Abstract: A touch operated electronic switch for alternating current including a full wave rectifying bridge and two unidirectional current electronic switches one being mounted in parallel with said bridge input and the other being mounted in parallel with said bridge output, each unidirectional current electronic switch being such a silicon controlled rectifier which can be triggered by a touch plate. Said bridge input poles are the two external connections of said A.C. switch. Said unidirectional current electronic switch inserted between said bridge output poles is combined with a low inertia accumulator of electrical energy such as a capacitor mounted in parallel or an inductance mounted in series therewith. A device comprising a neon indicator and its dropping resistor is mounted in parallel with said bridge input so as to faintly light in transparency the touch operated electronic switch for A.C. when it is turned off.

Abstract: A power supply system for a quadrupole mass spectrometer includes an RF (radio frequency) power source for generating RF voltages and a voltage divider functioning as a DC (direct current) voltage generating circuit. This voltage divider divides the RF voltages and then rectifies them so as to derive DC voltages while maintaining a proportional relationship to the RF voltages. Thereafter, the DC voltages are superimposed on the RF voltages. The resultant voltages are applied to the electrodes of the quadrupole mass spectrometer.

Abstract: Electronic system grounding includes two system grounding paths for card cage electronic modules, with a first grounding path through the card cage and a second grounding path through the system power supply. The two system grounding paths are used to minimize noise and reduce unwanted induced superimposed transient voltage levels.

Abstract: A wiring methodology for attaching office machines to a communications network includes at least one central wiring facility or concentrator with lobe segments emanating or fanning out in a "Star Fashion" configuration to terminal points within offices. A plurality of switch control elements are provided in the concentrator. When activated, each switch control element inserts a lobe segment and attached machines into the communications network. Lobe segments not in use are bypassed (disconnected) within the concentrator. A single station connector (SSC) can be used to increase the number of office machines that may be attached to a single lobe segment. In addition, the SSC may be used to configure a mobile Local Area Network (LAN) System without resorting to permanent wiring schemes.

Abstract: An electret transducer is comprised of a motor and signal processing apparatus, that may include an amplifier and/or impedance matching means, disposed within a sealed conductive housing. The motor is fabricated in place within a housing and the signal processing means is mounted on the underside of the cover for the housing so that each may be independently tested prior to combining into a unitary structure. The motor is comprised of easily fabricated and assembled components that include means for spacing a backplate from the walls of the conductive housing and a spacer intermediate the backplate and the center of a diaphragm. The backplate and the diaphragm are provided with registering apertures. The amplifier is mounted to the cover to conductively connect to the housing and to provide rigid outwardly extending terminals for ready connection to further electrical circuits, as in a hearing aid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for kinematic parameter identification of an industrial manipulator having either revolute or prismatic joints. The identification of individual kinematic parameters is called the arm signature of a robot. Through the identification and detailed measurement of mechanical features in a robot, kinematic features, i.e. the planes of rotation and centers of rotation for revolute joints and lines of translation for prismatic joints are identified. These three features contain the essential information to formulate a complete robot kinematic model.

Abstract: A motor speed control apparatus which is provided with means for performing the control to always apply to a motor a driving force smaller than a frictional load of a driving system which is driven by the motor and to apply to the motor a driving force larger than the frictional force of the driving system when the motor is accelerated.

Abstract: A system-power-supply-source controller is used for controlling and monitoring the operations of a plurality of power supply sources associated with a plurality of logical units. The logical units each comprise power supply control units. Separate and independent power supplies are provided for each power supply control unit and its respective logical unit. The system-power-supply-source controller transmits and receives data to and from control units associated with each logical unit. A data signal line is provided for transferring data between the system-power-supply-source controller and the control units. An interruption line is arranged between the controller and the logical units, and each control unit produces a signal on the interruption line to inform the system-power-supply-source controller that its associated power supply source has malfunctioned.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle has a horn which is mounted on the vehicle chassis. The horn is connected with the vehicle battery by a first conductor. A switch for the horn is mounted on the steering wheel and is connected with the horn via a second conductor. The second conductor is divided into two sections of which one is rotatable with the steering wheel and the other is fixed on the chassis. A control system for controlling electrical components of the vehicle other than the horn has a transmitting unit which is mounted on the steering wheel. The transmitting unit has an output which is connected with the rotatable section of the conductor leading from the horn switch to the horn. The control system further includes a receiving unit which is mounted on the vehicle chassis and has an input connected with the fixed section of this conductor. When the operator of the vehicle presses a switch in order to activate an electrical component, input signals are delivered to the transmitting unit.

Abstract: A system for connecting sensor devices to actuating devices, the system substantially comprising a cable having a given number of signal conducting lines, a number of interface units each designed for assembly between the lines of the aforementioned cable and a respective sensor device or actuating device, and processing means designed to circulate, in the aforementioned cable, signals enabling data to be transmitted between the devices and the processing means.

