Back to results
US 4,379,237 AGranted
Light intensity control device and circuit therefor
OwnerLawson P. Mosteller, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for producing a gradual change in power supplied to a load which utilizes at least one gated solid state switching device and a selectable variable timer network connected to the gate electrode and comprising a chargeable capacitor and a switchable resistive network, for controlling a light circuit, for example.
Claims17
A device for producing a gradual change in power supplied to a load comprising:
- a first solid state switching device having first and second power electrodes and a gate electrode,
- a variable timer network connected to said gate electrode and comprising a chargeable capacitor and a switchable resistive network,
- a first light emitting diode connected to receive current passed by said switching device and emit light proportional to the received current,
- a first photoresistor positioned to receive light emitted by said first light emitting diode,
- a second solid state switching device having first and second power electrodes and a gate electrode and controlling the supply of current to said load,
- said first photoresistor being connected to the gate of said second switching device whereby power is supplied to said load as a function of the light received by said first photoresistor from said light emitting diode,
- said resistive network being adjustable so that with said capacitor, said timer network controls the rate of change of voltage to the gate electrode of said first switching device and thereby the rate of change of power supplied to said load.
4 more elements
A variable power intensity control circuit, comprising:
- (a) a power input line,
- (b) a power output line adapted to be connected to an electrical load,
- (c) electrical conducting means connecting between the power input and power output lines for passing a variable amount of electrical energy from the input to the output line to thereby control the load intensity supplied to the electrical load,
- (d) a control element connected to the electrical conducting means for regulating the amount of electrical energy passed therethrough dependent upon the electrical state of the control element, and
- (e) control circuit means connected to the control element and having a plurality of manually selectable settings for supplying a selected variably increasing or decreasing power output dependent upon such settings and present power output so as to vary the electrical state on the control element to provide an instantaneous change ranging from negligible to significant in the power supplied followed by a gradually increased or decreased power supply through the electrical conducting means at a preselected instantaneous change in power and rate of change in power dependent upon such settings to a given preselected power level such that the power supplied to the load varies in accordance therewith.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.