Abstract: An ozone generation system includes a plurality of modular ozone generating devices, each having an upper and lower housing. The upper housing encloses electrical components for providing high energy power to ozone generator cells of each device to produce an ozone generation output. The lower housing is formed by a multiplicity of section layers enclosing the ozone generator cells and an internal liquid coolant system. Each ozone generator cell has two plasma generation pathways. An orifice is formed in on each one ozone generator cell for maintaining a known and controllable pressure drop across each ozone generator cell. A plurality of ports formed in a center body framing element of the lower housing provides porting for the water in and out, oxygen in and ozone out. The modular devices can be combined on racks having a common manifold system for forming a rack of ozone producing devices for outputting a high yield of ozone.

Abstract: An ozone generation system includes a plurality of modular ozone generating devices, each having an upper and lower housing. The upper housing encloses electrical components for providing high energy power to ozone generator cells of each device to produce an ozone generation output. The lower housing is formed by a multiplicity of section layers enclosing the ozone generator cells and an internal liquid coolant system. Each ozone generator cell has two plasma generation pathways. An orifice is formed in on each one ozone generator cell for maintaining a known and controllable pressure drop across each ozone generator cell. A plurality of ports formed in a center body framing element of the lower housing provides porting for the water in and out, oxygen in and ozone out. The modular devices can be combined on racks having a common manifold system for forming a rack of ozone producing devices for outputting a high yield of ozone.

Abstract: A plasma generating apparatus includes a plurality of discharge cells in which a gas is excited by a high frequency excitation signal produced at an inverter. Each of a plurality of transformers couples the excitation signal from the inverter to one of the discharge cells, thereby forming a separate resonant circuit that has a resonant frequency. A gap in the transformer core creates a stray magnetic field outside the transformer. The plurality of transformers are in close proximity to each other so that the stray magnetic field from one transformer is coupled to at least one other transformer. Coupling the stray magnetic fields between transformers results in each resonant circuit resonating at the same frequency.

Abstract: An electric chafer heater for a chafer is disclosed herein. The chafer heater is removably supported by a shelf disposed below a chafing dish. The chafer heater includes a base having a cylindrical bottom portion held within an aperture in the shelf sized for receiving a standard can heater. The chafer heater further includes a resilient member extending upward from the base, and an electric heating assembly coupled to the resilient member opposite the base. The heating assembly has a heating surface positionable above the base by the compression of the resilient member. The heating surface is biased against the chafing dish when the base is supported by the shelf to provide a thermal interface to transfer heat between the heating surface and the chafing dish. The heating assembly has variable (e.g., low and high) power settings selected by an input device (e.g., a switch).

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: A transformer has a primary winding connected in series with a direct current source, a solid state switch and a current sensing resistor. A reactive element is coupled to the primary winding to form a resonant circuit. A high voltage for exciting a gaseous discharge device is produced across a first secondary winding of the transformer. A second resistor couples a terminal of the direct current source to one plate of a storage capacitor that has another plate connected to a second terminal of the direct current source. The one plate of the storage capacitor also is connected to a second secondary winding of the transformer. The control circuitry for the power supply is biased by voltage stored across the capacitor.

Abstract: A non-perforated metal tube with open opposite ends extends coaxially around a plasma discharge tube that projects beyond both ends of the metal tube. The plasma tube contains an ionizable gas and an electrode. The ends of both tubes engage two end cap assemblies which maintain the tubes in a coaxial, uniformly spaced relationship. Both end cap assemblies have a tubular coupling that fits around a flared end of the metal tube and have a mechanism for supporting the glass tube. Passages are provided in the end cap assemblies for gas to enter and exit. A plasma is established in the plasma discharge tube by applying an excitation potential between the electrode and the metal tube.

Abstract: A transformer of the type used to produce high voltage for an electrostatic field apparatus has a hermetically sealed container. The container encloses a coil assembly having primary and secondary coils wound on a common core. Electrical terminals extend outward from the container and are connected to the coils. The interior volume of the container is completely filled with a thermally conductive, electrically non-conducting fluid. The internal pressure of the transformer is less than one atmosphere at 22.degree. C. The transformer can be operated in any mounting orientation of its rated power. A method of manufacturing the transformer is described by which gases are removed from the container so that it can be completely filled with the fluid.

