Emhart Industries, Inc.

P. R. Mallory Co.

Catheter Research, Inc.

James E Small

William C McCoy

Charles E Scott

Mark E David

Gregory A Cole

Frederick E Wang

A memory element of the present invention is split to minimize the magnitude of electrical current flowing therethrough as the split memory element is being heated to its transitional temperature, thereby permitting the cross-sectional area of the lead wires used to conduct an electric current to the memory element to be minimized. The split memory element includes a tip member and first and second strip members aligned in side-by-side relation. Each of the tip member, first strip member, and second strip member are made of a shape-memory alloy and have a characteristic internal structure. Each strip member includes a shape-memory portion coupled to the tip member, a lead-attachment portion, and partition means for interconnecting the shape-memory and lead-attachment portions. Each partition means has an internal structure which is dissimilar to the characteristic internal structure of the tip member and the first and second strip members so that certain ions originating in the electrically conductive wire lead coupled to the lead-attachment portions are substantially isolated or otherwise contained in the lead-attachment portions to prevent contamination of the shape-memory portions.

Split memory element

A memory element made of a shape-memory alloy includes lead-attachment and shape-memory portions and a partition interconnecting such portions. The lead-attachment and shape-memory portions are comprised of characteristic internal structures, while the partition is comprised of an internal structure dissimilar to the characteristic internal structure of at least one of the lead-attachment and shape-memory portions. Shape-memory effect characteristics of the shape-memory portion are preserved to maintain the memory function of the memory element by configuring the dissimilar internal structure to block transmigration from the lead-attachment to the shape-memory portions of selected contaminant material existing in the lead-attachment portion. The partition functions as a contaminant filter to control the concentration of contaminant material in the shape-memory portion, thereby enhancing the durability of the memory element. A method is disclosed of altering the first crystalline structure of an uncontaminated memory element to provide the dissimilar, contaminant migration-blocking, internal structure.

Memory element

A method and control system for controlling an apparatus having at least one machine function and a cycle of operation associated therewith provides a central control element for controlling the function, an input for selecting one of a plurality of fixed periods for causing the control element to activate the function for a cycle of operation in response to the selected period, a device for determining a variable period independent of the fixed periods, and an input for the variably determined period into the control element, the control element having information stored therein, which information includes the fixed periods and an instruction repertoire for causing the control element to control the machine function in response to either one of the fixed periods or the variably determined period.

Method and control system for controlling apparatus

A voltage level detector for controlling a battery charger, includes a power supply circuit adapted to be coupled to a battery during charging thereof, a first voltage regulator for providing a supply voltage for the detector, the first voltage regulator being coupled to receive power from the power supply circuit, a second voltage regulator for providing a stable source of reference voltage, the second voltage regulator being coupled to receive power from the detector supply voltage, a voltage comparator having one input thereof coupled to the stable reference voltage source, circuitry for coupling the battery to the other input of the voltage comparator, the circuit for coupling being adapted to coupled a proportion of the battery voltage which proportion equals the stable reference voltage when the battery voltage reaches a predetermined maximum level, and control circuitry responsive to the output of the voltage comparator for controlling the charging of the battery in response to the battery voltage reaching the maximum desired level.

Voltage level detector for battery charger control circuit

A control system for controlling the operation of an appliance and the like, wherein the appliance includes at least one machine function having a cycle of operation associated therewith, includes a central control element having stored therein an instruction repertoire for operation of the appliance and a plurality of selectable indices of fixed periods for the cycle of operation of the machine function. Further included in the control system are a plurality of patch cords each corresponding to various time periods which may be added to a selected index of fixed periods to provide a plurality of variable time periods for the cycle of operation and a plurality of momentarily operable devices some of which correspond to the fixed periods of a selected index of fixed periods and some of which correspond to variably programmed periods for selecting either a fixed period or a variably programmed period for the cycle of operation. Also provided is circuitry for removing power from the appliance if a momentarily operable device is not actuated within a predetermined period of time after initial application of power to the appliance and circuitry for distinguishably indicating when two momentarily operable devices have been coincidently actuated and when the cycle of operation is completed. Furthermore, associated with the instruction repertoire is a method of controlling the appliance operation.

Means and method for controlling the operation of an appliance and the

A control system is disclosed which is capable of controlling N+1 operational modes of a plurality of machine functions of an apparatus utilizing N momentary switching devices in a specific logical interrelationship. The control system includes gate circuit means which is responsive to the N switching devices for latching the control system in at least N+1 operational modes whereby the machine functions are activated and deactivated in accordance with one of a plurality of predetermined operational sequences associated with the operational modes. The N switching devices operate independent of each other yet are interrelated by the gate circuit means to limit the maximum AC line current used by the machine functions during any one of the N+1 operational modes.

Control system utilizing momentary switching devices

A control system, for a machine and the like having at least one cycle made up of at least two events, utilizes momentary switching devices to actuate each cycle. The control system includes a control circuit having momentary switching devices, digital circuitry for latching the control circuit in various modes of operation, and timing circuitry responsive to the digital circuitry for timing at least one event of the cycle; and gate circuit means controlled by semiconductor switching devices for regulating at least another event of the cycle in response to the control circuit.

A control system for a machine and the like having at least one cycle made up of at least two events utilizes at least one momentarily operable switching device to actuate the cycle and digital circuitry including a plurality of NAND and AND gates to implement a momentary zero potential signal produced by the switching device. The control system includes a control circuit having programming means, digital circuitry further including at least two NOR gates for latching the control circuit in various modes of operation, and timing circuitry for deriving a selectable timing period for at least one event of the cycle; and gate circuit means including additional digital circuitry for regulating at least another event of the cycle in response to the control circuit.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

James E Small