Did You Know...
...that the Band-Aid Bandage was invented by a Johnson & Johnson employee whose wife had cut herself? Earl Dickson's wife was rather accident prone, so he set out to develop a bandage that she could apply without help. He placed a small piece of gauze in the center of a small piece of surgical tape, and what we know today as the Band Aid bandage was born!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7977894 | Programmed start ballast for gas discharge lamps An electronic ballast has control circuitry to provide a pre-heating signal to the filaments of a gas discharge lamp for a predetermined length of time before the lamp is ignited and, further, cease providing the pre-heating signal after the lamp has been ignited. | 07/12/2011 |
| 7368879 | Pendulum resonant converter and method A resonant switching converter comprising a first pair of series connected switches comprising a high side switch and a low side switch coupled across a DC input voltage, there being a first switched node between the switches; a second pair of series connected switc... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7330000 | Discharge lighting bulbs control system A device comprising energy saving circuitry incorporated within lighting systems of the type utilizing discharge lamps, wherein the circuitry includes at least one transformer having a primary and secondary windings oppositely wound to establish different fields of ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7279851 | Systems and methods for fault protection in a balancing transformer An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and good performing. Embodiments ... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7141933 | Systems and methods for a transformer configuration for driving multiple gas discharge tubes in parallel An apparatus and methods for balancing current in multiple negative impedance gas discharge lamp loads. Embodiments advantageously include balancing transformer configurations that are relatively cost-effective, reliable, efficient, and good performing. Embodiments ... | 11/28/2006 |
| 7057356 | High intensity discharge lamp with boost circuit A circuit for operating a high intensity discharge (HID) lamp includes an H-bridge connected between a common terminal and a power line, and a control circuit connected to the H-bridge. A boost circuit is connected in parallel with the H-bridge between the power lin... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7019465 | Discharge lamp illumination circuit and discharge lamp illumination method A discharge lamp illumination circuit 1 has a DC-AC conversion circuit 3 which effects DC-AC conversion and boosting upon receipt of a DC input, and a starter circuit 4. The DC-AC conversion circuit 3 has an AC transformer 7, a plu... | 03/28/2006 |
| 7005808 | Discharge lamp illumination circuit A discharge lamp illumination circuit 1 has a DC-AC conversion circuit 3, which effects DC-AC conversion and boosting upon receipt of a DC input, and a starter circuit 4. Power output from the DC-AC conversion circuit 3 is controlled by m... | 02/28/2006 |
| 6911789 | Power supply for a hot-filament cathode In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a switch-mode power supply to generate the heating current for a hot-filament electron-emitting cathode. The power supply directly couples, without an output transformer, the output from a... | 06/28/2005 |
| 6445144 | Current surge limiting circuit The present invention relates to a surge current limiting circuit of a filament lamp, meant to be connected in series between the filament and a switch that supplies an a.c. voltage, including at least one controllable active element, for limiting the cur... | 09/03/2002 |
| 6310446 | Method for adjusting at least one operating parameter of an operating unit for electric lamps The invention relates to a method for adjusting at least one operating parameter of an operating unit (EVG), equipped with a microcontroller (MC), for electric lamps. The adjusting method according to the invention includes a closed loop which carries out... | 10/30/2001 |
| 6225755 | High power factor electronic ballast with simplified circuit topology An electronic ballast circuit for driving a gas discharge lamp from a mains voltage signal supply includes a ballast bridge unit having upper and lower signal lines. A capacitive divider is disposed across the bridge. The capacitive divider comprises at l... | 05/01/2001 |
