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"Rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."
Dionysius Lardner, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy at University College, London ; 1830
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8188665 | Light emitting diode with energy recovery system The invention relates to a light emitting diode (LED) which is electrically connected to an anode and a source. According to the invention one of the anode and the source is thermally coupled to a first heat conductor, the heat conductor being thermally coupled to a... | 05/29/2012 |
| 7915828 | High-voltage pulse generator, and lighting apparatus and vehicle having the same There is provided a high-voltage pulse generator with a reduced radius of rotation and improved performance, and a lighting apparatus and a vehicle having the high-voltage pulse generator. The high-voltage pulse generator includes a pulse transformer in which a prim... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7786676 | LED driver structure The present invention discloses an LED driver structure, which obtains input power coming from a power source to generate a constant-current power to drive a plurality of LEDs, and which comprises: a plurality of diode groups connected in parallel, a first piezoelec... | 08/31/2010 |
| 7336037 | Intelligent electrical switching device The present invention, according to a preferred embodiment, is directed to portable electronic devices which operate on exhaustible power sources, for example, batteries. The electronic devices of the present invention comprise at least one signal switch and a micro... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7304416 | Maximizing power generation in and distributing force amongst piezoelectric generators It is an object of the present invention to array and utilize piezoelectric generators. It is also an object of the invention to implement properly configured piezoelectric generators into applications that can recapture expelled kinetic energy that is otherwise was... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7272970 | Spark plug having combustion pressure detecting function A spark plug having a combustion pressure detecting function, including a tip end portion in an axial direction of the spark plug capable of generating a spark discharge, a male thread adapted for attaching the spark plug to an internal combustion engine and a metal... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7250708 | Electric switch, especially a piezo switch, with optical and/or mechanical feedback of the switching operation The invention relates to an electric switch, especially a piezo switch, with optical and/or mechanical feedback of the switching operation. The switch contains at least one switching element, especially beneath a cover panel, which can be activated by means of an ac... | 07/31/2007 |
| 7207214 | Glow plug integrated pressure sensor A pressure-sensing element for an internal combustion engine is located in the sleeve of a ceramic glow plug heater having axial and radial pressure channels connecting the sensor diaphragm to the combustion chamber. The sensor signal conditioner is encapsulated in ... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7196475 | Image forming apparatus utilizing a piezoelectric-transformer high-voltage power supply and method for controlling the same A piezoelectric-transformer high-voltage power supply in combination with an image-forming apparatus including a latent-image forming section configured to form an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier, a developing section configured to form a toner image ... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7185632 | Internal combustion engine and method of operating the same An internal combustion engine (20) has a cylinder (1) wherein a piston (2) is mounted. The piston (2) drives a crankshaft (10) which is rotatably journalled in a crankcase (11). The piston (2) delimits a combustion ch... | 03/06/2007 |
| 7183698 | Piezoelectric structure A piezoelectric structure receives input from a voltage source to generate polarization and output voltage. Two surfaces are formed on the direction normal to the polarized direction. One surface has an input electrode electrically connecting to the voltage source a... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7145343 | Repair device for decorative light shunt A repair device for fixing a malfunctioning shunt across a failed filament in a light bulb in a group of series-connected miniature decorative bulbs includes a high-voltage pulse generator producing one or more pulses of a magnitude greater than the standard AC powe... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7095142 | Pneumatic tool with integrated electricity generator A rotor for a pneumatic tool having electricity-generating capabilities includes a shaft and an integral rotor body. The rotor body includes recesses dimensioned to receive an insulated subassembly having a magnet received within a nonmagnetic insulator to allow flu... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7090372 | Generator-driven lighting device for hand-held power tool A generator-driven lighting device for a hand-held power tool has a lighting device, mounted on said main body of said power tool; an electric generator assembly, mounted on said power tool, supplying said lighting device with power; and a transmission device, conne... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7078856 | Wavelength variable light source A wavelength variable light source is provided with: a light emitting layer containing therein light emitting substance having a carbon-carbon inter-atomic bond; a pair of electrodes disposed on both sides of the light emitting layer while holding the light emitting... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7030538 | Piezoelectric transformer, piezoelectric transformer unit, inverter circuit, light emission control device, and liquid crystal display device A low loss, small scale piezoelectric transformer, suited for a cold cathode tube load, and having a high effective coupling factor, is provided using a piezoelectric plate having a single polarization direction. Controlling the dimensions of the third electrode por... | 04/18/2006 |
| 6973820 | Combustion pressure sensor designed to ensure stability of output characteristic and sensitivity A combustion pressure sensor for an internal combustion engine is provided. The sensor includes a sensing element such as a piezoelectric device sensitive to a physical load applied thereto to produce an electric signal indicative thereof and a bendable member. The ... | 12/13/2005 |
| 6965629 | Method and apparatus for initiating a pulsed arc discharge for nanopowder synthesis A nanopowder synthesis system having an autofuser device which obviates the need for external power switches, and which accommodates repeated discharges (of the order of 107) between ablating electrodes of precursor material at a high repetition rate (≧... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6952084 | Intelligent electrical switching device The present invention, according to a preferred embodiment, is directed to portable electronic devices which operate on exhaustible power sources, for example, batteries. The electronic devices of the present invention comprise at least one signal switch and a micro... | 10/04/2005 |
