Abstract: A motor drive for an electric machine includes a live line, a second line, and a ground line. A surge protector includes a first varistor and a gas discharge tube (GDT) that is non-conductive below a trigger voltage and that is conductive above the trigger voltage. The first varistor and the GDT are connected in series between one of the live line and the second line and the second line and the ground line. A second varistor is connected between the other of the live line and the second line and the second line and the ground line. When a voltage on the live line exceeds the trigger voltage, the first varistor, the second varistor and the GDT limit voltage output to the electric machine and deliver excess voltage to the ground line.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a protection device that includes line terminals coupled to a power source disposed in an electric power distribution system. The protection device is configured to protect a portion of the power distribution system from at least one fault condition. The device includes a receptacle member that has includes a housing and a cover. The cover includes receptacle openings configured to accommodate plug contact blades. Receptacle contacts are disposed in the housing. The receptacle contacts are also coupled to the line terminals to thereby establish an electrical connection between the receptacle contacts and the line terminals. Each receptacle contact is in communication with a corresponding receptacle opening. A protective shutter mechanism is integrated into the housing. The protective shutter mechanism is movable from a closed position to an open position upon insertion of the plug contact blades.

Abstract: An actuator driving circuit for driving an electromagnetic actuator, includes a boosting circuit which boosts a source voltage, and a boosted voltage controller which is connected to an output terminal of the boosting circuit, i.e., the downstream of the boosting circuit, to control a boosted voltage generated by the boosting circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for regulating multiple outputs of a single inductor DC to DC converter includes processing that begins by producing a regulation signal to regulate a 1st output of the multiple outputs based on at least one of the multiple outputs. The processing then continues by identifying one of the multiple outputs to receive energy from the inductor during at least one cycle of the regulation signal. The processing continues by scaling the regulation signal for the at least one cycle based on the voltage of the particular output to receive the energy, the voltage of the 1st output and the supply voltage to the DC to DC converter when the particular output to receive the energy is not the 1st output. In this manner, when the output receiving the energy is not the 1st output (i.e., the directly regulated output), the regulation signal is scaled based on the desired duty cycle for the particular output.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for preventing an output of current greater than a desired amount for a redundant power supply system. In an embodiment of the present invention, redundant power supplies may be shut down when the sum of the output currents from the redundant power supplies is greater than a specified maximum current for a single power supply. Additionally, if a power supply should operate outside of desired voltage and current specifications, the power supply may be disabled while the method and system of the present invention monitor the output current of a redundant power supply.

Abstract: By voltage limiting means, which provided in an IC as one of the components of an electronic apparatus, and a resistor, which is provided between a voltage input terminal of the IC and an external terminal of the electronic apparatus, an unexpected abnormal voltage generated in a DC power source such as an AC adaptor can be limited, and an overvoltage of not less than a predetermined value can be also prevented from being applied to the IC.

Abstract: The electrostatic chuck includes: a conductive base formed of metal or both metal and ceramics, serving as a chucking electrode; and an insulating film formed on one principal plane of the conductive base, the top face of the insulating film serving as a placing surface for placing a wafer; wherein the insulating film is formed of a uniform amorphous ceramics of an oxide and has a thickness in a range of 10 to 100 ?m, thereby preventing cracking and insulation breakdown in the insulating film and improving characteristics of releasing the wafer.

Abstract: A ground fault monitor for an electrical system having a plurality of branch circuits each having a respective ground conductor extending to a service panel that includes a ground connection to which the ground conductors are electrically connected. The ground fault monitor includes a current transformer for sensing current flow through the plurality of ground conductors to the ground connection and generating a current flow signal representative of any sensed current flow, and a monitoring circuit responsive to the current transformer for monitoring the current flow signal and generating an alarm when the current flow signal indicates the presence of a ground fault.

Abstract: A surge absorption circuit of one embodiment comprises an input terminal; an output terminal; a common terminal; a first surge absorption element and a second surge absorption element which are connected in series between the input terminal and the output terminal; a first inductive element provided in parallel to the first surge absorption element and the second surge absorption element, and connected to the input terminal and the output terminal; a second inductive element connected to a connection point of the first surge absorption element and the second surge absorption element and connected to the common terminal.

Abstract: An air conditioning apparatus incorporates an ion generating device that generates positive and negative ions by applying an alternating-current voltage between electrodes. The generated positive and negative ions coexist in the air and, when they attach to the surfaces of airborne bacteria, they react chemically with each other and generate radical hydroxyl and hydrogen peroxide, which extract hydrogen atoms from the cells of the bacteria and thereby kill them. This sterilizing effect is combined with the temperature-conditioning, dehumidifying, humidifying, air-purifying, and other functions of the air conditioning apparatus to bring about a comfortable and healthful indoor environment.

