converter are protected from the high voltages of the high frequency oscillator by locking the converter in a single phase during starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdallah M. Itani, Victor D. Roberts
  • Single transistor oscillator ballast circuit
    Patent number: 4613796
    Abstract: A single power transistor oscillator circuit includes a single transistor oscillator coupled by an inductive means including an inductive coil and transformer to a DC potential development means with a wave-shaping means coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer to provide a substantially symmetrical AC potential centered about a zero level DC voltage and applied to a load circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: GTE Products Corporation
    Inventor: David L. Bay
  • Spark plug with capacitor spark discharge
    Patent number: 4613789
    Abstract: A spark plug which has a capacitor located therein, connected in parallel to the main or ignition spark gap (13), additional includes a pilot or pre-spark gap (12) located within the insulator (18) of the spark gap, to control discharge of the capacitor (14) through the main spark gap (13). In accordance with the invention, the pre-spark gap (12) is located within a chamber (34) in the insulator which is filled with a pressurized gas, preferably nitrogen under pressure of between 2 to 100 bar, preferably 5 to 30 bar, with the electrodes (27, 27) defining the pre-spark gap being spaced, preferably, between about 0.1 to 1 mm from each other. Placing the pre-spark gap electrodes within a pressurized gas chamber increases the energy available at the main spark gap (13) for ignition even of very lean fuel-air mixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Herden, Werner Bloss
  • Tough-responsive electric light socket
    Patent number: 4613790
    Abstract: A touch-responsive socket for receiving an electric light bulb and controlling the power delivered to the bulb in response to the touching of an electrically-conductive member includes a housing with a touch-responsive electrical circuit disposed in it between a light socket shell and a mounting base. The mounting base is assembled from electrically dissimilar base portions. An electrically-nonconductive base portion provides support for power conductors and means for connecting the circuit to the conductors. An electrically-conductive base portion, which fits to the nonconductive base portion, provides electrical conductivity between a touch-control signal input to the touch-control circuit and an electrically-conductive member that is touched to control the illumination of an electric light bulb in the socket shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: Westek Associates
    Inventor: John W. Roorda
  • Driver circuit controller for AC to AC converters
    Patent number: 4613795
    Abstract: The switches of an AC to AC converter are switched synchronously with the AC supply voltage. EMI conducted to the AC power line is greatly reduced since the rectifier diodes are off at the time of switching, thus avoiding undesirable effects on nearby electrical apparatus. The converter is useful in a ballast for a discharge lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdallah M. Itani, Victor D. Roberts
  • Automatic light control apparatus for vehicle
    Patent number: 4613791
    Abstract: An automatic light control apparatus for a vehicle comprises an external light detector for selectively turning on and turning off at least one of tail lamps, side marker lamps and head lamps of a vehicle in accordance with the detected external light. A further detector is provided for detecting the ON period of an illuminating light having a fluctuating light value (for example generated by an A.C. voltage source), and the lamps are further controlled in accordance with the detected ON period of the fluctuating light value in conjunction with the signals generated by the external light detector, for controlling the illumination of the lamps of the vehicle. A further detector may be provided for detecting an abrupt change in the illumination level, and for controlling the vehicle lamps further in accordance with the detected abrupt change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 23, 1986
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norimitsu Kurihara, Yoshikazu Tsuchiya, Akira Kikuchi, Tohru Tanabe, Kunio Okazaki
  • Triggering device for a vacuum arc in a plasma centrifuge
    Patent number: 4612477
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus for producing a vacuum arc in a plasma centrifuge. The apparatus comprises a cathode of a material from which the vacuum arc is formed and a trigger electrode. A trigger circuit is coupled to the trigger electrode for storing energy and then applying a break down voltage between the cathode and the trigger electrode where the cathode breaks down and initiates the vacuum arc. A pulse forming circuit is electrically coupled to the cathode for supplying a constant current pulse to the cathode to enhance the formation of a completely ionized plasma. The resistance of the pulse forming network is lower than the impedance of the vacuum arc. The present invention also in directed to an anode grid holder for use in the plasma centrifuge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Assignee: Yale University
    Inventor: Felix Dothan
  • Dimmer circuit for high intensity discharge lamp
    Patent number: 4612478
    Abstract: A lamp dimmer circuit for a high intensity discharge lamp includes an auto transformer, a power factor correction capacitor, a reactor ballast, a solid state phase control current module, a dimming control, a high frequency power supply, a coupling transformer, a high frequency by pass capacitor and a lamp. The high frequency low current source formed by the high frequency by pass capacitor, coupling transformer and high frequency power supply act to maintain the lamp arc even with variations in line voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1986
    Inventor: Stephen C. Payne
  • Lamp ballast with near unity power factor and low harmonic content
    Patent number: 4609852
    Abstract: A magnetic ballast circuit for a fluorescent lamp providing improved power factor, reduced harmonic content and increased efficiency. A ballast circuit with three inductances connected at a junction, preferably with the first and second inductances comprising a tapped autotransformer, with the third inductance connected between a line terminal and the tap, with the first inductance connected in series with a capacitance to the other line terminal, and with the second inductance connected to the load. The first inductance may be provided totally as part of the autotransformer, or may be supplemented with a second inductance in series. In an alternative embodiment, separate inductances may be utilized. Alternative lamp filament power sources and alternative functionally equivalent core and winding configurations are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1986
    Assignee: Iota Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Lloyd J. Perper