Wolfgram Industries, Inc.

Waters Instruments, Inc.

Zareba Security, Inc.

Zareba Systems, Inc.

Kirk W Wolfgram

Gerald D Wyatt

Danny M Ondler

A lightning protection circuit for electric fence energizers used with electric fencing systems is provided. The circuit includes a protective combination having at least two electrical components connected in series. The protective combination allows induced voltage from lightning strikes to be effectively spread across a first of the electrical components and a switch of the fence energizer, so as to limit peak levels of current drawn to a second of the electrical components.

Electric fence energizer lightning protection

The present invention provides a high voltage, step-up, high current DC pulse type transformer with increased coupling coefficient between the primary and secondary windings through close proximity of the primary winding turns and secondary winding turns by means of transformer construction that provides a plurality of winding bays for a high voltage secondary winding physically located in close proximity to the primary winding. The plurality of winding bays for the secondary winding are provided by means of a frame and separate thin insulation layer where the thin insulation layer provides the barrel for all or part of the secondary winding. The invention significantly increases the transformer's coupling coefficient in high voltage step-up transformer applications where the transformer's core is pushed beyond saturation due to the high peak current typically found in capacitive discharge type circuits such as those used in electric fence controllers, strobe circuits, and high performance ignition systems for automobile, marine, or motorcycle engines.

High voltage pulse type transformer with increased coupling coefficient through primary and secondary winding proximity

Electric fence energizers used with fencing systems are provided. The energizers can be used to provide an unsafe electric shock, as defined by safety agencies such as UL, where the electric fence energizers are capable of operating continuously regardless of the fence load. Alternately, the energizers can be equipped so as to be selectively set in one of a plurality of modes of operation, for example, 'unsafe mode', 'lethal mode', and &#x201c;safe mode&#x201d;.

Lethal electric fence energizer

A single use, reusable or disposable, animal trap suitable for trapping rodents, having a stable enclosure, an unstable internal floor that tilts to dose the trap, a locking mechanism to keep trap closed, and a release for said locking mechanism, where both the locking mechanism and release mechanism are unaffected by gravity once the trap has tripped, regardless of the orientation of the trap relative to gravity. The floor of the trap tilts back and forth allowing the animal to enter and leave the trap (each time leaving the trap in the open position), until the animal enters the trap far enough such that the floor tilts to one end closing the opening in the trap where the floor is then locked into the closed (or trapped) position with the animal inside. The trap's unstable floor is internal to the trap such that the animal is unable to trip the trap from outside the trap, and the unstable floor tilts when the animal is not present such that the trap remains set due to gravity, thus the trap is anti-false tripping since the trap can not be tripped by the animal without the animal being inside the trap. The release mechanism is provided to initially set the trap or to release the animal if the trap is to be reused and the release mechanism is also provided to ensure the locking mechanism does not release if the trap is disposed of. To reduce manufacturing cost, the trap may be constructed with as few as two component parts.

Anti-false tripping escape-proof single-catch animal trap

The present invention provides a high voltage pulse generator used for deterring animals where the high voltage pulses are delivered to the animal through an electrical conductor that lays directly on the ground and is not insulated from the underlying ground system. The invention's high voltage pulse generator has a predetermined output impedance that is significantly lower than the impedance of an animal that may contact either the device's output or a conductor laying on the ground that is connected to the devices output. The invention's high voltage pulse generator also has a predetermined output impedance that is lower than the impedance of extremely long conductors in contact with the underlying ground system. This significantly low output impedance allows the device to deliver maximum output energy to the conductor in contact with the underlying ground system while maintaining high voltage and adequate energy levels to deliver an effective shock for deterring animals. This significantly low output impedance also allows the device to limit the energy delivered to an animal to a small percentage of the devices maximum output such that the shock intensity felt by the animal is at a mild or annoying level for lengths of conductors in contact with the underlying ground system that vary from zero to hundreds or thousands of feet in length or more.

