Control Devices, Incorporated

Jurgen Dorschky

Jonathan W Hill

Mark Cote

Christian Millet

Damon F Gentile

A sensor (,) for detecting the approach and exit of a vehicle (,) to a tunnel (,). In one embodiment there is a sensor (,) with a photodiode (,) that receives light through an inclined channel (,) or aperture (,). The channel provides a field of view (,) ahead and above the vehicle. The photosensor (,) is thus sensitive to the change in light from this field of view (,) as a vehicle enters (,) and exits (,) a tunnel (,). Some embodiments of the present invention include a second photosensor (,) with a wider field of view (,) for detecting ambient light.

Tunnel sensor

A protective device suitable for being placed in the power supply circuit of an electric motor, having at least one anti-interference coil (20, 30) for the motor, and a thermal switch (10) thermally coupled to coil (20, 30) and capable of opening the power supply circuit when the coil temperature which it detects reaches a predetermined value, representative of the maximum temperature threshold allowed within the motor. Advantageously, the device also has an electric heating element, thermally coupled to the switch and capable of constituting a main current path between the two input terminals of a four-terminal network consisting of the protective device, when the power supply circuit is open, and capable of holding this circuit open in order to limit the opening-closing cycles of the switch, the invention also pertains to the corresponding process and to a drive device containing a motor and of said protective device mounted on the motor, outside of it.

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St. Mery, France

Jurgen Dorschky