Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller fame has patented a "Hydro-Therapeutic Stimulator", which uses a hot tub for stimulation.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7679354 | Phase detecting device, phase control device including the phase detecting device, and fuser control device including the phase control device A phase detecting device includes a power input unit that receives an AC voltage; a phase detector that detects zero-crossing points of the AC voltage, and outputs a phase detecting signal when the zero-crossing points of the AC voltage are detected; and a power swi... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7193404 | Load control circuit and method for achieving reduced acoustic noise A load control circuit having first and second terminals for connection in series with a controlled load comprises a bidirectional semiconductor switch for switching at least a portion of both positive and negative half cycles of an alternating current source wavefo... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7116062 | Method of soft-starting a switching power supply including pulse width modulation circuit A method of operating a power controller that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage includes a soft start in which a duty cycle of a pulse width modulation circuit is gradually increased to a steady state value that defines the RMS load voltage. The control... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7053562 | Lamp containing soft-start power supply A lamp includes a lamp voltage conversion circuit which converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage by clipping or modulating a load voltage. The voltage conversion circuit includes a time-based signal source that triggers conduction in the voltage conversion cir... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7049758 | Method of soft-starting a switching power supply having time-based pulse triggering control A method of operating a power controller that converts a line voltage to an RMS load voltage includes a soft start in which a conduction angle or duty cycle is gradually increased to a steady state value that defines the RMS load voltage. The controller has a circui... | 05/23/2006 |
| 5450001 | Process and device for safeguarding an alternating current circuit having an electrical load associated therewith A device runs a precheck of an inductive load for an overload prior to swhing on to supply mains. For this purpose, following switching-on for a load precheck, initially a phase limited voltage signal is applied to the load, whereby the voltage signal du... | 09/12/1995 |
| 5300744 | High-frequency heating device employing switching type magnetron power source A high-frequency heating device includes a power converter for converting an electric power from a commercial power source or the like into a high-frequency power, a step-up transformer having a high-voltage winding and a low-voltage winding, a magnetron ... | 04/05/1994 |
| 5030890 | Two terminal incandescent lamp controller A two-terminal, alternating current power control device connected in an electrical path between a load and a remote switch, comprising a current switching device, a controlling device and a direct current power supply device. The current switching device... | 07/09/1991 |
| 5028862 | Voltage follower circuit for use in power level control circuits A power control system includes a voltage follower circuit which may be interposed between a load power control circuit which adjusts the level of power applied to a load, and a variable impedance whose internal impedance prescribes the desired level of p... | 07/02/1991 |
| 5004972 | Integrated power level control and on/off function circuit A load power control circuit which adjusts the level of power provided by a load in response to changes in the impedance across control terminals includes a control circuit which disconnects the load from the power source when the voltage across the contr... | 04/02/1991 |
| 4967051 | High-frequency heating apparatus having start control device for magnetron power supply circuit A high-frequency heating apparatus comprises a semiconductor power converter which is supplied with electric power from a commercial power supply, a radio wave radiation section which is energized by the semiconductor power converter, a control section wh... | 10/30/1990 |
| 4930062 | Computer power supply with optically isolated shutdown circuits A computer D.C. power supply comprises an AC-DC converter for converting alternating-current power from an external A.C. power source to direct-current power. A rectifier is connected to the A.C. power source to supply a D.C. voltage to a first light-emit... | 05/29/1990 |
| 4914327 | Circuit arrangement for controlling the alternating current through a load A circuit for controlling an AC current through a load. The load, e.g. a motor (3), is connected in series with a first triac (7) between two terminals (1, 2) adapted for connection to an AC supply voltage. A series circuit of a capacitor (6) and a parall... | 04/03/1990 |
| 4810952 | Circuitry and method for controlling power to fastener machine solenoid A method and apparatus for controlling power delivered to a fastening machine solenoid comprises a half wave rectifier, a filter network, an adjustable frequency generator and a pulse conditioning circuit. The frequency of the frequency generator is varie... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4803586 | Voltage control module A wall box mounted remotely operated voltage module utilizing a low voltage DC control signal which is remotely generated. A power semi conductor device is triggered to deliver a predetermined amount of power from the source of AC electrical power to a lo... | 02/07/1989 |
