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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7915766 | Preventive maintenance tapping and duty cycle monitor for voltage regulator The life of load tap changer contacts is monitored by detecting an arcing event; identifying arcing surfaces involved in the arcing event; calculating a per-unit loss of life for the identified arcing surfaces as a result of the arcing event; updating estimates of c... | 03/29/2011 |
| 7550878 | Circuit for preventing corrosion of contact A circuit for preventing corrosion of a contact, includes an input terminal, a signal line, a switch, an impedance element, and a comparator. The input terminal is to be connected to the contact, which is outside the circuit. The signal line is connected to the inpu... | 06/23/2009 |
| 7482714 | Preventive maintenance tapping and duty cycle monitor for voltage regulator A preventive maintenance tapping technique includes noting a tap position of a load tap changer and noting a duration that the tap position has been held. The duration that the tap position has been held is compared to a threshold value, and the tap position is chan... | 01/27/2009 |
| 7408275 | Preventive maintenance tapping and duty cycle monitor for voltage regulator Automatically changing the tap position in a load tap changer includes noting a polarity of a first tap position of a load tap changer. A duration for which one or more consecutive tap positions of the load tap changer collectively have had the noted polarity also i... | 08/05/2008 |
| 7362011 | Apparatus for preventing corrosion of contact An apparatus for preventing a contact from being corroded includes a power source, a signal line connected to the contact, a resistance connected to the signal line, a switching section, a comparator, and an overheat detecting section. The switching section has a sw... | 04/22/2008 |
| 7291940 | Pressure sensitive switches including touch sensor structures An electronic circuit for use with an exhaustible power source and at least one load such as a light bulb, a radio or motor, includes a microchip with an input that transmits a signal to the microchip when the load is activated or deactivated. The input does not for... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7242196 | Power supply controller apparatus for detecting welding of contactors A power supply controller apparatus is provided for use in a power supply apparatus including a battery assembly. The power supply controller apparatus includes a controller that controls supplying power to a load from said battery assembly through a capacitor conne... | 07/10/2007 |
| RE39446 | Power filter circuit responsive to supply system fault conditions A power filter circuit for protecting electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference introduced by a supply system circuit includes a fault/condition sensing circuit capable of detecting whether the supply system circuit is properly wired. The sensing circui... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7155603 | Circuit arrangement for detecting the state of at least one electrical switch Circuit arrangement for detecting the state of at least one electrical switch having at least one set input (Set1, Set2, Set3) in each case and at least one sensor output (Sensor1, Sensor2, Sensor3) in each case, each of whi... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7109720 | Method for determining wear of a switchgear contacts In a switching device, a method and device for determining the wear of the pole contacts (C1, C2, C3) actuated by an electromagnet (20) whose movement is controlled by an excitation coil (21) by the variation of a contact wear dist... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7109721 | Method and electronic circuit for regenerating an electrical contact A method and an electronic circuit for regenerating an electrical contact are provided in order to remedy the problem of electrical contacts becoming highly resistive over time. Electrical contacts become highly resistive over time, particularly when the contacts ar... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7106066 | Micro-electromechanical switch performance enhancement In methods and circuits for using associated circuitry to enhance performance of a micro-electromechanical switch, one of the method embodiments is a contact conditioning process including applying a time-varying voltage to the control element of a closed switch. In... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7095191 | Control apparatus of electric vehicle A control apparatus of an electric vehicle in which relays are switched to a disconnecting state without causing failure of the electric vehicle. Main relays Ry1, Ry2 switchable between a connecting state and a disconnecting state are provided between ... | 08/22/2006 |
| 7084530 | Simultaneous switching output bounce reduction device and method A signal bounce inhibiting device and a signal bounce inhibiting method are provided for preventing power/ground bounce resulting from simultaneous switching output. The signal bounce inhibiting device includes an electric level toggling circuit and an electric leve... | 08/01/2006 |
| 7078643 | Capacitor switch with internal retracting impedance contactor A capacitor switch including a power contactor and an impedance contactor located within a relatively slender container filled with dielectric gas. The container may be a “dead tank” or an insulator. For the insulator configuration, the switch also includes a co... | 07/18/2006 |
| 7049714 | Method for determining the condition of a rotary switch In a combination switch having both rotary and pushbutton momentary switches, a method for determining which switch has been selected by a user. The method also includes distinguishing between the selection of a rotary switch from a pushbutton switch. ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 6930409 | Electromechanical switching device An electromechanical switching device ensures automatic selected polarity interconnection between terminals of two power sources. A double pole double throw (DPDT) switch has three pairs of contacts. A first pair of leads connect to two pairs of contacts in a manner... | 08/16/2005 |
| 6538347 | Electrical switchgear with synchronous control system and actuator A closed loop feedback system controls electrical switchgear that moves at least one contact relative to another contact to switch power on and off in an AC electrical circuit. The control system includes a position feedback device that is operatively cou... | 03/25/2003 |
| 6291911 | Electrical switchgear with synchronous control system and actuator In a power distribution system, synchronizing switchgear operations with an AC voltage or current waveform can be accomplished more precisely with a closed-loop feedback, microprocessor-based motion control design. By employing a closed-loop feedback, mic... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6137193 | Controller for relay A relay control circuit enables releasing of welding of contacts in a short period by applying an bombardment pulse effective for welded contacts of the relay. Welded contacts of a relay are detected and subsequently input a signal to a microcomputer. A f... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6040969 | Power filter circuit responsive to supply system fault conditions A power filter circuit for protecting electronic equipment from electromagnetic interference introduced by a supply system circuit includes a fault condition sensing circuit capable of detecting whether the supply system circuit is properly wired. The sen... | 03/21/2000 |