Electric animal deterrent for contact with underlying ground system

The present invention provides a low duty cycle, high current DC pulse type transformer with increased coupling coefficient between the primary and secondary windings by changing the proximity of the primary windings to the secondary windings through a plurality of primary windings separated by layers of secondary windings thus reducing the average distance between the primary windings and secondary windings. In addition to the increased coupling coefficient, the invention provides a reduction in electrical potential between primary windings and secondary windings through an electrical connection between the primary winding and a tap within the secondary winding. The invention significantly increases the coupling coefficient in applications where the transformer's core becomes saturated due to the high peak current typically found in capacitive discharge type circuits such as those used in electric fence controllers, strobe circuits, and high performance ignition systems for automobile, marine, or motorcycle engines.

Pulse type transformer with increased coupling coefficient through configuration of plural primary windings

The present invention provides a high voltage pulse generator used for deterring animals where the high voltage pulses are delivered to the animal through an electrical conductor that lays directly on the ground and is not insulated from the underlying ground system. The invention's high voltage pulse generator has a predetermined output impedance that is significantly lower than the impedance of an animal that may contact either the device's output or a conductor laying on the ground that is connected to the devices output. The invention's high voltage pulse generator also has a predetermined output impedance that is lower than the impedance of the conductor in contact with the underlying ground system. This significantly low output impedance allows the device to deliver maximum output energy to the conductor in contact with the underlying ground system while maintaining high voltage and adequate energy levels to deliver an effective shock for deterring animals. This significantly low output impedance also allows the device to limit the energy delivered to an animal to a small percentage of the devices maximum output such that the shock intensity felt by the animal is at a mild or annoying level for lengths of conductors in contact with the underlying ground system that vary from zero to hundreds or thousands of feet in length or more.

The present invention provides a high peak current, low duty cycle, pulse type transformer with two methods of increasing the coupling coefficient between the primary and secondary windings. The first method provides an increased coupling coefficient for a pulse type transformer of a coreless design by increasing the number of secondary turns in proximity to a number of primary turns by providing multiple primary windings and multiple secondary windings configured in layers or winding bays in an alternating secondary, primary, secondary, primary configuration. The second method provides an increased coupling coefficient for a pulse type transformer with a magnetic core that utilizes a non-uniform cross-sectional area along the magnetic path where the cross-sectional area is increased within the primary and secondary windings. Both methods significantly increase the coupling coefficient in applications where the transformer is subjected to high peak current applications such as capacitive discharge circuits typically used in strobe circuits, electric fence controllers, and high performance ignition systems for automobile, motorcycle, or marine engines.

Method for increased coupling coefficient in a pulse type transformer through coil configuration and varied core area

The present invention provides an electric fence controller for delivering an electrical shock to a load when the load simultaneously contacts a fence terminal and the underlying ground. In one embodiment, the controller comprises an AC power supply and a fence terminal positioned above underlying ground. The controller also contains a voltage step-up circuit coupled to the AC power supply for charging at least one multiplier unit and for producing at the fence terminal a substantially increased DC voltage. The at least one multiplier unit discharges as an electric shock to the load when the load contacts the fence terminal and the underlying ground.

Direct capacitive discharge electric fence controller

An electric fence controller and method of controlling the energization of an electric fence. The controller includes a digital timing circuit which generates a digital signal to control the activation of a switching circuit for applying energy from an external power source across the primary winding of a transformer. The power source may be an alternating current source, the cycles of which are located by the timing circuit which activates the switching circuit after a selected number of cycles are counted driving an off-time period. Alternatively, the power source may be a direct current source and the timing circuit may include an oscillator and a counter for counting the number of oscillations and generating a digital signal which activates the switching circuit during an on-time period corresponding to a first selected number of oscillations, the switching circuit being inactive during an off-time period corresponding to a second selected number of oscillations.

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Rochester, MN, United States of America

Kirk W Wolfgram