Abstract: An energy storage apparatus is disclosed in which a plurality of permanent magnets are used to store kinetic energy. The apparatus includes first and second fixed magnets which are positioned a distance apart along a longitudinal axis with both magnets having a like magnetic pole facing the distance between the magnets. A third moveable magnet is mounted on a guide rod which allows movement of the third magnet between a charged position in which the magnet's like pole is proximal the one fixed magnet and an uncharged position in which the opposite pole is adjacent the other fixed magnet. In the charged position, the magnetic fields of the adjacent like poles of the moveable magnet and the fixed magnet create a strong repelling force which urges the third magnet towards the uncharged position and the attraction forces created by the opposite poles of a moveable magnet and the other fixed magnet also draws the moveable magnet towards the uncharged position.

Abstract: Ionization of air without the use of corona discharge tips, thereby to avoid the generation of particulates from corrosion of the corona tips, is accomplished by use of a laser beam focussed to a small focal volume of intense electric field adjacent a semiconductor chip. The electric field is sufficiently intense to ionize air. In the manufacture of a semiconductor circuit chip, during those steps which are conducted in an air environment, opportunity exists to remove from a surface of a chip, or wafer, charge acquired during the manufacturing process. The ionized air is passed along the chip surface. Ions in the air discharge local regions of the chip surface which have become charged by steps of a manufacturing process. By way of further embodiment of the invention, the ionization may be produced by injection of molecules of water into the air, which molecules are subsequently ionized by a laser beam and directed toward the chip via a light shield with the aid of a magnetic field.

Abstract: A CRT protector circuit for detecting an overcurrent or an overvoltage to a CRT to protect the CRT. A detector circuit is provided for detecting the overcurrent and the overvoltage, and when such is detected an abnormality detection output from the detector circuit is supplied to a control circuit which in turn controls a horizontal output circuit. The operation of the horizontal output circuit, provided on a primary side of a flyback transformer is, instantaneously broken by the control circuit according to the abnormality detection output from the detector circuit. When the frequency of generation of the abnormality detection output becomes a predetermined value or more, the operation of the horizontal output circuit is continuously inhibited. Accordingly, when the abnormal condition is temporary, a normal high-voltage generating operation can be automatically restored.

Abstract: A circuit interruption device having a plurality of micromechanical switches mounted on a substrate in a parallel-series array. The array includes a plurality of line branches connected in parallel in a circuit line. Each of the line branches has at least two of the switches serially connected therein. The micromechanical switches each has a pair of contacts formed on the substrate, a bridging contact movably formed on the substrate, and an actuator for causing the bridging contact to move in and out of contact with the contacts. The bridging contact can be either a member slidably disposed in a channel formed on the substrate or member attached to an end of a cantilever having its other end attached to the substrate. The actuator is controlled by a trip device which is also mounted on the substrate. The trip device senses the current in the circuit line and causes the switches to open when a predetermined level of current in the line is exceeded.

Abstract: A programmable time interval power strip comprising a power input mechanism for receiving external alternating electrical power; a power supply including a power switch having an enabled orientation for allowing delivery of constant electrical power and a disabled orientation for preventing such delivery; a plurality of adjustable timers coupled to the power supply with each timer having an output for generating a relay activation signal; a plurality of receptacles coupled to the power input means and coupleable with a plug-connected appliance; and a plurality of relays coupled to the power input means with a first relay further coupled to the power switch and with the remaining relays each further coupled to the output of a timer and receptacle, the first relay delivering alternating electrical power to its receptacle when the power switch is placed in the enabled orientation and with the remaining relays delivering alternating electrical power to their receptacles upon receipt of the associated relay activa

Abstract: An apparatus for monitoring grounded states of multiple DC loads of a relay system, comprising a power supply circuit for inputting a commercial AC power and supplying DC voltages necessary to the DC loads and (+) and (-) DC circuit lines to which the DC loads connected, a low frequency signal generating circuit for transmitting a low frequency AC signal over the (+) and (-) DC circuit lines, the low frequency AC signal having the range of having no effect on different components, main (-) and (+) grounded state detecting circuits for detecting (-) and (+) grounded states of the whole of the (+) and (-) DC circuit lines and the DC loads, respectively, an overvoltage detecting circuit for detecting an overvoltage at an input stage of the apparatus to protect the apparatus from the overvoltage, a grounding current detecting circuit for detecting individually the low frequency AC signals from the DC loads when the DC loads are grounded, and a load fault signal generating circuit for generating load fault signals

Abstract: An electrical supply safety socket that prevents power from a mains electrical supply to be accessible at the outlets of the socket unless an electrical appliance plug is properly engaged with the socket outlets and the appliance is turned on. The electrical supply safety socket is comprised of both a safety circuit and a safety socket which may act together to accomplish the above-described safety function. The safety circuit and the safety socket may also be used independently so as to provide similar safety functions.

Abstract: A gas discharge device, such as a neon tube, is connected to a pair of output terminals of a power supply. The power supply has a transformer with a secondary winding that has first and second sub-windings. Each of the sub-winding is connected to a different output terminal and two conductors connect the first and second sub-windings to earth ground. A current sensor detects whether unequal magnitudes of current flow through in the two conductors. A resonant control circuit applies an excitation current to the primary winding of the transformer unless an imbalance of current flows. Thus excitation of the transformer is terminated when a high voltage ground fault occurs.

Abstract: An improved fail-safe mechanism is provided for use with a sidactor for protecting telecommunication equipment against high voltage surges. A sidactor includes first and second end terminal pins and a central terminal pin. The fail-safe mechanism consists of a torsional type spring and a pair of insulators. The torsional spring includes a single looped portion and a pair of spring arms extending radially outwardly from the opposite sides of the looped portion. The spring arms of the torsional spring are initially formed so as to have an obtuse angle therebetween. The center of the single looped portion is disposed off-centered in relationship to the centers of the first and second end terminal pins of the sidactor during assembly in order to assure that sufficient and constant pressure is applied between the spring arms and the end terminal pins.

Abstract: A circuit for protecting a MOSFET power transistor, the circuit having a variable input impedance in which the rate of rise of voltage is to be increased and thus the switching time reduced. For this purpose, a second MOSFET auxiliary transistor is connected by its bulk electrode to the source of the MOSFET power transistor. The source of the second MOSFET auxiliary transistor is connected to the gate of a third MOSFET auxiliary transistor and to the gate of the MOSFET power transistor. The drain of the second MOSFET auxiliary transistor is connected to a circuit input terminal which is coupled by a resistor to the gate of the MOSFET power transistor. The gate of the second MOSFET auxiliary transistor is connected to the drain of the second MOSFET auxiliary transistor as well as to the source of the third MOSFET auxiliary transistor.

Abstract: A household electrical service (10) is protected against overheating by running a sensor line or wire (36 or 38), coextensively together with hot, neutral and ground lines or wires (12, 13, 14 or 31, 32, 33), from a power company hookup (50) to a main breaker switch (18), and from respective branch circuit breakers (19) throughout the branch circuits (21, 22). The sensor line or wire (36 or 38) may be a length of heat fusible or otherwise temperature variant material which has a load end connected to ground and a source end connected to a control circuit (51) which trips the breaker (18 or 19) when an overtemperature condition melts the wire. Protection is extended through to individual devices (43) by continuing the sensor wire through the device cord (42). For this purpose, a plug ground prong (46) and receptacle ground prong connection (45) provide isolated ground and sensor wire connections.

Abstract: In a ground fault circuit interrupter in which it was found that wide band noise induced by load transients is rectified by an op-amp in the detector circuit, false trips due to the wide band noise are eliminated by only comparing the output of the amplifier with a threshold of opposite polarity to that of the rectified noise signal and by eliminating capacitive coupling between the current sensor and the op amp. This requires an op amp with a low offset, on the order of about five percent or less.

Abstract: An improved ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) device requires manual setting following initial connection to an AC power source or termination of a power source interruption. The improved GFCI device utilizes a controlled switching device which is responsive to a load power signal for allowing the relay contact sets of the GFCI device to be closed only when power is being made available at the output or load terminals. The controlled switching device preferably comprises an opto-isolator or other type of switching device which provides isolation between the GFCI input and output terminals when the relay contact sets are open. The improved GFCI device may be incorporated into portable units, such as plug-in or line cord units, for use with unprotected AC receptacles.