| 6020692 | Marco lamp life extension in installation for ADI, AEI A circuit for use with optical inspection lamps, e.g., tungsten-halogen or Marco lamps, in semiconductor fabrication machines performing ADI and AEI operations, that will lower the operating voltage of the lamps when the machine is not being used by an op... | 02/01/2000 |
| 6002559 | Contractor tip cleaning circuit A circuit for a direct current electric motor system for reducing contamination in contactor tips includes a semiconductor element in a parallel circuit arrangement with the contactor. The motor system includes a direct current power source coupled to an ... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5844331 | Process for monitoring the wear of at least one contact in a switching device and switching device designed thereof A switching device including a measuring means for monitoring contact erosion, which is provided between a contact element and an associated contact support. The switching device includes an electrically insulated signal line, which is usable in individua... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5729167 | Low power consumption switch interface circuit A low power consumption switch interface circuit (100) includes a current source (109) for providing switch current (144) having a magnitude dependent on a state of a current range signal (135). An input terminal (142) is provided to conduct the switch cu... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5689143 | Arrangement of resistors for switching of capacitive loads in an electromagnetic switching device The arrangement of resistors is intended for the switching of capacitive loads in an eletromagnetic switching device with main contacts (3) and auxiliary contacts (4). One of the terminals (7) of the auxiliary contacts (4) and one of the terminals (6) of ... | 11/18/1997 |
| 5679986 | Synchronization of switchgear switching to waveform indices There is described method and apparatus to obtain synchronized switching of switchgear. A superposition of forces is used wherein the moving contacts of switchgear driven by a conventional operating mechanism has a secondary force, either opposing or aidi... | 10/21/1997 |
| 5672919 | Low current binary input subsystem Disclosed is a low current binary input subsystem for providing a binary input signal to a data acquisition system. The binary input subsystem monitors the open/close state of a field contact and provides galvanic isolation of noisy field contacts, high n... | 09/30/1997 |
| 5616972 | Switching arrangement with switching contacts and an inductive load In the case of a circuit arrangement with switching contacts made from silver or a silver alloy for the purpose of switching an inductive load, for example a motor, in a direct-current circuit, the arcing time is adjusted as a function of the breaking cur... | 04/01/1997 |
| 5563541 | Load current detection circuit A load current detection circuit restrains the generation of noise spikes with a minimum of circuitry when changing between current detection sensitivity ranges by providing a plurality of sensitivity resistors between the output of a voltage source, such... | 10/08/1996 |
| 5523633 | Corrosion preventing circuit for switch Disclosed is a corrosion preventing circuit for a switch which, even if a large current switch is used for a small current system such as an electronic unit, can improve long-term durability of the switch in a manner similar to the present level without i... | 06/04/1996 |
| 5502609 | Electric circuitry for preventing contactor tip contamination in dry switching applications A contactor control system for a DC electric power system for reducing contactor tip contamination from dry-switching includes a first switch connected in circuit between a power source and a controller for enabling the controller upon closure of the firs... | 03/26/1996 |
| 5258654 | Computer-checking of the position of a switch whose contacts where oxidized A precharged capacitor connected in parallel with the contacts of an open switch discharges through the switch upon closure. Oxides on the switch contacts are broken through upon closure of the switch to produce a good electrical connection. The capacitor... | 11/02/1993 |
| 5179290 | System of maintaining clean electrical contacts A method is described for maintaining silver cadmium oxide alloy tips of an electrical contactor clean and substantially free of contamination involving operating the electrical contactor normally, under its regular working operation, in a cold switching ... | 01/12/1993 |
| 5028809 | Computer bus structure permitting replacement of modules during operation A computer bus structure is provided which permits replacement of removable modules during operation of a computer wherein means are provided to precharge signal output lines to within a predetermined range prior to the usage of the signal output lines to... | 07/02/1991 |
| 4914315 | Method for loosening the contacts of a sticking relay as well as circuit arrangement for carrying out the method A method for releasing the contacts of a sticking relay by sensing whether or not the relay contacts stick together in a closed condition and when the contacts stick together, applying an AC voltage on pulsating DC voltage to the winding of the relay coil... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4864157 | Reduced arcing contact switching circuit A reduced arcing contact switching circuit. It is desirable to control the switching of electrical contacts so that opening and closing occur at the time when zero power is being transferred to the load so as to substantially reduce arcing at the contacts... | 09/05/1989 |
| 4851707 | "Fritting" technique and apparatus for improving the sound of switches and connectors in audio circuits The present invention is capable of applying a voltage across the contacts of a switch or connector in an audio system, the voltage being of sufficient level to provide a sufficiently high current to break down an insulating layer which has built up in th... | 07/25/1989 |
| 4772809 | Switching circuit and a relay device employed to prevent arcing A switching circuit for supplying electric power to a load from a power source includes a first relay device having a first switch and a semiconductor switching element connected in series with the first switch, power source and load. A second relay devic... | 09/20/1988 |
| 4769737 | Circuit for driving a relay used in an AC circuit, with a protection against contact welding A circuit for driving a relay having at least two contacts and an excitation coil. An AC power source is connected to the contacts of the relay for applying a voltage of a prescribed frequency to these contacts. A detector section compares a pulse current... | 09/06/1988 |