| 4745300 | Two-wire switch The invention relates to a two-wire switch for connecting a load to an ac ltage source, and, in particular, to a two-wire switch with an auxiliary voltage source. A capacitor acting as charge storage device can be charged by the auxiliary voltage source w... | 05/17/1988 |
| 4713721 | Lighting fixture overload protector A two-terminal A.C. device is described which can be series connected with a lighting fixture to prevent overheating of the fixture in an overload condition, namely, when a lighting element exceeding the power rating of the fixture is installed. In broad ... | 12/15/1987 |
| 4710699 | Electronic switching device An electronic switching device having a detection circuit or input circuit powered by an external source and load is described. The external source and load are in a series circuit with a power switching element which thereby provides switch controlled po... | 12/01/1987 |
| 4631472 | Isolated low power thyristor gate drive circuit An isolated low power thyristor gate drive circuit for driving the gate of a thyristor having an anode and a cathode. The drive circuit is responsive to a signal voltage from a signal source. The signal voltage is sourced with respect to a first reference... | 12/23/1986 |
| 4495461 | Waveform crossing detector A waveform crossing detector circuit for a pair of waveforms of a three-phase AC supply applied to respective input terminals (7,8,9). The circuit includes a pair of opto-couplers (1,3; 2,4) for isolating an output terminal (21) from the supply. In order ... | 01/22/1985 |
| 4461955 | Isolated load switching with surge suppression Relay contacts provide the principal switching between a D.C. power source and the load. An SCR in series with a limiting resistor by passes the relay contacts during initial turnon to absorb the inrushing surge to capacitors of the load. Optical couplers... | 07/24/1984 |
| 4443712 | Switch device for connecting AC power source to load In a switch device for connecting an AC power source to a load, a phase detector circuit detects the phase of a peak-volt point of the AC voltage. In response to the phase detector circuit, a trigger circuit triggers a semiconductor switching element into... | 04/17/1984 |
| 4337430 | Inductive-load power control circuit A circuit for controlling power delivery to different AC inductive loads, which loads create different respective lag angles between applied voltage and delivered current up to a known maximum lag angle. Included is a switching circuit, typically includin... | 06/29/1982 |
| 4215268 | Circuits primarily intended for use in desoldering tools Two different types of circuits, the first a coil operation circuit and the second an operating circuit can be effectively used together in connection with an assembly such as a desoldering tool having a remotely located, associated structure for use in r... | 07/29/1980 |
| 4119905 | Programmable alternating current switch A programmable alternating current switch for connecting an A.C. supply to a load for a controlled fraction of each cycle to thereby control the average power to loads, such as lamps, heaters, motors, etc. A Programmable Unijunction Transistor (PUT) is em... | 10/10/1978 |
| 4069446 | Speed control means for AC motor An unbalanced switching circuit is connected with a bi-directional control rectifier in such a manner that variance of counter electro motive forces produced by rotation of an AC motor affects the lower switching voltage in the unbalanced switching circui... | 01/17/1978 |
| 4055793 | Electrical load controller An electrical load in series with a source of AC power is connected across the anodes of a triac with the secondary of a transformer being connected between the triac gate and one of the triac anodes. An electronic switch controls current flow in the prim... | 10/25/1977 |
| 4038515 | Asymmetrical A.C. welder A constant potential single phase A.C. power welding source is connected to a thyristor network and an energy storing inductor to create a square wave welding current that is adjustable in height, and is further adjustable to allow either half-cycle to be... | 07/26/1977 |
| 3990000 | Alternating current control system An alternating current signal is applied across a series connected switch and load and also to a synchronous ramp generator. The switch is closed by a comparator when the ramp generator output signal is greater in a given sense than an analog reference si... | 11/02/1976 |
| 3978394 | Load and line balancing circuit A circuit for use in connection with an electrochemical painting apparatus wherein the painting load circuit is connected to a source of three-phase electrical supply by means of a plurality of controlled rectifiers connected as a full wave rectifier. The... | 08/31/1976 |
| 3956688 | Remote control phase shift circuit for thyristor A control circuit for a motor includes a thyristor connected to apply current to the motor, and a phase shift circuit for controlling the thyristor including a series RC circuit connected in parallel with the thyristor. The junction of the resistor and ca... | 05/11/1976 |