Method and apparatus for safety switch
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsBrent Chian, Douglas D. Bird
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A circuit in accordance with the invention includes a safety switch device coupled with, and between, a thermally activated voltage source and a primary switch. The circuit also includes a safety switch control circuit coupled with the safety switch device and a controller circuit; and a voltage generation circuit for turning on the safety switch device. The voltage generation circuit is coupled with the safety switch control circuit, the controller circuit and the safety switch device, such that the controller circuit substantially controls operation of the voltage generation circuit, the safety switch control circuit, and a primary switch circuit that includes the primary switch.
Claims27
A safety switch circuit comprising:
- a safety switch device coupled with, and between, a thermally activated voltage source and a primary switch;
- a safety switch control circuit coupled with the safety switch device and a controller circuit;
- and
- a voltage generation circuit for effecting turning on the safety switch device, the voltage generation circuit being coupled with the safety switch control circuit, the controller circuit and the safety switch device, wherein operation of the voltage generation circuit, the safety switch control circuit, and a primary switch circuit that comprises the primary switch is substantially controlled by the controller circuit.
A control circuit comprising:
- a thermally activated power source;
- a power converter coupled with the thermally activated power source;
- a controller circuit coupled with the power converter;
- a valve control circuit coupled with the controller circuit;
- and
- a safety switch circuit coupled with the thermally activated power source, the controller circuit, and the valve control circuit, wherein the safety switch circuit comprises:
- a safety switch device coupled with, and between, the thermally activated power source and the valve control circuit;
- a safety switch control circuit coupled with the safety switch device and the controller circuit;
- and
- a voltage generation circuit for turning on the safety switch device, the voltage generation circuit being coupled with the safety switch control circuit, the controller circuit and the safety switch device, wherein operation of the voltage generation circuit, the safety switch control circuit, and the valve control circuit is substantially controlled by the controller circuit.
A method comprising:
- applying thermal energy to a thermo-electric device;
- generating a first voltage potential from the thermal energy using the thermoelectric device;
- converting the first voltage potential to a second voltage potential using a power converter;
- operating a controller circuit using the second voltage potential;
- operating a voltage generation circuit using electrical signals generated by the controller circuit;
- turning on a safety switch device using a voltage potential produced by the voltage generation circuit;
- and
- communicating the first voltage potential to a primary switch via the safety switch device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.