Abstract: The present invention generally relates to an electrostatic chuck assembly for uniformly processing a wafer in a semiconductor wafer processing process, more particularly to prevent a byproduct formed from leakage of wafer processing materials from depositing between a wafer and the electrostatic chuck assembly. The electrostatic chuck assembly has a wafer holding member for holding a wafer; a shadow ring in engagement with the wafer holding member; and an insert ring disposed between the shadow ring and the wafer holding member. The wafer holding member has a wafer mounting surface and may preferably have a conical head having a tapered peripheral wall and a cylindrical portion. Alternatively, the wafer holding member is cylindrical and extends downwardly from the wafer mounting surface. The insert ring has an inner wall for sealably engaging the wafer holding member and preferably, is removable to allow for easy cleaning of the electrostatic chuck assembly.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator and a method for controlling the actuator comprising at least one armature (3) and two coils (1, 2). The voltage gradient at the two coils (1, 2) is measured during a sudden increase in voltage. From this measured data, a subtractor (16) computes a third voltage gradient (25) from which a logic unit (17) determines the position of the armature (3) without the use of an additional sensor.

Abstract: A circuit for protection against reverse circulation of current through the body diode of an FET power switching device switching a load, the power switching device having gate, source and drain terminals, wherein the power switching device is connected in series with the load, the load being connected to the source or drain terminal of the power switching device, the load being capable of providing a voltage across the source and drain terminals sufficient to cause the body diode to conduct, the power switching device being controlled by a driver output stage having a driver output stage body diode, the driver output stage having a substrate set at a substrate voltage level, the reverse circulation protection circuit comprising a circuit for changing the substrate voltage level of the driver output stage so that the voltage across the driver output stage body diode is less than a voltage sufficient to cause the driver output stage body diode to conduct, thereby allowing the power switching device to pass the

Abstract: A selectively protected electrical system includes or operates with a power source, a load, a power driver circuit for controllably transferring power from the power source to the load, the power driver circuit being encapsulated in a potting material, and a controller for enabling and disabling the power driver circuit, the controller being un-encapsulated by the potting material. If a contaminant induced electrical fault occurs in the selectively protected electrical system, the electrical fault is more likely to occur in the un-encapsulated controller, such that the selectively protected electrical system is disabled. The contaminant is inhibited from contacting and inducing an electrical fault in the power driver circuit, thus providing for a controlled failure of the selectively protected electrical system.

Abstract: An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes a power conversion circuit and a relay. The relay is configured to couple and decouple a power source to and from an input of the power conversion circuit. The control circuit is operative to apply a coil current to the relay to sense the coil current and to detect an operational failure of the relay from the sensed coil current. Related methods of operating such UPSs are also provided.

Abstract: A reverse current protection circuit is provided to protect the internal circuit components of a switching power supply from being damaged by a reverse current discharging from an input filtering capacitor. The reverse current protection circuit according to a preferred embodiment includes a transistor switch coupled between an input terminal and the input filtering capacitor. The reverse current protection circuit also includes a surveillance device for monitoring the change of a voltage polarity across the current-conducting terminals of the transistor switch and generating a driving signal if the voltage polarity across the current-conducting terminals of the transistor switch is changed. The reverse current protection circuit also includes a signal coupler for coupling the driving signal to the control terminal of the transistor switch in order to turn off the transistor switch so as to block the discharging loop of the reverse current.

Abstract: An electrical terminal block has a heat-meltable fusible link establishing a closed electrical circuit between a conductor and an actuator responsive to a control signal transmitted by conductor for controlling the state of an emergency process control device, such as a shut-off valve. The heat-meltable fusible link melts in response to ambient heat exceeding a predetermined temperature to establish an open electrical circuit between the electrical conductor and the actuator thereby causing the actuator to move the emergency process control device to a safe position or state.

Abstract: Device miniaturization is made possible by building a battery protection circuit in a microcomputer. A secondary battery protection device includes a voltage detection device that detects a voltage of a power supply circuit including a secondary battery, a current detection device that detects a current of the power supply circuit, and a battery protection circuit that shuts off the power supply circuit based on a signal representing a detection made by the voltage detection device or the current detection device of an excess current that is generated in the power supply circuit. The protection circuit is built in a microcomputer.

Abstract: A double cascode protected switchable voltage source may be used to selectively provide positive or negative voltage sources, for example, to a flash memory. The positive supply may be connected through a PMOS pass device to a first cascode protection device. A negative supply may be connected through an NMOS pass device and an NMOS cascode protection device to an output. The circuits may be designed so that exceeding snapback limits and gate aided drain breakdown are less likely.

Abstract: A power controller is positioned within a current path between the line side and the load side of an electrical circuit. The power controller closes the current path in the presence of a control supply and opens the current path in the absence of the control supply. A power supply electrically connected to the current path provides the control supply. A sensor system receives power from the power supply, monitors the current in the current path and outputs a sensor signal indicative of a current condition within the current path. A logic controller also receives power from the power supply, receives the sensor signal and removes the control supply from the power controller when the sensor signal does not satisfy an established criteria. The sensor system may include one or both of an imbalance sensor for monitoring the current balance among two or more electrical lines and over-current sensors for monitoring current in individual lines.

Abstract: As a result that a switching circuit switches between a first power source for supplying power when illuminating a light emitting diode and a second power source for supplying a predetermined bias to the light emitting diode, a reference signal output from a reference power source is compared with a leak current of an LED lighting device using the light emitting diode, a control signal is generated based on the comparison result, and a display means displays a leakage result when the leak current of the lighting device using the light emitting diode is higher than a reference value; a bias is set to a value, by which a current flowing to the light emitting diode can be ignored, and a leak current flowing to the lighting device using the light emitting diode is detected.

