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:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
Jan. 16, 1998
Roger R Merchant, St. Paul, NE (US);
William J Bjorklund, Greeley, NE (US);
Other;
Abstract
The detector for a ground potential rise event includes a first transistor with a first antenna connected to the base collector junction of the transistor, and a second antenna connected to the transistor such that any imbalance of electrostatic charge density existing in the antenna is equalized across the base collector junction of the first transistor. The first and second antennae are vertically polarized, with the second antenna extending downwardly into contact with the ground surface. A second transistor is connected to the first transistor to form an oscillator circuit with the second transistor connected as a reverse biased avalanche transistor to momentarily discharge a capacitor. A transmitter is connected to a power supply and a relay and to the second transistor, to periodically transmit a signal upon closing of the relay by virtue of oscillation of the oscillator circuit. A receiver physically separated from the transmitter receives the signal and includes a interrupt circuit which will interrupt an electrical conductor upon the receipt of the signal from the transmitter, by opening a switch in a relay in the electrical conductor. A timer circuit is provided between the receiver and relay to maintain the relay in the open 'interrupt' condition for a predetermined period of time upon receipt of a signal from the transmitter.