Abstract: A power interface circuit periodically which receives test pulses to test the operation and connections thereof. Voltage and current sensors detect the result of the testing and may be used for zero-crossing detection when AC powered devices are controlled by the power interface circuit. Preferrably, asymmetrical pulses, such as those representing an ASCII character, are used as the test pulses. Three input signals are received by the power interface circuit which performs two out of the three voting on the input signals to generate a control signal for two power switches. The power switches may be connected in parallel or in series to provide additional fault tolerance.

Abstract: A variable speed wind turbine includes a frequency converter which converts variable frequency AC from a turbine driven AC generator to fixed frequency AC for delivery to a power grid. The frequency converter is typically an electronic cycloconverter or rectifier-inverter and is also used to control the power flow from the AC generator to the grid which thereby controls the air gap torque between the generator stator and rotor. The turbine speed is maneuvered to increase efficiency by precisely controlling the air gap torque according to a schedule defining sensed generator speed versus sensed generated power.

Abstract: A rotation phase control device which synchronizes the rotation phase of the rotor of a motor with a reference signal and which has a steady-state characteristic compensating circuit improves the starting characteristic of the motor by compensating characteristic control apparatus for varying the compensating characteristic of the compensating circuit based on whether or not the rotation phase of the rotor is within a predetermined synchronization range relative to the reference signal.

Abstract: A demand limit control system for maintaining power consumption of loads within a building below an upper demand limit, the upper demand limit being separated from a lower demand limit by a deadband, the system having a power demand controller responsive to power consumption for providing a controller output signal ramping up when the power consumption is above the upper demand limit, remaining substantially constant when power consumption is between the upper and lower demand limits, and ramping down when the power consumption is below the lower demand limit, and a plurality of demand controlled loads each connected to the power demand controller and each responding to a different threshold value of the controller output signal such that each load is conditioned to turn off when the controller output signal is above the threshold and is conditioned to turn on when the controller output signal is below the threshold.

Abstract: An electromechanical constant speed drive generating system is provided with a mechanical differential having first, second and third rotatable shafts, wherein the speed of the second shaft is equal to the speed of the first shaft multiplied by the first contant plus the speed of the third shaft multiplied by a second constant. The first shaft is coupled to an external engine and is driven at a variable speed ranging between predetermined lower and upper limits. A constant speed generator is connected to the second shaft for producing a constant frequency output.

Abstract: A closed-loop, temperature-controlled cooling system includes a Stirling cycle refrigerator driven by a dc motor, wherein the motor excitation derives from pulse width modulation. Temperature control of the cooling system is provided by a temperature-sensitive bridge circuit which responds to variations in temperature by generating an error voltage which effects a change in the modulator duty cycle. The amount of cooling is directly related to the average voltage applied to the motor, which is a function of the modulator duty cycle and the amplitude of the supply voltage. A compensation circuit is disclosed which responds to variations in the voltage amplitude of an unregulated supply by coupling an error signal to the bridge circuit to thereby affect the modulator duty cycle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fault recognition circuit for at least two power supplies feeding in parallel a user at an output side. The power supplies each have an electronic switch, a power transformer and a rectifier portion with a following filter element. In order to achieve short repair times, the respective down power supply is immediately identified after the outage of one of the parallel power supplies. For this purpose, a current transformer is provided which lies between the electronic switch and the power transformer. The load voltage of the current transformer is supplied to first a rectifier unit and the ac voltage component of the unfiltered dc voltage at the rectifier portion of the power pack units is supplied via a high pass filter to a second rectifier unit. The outputs of the rectifier units are connected to inputs of first and second comparators, and the other inputs of the comparators are connected with comparison voltages.

Abstract: To supply various loads connected to a uninterruptible bus, a power supply system N is connected (when functioning normally) by means of a mechanical switch, keeping an energy storage unit charged by means of a static converter which also functions preferrably as a phase shifter to stabilize the supply voltage. In the event of a power system malfunction, the storage unit is discharged by means of the static converter arrangement, and the mechanical switch is opened. The opening of this switch is not critical since between the switch and uninterruptible bus there is an inductance arrangement and an auxiliary switch. In case of a power system malfunction (auxiliary switch open), a large inductance and its large corresponding impedance of the inductive impedance arrangement becomes effective which during proper operation of the power system is shunted.

Abstract: An AC power generating system includes an array of permanent magnet alternators. The stator windings of these alternators are electrically connected in series and the total output voltage of the alternator array is regulated by adjusting the relative angular positions of the stators to control the phase angle of the output voltage of each alternator. The alternators employ an inside-out design wherein a plurality of permanent magnets are positioned at circumferentially displaced locations on an internal surface of a nonmagnetic support structure to form the rotor. A stator having a core with longitudinal slots for receiving a stator winding is positioned within the rotor structure such that relative rotation between the stator and rotor induces a voltage in the stator winding.

Abstract: A contactless electrical switch includes a switch element comprising a piezo-resistive transducer (25). Coded toothed cams (16) operated via a shaft (14) deflect the transducer (25) causing corresponding changes in stress and hence resistance. The output of the transducer is amplified and fed to logic circuitry which determines a corresponding current path.