Signal producing apparatus adaptable for use with variable reluctance motors

Claim 2

A circuit for producing a periodic electrical signal upon the repeated sequential activation of a plurality of solid state switching devices, which comprises: first, second, and third solid state switching devices, each of said devices having first and second terminals; means for sequentially and repeatedly activating said first, second, and third solid state switching devices, thereby, to render them conductive between said first and second terminals thereof; first, second, and third transistors having an emitter, a collector, and a base, said transistor bases being connected, respectively, to said second terminal of said first, second, and third solid state switching devices; circuit means for connecting said first terminal of said first solid state switching device to said collector of said second transistor; circuit means for connecting said first terminal of said second solid state switching device to said collector of said third transistor, and circuit means for connecting said first terminal of said third solid state switching device to said collector of said first transistor.

Claim 3

A circuit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first, second, and third solid state switching devices are light-activated silicon-controlled rectifiers, said first terminals of said solid state switching devices being the anodes of said rectifiers, and said second terminals of said solid state switching devices being the cathodes of said rectifiers.

Claim 4

A circuit in accordance with claim 2, which further comprises means for rendering ineffective and means for sequentially and repeatedly activating said first, second, and third solid state switching devices.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing a periodic electrical signal having a frequency proportional to the angular velocity of a first body rotating relative to a second body, which comprises: a plurality of light-activated sensor units, at least three in number, said sensor units being mounted in stationary positions with respect to said second body; means for repeatedly and sequentially activating each of said plurality of light-activated sensor units at an activation rate proportional to the angular velocity of said first body; and a plurality of interconnected circuit means for producing periodic electrical signals hAving frequencies corresponding to the activation rate of said sensor units, each of said circuit means comprising a solid state switching device, a first current path connecting one of said light-activated sensor units with said solid state switching device, and a second current path between said one light-activated sensor unit and a solid state switching device in another of said circuit means.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing a periodic electrical signal having a frequency proportional to the angular velocity of a first body rotating relative to a second body, which comprises: a plurality of light-activated sensor units, at least three in number, said sensor units being mounted in stationary positions with respect to said second body; means for repeatedly and sequentially activating each of said plurality of light-activated sensor units at an activation rate proportional to the angular velocity of said first body; and a plurality of interconnected circuit means for producing periodic electrical signals hAving frequencies corresponding to the activation rate of said sensor units, each of said circuit means comprising a solid state switching device, a first current path connecting one of said light-activated sensor units with said solid state switching device, and a second current path between said one light-activated sensor unit and a solid state switching device in another of said circuit means.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein each of said plurality of circuit means further includes current path means for rendering ineffective said means for activating said light-activated sensor units.

Claim 8

Position sensing apparatus for a disc-type variable reluctance motor having a stator with a plurality of spaced high magnetic permeability sections and having a rotor with a plurality of spaced high magnetic permeability sections, which comprises: a plurality of at least three light-activated sensor units; means for repeatedly and sequentially activating each of said plurality of light-activated sensor units when said high permeability rotor sections are in predetermined positions with respect to said high permeability stator sections; and a plurality of at least three interconnected circuit means for producing periodic electrical signals indicative of the positions of said high permeability rotor sections with respect to said high permeability stator sections, each of said plurality of interconnected circuit means comprising a solid state switching device, a first current path connecting one of said light-activated sensor units with said solid state switching device, and a second current path between said one light-activated sensor unit and a solid state switching device in another of said circuit means.

Claim 9

Position sensing apparatus for a disc-type variable reluctance motor having a stator with a plurality of spaced high magnetic permeability sections and having a rotor with a plurality of spaced high magnetic permeability sections, which comprises: a plurality of at least three light-activated sensor units; means for repeatedly and sequentially activating each of said plurality of light-activated sensor units when said high permeability rotor sections are in predetermined positions with respect to said high permeability stator sections; and a plurality of at least three interconnected circuit means for producing periodic electrical signals indicative of the positions of said high permeability rotor sections with respect to said high permeability stator sections, each of said plurality of interconnected circuit means comprising a solid state switching device, a first current path connecting one of said light-activated sensor units with said solid state switching device, and a second current path between said one light-activated sensor unit and a solid state switching device in another of said circuit means.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein each of said plurality of circuit means further includes current path means for rendering ineffective said means for activating said light-activated sensor units.