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US 4,049,964 AGranted
Optical switching device
AssigneeCavitron Corporation
InventorsDavid G. Wuchinich, Joseph Tarsia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A novel electro-optical switch is shown comprising a fixedly mounted lamp, a solid state photo-responsive transistor mounted in position to receive light from the lamp for responsively switching from one state to a second state and actuation means intermediate the transistor and the lamp for obstructing the light path between the lamp and the transistor.
Claims3
A contactless, electrical switching device, comprising:
- a nipple projecting from the surface on which the switching device is mounted and having a top surface, said nipple having a bore that intersects said top surface to provide an opening therein;
- a photo-sensitive element located within said bore and having its photo-sensitive portion (1) facing outwardly from the device mounting surface, and (2) operable in response to light received through said opening,
- a resilient, transparent cap that (1) fully encloses said nipple, (2) is retained on said nipple by said cap resiliency and (3) has a cover with a pliable, opaque pressure disc retained in spaced-relation to said top surface by said resilient cap to provide an open space between said top surface and said disc that allows light to impinge on said photo-sensitive portion through said opening, said disc being retained in said cover (a) to prevent light from reaching said photo-sensitive upon the application of sufficient pressure to overcome the resiliency of said cap by blocking said opening and (b) to permit light to reach said photo-sensitive portion upon the removal of pressure on said resilient cap, and
- utilization means coupled to said photo-sensitive element for taking advantage of the response of said photo-sensitive portion to the presence and absence of light received through said opening.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.