Texas Instruments Corporation

Lyle E McBride, Jr

Richard G Delagi

George Trenkler

Ernest M Jost

Teuvo J Santala

Aime J Grenier

A remotely controlled circuit control device has first and second load contact assemblies movable into circuit engagement and circuit disengagement positions relative to one another in which one load contact assembly is operatively connected to a solenoid so that alternate forward strokes of the solenoid moves the one load contact assembly between reset and tripped positions through a push-push mechanism having an indexing portion and a latching portion. An overload mechanism cooperates with the latch portion to cause the load contact assemblies to move to the circuit disengaged position upon occurrence of a fault condition. The second load contact assembly includes pivotably mounted contact members which are linked to the first load contact assembly in such a way that circuit engagement during solenoid energization is precluded. The push-push mechanism is operatively connected via a mode switch to either a reset circuit or a trip circuit and in turn to a remotely disposed indicator-control unit (ICU) through an optical coupler. Contact status and coordination between load contacts and ICU contacts are provided by a feedback circuit. An interface circuit allows operation of the circuit control device without discrimination on a power supply of either alternating or direct voltage or both. Life expectancy of the device is enhanced by several features including double break contacts with contact wiping and the provision of a floating output arm for the solenoid.

Magnetic circuit control apparatus

A system for determining the presence or absence of coolant liquid as well as for monitoring the effectiveness of corrosion inhibition of the liquid includes a high impedance differential amplifier to which two electrodes, adapted to be immersed in the liquid, are connected. The high impedance differential amplifier measures the d.c. potential of the electrodes as an indication of the effectiveness of the corrosion inhibition characteristic of the liquid. The output of the amplifier is connected to a detector which in turn is connected to conventional indication means such as a light emitting diode. A conventional power source provides positive and negative power to the amplifier. The output of the amplifier is also connected to one of its two inputs through a feedback network comprising a capacitor and a resistance which includes the resistance between the electrodes. An electrically insulative barrier may be interposed between the electrodes or one of the electrodes may be grounded through a relatively large capacitor. The amplifier-feedback network can be used to determine the presence or absence of liquid independently of the corrosion monitoring function if desired.

Liquid level sensing system

A connector assembly comprises a lead frame mounting one or more semiconductor chips, having optically active areas, a fiber guide and optical fibers held in optical communication with the chips. The fiber guide is formed of a plate like member having two or more reference points, in order to precisely locate the fibers relative to the chip. Several embodiments of the guide are shown including a plate having fiber receiving bores extending therethrough as well as a plate having fiber receiving grooves extending along sides thereof preferably used in conjunction with a bar biased against fibers disposed in the grooves. The bar, which may be made of elastomeric material is shown having a straight edge facing the grooves while a variation of the bar is provided with an additional set of grooves. The lead frame mounts a relatively large thermally and electrically conductive pad which in turn mounts the semiconductor chip having optically active areas. Fibers are trained through respective bores or grooves and epoxied in alignment with respective optically active areas. The connector is adapted to be mounted on one side of a backplane while the electronic components such as drivers and amplifiers, associated with matching electrical characteristics of transmitting and receiving circuitry to those of the photo emitting and detecting elements of the chip are mounted on a second side of the backplane. A single connector may contain either or both photo emitting and photo detecting elements.

Connector apparatus

A connector assembly comprises a lead frame mounting one or more semiconductor chips, having optically active areas, a fiber guide and optical fibers held in optical communication with the chips. The fiber guide is formed of a plate-like member having two or more reference points, in order to precisely locate the fibers relative to the chip. Several embodiments of the guide are shown including a plate having fiber-receiving bores extending therethrough as well as a plate having fiber-receiving grooves extending along sides thereof preferably used in conjunction with a bar biased against fibers disposed in the grooves. The bar is shown having a straight edge facing the grooves while a variation of the bar is provided with an additional set of grooves. Either the bar, its respective plate or both may be made of elastomeric material to allow for variations in fiber diameter. The lead frame mounts a relatively large thermal and electrically conductive pad which in turn mounts the semiconductor chip having optically active areas. Fibers are trained through respective bores or grooves and epoxied in alignment with respective optically active areas. The connector is adapted to be mounted on one side of a backplane while the electronic components such as drivers and amplifiers, associated with matching electrical characteristics of transmitting and receiving circuitry to those of the photo emitting and detecting elements of the chip are mounted on a second side of the back plane. A single connector may contain either or both photo emitting and photo detecting elements.

A low-power infrared information transmission system, the transmitter of which is compact, portable and capable of being powered by a low-voltage battery power source for an extended period of time, utilizes a unique infrared light pulse position modulation technique. The system is capable of transmitting information from a DC signal to a relatively high frequency AC signal. The system is utilized, for example, to transmit medical information from medical electrodes affixed to a patient via a portable infrared transmitter to a receiver unit which monitors and analyzes the patient's condition; to provide a remote control unit such as the controller for a video game or a TV on/off/channel selector, and, to provide a portable communications device such as a portable microphone or telephone set.

Low-power, infrared information transmission system

A medical patient condition monitoring system includes a portable battery-operable transmitter module which transmits monitored conditions of the patient via infrared energy to the receiver input stage of a medical monitoring and display unit. In one embodiment, the transmitter module which may be worn on the patient's person includes medical electrodes which are coupled to the patient's skin to receive electrical signals generated by the patient's anatomy. A voltage-controlled pulse position modulator circuit is coupled to the medical electrodes for generating pulses controllably positioned in time from a reference frequency in dependence upon the amplitude of the signal generated by the medical electrodes. An infrared light-emitting device is coupled to the output of the pulse position modulator circuit for generating infrared energy bursts in synchronism with the pulses generated by the modulator circuit. A receiver module having an infrared photodetector device located in the patient's room receives the infrared energy, and provides an electrical signal pulsed in synchronism with the bursts of infrared energy. A demodulator circuit coupled to the photodetector device generates an output signal which corresponds to the electrical signals received via the medical electrodes. This output signal is coupled to the monitoring and/or display unit for monitoring the patient's condition.

Medical patient condition monitoring system

The disclosure relates to high gain electrical relays which are operable at very low power levels and which, when arranged in a relay system with impedance matching to an energizing power source, are operable at the low power levels used in energizing integrated circuits. The relays utilize nickel-titanium alloy wires which are conditioned and arranged to display sharp, reversible changes in shape and modulus of elasticity as the wires are heated and cooled through a temperature transition range, the alloy wires being disposed, preferably with impedance matching means between the wires and energizing power sources, to be heated through the noted transition temperature range by directing current from such low power sources through the wires, thereby to initiate relay operation. The relay construction provides unusually high gain so that relay operation from such low power sources is effective for regulating operation of various types of components used in electrical apparatus.

High gain relays and systems

A self-regulating electrically heated positive-temperature-coefficient (hereinafter PTC) carburetor stove for use in the fuel entry system of a gasoline engine is connected through the ignition system directly to the battery for rapidly heating of the stove upon starting of the car. The system comprises a plurality of PTC pills housed in and insulated from a container with a high thermal conductivity top plate in direct heat transfer relation with the pills. Gasoline droplets are evaporated on this plate during cold start conditions to minimize the need to run a cold engine in the closed choke gasoline rich mode. During heat-up of the engine the PTC pills reach the anomaly temperature and at that point greatly increase their resistance thereby virtually terminating the power requirement of the stove in the heated engine mode.

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Norton, MA, United States of America

Lyle E McBride, Jr