Abstract: Regarding output suppression control of a plurality of dispersed power sources linked to a high-voltage-to-low-voltage transformer of a commercial power system, the partiality of the output suppression of a plurality of dispersed power sources is eliminated and, cost increase of the dispersed power sources is prevented. If a voltage at a power receiving point of a dispersed power source 1a exceeds the upper limit of a proper value, then a power conditioner 4 suppresses an output to a power receiving point to store a surplus power into a storage battery 8 and transmit an output suppression start signal to a management unit 9. The management unit 9 transmits an output suppression command signal to the other dispersed power sources 1b through 1e of which the voltage at the power receiving point is not exceeding the upper limit of the proper value to make the other dispersed power sources 1b through 1e to suppress their outputs and store surplus power into storage batteries 8.

Abstract: A current control apparatus for an electric load can prevent burnout at a short-circuit accident with high control precision. A switching element is interrupted by an overcurrent detection circuit upon occurrence of a load short circuit, but is transitionally limited in current by a current detection resistor. A differential amplifier amplifies a difference voltage between voltages at opposite ends of the current detection resistor to generate a monitored voltage Ef corresponding to a load current. A microprocessor controls the energization rate of the switching element so as to make an estimated load current Ime calculated from the monitored voltage Ef coincide with a target load current Is, and it calculates, upon calibration operation, calibration constants and estimates, during actual operation, a load current Ime from the monitored voltage Ef using the calibration constants.

Abstract: A overheat protection circuit is formed on the same semiconductor substrate as a power MOS FET is formed on.

Abstract: According to the invention, in order to suppress a latch-up, the supply voltage is switched off following the detection of a latch-up, charge located in the circuit is reduced with the air of a short-circuiting switch, and the detection of a low voltage is temporarily canceled when the supply voltage is gradually increased again. A protective circuit is assigned to an electronic circuit in order to protect the radiation-sensitive components thereof, the electronic circuit being subdivided into groups of active circuit components accepting a similar amount of current in a predefined area and a protective circuit being assigned to at least one of the groups of active circuit components accepting approximately the same amount of current in a predefined area. In order to prevent the output current from influencing the output voltage, a current-detecting unit is mounted upstream of a voltage-regulating unit.

Abstract: A solid-state high-voltage pulse generator based on a three-phase chopper capacitance charger is described. In a first phase, an intermediate capacitor is resonance-charged via a diode. In a second phase, the intermediate capacitor is discharged to the load through one or more solid-state switches. In a third phase, the energy remaining in the intermediate capacitor is returned to a power-supply filter capacitor. In one embodiment, the three-phase chopper includes an intermediate capacitor that is charged by first and fourth branches of a bridge and discharged by second and third branches of a bridge. In one embodiment, each branch of the bridge includes a diode in series with an inductor. In one embodiment, a composite solid-state switch connects the intermediate capacitor to a primary winding of an output transformer such that the intermediate capacitor discharges through the primary winding. In one embodiment, a secondary winding of the output transformer is provided to an output load.

Abstract: An operation device capable of securely identifying whether an operation is performed by a driver or by a passenger on a front passenger seat are provided. In the periphery of a multidirectional input portion and switch input portions of an operation switch unit provided on a console between a driver seat and a front passenger seat of a vehicle and at diagonal positions relative to the multidirectional input portion and the switch input portions, identifying sensors which detect an approach of a hand of an operator are respectively provided, and an operation control unit which identifies the operator by outputs from the identifying sensors and is provided.

Abstract: Uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are generally discussed herein with particular discussions extended to fuel-cell-based UPSs used in conjunction with DC power supplies for improved operating efficiencies. With a wide voltage DC power supply, a DC-AC inverter may be omitted from the UPS and power from a back up power source, such as a battery or a fuel cell, may be applied directly to the DC power supply without performing two power conversions. The end result is a more efficient system capable of longer operating time.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit device is disclosed, which comprises power supply system circuits, in which power supply terminals and/or ground terminals are separated from each other between the power supply system circuits, an electrostatic discharge protecting circuit, an internal circuit provided in each of the power supply system circuits, an internal signal transmitting line, a surge input detecting circuit, and at least one of an input protecting circuit which is provided at an input side of the internal circuit and which limits a voltage of a signal transmitted from the internal signal transmitting line, and an output logic setting circuit which is provided at an output side of the internal circuit and which sets a logic level of a signal outputted to the internal signal transmitting line to a low level when the surge input detecting circuit has detected a surge input.

Abstract: A switch which is magnetic pole insensitive is described. The switch includes a Hall effect sensor coupled to a threshold circuit which provides an output signal indicative of the proximity of a magnet, and hence a magnetic field, to the Hall effect sensor regardless of the orientation of the magnet to the Hall effect sensor.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments described herein comprise a method comprising a plurality of activities comprising: discriminating an arcing condition from a non-arcing broadband signal, and, in response to detecting an arcing condition, outputting a trip signal to a circuit breaker controlling a predetermined alternating current circuit associated with the arcing condition.