| 6181073 | Piezoelectric illumination control for microscope A piezoelectric illumination control circuit for a microscope comprising a tunable frequency source of alternating current, a piezoelectric crystal having an impedance dependent on operating frequency, driven by the tunable frequency source of alternating... | 01/30/2001 |
| 6034490 | Lighting circuit for discharge lamp A lighting circuit for a discharge lamp capable of improving the lighting performance of a discharge lamp with a simple circuit structure to thereby prevent a lighting failure at the end of the lifetime of the discharge lamp. The lighting circuit 1 compri... | 03/07/2000 |
| 5844379 | Circuit arrangement for igniting a high pressure discharge lamp The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for operating a high-pressure discharge lamp. A buffer capacitor is shunted by a branch which comprises a series circuit of a second capactor and a unidirectional element for blocking a current with which the... | 12/01/1998 |
| 5726535 | LED retrolift lamp for exit signs A retrofit lamp having light emissive diodes, and more particularly, to a retrofittable lamp configured as a standard incandescent lamp which can be used effectively in illuminated signs, such as an exit sign, for operation on each cycle of A/C voltage ap... | 03/10/1998 |
| 5642019 | Safety protector for non-isolated ballasts A protection circuit for non-isolated ballasts that drive gas discharge lamps to prevent shock hazards. The device acts to prevent excessive leakage currents from flowing between the ballast and ground by introducing a higher common mode impedance path in... | 06/24/1997 |
| 5565743 | Lighting circuit for discharge lamp A lighting circuit, which is lit with a voltage with a square wave, has a DC booster circuit, a bridge type DC-AC converter and an inductor provided at the subsequent stage of the DC-AC converter. A metal halide lamp is connected in series to the inductor... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5554859 | Electron emission element with schottky junction This is an electron emission with a semiconductor substrate having a p-type semiconductor layer whose impurity concentration falls within a concentration range for causing an avalanche breakdown in a least a portion of a surface of the semiconductor layer... | 09/10/1996 |
| 5517087 | Fluorescent lamp ignition circuit A fluorescent lamp ignition circuit of the type including a DC voltage stabilizer to process input voltage into a constant voltage by dropping or boosting, an inductance filter to receive output power supply from the DC voltage stabilizer and to remove su... | 05/14/1996 |
| 5514938 | D.C. ciruit for starting high pressure discharge lamp A circuit arrangement for igniting and operating a discharge lamp (La), provided with input terminals (K1,K2) for connection to a DC voltage source, a commutator (COM) coupled to the input terminals and provided with terminals (K3,K4) for connecting the discha... | 05/07/1996 |
| 5449981 | Electronic ballast and power controller A relatively high efficiency, relatively light weight, relatively small electronic ballast or AC power controller for use in aircraft and elsewhere for controlling a fluorescent lamp load or other load includes an EMI filter, a multi-purpose transformer, ... | 09/12/1995 |
| 5324423 | UV bulb intensity control for water treatment system A control circuit for reducing current flow through the UV light bulb of a water purification unit when water is not flowing through the unit. In a first embodiment, the control circuit includes an RC shunt selectively connected in parallel with the UV bu... | 06/28/1994 |
| 5140228 | Apparatus for regulating the intensity of light emitted by a lamp A control circuit is disclosed that can be used to control the light intensity of a fluorescent lamp. A first embodiment of the control circuit includes one variable inductor and a plurality of fixed inductors. A switch is used to connect one of the induc... | 08/18/1992 |
| 5030892 | Means for preventing damage to electronic ballasts as a result of failure of gas discharge lamps The present invention discloses a means and method for preventing damage to electronic ballasts for high frequency lamps. In normal use lamps assume rectifying characteristics and generate direct current which interferes with the proper functioning of the... | 07/09/1991 |
| 5027033 | High-efficiency fluorescent lamp operating circuit To prevent long-time current flow through a positive temperature coeffici resistor (KL) included in the heater circuit of one or more fluorescent lamps (LP, LP1, LP2), a relay is connected in circuit with the PTC resistor (KL), which will respond when th... | 06/25/1991 |
