Timex Corporation

Timex Medical Products Corporation

Healthcheck Corporation

Bruce H Kamens

Harold Thorgersen

Paul Wuthrich

John T Houlihan

Victor E Shiff

Jacob Fraden

Lyman R Daigle

Jose Santana

Anthony L Rinaldi, Jr

George E Ritter

A drive circuit having a converter that provides current pulses that charge a capacitive electroluminescent (EL) lamp to produce light, a switching circuit that switches successive current pulses for progressively charging the EL lamp and an adjustable circuit that permits external control of the switching circuit to provide a plurality of different predetermined numbers of the current pulses to the EL lamp is disclosed.

Adjustable drive circuit for capacitive electroluminescent lamps

A wrist mountable compass capable of directing a user to a selected compass direction is provided. In the preferred embodiment of the compass, the user selects the compass direction. The user is directed to the selected direction by digital pointers appearing on the compass. The compass utilizes a single magnetoresistive sensor to sense the polarity of the horizontal flux lines of the earth's magnetic field.

Wrist mountable compass

An alarm clock has a motion sensor, a time display comprising an electroluminescent dial, a manual alarm actuator with a lip cover and a flashlight actuator. When the manual alarm actuator is set in the ON position, any movement (e.g., waving a hand) in the field of view of the motion sensor causes the electroluminescent dial to become activated to a first brightness level. Furthermore, when the alarm is sounding, any movement in the field of view of the motion sensor silences the alarm for a preselected time interval, before the sounding of the alarm is resumed ('snooze' function). In the OFF position for the manual alarm actuator, the lip cover covers the motion sensor so that motion detection is prevented. When the flashlight actuator is actuated, the electroluminescent dial becomes activated to a second brightness level. The second brightness level is noticeably brighter than the first brightness level. The alarm clock has circuit means coupled to a driving circuit for the electroluminescent dial for selecting either the first or the second brightness level.

Motion controlled clock with alarm and flashlight features

A capacitive charge pump circuit and associated method is provided for outputting an output voltage which has a magnitude which is an integer multiple of the magnitude of a power supply voltage used to power the circuit. In one form, a capacitor is charged to the power supply voltage, V.sub.s. The capacitor is alternately coupled to the power supply voltage and ground so that in an alternating manner, 2 V.sub.s and -V.sub.s appear across it. By coupling a first electrode of a piezoelectric crystal to the capacitor and a second electrode of the piezoelectric crystal to the power supply voltage, a signal having a peak-to-peak magnitude which is three times that of the power supply voltage will drive the piezoelectric crystal.

Capacitive charge pump driver circuit for piezoelectric alarm

In a drive circuit for driving an electroluminescent device having an electroluminescent lamp, a battery, and a frequency divider circuit for generating a plurality of signals, including a first signal, the improved voltage-boosting circuit comprising first and second inductors electrically connected to the battery; a digital logic gate electrically connected to the frequency divider circuit; a first transitive switch electrically connected to the frequency divider circuit for receiving the first signal, and electrically connected to the first inductor for providing the first signal to the first inductor; and, a second transitive switch electrically connected to receive an output signal from the digital logic gate and electrically connected to the second inductor for providing the output signal to the second inductor, wherein the first and second inductors are caused to alternately provide high voltage pulses for driving the electroluminescent lamp. The digital logic gate may comprise a NOR gate having two terminals, one of which is electrically connected to receive a dimming signal for disabling the second inductor thereby reducing the electroluminescent lamp brightness. The operator of the electroluminescent lamp may selectively activate the digital logic gate to reduce lamp brightness.

Voltage-boosting circuit for an electroluminescent lamp driver

An alarm setting mechanism for an analog timepiece of the type having a minute hand, an hour hand and an alarm device responsive to switch actuations. A minute setting ring and a coaxial hour setting ring are both rotatably mounted in the timepiece and include a minute alarm marker and an hour alarm marker. Both rings have crown gears coupled to a drive pinion arranged to rotate the two rings at a ratio of 12:1 to set the hour and minute markers. This is preferably accomplished using a spur tooth gear on the minute setting ring and a Geneva drive for the hour ring. A first switch is actuated in response to passage of the hour hand contacting the hour marker and a second switch is actuated in response to passage at the minute hand in close proximity to the minute marker. The alarm setting mechanism has a separate crown which is detented in three positions. The crown enables the alarm setting means to function either as a time of day alarm setting using the hour and minute markers with the conventional timepiece dial indicia, or allows the minute hand to function as a count down timer.

Alarm setting and actuating mechanism for analog timepiece

An electroluminescent dial for an analog timepiece comprising a flexible transparent substrate, an inner layer comprising electrically conductive material adhered to the substrate, an EL layer comprising a mixture of electroluminescent material in a binder adhered to the inner layer, and an outer layer covering the electroluminescent layer comprising electrically conductive material, the substrate and the layers comprising a single flexible laminated assembly and having a hole therethrough for accommodating the rotatable stem, and includes a tab portion comprising the substrate and the inner layer extending beyond the EL and outer layers. A dial support member comprising a rigid plate substantially the size and shape of the electroluminescent dial supports the dial on one side of the frame. A printed circuit board disposed on the opposite side of the frame includes an electrical circuit adapted to cause illumination of the EL layer disposed on the printed circuit board and has first and second terminals connected as outputs of the circuit. In a preferred form of the invention the tab portion is bent around the frame after first coating it with protective and electrically conductive ink, and connected to the first terminal. An elastomeric connector is used for the second connection. A modified form of the invention utilizes a shorter tab and elastomeric connectors for both first and second connectors.

