Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
160 words
A trigger circuit which is responsive to an input AC voltage for providing at least one drive pulse to a load circuit, said trigger circuit comprising: switch means having first and second positions, said drive pulse being provided to said load circuit when said switch means is in said second position; first charge storage means responsive to said input AC voltage when said switch means is in said first position; first two-terminal switching means conductive when said input AC voltage is greater than a first predetermined value; second charge storage means responsive to said input AC voltage when said first two-terminal switching means is conductive; first three-terminal switching means for conduction in response to discharge of said second charge storage means; and second three-terminal switching means conductive when said first three-terminal switching means is conductive and when said switch means is in said second position, wherein conduction of said second three-terminal switching means passes said pulse to said load circuit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
160 words
A trigger circuit which is responsive to an input AC voltage for providing at least one drive pulse to a load circuit, said trigger circuit comprising: switch means having first and second positions, said drive pulse being provided to said load circuit when said switch means is in said second position; first charge storage means responsive to said input AC voltage when said switch means is in said first position; first two-terminal switching means conductive when said input AC voltage is greater than a first predetermined value; second charge storage means responsive to said input AC voltage when said first two-terminal switching means is conductive; first three-terminal switching means for conduction in response to discharge of said second charge storage means; and second three-terminal switching means conductive when said first three-terminal switching means is conductive and when said switch means is in said second position, wherein conduction of said second three-terminal switching means passes said pulse to said load circuit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said first charge storage means is a first capacitor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said first two-terminal switching means is a first Zener diode whose breakdown voltage is reached when said input AC voltage reaches said first predetermined value.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said second charge storage means is a second capacitor which connects said first two-terminal switching means and said first three-terminal switching means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said first three-terminal switching means is a transistor whose base is connected to said second charge storage means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 wherein said second three-terminal switching means is a silicon controlled rectifier whose input gate terminal is connected to said first three-terminal switching means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 further comprising second two-terminal switching means being conductive when said input AC voltage is greater than a second predetermined value, said first and second two-terminal switching means being connected in series, said second charge storage means connecting the common terminal of said first and second two-terminal switching means and said first three-terminal switching means, and said first three-terminal switching means being non-conductive when said input AC voltage is greater than said second predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 wherein said second two-terminal switching means is a second Zener diode whose breakdown voltage is reached when said input AC voltage reaches said second predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 wherein said first three-terminal switching means becomes conductive near the zero crossover point of said input AC voltage in the conductive state of said first two-terminal switching means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 wherein said second three-terminal switching means becomes conductive near the zero cross-over point of said input AC voltage in response to the conductive states of said first and second two-terminal switching means, whereby the conduction of said second three-terminal switching means passes said drive pulse to said load circuit throughout a substantial portion of a half-cycle of said input AC voltage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 wherein said first three-terminal switching means becomes non-conductive near the zero cross-over point of said input AC voltage in the conductive states of said first and second two-terminal switching means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 further comprising a four-layer diode which is serially interposed between the second position of said switch means and said first three-terminal switching means, said second three-terminal switching means being conductive for the substantial portion of one half-cycle of said input AC voltage when the breakdown voltage of said four-layer diode is reached.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The trigger circuit of claim 1 further comprising first and second resistive means which are serially interposed between the terminals of said input AC voltage, said first charge storage means developing a voltage which is determined by the ratio of said first and second resistive means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 further comprising first and second resistive means which are serially interposed between the terminals of said input AC voltage, said second three-terminal switching means being actuatable to pass a train of drive pulses to said load circuit when said switch means is maintained in said second position, the time interval between each such pulse being determined by said first and second resistive means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
The trigger circuit of claim 14 further comprising potentiometer means connecting the common terminal of said first and second resistive means and said first charge storage means for enabling variation of the time interval between each such drive pulse.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
89 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 further comprising first and second resistive means which are serially interposed between the terminals of said input AC voltage, the values of said first and second resistive means being such that substantially no charge is accumulated by said first charge storage means when said switch means is in said second position, whereby said second three-terminal switching means is actuated to pass only one drive pulse to said load circuit upon activation of said switch means from said first position to said second position.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
76 words
The trigger circuit of claim 7 further comprising: third charge storage means responsive to said AC input voltage when said switch means is in said first position; and third three-terminal switching means for conduction immediately following conduction of said second three-terminal switching means, said second three-terminal switching means being rendered conductive again by said third charge storage means during conduction of said third three-terminal switching means to pass a second drive pulse to said load circuit.