The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 05, 1995
Filed:
Jun. 05, 1992
Applicant:
Inventors:
Philip H Mudge, Brookfield, CT (US);
Brian Platner, Guilford, CT (US);
Assignee:
Other;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
307116 ; 307117 ; 361173 ; 361-2 ;
Abstract
A control unit for switching AC powered high efficiency lighting in response to a signal from an occupancy sensor. The lighting is switched by a hybrid mechanical relay/semiconductor switch. The semiconductor switch is connected in parallel with the relay switch contacts to protect them and is controlled by a noise-insensitive zero voltage crossing detector circuit which switches the semiconductor switch only at the zero crossings of the AC power. The semiconductor switch is preferably turned on by a pulse forming circuit only for a brief period of time spanning the time when the relay is switching.