US3735196A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flasher circuit with outage indication
Assignee: Meridian Industries Inc
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Filing: 1972-03-23
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Granted: 1973-05-22
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Expires: 1992-03-23
Abstract
Abstract A flasher circuit has a power transistor controlling a circuit with a load therein; a multivibrator produces a timed pulse signal to the power transistor for turning the power transistor ''''on''''; and an additional transistor sensitive to the occurrence of an increased voltage drop across the load due to an outage is connected to the multivibrator for changing the time rate of the timed pulse signal.
Inventors
- 👤 J Bolinger
- 👤 W Kolster
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:26
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B39/00; H05B39/09; H03; H03K; H03K3/00; H03K3/02; H03K3/26; H03K3/28; H03K3/281; H03K3/282; H03K3/2823
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
248 words
In a flasher circuit of the type adapted to intermittently energize a load from a voltage source and including means for producing intermittent control signal impulses, and a switching device having its output connected between the load and the voltage source and having its input connected with said means and adapted to be switched between on and off conditions in response to said control signal impulses to connect and disconnect the load and the voltage source, said load comprising plural signal lamps connected in parallel directly across the voltage source whereby the entire voltage of the source is appLied to the load when the switching device is on, the improvement comprising a resistor connected across the output of said switching device and in series with the load whereby the resistor and load constitute a voltage divider across the voltage source when the switch is off, the voltage across the load during the interval when the switching device is off being less than a predetermined value when all of the plural signal lamps are operative and being greater than the predetermined value when one of said signal lamps is open circuited, and control means having an input connected with the junction of the load and the resistor and being responsive to the voltage across a portion of said voltage divider for producing an output when the voltage across the load is greater than said predetermined value, thereby being indicative of an open circuit condition of one of said lamps.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
248 words
In a flasher circuit of the type adapted to intermittently energize a load from a voltage source and including means for producing intermittent control signal impulses, and a switching device having its output connected between the load and the voltage source and having its input connected with said means and adapted to be switched between on and off conditions in response to said control signal impulses to connect and disconnect the load and the voltage source, said load comprising plural signal lamps connected in parallel directly across the voltage source whereby the entire voltage of the source is appLied to the load when the switching device is on, the improvement comprising a resistor connected across the output of said switching device and in series with the load whereby the resistor and load constitute a voltage divider across the voltage source when the switch is off, the voltage across the load during the interval when the switching device is off being less than a predetermined value when all of the plural signal lamps are operative and being greater than the predetermined value when one of said signal lamps is open circuited, and control means having an input connected with the junction of the load and the resistor and being responsive to the voltage across a portion of said voltage divider for producing an output when the voltage across the load is greater than said predetermined value, thereby being indicative of an open circuit condition of one of said lamps.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means has its input connected across said load and includes a voltage threshold device adapted to become conductive at said predetermined voltage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said control means is operatively coupled to the input of said switching device to change the action thereof upon the occurrence of an open circuit condition of one of said signal lamps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention as defined in claim wherein said switching device is a power transistor and said control means comprises a control transistor having its input connected across said load.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
72 words
The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for producing intermittent control signal impulses is a multivibrator including first and second cross-coupled transistors and wherein said switching device is a power transistor having its input operatively connected with the second transistor of the multivibrator and having its output connected with said load across the voltage source, said control means comprising a control transistor having its input connected across said load.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
85 words
The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said multivibrator comprises a pair of resistance capacitance cross-coupling networks connected respectively with said first and second transistors for controlling the conductive interval thereof, said control transistor having its output connected to one of said networks whereby the conductive interval of one of the transistors in the multivibrator is changed when the control transistor changes from one conductive condition to another in response to an increase of load voltage during the nonconductive interval of the power transistor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3329868A
Cited
US3263119A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-21 | 1976-11-20 | 1977-05-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-21 | 1980-11-20 | 1981-05-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-21 | 1984-11-20 | 1985-05-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |