Rapid recycle oscillator with cutoff and thermal protection

Claim 2

A circuit comprising: oscillator means selectively operable for providing an oscillation signal; storage means responsive to said oscillation signal for storing a charge which is a function of said oscillation signal; and temperature responsive means arranged in sensing proximity to said oscillator means, said temperature responsive means being responsive to the temperature of said oscillator means and operative for blocking the operation of said oscillator means while said temperature exceeds a predetermined value.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said circuit further includes control means responsive to said charge for providing a control signal for controlling said operation of said oscillator means whereby to maintain said charge between predetermined levels.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said control means further includes a voltage responsive switching means responsive to a first level of said charge for establishing a first condition of said control signal, said first condition of said control signal being operative to block said operation of said oscillator means, said voltage responsive switching means being responsive to a second relatively lower level of said charge for providing a second condition of said control signal, said second condition of said control signal being operative to restore said operation of said oscillator means, said switching means being further operative to provide a visual signal indicative that the value of said charge is between said first and second predetermined values.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said circuit includes: first and second input terminals; selectively operable switching means for applying a voltage source across said first and second input terminals; said oscillator means being connected across said first and second terminals and responsive to said voltage source to provide said oscillation signal; and wherein said temperature responsive means includes: a temperature responsive voltage divider means connected across said first and second input terminals, and operable to develop an electrical signal, the value of said electrical signal being a function of the instantaneous temperature sensed by said temperature responsive voltage divider means; a gating means responsive to said electrical signal to provide a cut-off signal whenever said value of said electrical signal exceEds a predetermined value; and means responsive to said cut-off signal for blocking the operation of said oscillator means during the continuance of said cut-off signal.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said voltage responsive switching means includes: a voltage divider connected across said storage means and operable to generate a charge signal, the value of said charge signal being a function of the instantaneous charge level on said storage means; a voltage responsive switching device connecting said voltage divider with said gating means, said voltage responsive switching device being responsive to a first value of said charge signal for generating said first condition of said control signal and responsive to a second value of said charge signal for generating said second condition of said control signal, said gating means being further and independently responsive to said first condition of said control signal for providing said cut-off signal.