Abstract: The current differential relay operates without adjustable settings, and includes a phase current differential element with a predetermined threshold, responsive to local phase current values and remote phase current values, to detect three-phase faults and producing a first output signal if the threshold value is exceeded. Either a negative sequence current differential element or two phase current differential elements, also having predetermined threshold values and responsive to the local and remote phase currents, detect phase-to-phase faults and phase-to-phase-to-ground faults and produces a second output signal if the predetermined threshold is exceeded. A negative sequence or zero sequence current differential current element, with a predetermined threshold value is responsive to the local and remote phase currents to detect phase-to-ground faults and to produce a third output signal if the threshold is exceeded.

Abstract: A power control system comprises a plurality of power control groups, with each group comprising a plurality of individual point-of-load regulators each adapted to provide respective regulated voltage outputs. The point-of-load regulators may be selected for inclusion in a power control groups based on characteristics of loads supplied by the point-of-load regulators. An intermediate bus controller is coupled to each of said power control groups through a serial data bus interface common to each group and an OK status line for each respective group. A front end regulator provides an intermediate bus voltage to each of the plurality of power control groups and to the intermediate bus controller. The plurality of point-of-load regulators of each group each further comprises a respective fault manager adapted to detect fault conditions and selectively communicate notifications of the fault conditions to other ones of the plurality of point-of-load regulators of the group and to the intermediate bus controller.

Abstract: In a highly available storage system, an enclosure includes first and second power supplies, and first and second controller boards. Each of the first and second controller boards includes first and second serial bus controllers. First and second serial buses are coupled to both of the first and second serial bus controllers on each of the first and second controller boards. The first serial bus is coupled to the first power supply, while the second serial bus coupled to the second power supply. The first and second serial buses are used for exchanging enclosure management and environmental information between the first and second power supplies and the first and second controller boards. The first and second serial buses are coupled to isolation switches so that redundant modules can operate if a serial bus controller fails.

Abstract: A material processing machine such as a wood chipping machine, a press, a cane cutting machine or other machine comprising an operating region having at least one processing element and an access region through which material passes to the operating region, has at least one active sensor that may be worn by a user of the machine, for example, around their wrist, and at least one detector mounted in the access region of the machine for detecting the presence of the active sensor in the access region. Control circuitry responsive to the at least one detector provides control signals for stopping operation of the machine, preventing start-up of the machine and/or otherwise preventing injury to the machine user.

Abstract: A protection device for monitoring current in a power cable to an electrical device and for controlling a remotely located starter for the electrical device in response to a system controller. The device includes a transformer magnetically linked with the power cable to produce a voltage signal in response to the presence of a changing current within the power cable. An input circuit located in a single housing together with the transformer is electrically connected to the transformer so as to receive the voltage signal. The input circuit produces, in response to the voltage signal, either a first signal or a first circuit condition at the output terminal of the input circuit, representative of the changing current in the power cable. A switch circuit also in the same container with the transformer has a terminal for sensing either a second signal or a second circuit condition of the remotely located system controller.

Abstract: A fixture assembly for holding printed circuit boards (PCBAs) during processing such as wave soldering. The fixture assembly consists of multiple plates which are assembled to define protective cavities and recesses for masking components such as surface mounted devices and define apertures so that pass-through leads are exposed at the bottom or secondary side of the bottom plate. An optional weighting member may be used to firmly secure the PCBA during processing. The multi-plate structure is cost effective reducing milling and machining operations normally attendant to the fabrication of a fixture assembly. In another embodiment, a stencil is provided with cut-outs corresponding to protected area on the PCBA. A soluble masking material is applied to the stencil and board prior to wave soldering. The masking material is subsequently rinsed away.

Abstract: An electrical equipment containment is arranged on a cooling enclosure opening out onto the outside. An outlet orifice makes the containment communicate with the cooling enclosure. This orifice is closed by a membrane or a check valve. A grate separates the cooling enclosure into an upper volume and a lower volume. The grate supports a layer of solid granular material the upper surface whereof remains free. This material is preferably porous and also comprises dusts. In the event of an internal electric arc, the shock wave escaping from the containment is dampened by the surface deformation of the layer of solid material. The incandescent particles projected via the opening are stopped by the layer of solid material. The hot gases are cooled as they flow through the material, causing a cloud of dust contributing to preventing any post-combustion.

Abstract: A composite integrated semiconductor device. In one embodiment, an input surge/noise absorbing circuit absorbs surge from an input signal, an attenuating/level-shifting circuit attenuates or level-shifts the input signal, and an electrical signal converting circuit converts the input signal to an output signal. The input surge/noise absorbing circuit, the attenuating or level-shifting circuit, and the electrical signal converting circuit together form a unit, and a plurality of these units are arranged in parallel in one semiconductor substrate to form the composite integrated semiconductor device, resulting in a reduction in the number of discrete components mounted on a printed circuit board.

Abstract: A semiconductor module is provided which includes a beat heat spreader, at least two semiconductors thermally coupled to the heat spreader, and a plurality of electrically conductive leads electrically connected to the semiconductors. At least one of the electrically conductive leads is common to both of the semiconductors. The semiconductor module also includes a termination resistor electrically coupled to at least one of the semiconductors. A method of making a semiconductor module is also taught, whereby a plurality of electrically conductive leads are provided. At least two semiconductors are electrically coupled to the plurality of electrically conductive leads, where at least one of the electrically conductive leads is common to both of the semiconductors. The semiconductors are then thermally coupled to a heat spreader. Subsequently, a termination resistor is electrically coupled to at least one of the semiconductors.