Rate-of-change switches and controllable apparatus
First Claim
1. A rate-of-change switch which comprises:
- a transducer that produces an output in response to an input;
a differentiator being operatively connected to said output; and
means, being operatively connected to said differentiator, for performing a first switching function.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) each include a mechanical-to-electrical transducer (38A, 38B, or 39) and a rate-of-change control device (22, 110, 120, 130, 132, 140, or 146). The rate-of-change control devices (22, 110, 120, 130, 132, 140, and 146) each include a differentiator (40A, 40B, 112, or 156), and a discriminator (42, 114, 134, 160, or 162). The rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) perform at least one switching function when an output from the differentiator (40A, 40B, 112, or 156) or a second differentiator (158) exceeds an allowable magnitude. The rate-of-change switches (63 and 154) may be used to control a timed-opportunity switch (26 or 172), a conveyance, such as a wheelchair (12), and such functions as extending and retracting leg supports, and/or an environmental control unit (14 or 174). The rate-of-change switches (63 or 154) may be attached to a body member (18, 64, or 67) and be body-member actuated. Alternately, any momentary-contact switch may be used to control the timed-opportunity switch (26 or 172) and the environmental control unit (14 or 174)
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A rate-of-change switch which comprises:
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a transducer that produces an output in response to an input;
a differentiator being operatively connected to said output; and
means, being operatively connected to said differentiator, for performing a first switching function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A rate-of-change switch which comprises:
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a transducer that produces an output in response to an input;
a first differentiator being operatively connected to said output;
a second differentiator being operatively connected to said first differentiator; and
means, being operatively connected to said second differentiator, for performing a first switching function. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A rate-of-change control device which comprises:
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an input terminal;
a differentiator being operatively connected to said input terminal; and
means, being operatively connected to said differentiator, for performing a first switching function.
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7. A rate-of-change control device which comprises:
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an input terminal;
a first differentiator being operatively connected to said input terminal;
a second differentiator being operatively connected to said first differentiator; and
means, being operatively connected to said second differentiator, for performing a first switching function. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A method which comprises:
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a) producing an output in response to a manual input;
b) differentiating said output with respect to time; and
c) performing a first switching function in response to said differentiated output. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method which comprises:
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a) attaching a tilt-sensitive transducer to a person;
b) body-member tilting said transducer;
c) producing a first output proportional to said body-member tilting;
d) differentiating said first output with respect to time; and
e) performing a first switching function in response to said differentiated first output. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for initiating operation of a first electrical device which comprises:
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a) initiating a sequential plurality of time delays in which one is a window of opportunity;
a) refraining from momentary-contact switching during a first time delay that follows said initiating step;
b) momentary-contact switching within said window of opportunity that follows said first time delay; and
c) refraining from momentary-contact switching during a second time delay that follows said window of opportunity. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for controlling selected ones of a plurality of electrically-powered functions comprises:
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a) providing an opportunity for selection from said electrically-powered functions;
b) selecting one of said electrically-powered functions;
c) controlling said one electrically-powered function; and
d) returning to said providing step. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. Apparatus which comprises:
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an electrically-powered conveyance;
an environmental control unit that includes a plurality of accessible control functions;
a momentary-contact switch; and
means for selectively controlling said conveyance or said environmental control unit by said momentary-contact switch. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. An electrically-powered conveyance having a wheel and an electric motor that is drivingly connected to said wheel, the improvement which comprises:
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a transducer that produces an output that is proportional to an input;
means for controlling speeds of said electrically-powered conveyance proportional to said output;
a differentiator being operatively connected to said transducer; and
means, being operatively connected to said differentiator, for shutting down said conveyance whenever said differentiator produces a signal that exceeds an allowable magnitude. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification