Patents by Inventor Patrick McElroy

Patrick McElroy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7397204
    Abstract: A starting circuit for an electric discharge lamp providing an electric current to a lamp having a first and a second filament. The circuit measures a lamp current and a filament temperature and then compares these against a reference voltage. When the lamp current is below a set threshold value, a relay contact disposed between the first and second filament is closed to direct the electric current through the first and second filaments to initiate pre-heating of the lamp. Once the filament temperature exceeds a set threshold, the relay contact is opened and the electric current passes through heated gas inside the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Balboa Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick McElroy
  • Patent number: 7329997
    Abstract: A starting circuit for an electric discharge lamp providing an electric current to a lamp having a first and a second filament. The circuit measures a lamp current and a filament temperature and then compares these against a reference voltage. When the lamp current is below a set threshold value, a relay contact disposed between the first and second filament is closed to direct the electric current through the first and second filaments to initiate pre-heating of the lamp. Once the filament temperature exceeds a set threshold, the relay contact is opened and the electric current passes through heated gas inside the lamp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Balboa Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick McElroy
  • Publication number: 20080007188
    Abstract: A starting circuit for an electric discharge lamp providing an electric current to a lamp having a first and a second filament. The circuit measures a lamp current and a filament temperature and then compares these against a reference voltage. When the lamp current is below a set threshold value, a relay contact disposed between the first and second filament is closed to direct the electric current through the first and second filaments to initiate pre-heating of the lamp. Once the filament temperature exceeds a set threshold, the relay contact is opened and the electric current passes through heated gas inside the lamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: BALBOA INSTRUMENTS, INC.
    Inventor: Patrick McElroy
  • Patent number: 6888324
    Abstract: An ozone generator including an electric starting circuit for measuring the temperature of at least one filament and further including a mercury vapor lamp. In one aspect, the oxone generator includes and outlet spout which injects ozone into a body of water. The electric starting circuit accepts voltages from about 100 to 270 volts and frequencies as low as 45 hertz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Balboa Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick McElroy
  • Patent number: 5596188
    Abstract: A tank gauging system includes an improved level sensor float providing positional information to a level encoder unit having two slotted disks coupled to a gaugehead which alternately admit and interrupt light to optical sensors to provide relative incremental positional change and direction information as well as an error detection capability. The light optical sensors provide two signals, which are directly compared to provide a clock signal for an up/down counter. One of the two signals is delayed and this delayed signal is directly compared against the other signal to provide a direction signal for an up/down counter. A microprocessor converts this information to absolute data and provides it to a transmitter unit. The transmitter may also be provided with data from other gauging sensors, such as an error-compensated temperature measurement of the tank contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1997
    Assignee: Whessoe Varec, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick McElroy