Astable multivibrator
AssigneeRCA Corporation
InventorOtto Heinrich Schade, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The base of a first transistor is coupled through a first capacitor to the collector of a second transistor and the base of the latter is coupled through a second capacitor to the collector of the first transistor. The capacitors are alternately charged by means of first and second relatively constant current sources connected to the collectors of the first and second transistors, respectively. The charging current supplied by the first current source to the second capacitor flows into the base of the second transistor, causing it to saturate and conduct the current supplied by the second current source. The charging current supplied by the second current source to the first capacitor flows into the base of the first transistor, causing it to saturate and conduct the current supplied by the first current source.
Claims9
The combination comprising:
- first and second transistors, each transistor having a base, an emitter, and a collector;
- a first capacitor connected between the base of said first transistor and the collector of said second transistor;
- a second capacitor connected between the base of said second transistor and the collector of said first transistor;
- a point of fixed potential;
- means connecting the emitters of said first and second transistors to said point of fixed potential;
- means comprised solely of first and second current sources connected to the collectors of said first and second transistors, respectively, for alternately charging said capacitors and supplying a forward bias through the capacitors to the bases of said transistors;
- and
- means responsive to the potentials at the collectors of said first and second transistors for applying a forward bias to one of said first and second transistors when both of said first and second transistors are nonconducting and their collector potentials are at the same level.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.