Electroluminescent watch dial support and connector assembly

A pressure transducer apparatus for use with low voltage supply source. A semiconductor piezoresistive strain gauge bridge provides an analog output of pressure variations which includes errors introduced by variations in the ambient temperature. A non-temperature-sensitive resistor across the bridge input is used to decrease the temperature dependent voltage change necessary for temperature compensation of the strain gauge bridge circuit output. Analog temperature adjustment means, provide as an output a current whose value changes concurrently and in direct proportion to the change occurring in the strain gauge bridge circuit current. An analog to digital converter has as its analog input the voltage output of the strain gauge bridge circuit, which is integrated over a first time period, and has as its reference input the temperature-adjusted output current from the analog temperature adjustment means which is integrated over a second time period. Thus by adjusting the reference input to the analog to digital converter, temperature variations in the output of the strain guage bridge are indirectly compensated.

Temperature compensated pressure transducer with digital output for low

A single antenna, dual frequency transponder is provided. The transponder includes the antenna, first and second capacitors, a microprocessor/coder for generating a first and second control signals, and a logic circuit which uses the two control signals as inputs and depending on the state of the second control signal either provides an open circuit or a frequency signal at its output node. When the second control signal is a dormant (inhibit) signal, an open circuit is provided. As a result, the capacitors and the antenna provide a first tuned LC circuit which will receive an incoming signal at a desired first frequency. The incoming signal thereby resonates the LC circuit which provides a wake-up signal to the microprocessor/coder. In turn, the microprocessor/coder generates the first control signal of a desired second frequency. In turn, the logic circuit provides a related signal of the same second frequency as an output. With such an output, one of the two capacitors is effectively eliminated from the circuit, and the remaining capacitor and the antenna constitute a second tuned LC circuit which is tuned to the second frequency. By providing adjustable capacitance capacitors, the circuit is adjustable to desired incoming and outgoing frequencies.

Single antenna dual frequency transponder

An improved drive circuit for a quartz analog wristwatch having a bipole stepping motor with a drive coil, a power supply, a gear train having a plurality of gears driven by the rotor, a plurality of output members with hands rotatably driven by said gears, the rotor, gears, output members and hands together comprising a rotating system, wherein the improvement comprises a low impedance drive coil, first circuit means arrange to generate periodic pulses of alternating polarity at a normal timekeeping frequency, second circuit means arranged to supply successive drive pulses of alternating polarity to the coil at an intermediate frequency on the order of 300 to 600 pulses per second selected to sustain and synchronize the rotating system at a substantially constant angular velocity, and third circuit means arranged to modulate the periodic pulses generated by the first circuit means so as to chop them at a high frequency on the order of 4 kilohertz at a 25 to 50 percent duty cycle selected with regard to the low impedance coil, so that energy which would otherwise be consumed by the coil is reduced during normal timekeeping. A braking pulse of 22 to 30 milliseconds in duration is applied to stop the high speed rotating system at the conclusion of time setting.

High rate, bidirectional drive for a bipole stepping motor watch

An electronic alarm timepiece has a rotatable ring producing clicks when the ring is rotated from a first position aligned with one of the hands to a second position at which the alarm will be actuated when the hand reaches such position. The clicks are transmitted to the electronic timepiece logic through the same piezoelectric transducer which produces the alarm sound. The logic means actuates the alarm after an elapsed time which is proportional to the number of clicks counted when the ring is rotated.

Acoustic alarm setting device for a timepiece

A blood pressure measurement instrument controlled by a microprocessor has an inflatable cuff, a pump for inflating the cuff, an acoustic sensor and amplifier for processing auscultatory sounds and supplying signals to a microcomputer, a display for displaying blood pressure, and pressure sensor for measuring air pressure in the cuff and supplying signals to the microprocessor. The invention comprises an improved air bleed rate controller for providing a linearized bleed slope reference signal which is compared to an actual cuff pressure signal from the cuff pressure transducer, to control a variable opening bleed valve. The reference signal is applied at the initiation of the bleed control phase through a logic circuit from the microcomputer and a time delay switch. Additional logic provides a bleed valve override signal for closing the valve during the pumping phase and providing dumping of cuff pressure on the completion of blood pressure measurement.

Cuff pressure controller for blood pressure measurement apparatus

A fast response, electronic clinical thermometer for measuring body temperature is disclosed which has a probe that includes a hollow tubular probe body and a thermal sensor assembly having a low thermal mass at the temperature sensing end of the probe body. The thermal sensor assembly includes a temperature sensing element electrically connected to a thin metal plate with good thermal conductivity which is received and supported by the probe body at its temperature sensing end. The probe is sealed off at its temperature sensing end permitting only the metal plate of the thermal sensor assembly and the probe body in the vicinity of the metal plate to make contact with the tissues of the body for measuring temperature. The probe is sealed to provide resistance to contamination during use.

Growing community of inventors

Thomaston, CT, United States of America

Bruce H Kamens