Integrated circuit linear time delay extender for static relays

Claim 2

an improved static relay of the type having a time delay network whose output increases with time according to a first predetermined curve after an input terminal of said time delay network is coupled by a pickup circuit to a current-sensing circuit when the output of said current-sensing circuit reaches a first pickup level and output circuit means is energized at the end of a first time interval required for said time delay network output to exceed a first predetermined value, wherein the improvement comprises: first means for providing a substantially constant supply voltage level; charging means coupled to said first means for charging at a first rate; second means coupled to said charging means and activated in response to said charging means reaching said first predetermined charging level for suspending the charging of said time delay network; fourth means coupled to said charging means for deactivating said second and third means when said charging means has discharged to a second predetermined level to thereby enable said time delay network and said charging means to resume charging.

Claim 3

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first predetermined charge level is greater than said second predetermined discharge level.

Claim 4

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second means further comprises adjustable resistance means for setting said adjustable discharge rate between a minimum and a maximum discharge rate, wherein said minimum discharge rate is at least 10,000 times longer than said first charging rate and an essentially instantaneous maximum discharge rate.

Claim 5

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 3, wherein said charging means comprises: a capacitance element having a first and a second terminal and a fixed capacitance value; a first resistance element having a first and a second terminal and a first fixed resistance value, said first resistance element first terminal being coupled to said first means; and a first diode element having an anode and a cathode electrode, said first diode anode electrode being coupled to said first resistance element second terminal and said first diode cathode electrode being coupled to said capacitance element first terminal; said first charging rate being proportional to said fixed capacitance and said first fixed resistance values.

Claim 6

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 4, wherein said second means comprises: fifth means coupled to said first means for providing a first essentially constant reference voltage level; a first switching element having first, second and control electrodes, said first switching element first electrode being coupled to said first anode electrode, said first switching element second electrode being coupled to said capacitive element second terminal; said adjustable resistance means having a first and a second terminal, said adjustable resistance means first terminal being coupled to said first switching element first electrode, said adjustable resistance means second terminal being coupled to said first diode cathode electrode; a memory circuit having a set input, a reset input and an output, said memory circuit output being coupled to said first switching element control electrode and adapted to generate a signal responsive to said memory circuit set input being energized to enable said first switching element to form substantially a short circuit between said first switching element first and second electrodes for discharging said capacitive through said adjustable resistance means; and sixth comparison means coupled to said capacitance element first terminal and to said fifth means and activated when a first voltage level at said first capacitance element first terminal equals said first reference voltage level for energizing said memory circuit set input.

Claim 7

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 5, wherein said third means comprises: a second diode element having anode and cathode electrodes, said second diode anode electrode being coupled to said time delay network input terminal; a second switching element having first, second and control electrodes, said second switching element first electrode being coupled to said second diode cathode electrode; said second switching element control electrode being coupled to said memory circuit output; said second switching element forming substantially a short circuit between said second switching element first and second electrodes in response to said memory circuit output enabling signal, thereby forwardly biasing said second diode element to suspend charging of said time delay network.

Claim 8

A static relay as set forth in claim 6, wherein said fourth means comprises: seventh means coupled to said first means for providing a second essentially constant reference voltage level; and eighth comparison means coupled to said capacitance element first terminal and to said seventh means and activated when a second voltage level at said capacitance element first terminal equals said second reference voltage for energizing said memory circuit reset input; said memory circuit output being adapted to disable said first and second switching element control electrodes in response to the energization of said memory circuit reset input, thereby to enable said time delay network and said charging means to resume charging.

Claim 9

A static relay as set forth in claim 7, wherein said fifth and seventh reference voltage means, said first and second switching elements, said sixth and eighth comparison means and said memory circuit comprise an integrated electronic circuit.

Claim 10

An improved static relay as set forth in claim 7, wherein said adjustable resistance means further comprises: indicating means for adjustable selecting a desired extension time ratio for said time delay network in uniformly spaced increments, said selection means being coupled to an adjustable member of said adjustable resistance means; the uniformly spaced increments being obtained by the proportional relationship between the values of said first fixed resistance element (R 1 ) and said adjustable resistance means (R 2 ) given by the equation: R.sub.2 = (E-1) R.sub.1 where E = (T 2 /T 1 ) is said extension time ratio equal to a desired time delay required for said time delay network output to exceed said first predetermined value divided by said first time interval of said time delay network, T 1 is a time interval during which said second switching element is non-conductive and T 2 is the total time interval for a conducting, non-conducting cycle of said second switching element.

Claim 11

The article of claim 10, wherein said adjustable resistance means is comprised of an electrical rheostat.