Flashing circuit

Claim 2

An electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected across said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor including a semiconductor means having load terminals connected in series in the charging circuit and having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity between the load terminals in response to a control signal, and first circuit means for establishing a control signal at the control terminal and responsive to a breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to decrease the conductivity of the semiconductor means to reduce current flow in the charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor means to increase current flow in the charging circuit, said first circuit means including the collector-emitter path of a control transistor, and second circuit means responsive to the breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to render said control transistor non-conductive and responsive to cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to render said control transistor conductive.

Claim 3

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein a light-emitting diode is connected across said transistor and in series with said voltage breakdown device, the voltage drop across said diode when conducting being such to render said semiconductor means non-conductive.

Claim 4

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein said voltage breakdown device is a programmable unijunction transistor having a gate connected to said second circuiT means, the gate voltage of said unijunction transistor rendering said control transistor non-conductive on conduction of said voltage breakdown device.

Claim 5

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 3 wherein a light-emitting diode is connected across said transistor and in series with said voltage breakdown device, the voltage drop across said diode when conducting being such to render said semiconductor means non-conductive.

Claim 6

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1 and in which said voltage breakdown device is a programmable unijunction transistor, and said first circuit means is connected with a gate electrode of said programmable unijunction transistor and is responsive to a voltage of said gate electrode for establishing said control signal.

Claim 7

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 1 and wherein said capacitor discharge circuit includes an electrical load in parallel with said transistor and in series with said voltage breakdown device, said electrical load being energized by discharge current flowing from said capacitor.

Claim 8

An electrical circuit as defined in claim 16 and wherein said electrical load comprises a light-emitting diode.

Claim 9

A electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected across said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor including a semiconductor means having load terminals connected in series in the charging circuit and having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity between the load terminals in response to a control signal, and first circuit means for establishing a control signal at the control terminal and responsive to a breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to decrease the conductivity of the semiconductor means to reduce current flow in the charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current flow in said capacitor discharge circuit to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor means to increase current flow in the charging circuit, and wherein said capacitor is charged from an electrical source having an electrical output, and said semiconductor means comprises a transistor whose collector-to-emitter conductivity during charging is controlled by said control signal, said control signal being dependent upon the magnitude of said output.

Claim 10

A electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected across said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor including a semiconductor means having load terminals connected in series in the charging circuit and having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity between the load terminals in response to a control signal, and first circuit means for establishing a control signal at the control terminal and responsive to a breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to decrease the conductivity of the semiconductor means to reduce current flow in the charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current flow in said capacitor discharge circuit to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor means to increase current flow in the charging circuit, and wherein said capacitor is charged from an electrical source having an electrical output, and said semiconductor means comprises a transistor whose collector-to-emitter conductivity during charging is controlled by said control signal, said control signal being dependent upon the magnitude of said output.

Claim 11

A circuit as defined in claim 8 in which said charging circuit comprises a second transistor amplifier connected to be responsive to changes in output from said source to amplify changes in charging current in response to changes in said output.

Claim 12

An electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected across said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor including a semiconductor means having load terminals connected in series in the charging circuit and having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity between the load terminals in response to a control signal, and first circuit means for establishing a control signal at the control terminal and responsive to a breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to decrease the conductivity of the semiconductor means to reduce current flow in the charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current in said capacitor discharge circuit to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor means to increase current flow in the charging circuit, and wherein said voltage breakdown device is a programmable unijunction transistor having a gate, and said first circuit means comprises control means responsive to the voltage of said gate.

Claim 13

An electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected across said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor including a semiconductor means having load terminals connected in series in the charging circuit and having a control terminal for controlling the conductivity between the load terminals in response to a control signal, and first circuit means for establishing a control signal at the control terminal and responsive to a breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to decrease the conductivity of the semiconductor means to reduce current flow in the charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current in said capacitor discharge circuit to increase the conductivity of the semiconductor means to increase current flow in the charging circuit, and wherein said voltage breakdown device is a programmable unijunction transistor having a gate, and said first circuit means comprises control means responsive to the voltage of said gate.

Claim 14

An electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected in parallel combination with said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor connected in series with the parallel-connected combination of said capacitor and said discharge circuit and including an element actuatable to substantially block flow of current in the charging circuit and energizable and de-energizable to control current in said charging circuit, and control means responsive to the breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to actuate said element for blocking flow of current in said charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to actuate said element for conduction of current in said charging circuit, said control means comprising a semiconductor device, and means for rendering said semiconductor device non-conductive on the breakdown of said voltage breakdown device and conductive upon cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to conduct current when said capacitor is charging, and wherein a light-emitting diode is connected in series with said voltage breakdown device and said semiconductor device is connected across said diode.

Claim 15

An electrical circuit comprising a capacitor to be charged, a capacitor discharge circuit connected in parallel combination with said capacitor and including a voltage breakdown device, a charging circuit for said capacitor connected in series with the parallel-connected combination of said capacitor and said discharge circuit and including an element actuatable to substantially block flow of current in the charging circuit and energizable and de-energizable to control current in said charging circuit, and control means responsive to the breakdown of said voltage breakdown device to actuate said element for blocking flow of current in said charging circuit and responsive to cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to actuate said element for conduction of current in said charging circuit, said control means comprising a semiconductor device, and means for rendering said semiconductor device non-conductive on the breakdown of said voltage breakdown device and conductive upon cessation of current in said voltage breakdown device to conduct current when said capacitor is charging, and wherein a light-emitting diode is connected in series with said voltage breakdown device and said semiconductor device is connected across said diode.