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US 4,289,980 AGranted
Touch sensitive electric switch
OwnerRichard J. McLaughlininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic switch has a sensor input responsive to a person's touch. Manual contact is sensed by a CMOS input of a one-shot multivibrator initiating the output which is used to toggle a flip-flop circuit off or on. The flip-flop output is connected to the trigger circuit of a silicon controlled rectifier, which in turn completes a circuit through a load. The switch may be a single pole, single throw switch, or if flip-flops are connected together in cascaded arrangement, a three position switch is formed.
Claims7
A touch sensitive electric switch for connection in circuit with an alternating current power source and a current load comprising:
- semiconductor means with a trigger input lead for connecting load current responsive to signals on said trigger input lead,
- electronic flip-flop means with an output connected to said trigger input lead,
- electronic one shot multivibrator sensing means having an output connected to an input of said flip-flop for generating an electronic pulse to said flip-flop means in response to an actuating input thereto,
- biasing means including a voltage dividing network for maintaining a steady d.c. bias to said sensing means to suppress pulse generation and including charge storage means connected to said sensing means, to at least partially filter noise,
- conductive touch plate means connected to said sensing means for removing said suppressing bias in response to a manual touch to said touch plate, and
- rectifying means connected to said alternating current power source to supply direct current for operating said electronic flip-flop means, said electronic sensing means and said biasing means.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.