| 6943785 | Piezoelectric transformation driving apparatus A piezoelectric transformation driving apparatus for driving elements or products to be driven by a high or a low voltage includes a driving module consisting of a pulse-width modulation (PWM) control unit and a single driving unit. The driving module outputs drivin... | 09/13/2005 |
| 6911787 | Driving method and driving circuit for piezoelectric transformer, cold-cathode tube light-emitting apparatus, liquid crystal panel and device with built-in liquid crystal panel There is provided a method for driving a piezoelectric transformer in which a driving efficiency and the reliability in terms of withstand power and distortion can be enhanced by suppressing a higher order vibration mode exited by a harmonic component other than a d... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6906466 | Generate assembly and lighting element for a pneumatic tool A generate assembly and a lighting element for a pneumatic tool includes a body having a channel and a first passage defined therein. The first passage has a first end communicating with an exhauster of the pneumatic tool and a second end extending to communicate wi... | 06/14/2005 |
| 6653767 | Spark plug and ignition apparatus At least one of a center electrode tip and a ground electrode tip is made of an iridium alloy. A discharge gap, formed between the center electrode tip and the ground electrode tip, is less than 1.1 mm. And, cross sections of the center electrode tip and ... | 11/25/2003 |
| 6498434 | Piezoelectric transformer, driver circuit incorporating the piezoelectric transformer, and liquid crystal display apparatus incorporating the driver circuit A piezoelectric transformer includes a piezoelectric unit. The piezoelectric unit includes a plurality of driver units divided by at least one groove extending in the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric unit from one end thereof, and also includes... | 12/24/2002 |
| 6437520 | Electronic ballast with cross-coupled outputs Gas discharge lamps having filaments at each end thereof are operated in groups according to the power applied to separate line inputs to the ballast. The filaments of the lamps in a first group are powered by a first inverter that provides lamp current t... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6411038 | Installation structure of engine component with combustion pressure sensor in engine In an installation structure of a glow plug with a combustion pressure sensor, a seat surface is provided in an installation hole formed in the engine so as to penetrate from outside into a combustion chamber of the engine. A contact surface is formed in ... | 06/25/2002 |
| 6380695 | Driving device for fluorescent tube A driving device for a fluorescent tube has a high frequency oscillator which outputs a high frequency AC signal. A pulse width modulator is connected to the high frequency oscillator for outputting a PWM harmonic frequency signal. A first power switch is... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6353295 | Lamp electronic ballast with a piezoelectric cooling fan A lamp electronic ballast with a piezoelectric cooling fan. Use of ballast-driven lamps is limited in some lighting applications by thermal considerations. For example, the problem of heat removal from compact fluorescent lamps with integrated ballasts ha... | 03/05/2002 |
| 6226196 | Piezoelectric transformer inverter A piezoelectric transformer inverter can be driven in wide ranges of input voltages and output currents so that a wide range of dimming can be achieved. Furthermore, the piezoelectric transformer inverter can maintain high efficiency in the overall driven... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6138654 | Piezoelectric ignition and sensing device A spark plug comprising a piezoelectric element that strains with the increase in pressure in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine, and methods of making and using such a spark plug. The strain on the element generates a voltage across the poles ... | 10/31/2000 |
| 5856727 | Multi-purpose safety light A motion activated and light sensitive multi-purpose safety light, having a housing for supporting: a motion sensor; a light emitting diode which serves as both a light source and a light detector; an electronic circuit which further comprises; a motion s... | 01/05/1999 |
| 5726536 | Method of driving a cold cathode tube using a ceramic transformer A cold cathode tube is used for a back light illuminating a liquid crystal with a light from the back. A ceramic transformer is used instead of a conventional wound transformer for a power source to light this cold cathode tube to eliminate various proble... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5715801 | Ignition system for internal combustion engine A booster is constructed with a piezoelectric transducer including a combination of a primary side piezoelectric element and a secondary side piezoelectric element wherein input electrodes and an output electrode are provided in the thickness direction an... | 02/10/1998 |
| 5291872 | Ignition apparatus for an internal combustion engine An ignition apparatus for providing energy to a spark plug (601) is described including electromagnetic means (121, 103, 133, 119) having a north pole (137) and an opposing south pole (139). A piezoelectric crystal (129) is located between the north pole ... | 03/08/1994 |
| 5030883 | Constant spark rate system and method A system and method for providing a constant rate of sparking in the spark gap of an internal combustion engine by supplying constant power to the capacitor which discharges through the spark gap. The capacitor receives current from the secondary coil of ... | 07/09/1991 |
| 4897577 | Electromechanically triggered spark gap switch A spark gap switch is disclosed. The spark gap switch comprises an anode and a cathode having facing surfaces separated by a predetermined gap, a trigger electrode located in the vicinity of such gap, and a piezoelectric generator connected between the tr... | 01/30/1990 |
| 4767967 | High voltage generating device A high voltage generating device with a PZT element is disclosed. The device includes an energization control unit for generating an energization voltage, a PZT element unit for performing voltage conversion in response to an output from the energization ... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4412151 | Piezoelectric crystal spark plug A piezoelectric crystal spark plug includes a body similar to a conventional spark plug, a central electrode extending from the bottom end of the body, and a ground electrode disposed near but spaced from one end of the central electrode and connected to ... | 10/25/1983 |
| 4403834 | Acoustic-wave device An acoustic wave display, scanning or storage device employs a light-modifying member which is responsive to acoustic wave energy in combination with a strobed electric field or light to produce an image or data point.... | 09/13/1983 |
| 4392082 | Pressure-sensitive ignition plug A pressure-sensitive ignition plug capable of sensing the internal pressure of a cylinder of an internal combustion engine and transmitting accommodated signal corresponding to the internal pressure. The pressure-sensitive ignition plug has a pressure-sen... | 07/05/1983 |