Abstract: An arrangement for protecting an electrical circuit such as a telephone circuit from a voltage transient comprises a voltage clamp or foldback device (3) arraigned to be connected between a current-carrying line (1) and ground (1'), a capacitor (2) in series with it, and an inductance (4) series connected in the line. During normal operation the arrangement acts as an LC filter whose high frequency break-point is determined by the capacitance of the voltage clamp or foldback device (3) and the value of the inductance (4) which are chosen to give a break point of 1 kHz to 10 MHz. However, when the arrangement is subjected to a voltage transient, the voltage clamp or foldback device (3) fires causing the break-point to fall to a value determined by the values of the capacitor (2) and inductance (4). The arrangement may be used, for example, to protect the circuit against a rapid voltage drop caused by the firing of another circuit protection device such as a gas discharge tube 5.

Abstract: A circuit for protecting direct current (DC) powered devices from excessive supply voltage and reverse polarity supply voltage comprises supply voltage coupling circuitry that operably couples a DC powered device to a supply voltage. The circuit also includes a first field effect transistor (FET) having an intrinsic diode operably coupled to the supply voltage coupling circuitry. Further, the circuit includes first current blocking circuitry operably coupled to the first FET for blocking current flow through the intrinsic diode. Still further, the circuit comprises gate supply circuitry operably coupled to the first FET and the supply voltage coupling circuitry to supply gate voltage to the first FET when the supply voltage is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A new and novel system for protecting people and property against electrical shock. It includes a number of preferred and other embodiments which have this as their goal, but which represent a number of distinctive and novel approaches to solving prior art problems. By way of example only, and without limiting the scope of this invention, these approaches include novel immersion detecting circuits, broken wire test circuits, electromechanical circuit breaking means including coil/plunger arrangements, and relay circuit breaking mechanisms cooperative with associated circuitry, all of which are able to be incorporated as a system wholly within the load (appliance) and its associated cord set (including a "plug").

Abstract: The present invention teaches a new and novel system for protecting people and property against electrical shock. The invention includes a number of preferred and other embodiments which have this as their goal, but which represent a number of distinctive and novel approaches to solving prior art problems. By way of example only, and without limiting the scope of this invention, these approaches include novel immersion detecting circuits, broken wire test circuits, electromechanical circuit breaking means including coil/plunger arrangements, and relay circuit breaking mechanisms cooperative with associated circuitry, all of which are able to be incorporated as a system wholly within the load (appliance) and its associated cord set (including a "plug").

Abstract: A nonvolatile fail-safe system providing protection from bus fault propagation for a multi-channel electric power generating system includes a controller which provides excitation control and protection for a first generator unit, position control for its generator control breaker (GCB) and position control for a bus tie breaker (BTB); protection logic which generates a trip signal for the BTB when a bus fault is detected isolating the load distribution bus from the tie bus, and thereafter generating an excitation isolation control signal and a GCB trip signal isolating the load distribution bus from the generator unit upon sustained presence of the bus fault. A latching generator control relay is electrically coupled in series with the excitation control and is responsive to the excitation isolation control signal for de-energizing the generator by isolating the excitation control.

Abstract: An arrester assembly for protecting a circuit from electrical switching and lightning surges includes an isolator and a surge arrester. The isolator has one electrically conductive terminal connected to a power line conductor. The other isolator electrically conductive terminal is connected by a flexible electrical conductor to one terminal of the surge arrester. The opposite electrical terminal of the surge arrester is connected by a conductive support to ground. The isolator, flexible conductor and surge arrester are connected in sequence and in series between the power line conductor and ground.

Abstract: An overvoltage protector for protection of telecommunication equipment having a pair of line terminals, and a respective pair of levers forming part of the ground circuit, with an overvoltage protective device bonded under tension between each line terminal and each respective lever. When an overvoltage destroys one or other device, or the bond between the line terminal and the respective lever disappears, that lever pivots about a single fulcrum under a force applied by a spring and the end of that lever contacts the line terminal. This ensures an electrically conductive relation between the line terminal and the ground circuit. As a result, the equipment to which the overvoltage protector is applied is protected from lightning and successive overvoltage occurrence.