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:
Aug. 29, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 02, 1998
Hiroyasu Goto, Tsukuba-gun, JP;
Hiroyuki Sakama, Tsukuba-gun, JP;
SMC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention provides open-circuit detection for detecting an open circuit in parallel-connected thermo modules. Plural rows 10a of plural series-connected thermo modules 11a, . . . 11n are connected in parallel. A detection circuit 12 is provided for each row 10a of modules to detect a change in voltage between a power terminal 17a and an intermediate terminal 18 caused by an open circuit. Switching circuits 20 in the detection circuits 12 are connected in series to an alarm circuit 14, so that if any detection circuit 12 detects an open circuit to preclude the corresponding switching element 20 from conducting, the alarm circuit 14 is activated to cause an alarm 32 to issue an alarm.