| 4985820 | Driver circuit for switching on lamp with low cold resistance A driver circuit for switching on lamps with low cold resistance. The circuit includes a power transistor (T5) of which the collector-emitter path is connected to the lamp (12) in a series circuit which lies between a positive terminal and a ground termin... | 01/15/1991 |
| 4949020 | Lighting control system A lighting control circuit is provided for controlling illumination and dimming of at least one light in a lighting circuit for operation at a selectable one of a plurality of applied voltages. The lighting control circuit includes a power supply circuit ... | 08/14/1990 |
| 4904907 | Ballast circuit for metal halide lamp A ballast circuit and method of operating gas discharge lamps are disclosed. The ballast circuit generates a relatively low frequency regulated square-wave current which advantageously provides for operating the gas discharge lamps during their run mode. ... | 02/27/1990 |
| 4855649 | Single-wired switching circuit directed to limit surge into lamp Disclosed is a novel switching circuit directed to use for limiting surge into lamp, comprising a diode circuit wherein two sets of diodes are connected in reverse-parallel; a resistive element connected in series with a lamp to limit the switch-on surge ... | 08/08/1989 |
| 4739225 | Reduced requirement energy storage for load having non-zero minimum operating potential A load is provided, at all times when in operation, with a D.C. voltage having at least a minimum holding magnitude by: providing a source voltage having a peak magnitude greater than the holding magnitude; connecting the source voltage to the load only w... | 04/19/1988 |
| 4736138 | Apparatus for limiting surge currents in dc-illuminated incandescent lamp Surge currents which may arise in dc-illuminated incandescent lamp can be effectively limited by an apparatus comprising a low resistance (first resistance); another resistance (second resistance); a diode rectifier, the input terminal being connected in ... | 04/05/1988 |
| 4716511 | Surge current-limiting circuit There is disclosed a surge current-limiting circuit including a current-limiting means connected in series with a load; a controlled rectifier connected in parallel with the current-limiting means; a photocoupler; and a delay circuit having a time constan... | 12/29/1987 |
| 4701675 | Apparatus for limiting arc discharge current in incandescent lamp An arc discharge current occurred in dc-illuminated incandescent lamp can be effectively suppressed with an apparatus comprising first resistance connected in series with an incandescent lamp circuit; the second resistance connected in series with the inc... | 10/20/1987 |
| 4645982 | Load control unit in an image forming apparatus A load control unit in an image forming apparatus has a control circuit for controlling energization to a load in accordance with a power supply voltage. The control circuit converts the power supply voltage to non-linear data and controls the energizatio... | 02/24/1987 |
| 4644229 | Power supply for lighting incandescent lamp wth high-brightness The present invention provides a power supply for lighting an incandescent lamp with high-brightness, comprising connecting a time constant circuit, rectifier, switching device so that the output of the rectifier is supplied to an incandescent lamp throug... | 02/17/1987 |
| 4603281 | Electronic fluorescent lamp starter A Varistor (which is a non-linear impedance means) is connected in series with the primary winding of a current-transformer; and this series-combination is connected across the fluorescent lamp to be started. Before the lamp starts, the voltage across it ... | 07/29/1986 |
| 4593233 | Lamp drive circuit An alternator circuit comprises an alternator having an armature winding, a field winding, a voltage regulator, a fault detecting circuit, a lamp drive circuit having its input connected to the output of the fault detecting circuit, and a warning lamp dri... | 06/03/1986 |
| 4572992 | Device for regulating ac current circuit The present invention provides a device for regulating an ac current circuit using a magnetic relay which is suitable for use in an incandescent lamp circuit or electric motor circuit to eliminate or reduce inrush-current. The present device comprises con... | 02/25/1986 |
| 4531086 | Device for stabilizing the voltage of a single- or multi-phase a-c network A device for stabilizing the voltage between two conductors of an a-c network comprises a thyristor switching circuit and a choke element connected in series between the conductors and in parallel to a control circuit. The control circuit activates the th... | 07/23/1985 |