Abstract: A high voltage transformer includes at least one secondary coil mounted on an insulating support assembly and having the start lead of the secondary coil disposed proximate to the transformer core with a finish lead disposed at the perimeter of the coil. The finish lead is connected to ground potential and the start lead is provided at the high voltage potential of the transformer, thereby minimizing the insulation requirements of the transformer. The insulating support assembly for the secondary coil includes flanges at the opposite ends thereof to define a winding space for the secondary coil. Each of the flanges includes a channel formed therein for providing a passageway for the high voltage start lead of the secondary coil that extends from the inside layer of the secondary coil to above the edge of the flange. The flange also has a recess that extends between the opposite edges thereof for receiving and insulating sheet member.

Abstract: An improved photo flash lamp, especially suited for medical photography includes a housing having a viewing tube extending therethrough and protruding therebeyond for mounting onto an adapter threaded into the lens of a single lens reflex camera. The housing carries a ring strobe concentric about the viewing tube for illuminating the subject matter photographed by the camera lens through the viewing tube. A set of high intensity illumination lamps are disposed within the housing about the viewing tube concentric within the ring strobe for providing shadowless illumination of the subject matter to enable proper focusing of the camera lens before the picture is taken. The ring strobe is interfaced to the camera by way of a flash-ready circuit which alerts the camera that the ring strobe is ready, thereby warning of a condition which would result in improper film exposure prior to when the ring strobe is fully recharged.

Abstract: A power supply for electrostatic apparatus provides a high voltage output. The high voltage output is provided by the half wave rectification and filtering of a pulse signal from a secondary winding of a high voltage pulse transformer. The primary winding side of the high voltage pulse transformer is connected in a series loop circuit with a capacitor and a switching device. The capacitor is charged through an input choke connected to a DC supply source. The switching device is triggered after the capacitor is charged such that the capacitor is discharged through the primary winding of the high voltage transformer. The inductive collapse of the high voltage output transformer provides for the turnoff of the switching device and also serves to partially recharge the capacitor. The half wave rectified high voltage output of the power supply is obtained from the recovery pulse of the high voltage pulse transformer.

Abstract: A circuit for sensing and controlling the level of fluid within a reservoir includes a pump for controlling the level of fluid. The circuit further includes two sub-circuits each including a probe adapted to contact the fluid. Each sub-circuit further includes an SCR and an oppositely poled diode. Also included is a relay coupled to the sub-circuits for operating the pump. The relay is designed to energize the pump only upon submersion of both of the probes. The circuit is coupled to an AC transformer having, in one embodiment, an off-set center tap such that upon submersion of the first probe the first sub-circuit conducts a first magnitude of energy that is insufficient to pull in the relay but is sufficient to hold in the relay once it is actuated. In an alternative embodiment, the transformer includes first and second resistors coupled between the relay and the first and second sub-circuits, respectively.

Abstract: Composite noise and information signals are amplified and filtered to segregate high and low frequency bands that correspond with noise from an intermediate frequency band which corresponds with the information signal. The absolute values of the two noise band signals are summed, weighted, and compared with the information band signal in an operational amplifier whose output tends toward a signal of one polarity with respect to a reference voltage due to noise and tends toward the opposite polarity due to the information band frequency. The signal is integrated and used to control an alarm circuit and environmental noise indicating devices. Means are provided to reduce sensitivity of one of the devices in the presence of high noise and to restore sensitivity if a valid information signal occurs. The other device is used to warn of persistent environmental noise that might be eliminated.

Abstract: A falsing protection circuit for preventing the false triggering of an alarm system or the like by extraneous randomly occurring pulses includes a pulse extractor circuit that is nonresponsive to a predetermined number of initial pulses in a pulse train but responds to subsequent pulses in the train, thereby making the alarm system responsive only to pulse trains containing numerous pulses of the type encountered during actual alarm conditions. Pulse shaping circuitry is included in the pulse extractor circuit for extending all short pulses to a minimum length and for passing all pulses longer than the minimum length at their true length. This effectively prevents a burst of short pulses occurring during the minimum length interval from falsely triggering the system.