Other

Tekonsha Engineering Company

Jerry J Tomecek

Philip J Hagerty

The present invention is an electronic liquid level monitoring apparatus for a in-ground storage tank. An ultrasonic transducer is disposed in a fill pipe head device which enables proper placement of the ultrasonic transducer in a fixed position relative to the fill pipe of the storage tank and provides a combination for a plurality of different fill pipe diameters. An electronic control measures the length of time from the transmission of the ultrasonic pulse to the receipt of the return echo and then calculates the distance from the ultrasonic transducer to the level of the liquid in the tank. The distance can permit automatic calculation of the amounts of liquid in the tank, using tank parameters stored in a memory as corrected for the speed of sound at the particular temperature measured via a temperature sensor. The apparatus preferably also calculates a volume variance. In this embodiment a communications device such as a modem can be employed for transmission of the tank data from the monitoring apparatus to an external device.

Electronic tank level monitoring device

A system for adjusting and maintaining cruising speed for automobiles employs electronic circuitry connected to the engine ignition system for generating a voltage proportional to engine speed. A manually actuated switch allows the vehicle operator to choose a cruising speed by storing the speed related signal in a memory. A comparator then receives the stored signal and the instantaneous speed signal and generates an error signal to control a bi-directional drive connected to the vehicle accelerator pedal through a tension member. A solenoid actuated clutch in the drive system for the tension member is energized when the operator sets the cruising speed and is deenergized when the vehicle is braked, when the engine speed falls below a predetermined value, or when the engine ignition or the speed control are turned off. Operator controlled switches allow the vehicle speed to be gradually increased or decreased until a desired speed is attained and the signal for that speed stored in the control, and another switch allows the operator to temporarily accelerate or decelerate the vehicle and then resume a previously stored speed.

Electronic cruise control

A device for effectuating an automatic transcutaneous affect by applying energy to a living organism includes a self-contained power supply disposed in a housing. A probe circuit is utilized to detect points of high and/or low resistance in the organism. When such points are realized an audio emission begins thereby signalling the point. The device, also, includes a treatment circuit which applies either electrical, light or magnetic energy to the detected point. The present device utilizes interlocking logic circuits to preclude more than one mode being carried out at any one time.

Antonomic transcutaneous affect device

A control for brakes in trailer vehicles comprising a circuit providing pulsed signals to the brakes. It is preferred that the time or width of each pulse is equal but the frequency of brake pulsing is increased in accord with inertially sensed stress. The frequency of the signal is directly related to the movement of a dampened cantilever beam which normally blocks the passage of light to a light sensitive target or monitor but wherein the passage of light increases and is attenuated by the beam as the beam moves, under inertial imbalance, to permit added light to be sensed. In addition, the control circuit, vulnerable to short circuits in the vehicle circuit from control element to brakes, is continuously monitored by a disconnect element which senses the existence of the short circuit and accomplishes a disabling of current through the control circuit at a threshold to avoid injury to the control circuit. An electromagnetic coil surrounding a reed switch accomplishes the circuit disconnect in a manner timed by a capacitance in the reed switch line. The probe disconnect timed pulse acts on an indicator visible, audible or tactile to the user of such controls and this intermittent signal indicates the presence of a short circuit requiring correction before the normal operation of the control system can be restored.

Brake controller and short circuit probe disconnect

A control for brakes in trailer vehicles comprising a circuit providing pulsed signals to the brakes. It is preferred that the time or width of each pulse is equal but the frequency of brake pulsing is increased in accord with inertially sensed stress. The frequency of signal is directly related to the movement of a dampened cantilever beam which normally blocks the passage of light to a light sensitive target or monitor but wherein the passage of light increases and is attenuated by the beam as the beam moves, under inertial imbalance, to permit added light to be sensed. In addition, the control circuit, vulnerable to short circuits in the vehicle circuit from control element to brakes, is continuously monitored by a disconnect element which senses the existence of the short circuit and accomplishes a disabling of current through the control circuit at a threshold to avoid injury to the control circuit. An electromagnetic coil surrounding a reed switch accomplishes the circuit disconnect in a manner timed by a capacitance in the reed switch line. The probe disconnect timed pulse acts on an indicator visible, audible or tactile to the user of such controls and this intermittent signal indicates the presence of a short circuit requiring correction before the normal operation of the control system can be restored.

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Brighton, MI, United States of America

Jerry J Tomecek